To have or not to have?

[FBT520]

Ok so with the holidays coming I have been trying to think of the perfect gift to ask my parents for. Since I have recently lost my fire-bellied toads I was hoping maybe I could get some new friends for Christmas. But the thing is, I can't decide. Rats, guinea pigs, or hamsters? I know people who have had rats and absolutely love them, I have had guinea pigs, and when I was little one of my teachers had a hamster and I loved to play with and take care of him instead of going to recess. So, I am hoping that some people can give me some advice on which would be better pets. I also would like to know which are more prone to health problems because, while that will not discourage me from them, I would like to know. Also, I know that rats and guinea pigs like to be in groups and need quite a bit of room. I know that all three will require time out of the cage. Any personal testimonies, info, website or book recommendation, or anything else would be greatly appreciated. Also, if I were to get rats, I already have one picked out. She is a shelter rat here is a link to her page (http://www.icanimalcenter.org/adoption/animal.php?id=Baby052063). When I first saw her my heart immediately went out to her and I fell in love. Oh yeah, that is another thing, I am really hoping to lean more towards getting animals from a shelter if I do get some. If you made it through this post you should be rewarded so I am giving you two thumbs up:tu: :tu: . Thanks in advance for any info.

[Iloveduke4ever]

Hmm.. You should never get a pet as a "gift". Usually ends badly.Not always. But alot times you get this pet as a "gift" and then you get tired of em. Just wanted to let you know. Anyways,i think you should go with what your comfortable with. I think if you had piggies before, you should be able to handle any of the three. Ive had all three before as well,i loved my rats awesome critters! Chewed everything lol. Keep stuff away from the cage! Piggies are cool too. I love their lil squeals. And of course hamsters,ive always had hamsters over the years.I love em and hope to always have one in my life. Im currently taking care of an elderly one. I hope he lives a bit longer! Hes a good boy. Good luck with your decision. Nobody can pick for you. Its up to you.

[dwankrista]

I would go for a hamster if I were you.

For starters the rescue rat you have indicated has a vision problem as the white cloud on her eye indicates. She will cost you in veterinary bills and while I can only comment on the info you have provided I doubt your parents would be pleased. She would also need at least one cagemate.

I have both hamsters and rats and while my rats are my kids and hold my heart they are VERY costly financially, emotionally and physically. While any animal runs the risk of a vet visit (and you must make sure should the animal fall ill that you or your parents can provide the money for a vet bill under all circumstances no matter what animal you adopt) rats are very prone to respiratory illness. My rats are the most expensive of my animals to keep properly out of my rats, hamsters, mice, horses, cats, dog and frog.

Rats also require large setups, MUST be kept in at least pairs and need plenty of out time. Hamsters, while needing out time as well, can be kept alone (Syrians need to be alone as they are solitary) and while larger enclosures are always better the minimum requirements are smaller than those of rats.

Good luck with whatever you choose. There are plenty of hamsters in rescues and shelters as well and I would urge you to veer in that direction. While rats are wonderful animals they are like small dogs rather than other small animals when it comes to care and definitely are not for beginners. You could always adopt a hamster and begin researching on rats now for future adoptions. I definitely recommend at least a year of research and preparation before adopting rats. :)

[tvrodents]

Sounds like the rat has cataracts and this is costly to sort.
There is little wrong with getting a pet as a gift IF you know you are going to recieve it as you then have chance to get prepared etc.
Pets as pressies are bad when they are not asked for and not planned for.
I'd go with a hamster. Cavies are lovely but have reasonably long life spans and rats shouldnt be on thier ownso you would have the hassel of tryingt o introduce one to another if you go for the rescue and finding a cage that is suitably sized. Rats make the best pets of the three though (this is only my opinion, I am not speaking for every one.)

Kat

[Iloveduke4ever]

Heres some links i dug up for ya.

http://www.ratsrule.com/ratcare.html
http://www.2ndchance.info/guineapigcare.htm
http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/hamsters/a/hamstercare.htm

Hope it helps a wee bit lol. I know you said you had piggies before,but i gave you that link anyways.Once again good luck.

[FBT520]

I have researched rats before and in total I have at least over a year of research from books, websites, PetsHub members, and a friend who has rats. I know that rats can be costly and I knew that the little girl I saw has vision problems. Also, why would getting a pet as a present be a problem? I must not have explained well enough in my original post. I wanted to get everything for the pet on Christmas and then after Christmas actually get what pets I chose. I think I am leaning towards guinea pigs. Thank you for the tips/advice.

