Best Little Furry Animal

I recommend a rat because they are smart, relatively clean and aren't likely to bite. I had several while I was growing up and I think they make awesome pets. I had hamsters and rabbits too, but I like rats the best because they have so much personality! Have fun!!

Rats! When I was 7, I rescued a HUGE rat from my cat - I still can't believe my parents let me keep him. He was 17" from nose to tail! Anyway, the only time he bit me, was when I pulled him away from my cat. He was the best buddy! He was affectionate and SMART. He slept on my pillow and would follow me through the house and did not ever want to go outside again. He sat on the sink and watched my mom work while I was at school. I've never had hamsters or guinea pigs, but I still think about that big old rat who loved me. (p.s. he was a wild rat - I grew up in the last house in a canyon in Malibu in the 60's. He was not someone's pet who got loose. So if a wild rat can be that sweet, imagine how great a domestic rat would be!

I had three hamsters (at different times) as a child... and they all bit! Every time I would reach in to feed it or take it out to clean the cage or put it in the hamster ball it would bite me, it got to the point that I was afraid of the darn things and wouldn't want to pet it or hold it, or even change the water! I would vote NO on a hamster - they are very cute, but not very nice animals :(

Rat!!! BUT, be sure to get your basic "lab rat" - either grey or white. DO NOT go for the so-called "fancy" rat (the ones they bread to be pretty-usually brown). Though they can be better looking, they can be mean and are not as nice as the lab rats. Your basic lab rat will be a wonderful pet!
Good luck.

I've had them all. I agree that Rats are great with kids. I've never had one bite. They only live for about 2-3 years. Hamsters can be a lot harder to handle and depending on the kind, can bite. They're also very noisy at night if you have a squeeky exercise wheel :-)

I would recommend a Guniea Pig. However, they are bigger and live a lot longer so make sure you know that going into it. They live something like 4-8 years. They are diurnal. So, they are awake during the day and sleep at night, unlike Rats & Hamsters. I've heard that you cannot have two males together. They will constantly fight for dominance. If you get more than one, better to have two females.

Good luck!

Hi M.,

Sorry for the late response, but I had to put my two cents in since this subject is dear to my heart. I have had hamsters, rats and bunnies and a childhood friend had guinea pigs. I am so pleased to see so many responders lovin' the Rat! They really are the best; much, much better than the hamster or guinea pig (and definitely forget about mice. I think they only sell them to become food for peoples' snakes!) Rats are smart and clean and affectionate. They are also very easy to take care of, much easier than rabbits. You can leave a bowl full of food and a full large water bottle for a rat and he'll be fine for many days if you have to go away, but rabbits will eat all their food in the first day! In addition, rabbits pee and poop ALOT, so you'll be cleaning that cage a lot more often. Granted I had big rabbits and, by comparison, the rats were small, but still....! It was ridiculous how full that litter box got.

I wholeheartedly agree with the poster that recommended getting a white lab rat instead of a fancy rat. Although there are several common breeds of lab rat, the BEST is the Sprague Dawley. According to wikipedia, they are "known for their calmness and ease of handling." I have had fancy rats and my one Sprague Dawley and he was, by far, the best. He was SO sweet! Just a dear. I recommend getting one as a pup and then handling him or her every day. Then they will take to and thrive on the physical cuddling. Unlike other rodents, I think you can have more of a relationship with a rat, more like you would have with a dog or cat, because they have real personalities.

The only drawbacks to rats is that they do not have very long lifespans and their proneness to non-cancerous mammary tumors. Both my fancy rats had to be put down due to tumor (it grows to the point of impeding movement, at which point I elected to euthanize), but the Sprague Dawley appears to have just died peacefully in his sleep of old age (at about 3).

I have never had chinchillas, but that previous post was interesting. Looks like they might also make good pets, but 15-20 years is quite a commitment. Of course, you won't have to jump into the whole death and dying conversation quite so soon!

Good luck in whatever you decide is best for your family and enjoy your new pet!

