# Which rodent?



## BoredomBusters (Dec 8, 2011)

Years ago I had a rat when I was in a flat that I couldn't have a dog in. Now I'm thinking of getting another one research leads me to believe you can't have just one rat.

So what other small rodent would be naturally more solitary and be okay as an 'only'? I'm not 100% sure I will be getting another pet, just doing some research first. I would like to do some training, so it has to be trainable, and ideally toilet trained, so I don't have to worry about urine being dribbled all over the place.

I need to find out which small animal(s) is(/are) suitable so I look further into size and placing of habitat before I can work out if I can go ahead.

Before I had my rat I had gerbils, which I loved, so I'd be happy to go ahead with them again, but I think you can't have just one gerbil either. I don't think a hamster or mouse is going to be suitable. Are there any other choices?


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## Lurcherlad (Jan 5, 2013)

I've had a pair of rats in the past, but I would not have them now that I have a high prey driven dog.


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## labradrk (Dec 10, 2012)

A well bred hamster is the only thing I can think of. Even mice have to be kept in pairs/groups.


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

You are right about rats! They are social pets and need company of there own kind otherwise they get very lonely and depressed.
We've all made the mistake in the past of only getting one rat but 16 years later and I've had my fair share of ratties and currently have 6 males. 4 young boys in one group and two old boys together.

If you only want one pet that likes to live in solitary I'd say get a Syrian hamster.
They are great little pets and if you buy from a good breeder you will certainly have a super tame and quite large hammie. Breeder bred syrians tend to be much bigger than pet shop bred ones. Or you could try your local rescue.
Syrians need a cage size of 80cm long x 50cm wide. And there wheels must be over 8 inches. My last Syrian had a wodent wheel of 11 inches.
Many pet shops sell crappy tiny cages with tiny wheels. 
Zooplus on line sells some really good hamster cages.


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## BoredomBusters (Dec 8, 2011)

I'll look up the Syrian Hamsters - my experience of hamsters is nasty little things that bite a lot, but I'm happy to be re-educated!

Thank you!


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## BoredomBusters (Dec 8, 2011)

They are nocturnal.  It's really got to be a pet that will be happy to be awake in the daytime. If there really aren't any that can be alone except a hamster then probably it won't happen unless I can move and get a bigger house with more space to have a group.


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

I find its hamsters from pet shops that can be bitey! But even then with lots of handling they come around. But breeder bred hamsters are very tame.

Why not get a couple of gerbils in a tank again?


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## BoredomBusters (Dec 8, 2011)

I only want one, but if it's not feasible I'll have to shelve the idea for now and look again in the future. I really do want rats again, but can't commit time or space to a group at the moment. Something to think of again if I am ever able to move to if not a bigger house, a better laid out house so there is room.


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## Guest (Dec 29, 2013)

I used to have a single rat, he was a real happy little thing (actually he was quite a chubby little fellow). I adopted him from someone else who was moving and not allowed to take him, I wouldn't have bought a single one myself with all advice to get pairs. He loved being around people and spent most of his time out of the cage. Bless him, he liked nothing more than snuggling up in my lap and going to sleep. Shame it was before the age of the digital cameras, I don't have any photos of him.

In contrast, I later had a pair of females, but they were so closely bonded to each other that they really weren't very interested in humans.


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## BoredomBusters (Dec 8, 2011)

When I had Stan, he was alone, and spent loads of time with me, he came when I called him, watched tv with me, played together, had as enriched habitat as I could make at the time, yet sites now say 'they might look happy, but they are not'. :confused1:


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## Guest (Dec 29, 2013)

I'd heard that guinea pigs were the same, so I assumed I'd have to either introduce another one when one of the pair died this year, or find someone with a group of them willing to take him on. Squeak (who I still have) was the less dominant of the two, but he's taken to the change really well. He was a bit shocked and quiet for a couple of days, then he kind of snapped out of it and went back to his normal noisy self.

I've never bought single rodents, but have had a few and never had any problems. If humans were available in pet shops I guess the advice would be to buy them in pairs too lol. I really do enjoy being single though.


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## BoredomBusters (Dec 8, 2011)

Yes I'm the same, but we can go out and find a friend when we want same species company. I'm looking through google scholar in the hope there will be some research that means I can get just one and not be a terrible person.


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## Guest (Dec 29, 2013)

That's the spirit! Nearly went into meltdown when the link to scholar became harder to find.