[Iloveduke4ever]

Sorry,i think i meant like if it wasnt planned or something. Didnt mean it to be mean. Thats great you did all your research! Well whatever pet you choose will be one lucky pet!

[FBT520]

Thanks and also, I didn't think that you meant it mean, I just thought that you were against it. Everyone has their opinions. Some reasons I really want to lean more towards guinea pigs is that I have experience with owning them, I have done about as much research as I have on rats (I researched them again since it has been a while). Plus, my mom loves guinea pigs so I know that it would have attention while I am at school. Thanks again for all the help. I will let everyone know how it goes.

[PetLuver21257]

I personally think that a hamster is what you're looking for. Since you are a student (as I see in your profile) you won't have to spend time playing/taking care of a hamster because hamsters don't need to be constantly played with, partly because they are nocturnal, and partly because they are small and get tired out after about 10 minutes of consistent playing/running out of the cage.

I totally understand why you are getting a pet for the holidays. I mean, your parents will pay for the supplies and possibly the pet itself as one of the big gifts. I asked my parents for chinchilla sand, carefresh bedding, and some treats for my old hamster Kiba last Christmas/Hanukkah (I can't believe that was only a year ago!) so I wouldn't have to pay for it later, not to mention, there wasn't really anything else that I majorly wanted.

Hamsters aren't even that expensive. Once you get the basic supplies, you only need to pay for the new food, bedding, and possibly a vet bill.

Good Luck! Post pics of whatever animal you get! :)

[FBT520]

Well nothing is going to happen because I just told my mom about it and she said "no possible way". So, I guess everything they told me six months ago was a complete lie. Six months ago I had asked for rats but they said no (my mom is totally freaked out by them). But they said to wait six months and as long as I take care of my other pets it is fine. Well a little while later my mom said that she would really prefer that I get guinea pigs because she likes them and they live longer and a bunch of other stuff. I did research because it had been a long time since my piggie had passed and I decided that I did really like them, plus a lot of the veggies that they eat I grow in my garden during the summer. However I still had the six month wait.

Well, that wait is almost over but I still wasn't sure what pet I really wanted so I have been continuing research and looking into hamsters. But I have found that guinea pigs are definetely what I want. So I told my mom and she was just like no way.

She told me that I don't take care of the pets that I have (which is not true) and all of this other stuff. I went up to my room for a little while to calm down because I was really upset but I knew that acting like a 2 year old and throwing a fit in front of my mom would really make her think that her answer was a good one. So when I had calmed down I went downstairs and tried to reason with her with no avail. I know that if I don't have her support I probably won't have my dad's. If I do get my dad's support then my mom will probably give me her's but I really don't think that is going to happen. So, I just told my mom that getting the piggies was all I wanted for Christmas and if I can't have that then she might as well not get me anything because it just wouldn't be the same.

I really think that sometimes parents tell you wait a while because they hope that you will forget and then when you remember they just have to make stuff up so that they have a reason to say no. She said all of this stuff like "they need space, commitment, money, etc." Well we have space, I can commit. and I will be financially responsible. When I told we have space she was like "where?". I told her they could go in my dad's office (which is where my last piggie was and where my l.g. is) she said no, I told her my room, again no, the den, again she said no. All of these places have plenty of space but for some reason she doesn't want them there. Why is it that parents feel the need to make up excuses that they can't even support.

If she would just say that they just don't want me getting any more pets I would probably except that but when she makes up all of these excuses that don't even work it just makes me really upset and angry.

Ok, sorry I just really neede to vent. Thanks to everyone that gave me advice, I'm sorry that I could not use it.

That was a really long post. If you read it all I really appreciate it.

[Orbett]

If you have to get one...remember that a pet is for life, not just for Xmas.

[PetLuver21257]

I understand what you are going through to a point...

My mom has never promised me something when "I am older" and hasn't let me get it.

First off, let me tell you how I got my first hamster (which my mom was TOTALLY against in the first place because she doesn't like rodents, and we have a terrier).

I wanted a new pet, and I was searching for something exotic, I found out that an American Tree Frog was what I wanted. I researched a lot about them and I saved up money to buy the supplies, and my parents said, "Maybe." When I told them that crickets were involved, my mom was like, "Yeah, you're not getting a frog!" So I knew that my mom wouldn't allow one in the house. So then my friend asked me to feed her Winter White dwarf hamsters for a weekend and I did and they were SO CUTE!

I fell in love with them immediately and when I told my mom about them she said, "Now, how about a hamster instead of a frog?!" I was astounded! I was like, "OMGZ, REALLY!?!?!"