I see that you have a ton of responses but I wanted to add my two cents. I have had hamsters and rats and both with kids. If you decide on a hamster I would go for a teddy bear hamster. They are the most mellow and the kids can handle them rather safely as long as they are gentle with them. I personally had two males (at different times) and the only time I got bit was when I scared one of them by reaching through the place where his wheel went. I never did that again :)

Personally though I would get a female hand raised rat. I have had a couple rats and I highly recommend them as pets. Just make sure that you interact with them regularly! If the kids get bored with her you need to take over. They are very affectionate creaturesand thrive on attention. Good luck on whatever you choose!

Both will bite and both die after three years. If you want a rodent, try a guinea pig (they have them in preschools) or a rabbit.

Hamsters BITE! Mice are cute,, but scurry away. As much as I hate to admit this.......rats make good pets. They like to be held, cuddle up, and - although I know they have teeth - I have not known a pet one to bite - from my experience, at least. I have a few friends that like having rats, vs. mice or hamsters. Just make sure your sons are gentle with the little thing! I taught mine, what we call, "the two finger pet" - meaning that they only use their first 2 fingers to pet the animal - sort of forces gentle touching without hurting their feelings.........

Rats generally have a easier temperment and take to being handeled better. They are bigger, too, so cage escapes are harder. Plus their size makes them a little "sturdier" agaisnst accidental squishing when being held.
When I was going to school to be a preschool teacher, we had a lecture on class pets once. Mice are good too. However, I can't tell you how many pet mice I've chased around my house. Guniea pigs are the worst-so skittish and unsocial.
Whatever you choose, if you get more than one, make sure they are properly sexed to avoid any babies.

**We also have leopard geckos. They are super easy to take care of and love to be held too.

Hi M.,

My children are both grown now BUT I can tell you they grew up with rats. They are
wonderful! We started with a cute furry hamster who bit the end of my daughter's
finger. Hamster DO NOT like being woken up. Rats are highly intelligent. They are VERY clean. They are very loving too.I have many good memories and pictures too of my kids carrying (each of them had their own) on their shoulder. I know some people get creeped out because they relate them to being outside and dirty. . We always got the hooded rat (black and white) and got them as a baby. You will totally enjoy them, and your kids even more. Good luck!

how about a chinchilla, they are way cuter!

Hi, M....

For our daughter's Pre-K class we fostered the class guinea pig over all the holiday breaks and over the summer. We had a great time with her. We had bad experiences with hamsters, though. They were munchy, finger-biting critters and my daughters got bit at least 3 or so times each. You have to make sure the kids' hands do not smell like food, etc... or else they'll bite and hold on like mad. We had no problems with the guinea pig, though, and it was bigger so I didn't have to worry it would get squeezed too hard. :-)

Hi M.,
Well, for as young as your children are...you definitely
would be better off with a rat. Hamsters are not as mellow
as a rat, and tend to bite more. I've had both as pets, worked many years in pet stores, and can confidently tell you that a rat is your best choice. Besides, they are fun and easy to train too.

Have fun!
C.

Hi M., I have had both types of rodents and have to say I preferred the rat over the hamster. As long as the rat has been hand fed, around people and KIDS especially.
They dont bite, almost at all. Hamsters do if you just try to handle them. Or even feed them. Its definitely your call, but that's my opinion.
Good luck.
M.

Ooh, guinea pig! I had them growing up and they're GREAT. Heftier than hamsters or gerbils, so they are more fun to hold, pet, and cuddle... more like a real pet, less like a "goldfish with fur." They also make cute chirping sounds. Good luck and have fun! (Oh, and mine never bit me, btw.)

Rats are great. Had that.
Also had a guinea pig, rabbit. ALL great easy little furry pets, and in our case, did not bite.
Rabbits though, use a litter box! We have a rabbit now in fact.
Great pets. And don't bite.

All the best,
Susan

LOVE rats. They're clean, social, friendly...love to climb up your shoulder and curl up just below the nape of your neck. The reeeeally love hiding behind long hair, and peeking out. (I think this may be part of the thing behind the main character in ratatoille (my french is awful) controlling the chef's movements by "steering" with his hair. They're also more than willing to be put in leggo forts/castles, be carried around, "run" obstacle courses you set up in your room...and then be collected and put back in their cage. If you get a big enough wire one (instead of a terrarium) they'll do acrobatics for you climbing around doing silly things.