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

Rhudyard said:


> I used to have a single rat, he was a real happy little thing (actually he was quite a chubby little fellow). I adopted him from someone else who was moving and not allowed to take him, I wouldn't have bought a single one myself with all advice to get pairs. He loved being around people and spent most of his time out of the cage. Bless him, he liked nothing more than snuggling up in my lap and going to sleep. Shame it was before the age of the digital cameras, I don't have any photos of him.
> 
> In contrast, I later had a pair of females, but they were so closely bonded to each other that they really weren't very interested in humans.


Even still they had each other and I know I'd rather have two bonded rats together than one lone rat who had no choice but to be clingy to humans as he had no one else.


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

National Fancy Rat Society

It's really not fare at all to go out and buy a single pet such as a rat or guinea pig. Both are very social creatures that require company of there own kind. 
The way I see it is what if you were the only human that lived amongst rats, how would you talk to that rat and understand what is being said? You'd get bored and lonely quite quickly. It's like solitary confidement. 
Two rats is really no more hard work than one rat. I used to have 11 boy rats in one huge cage! All bonded to each other and me. All knew there names! And came when called.

I admit that when I was young (13) I only had one male rat and yes he was extremely tame and we had a great bond but looking back now I feel bad that he had to live a life alone! Seeing how my other rats have behaved living in small and large groups if I could go back in time I'd get buster a friend or two.
To be honest it's very selfish to get one single lone rat whether you think it's ok and the rat seems ok, how do you know what the rat is feeling inside?
While your fast asleep in bed your rat will be awake at night bored out its mind, no one to snuggle up to or groom or play fight.
Or while your out at work!

I recommend if you don't want a hamster then wait till you have the room to get two or more rats where they will have a big enough cage and room to free range.


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

BoredomBusters said:


> Yes I'm the same, but we can go out and find a friend when we want same species company. I'm looking through google scholar in the hope there will be some research that means I can get just one and not be a terrible person.


Most good research will suggest getting two or more, anywhere else or anyone else that suggest buying a single one is giving out very bad advice.


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## BoredomBusters (Dec 8, 2011)

blade100 said:


> Most good research will suggest getting two or more, anywhere else or anyone else that suggest buying a single one is giving out very bad advice.


I was looking at research papers themselves, not places giving advice.


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## Colette (Jan 2, 2010)

You might want to consider that even in research labs species like rats and guinea pigs are housed in groups unless there is a genuine scientific or veterinary reason . Single housing is highly frowned upon, and this industry is big on wanting solid evidence for doing things. 

Socially housed animals have company all the time unless they choose to spend time alone, eg sleeping separately. Considering that most people spend up to 8 hours a day in bed, a huge amount of time working, plus everything else like eating, showering, housework, socialising etc you end up with a highly social animal spending almost all of its life in isolation. 

Even if you do have a vast amount of time to spend with a small pet you just can't replicate the relationship and behaviours of a conspecific. You can't communicate fully with them, mutual groom or play like another of the same species could. Simply put, with the best will in the world you make a rubbish rat!

Also worth noting the animal welfare act mentions the need to be kept with or apart from other animals. I can't see anyone being prosecuted on these grounds alone, but it is. mentioned for a reason. For the animals welfare it matters.

Obviously there are occasions when single housing may be necessary, or if for example. you have one elderly animal remaining from a group. I don't believe however that this is any excuse for deliberately choosing to get one animal of a social species and keep it alone purely for the whim or convenience of the owner.


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

Colette said:


> You might want to consider that even in research labs species like rats and guinea pigs are housed in groups unless there is a genuine scientific or veterinary reason . Single housing is highly frowned upon, and this industry is big on wanting solid evidence for doing things.
> 
> Socially housed animals have company all the time unless they choose to spend time alone, eg sleeping separately. Considering that most people spend up to 8 hours a day in bed, a huge amount of time working, plus everything else like eating, showering, housework, socialising etc you end up with a highly social animal spending almost all of its life in isolation.
> 
> ...


Very well put!


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## labradrk (Dec 10, 2012)

BoredomBusters said:


> I was looking at research papers themselves, not places giving advice.


Why?? 

You are not going to find research papers that state that lone rats/gerbils/mice etc can be kept alone happily.

Anecdotal incidences of lone social rodents being kept "happily" alone are just that.


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## BoredomBusters (Dec 8, 2011)

On this website you really cannot do right for doing wrong. If you read my posts you'll see I already decided against it.

I just can't see why someone asking for clarification, finding out it's true and that therefore it's not a good idea to get just one rodent is then moaned at for daring to ask the question! I'm unsubscribing because I had my answer on page one and I can't see the need to keep being moaned at for asking for advice AND THEN FOLLOWING IT.


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