Anyways, to make a long story short, my mom got me a Campbell dwarf hamster and I love them. Even my mom loves them! In the morning when I am still sleeping, I see her watch Opie my current dwarf hamster, and tap on the glass and go, "Aww, hey Opie boy! You're so cute! Yes you are!" So she likes Opie.

But I really don't understand why they promise you a pet in 6 months and then they don't let you have it! I don't know what you can do but keep asking for a guinea pig or whatever you want until they crack. Just tell them that you had one before, it was no problem, and you don't understand why it's a problem now. Also tell your mom that she is setting a bad example for you (that's what Calvin did in Calvin and Hobbes and he got his way! :)).

Good luck!

[Orbett]

A motto I try to live by is - "Persist and you will prevail". Just keep on trying...and if all else fails, go out and buy one anyway, then put it in your room and tell your mom you're keeping it. thats what I did with my gerbil = )

[FBT520]

A motto I try to live by is - "Persist and you will prevail". Just keep on trying...and if all else fails, go out and buy one anyway, then put it in your room and tell your mom you're keeping it. thats what I did with my gerbil = )

That would never work. For one, I am not old enough to just buy an animal without a parent (and I don't have a way to get to the pet store cause I don't have my license yet (soon yay!)). Also, if I did my parents would just make me take it back and then for sure would never let me get another animal as long as I lived in their house. Plus, I would never just out right disobey my parents like that.

Also, I tend to over react sometimes and I am trying to compromise with my parents in other ways (well, really my mom).

The problem she has is that it will take too much time and that it will take away from my school work. So I was trying to find either other animals that don't require as much attention as guinea pigs (like a hamster) or prove that I could handle it.

I am thinking that the hamster might be a better way to go.

Can hamsters be kept in glass tanks or do they need wire cages? I thought they needed wire but I wasn't sure. Also, I have a 10 gallon tank that I am not using for anything so, if they need wire, could I just put one of those wire attachments on it?

And, are they solitary or not? I know that syrians are definetely solitary and dwarves are social but what about Teddy Bears? I love Teddy Bear hamsters but I have heard that they are solitary.

I would really prefer to go with one that is solitary if I do get a hamster because in my parent's eyes that means less responsibility.

The reason being, if you have animals that are social but you find yourself where one is all alone than you want to get a playmate for it. If I have a pet that is solitary than I don't have to worry about replacing lost cagemates.

Thanks for all your help and support everyone!

[PetLuver21257]

Hamsters can be kept in glass tanks. A wire attachment would be nice for the hamster, more room is always better.

Teddy Bears are Syrians. It's just a fancy name so that the pet stores can charge more for them. I think that Teddy Bears are really long haired Syrians... But yes, Syrians (Teddy Bears) HAVE to be kept alone!

And since you are leaning towards a Syrian, then you have to add the wire attachment, as a 10 gallon tank is too small for a Syrian.

Good luck! :)

[dwankrista]

Bin cages are wonderful for Syrians. You can get a very large bin for quite cheap. A 10 gallon tank is definitely not large enough for a Syrian as they need at least 20 gallons. Petluver is correct that "Teddy Bear" is a fancy name put on long haired Syrian so pet stores can sucker more money out of customers. The teddy bears you see in one tank probably came out of the same mother as the "regular" hamsters in the next tank that are half the price or the "black bears" or "panda bears" nearby.

[FBT520]

So then would a 70 quart bin not work? 70 quarts = 17.5 gallons. Although, I am pretty handy and could probably do some cool stuff with it to make it bigger. Thanks for the help.

[dwankrista]

Nah, I wouldn't. I have my Syrian in a 40 gallon bin and wouldn't put her in any less. My male is in a cage the size of a 30 gallon and does fine (a "guinea pig/rabbit starter" cage). 17.5 is a little small.

[FemaleCheetah]

Actually Teddy Bear hamsters dont all have long hair. I had a black teddy bear hamster with short hair.

[dwankrista]

"Teddy Bear" is a label, not a breed. The majority of pet stores label long hairs "Teddy Bear", black Syrians as "Black Bears" and black bandeds as "Panda Bears", even though the hamsters are simply Syrians. Teddy bear hamsters are not a breed. It depends on the pet store as to what hamster they label which, I suppose.

[FBT520]

Ok. I will find something bigger. Thanks.

[CookieDough24]

A 17.5 gallon tank is really, absolutley, positively too small for a syrian. I'm glad you're looking for a bigger one. Good luck!! :)