I would suggest getting at least two. They're social and friendly with each other as well as people, and get bored/lonely if they're all by themselves...but each will be just as thrilled to be petted/played with...even if you had 5 (ahem, we did...one for each of us).

<grinning> Non sequitor: We'd just come back from the wild animal park when we got ours, so the orange hooded one I had I named Tiger. My sister's was Marg-rat.

Rat's are great pets. Hamsters just seem to want to hide and bite.

Guinea Pig!!!!! I had one when I was young, and it was a great pet. She was very smart. We let her run around the house and was even potty trained. She had a box in her cage that she learned to go to the bathroom in. (learned all by herself) We would put the box on the floor in the same spot every time and she went to the bathroom in it. Crazy huh???
It's possible with any animal. My good friend has a bunny who goes to the bathroom in a seperate box in her cage.
Getting back to the Guinea pig. The are very friendly and you can handle them quite a bit. The sound they make is really cute. They tend to make a squeaking noises when excited.
Good luck!

I have both hamsters and rats right now, and have owned several different varieties of both over the years. I have found rats to be much friendlier. I recommend female rats, as mature male rat urine smells horrid. (So does mature male hamster urine, just as a note.) Handle the rat frequently from a young age to get it used to you and your kids. Rats are larger, easier to hang onto, and if one starts to get away, you can always catch it by the tail. (I'm not recommending carrying rats around by the tail, but when it comes to catching an escaping animal...) Hamsters are next to impossible to catch/find when they decide to make a run for it. Good luck with your choice. :)

Personally, I am a huge fan of chinchillas. A good pet chin is smart, sweet, friendly, and oh so soft. They shouldn't bite unless they are being attacked (the chins I have known have never bitten anyone), although if you pet them just right, they will sometimes want to return the favor by _gently_ nibbling you at the same time -- the kids I know love that. Their teeth do continue to grow, like a beaver, so you must always have a block of wood in their cage. They are not nearly so fearful as rabits and, as long as they do not get overheated, they make a very hearty pet. In fact, they tend to have long lifespans -- 15-20 years! -- so they are excellent choices for a pets you want to avoid having to go over the whole death thing every couple of years. That said, if that lifespan seems too long to you, you could always adopt an adult chin. Either way, I would recommend getting an adult versus a baby since chin personalities do vary; if you get an adult, you will know its temperment and can be sure to get the right personality to fit your family.

http://www.chincare.com/

Hi M.,

My sister loves rats. She is a teacher and has had several as classroom pets over the years. Her last one recently died and she is talking about getting another for a home pet. She has a two year old.

My experience personally with hamsters is that they can be temperamental. I have been bitten several times as a child. Go for the rat.

C.

We were encouraged at the pet store to buy rats. Initially, I was a little squeamish about the idea, but they won over the whole family! I recommend a pair of females. And if possible find a reputable breeder. Rats are prone to mammary tumors and respiratory issues, but if you get a healthy animal it can live 3-4 years. Guinea pigs also have a delicate respiratory system. Personally I find rats smarter, cleaner and more social than guinea pigs. They are easy to care for, fun to play with. We had to put ours to sleep at around 3 years because of the tumors. (Vet could have removed them, but I couldn't in good conscience give a $5 rat a $250 operation that may or may not be successful) Find a good vet, it's hard to find one that will take rodents. There's a good rat (and rodent) vet in Stanton. Dr. Kopit is who you're looking for. They have discount clinics on Wednesdays and Saturdays if you don't mind waiting. Good luck with your new furry friend.

Although I grew up raising mice and hamsters, as an adult we finally bought a rat for a pat and will never go back. Although some find rats have a stigma and can't get past the long tail and funny faces, if you like rodents, you will fall immediately in love with a rat. Pet rats are very endearing, extremely smart, sweet and very lovable. Our first rat was actually self trained to leave her cage and return from anywhere in the house by us calling to her. Believe it or not, she never "did her business" outside of the cage. If you get a rat, get a cage big enough to give them room to run around. Typically, they aren't too into wheels, but I bought a huge ball for her to roll in. She really liked just hanging out with us sometimes being so content to just zonk out and sleep. We found out our rat could be left out of the cage alone on accident, but she was very well behaved. Other rats we have had needed more guidance, but all were very sweet.

The only cons we had were that our female rats tended to get mammary tumors which shortened their lives to less than 2 years. I had to carefully file their finger nails sometimes b/c they were quite thin and sharp. Keep the cage really clean to avoid problems with feet.

I think if you pick a rat or two, you will be quite happy. Even the 2 year old could quickly learn to carefully interact with a rat. Hamsters and mice are more temperamental in my experience. Mice cages stink much faster too.

J.

I had both a hamster and a rat when my girls were growing up. I would definitely recommend a rat for your children. Hamsters have a tendency to bite. Rats are much more intelligent and can be very sweet. They also are actually cleaner. They keep their waste in one corner of their cage and don't spread it all over the place. We all really enjoyed the rat. The hamster was not as friendly and much harder to play with. I am sorry this is a late answer, but I just got the opportunity to read my email. Hope this helps you.

Yes, I agree with the rat. We had Meeko and Charlie. Charlie was real sweet, and Meeko was real, well, meek. Neither one of them bit. Both real nice and loved to hang out on my shoulder. I would walk them around the block. Pretty cool. However, the females do get mammary gland tumors, and the males get super BIG, um, balls. ahem... If you dont handle them a lot they will trail pee behind them. True.
I have 2 guinea pigs right now. My kids are older, but one of them bites us! Weird.
I have also read that you should not get rodents for your kids until they are at least 5. So, if that is a fact I would get the bunny.

I've never had a rat, but I have had a number of dwarf hamsters. Little, furry, and adorable...but they do bite when they're scared. When we found out we were having our 1st child we found a good home for all the hamsters. We started out with 1, a female. Turned out she was pregnant when we got her and we ended up with lots of babies, so be careful with that!

Hi M., We have had Hamsters in the past. They are ok but make sure you can handle it before you buy it. we made the shitch to bunnys after the hamsters. the bunnys are great we have three adults and 8 babies right now.( not by choise my neice let the male out at the same time as the females) My daughter is 11 now but we have had them for almost 5 years. you can even litter box train them. they don't coast alot to care for. My daughters first one would curl up next to her on the coach while she watched tv, come to her when she called. They are good pets. We love them. Hope this helps. oh dont get me wrong the hamsters were great to but we seam to get the crafty ones that would exceape but come back. weird! Any way my day care kids love the bunnys too and they range from 1 to 6yrs old. hope it helps.T.

Hi there,

You might want to get a giuna Pig -omg forgot how to spell it! We've had them all. Rats and hamsters are nocturnal (active at night) and are very noisy at night. Guina pigs sleep at night and are active during the day. I found it's a much more kid friendly situation. Ours are super sweet and love to cuddle. Good luck.

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I never had a rat as a pet, although my cousin did, and he was a great little creature to play with. Smart and interactive.

I did have several guinea pigs growing up, and they're great. Cute, cuddleable, and they're awake during the day instead of at night, so no keeping anyone up at night running around.

Hamsters bite. With small kids I would go with something a little bigger. I wouldsay guniea pig or even better- rabbit.

Hey M.,
I have owned every small animal there is. So I will give you my small critter evaluation:
Hamsters, can be great pets, but their life span is only 2-3 years. Additionally, they sleep during the day, and arousing a tired hamster can result in a nip on the hand. Also, they can be amazing escape artists, so make sure the cage you purchase is escape proof.
Rats are also fun, and quite smart. I owned two, which was a huge mistake, as they were always fighting. They seem easier to wake during the day and require a lot more space to burn off energy. They can be trained to do many neat tricks.
Guinea pigs are sweet pets. They can be somewhat skittish if not handled as frequently, but are very docile. They also make a very pleasant warbling sound.
Rabbits are without a doubt my favorite. You can litter box train them so they are free to roam your home. They are extraordinarily gentle, and can be trained much like a dog only without the noise. The are quite clean and are easy to care for. The down side with bunnies is they like to chew and if they have longer fur may require grooming time. Also, they can be more energetic at night, so keep your doors closed before bunny baby decides to jump in bed with you...no joke. :)