DD9 wants a pet..UPDATE we adopted a Lionhead Bunny bringing him home in 3 wks! YAY

[DisneyBrooke81]

We just got rid of our two chincillas due to allergies. Yes, they are very friendly, but they are extremely messy. Their poop is horrible and gets everywhere. I do not know if it is the type of cage we had (multi-level) but it was a huge mess and would never get them again.

 

[SoonerSarah]

I would go to your local library and check out what books you can find and purchase the rest. You really need to get good advice before you make a purchase.

Any animal that you get has the potential to have a sweet or mean temperament. We unfortunately have not had good experience with rabbits, but good ones with chinchillas.

 

[HALEYSMOMMOM]

I am on rabbit number 4,, we love them and I probably will always own one at a time. Having said that, they arent for everyone, But for some, like us, it is a pet i wouldn't want to be without. Ours DOES NOT smell. He is litter trained . We got him when he was only a few weeks old (HIGLY recommended) and started litter training right away. he does not make a mess anywhere other than his litter box, never even seen him pee,lol. I clean his very large dog kennel type cage once a week. I have kids 8 and 11 now, but they've been around them their entire lives. They really love their pet bunny! Theire are different personalities, tho, and i really suggest getting a baby, and spending LOTS of time with especially at first. Let it run around while you just sit and watch, tobuild their trust. Eventually the bunny will becaome eager to see you and jump into your lap just like a puppy. Anyway I could go on and on...

 

[TracyL1991]

Nobody here likes rats??? Really? They are soooo awesome! We've had 4 of them, but the bad thing is that they don't live past 2.5-3 years.
In the past, we've had hamsters (ok) and a gerbil (demon spawn) and then we went rat. Once you go rat, you never go back! lol
We've also had rabbits, they are ok too. I recommend whatever you get to try to get a female. It seems they smell a little less than the males. It really makes no difference, just my personal preference.
Really....a rat is just a hamster with a long tail. rofl
My son dressed up as Ratatoille one year for halloween and wore his rat on his shoulder. Won 2nd place at a costume contest! Probably woulda got 1st, but the judges were maybe anti-rat? haha

 

[hereyago]

Nobody here likes rats??? Really? They are soooo awesome! We've had 4 of them, but the bad thing is that they don't live past 2.5-3 years.
In the past, we've had hamsters (ok) and a gerbil (demon spawn) and then we went rat. Once you go rat, you never go back! lol
We've also had rabbits, they are ok too. I recommend whatever you get to try to get a female. It seems they smell a little less than the males. It really makes no difference, just my personal preference.
Really....a rat is just a hamster with a long tail. rofl
My son dressed up as Ratatoille one year for halloween and wore his rat on his shoulder. Won 2nd place at a costume contest! Probably woulda got 1st, but the judges were maybe anti-rat? haha

My DD13 has 2 dumbo rats and they were actually my idea, well not really. but she has had hamsters, gerbils (2 that may have been related to you demon spawn gerbil) a guniea pig, he was adorable. So DD wanted to look at another guniea or hamsters teddy bear kind.

I saw this dumbo rat that looked liked our first hamster only on steriods lol and she was thought he was cute. before I know it she is asking to hold him. DD has no fear except with bugs, can't stand them. but she fell in love. so we have 2 dumbo rats from the same litter. I was guilt ridden because we didn't get another one and we went back 30 minutes later and she got one of his brothers.

They are really smart. I don't hold them because I am afraid, because I am just a scaredy cat even when she had the guniea. but they have been better then pretty much all the other ones except the guniea, he was a good guy but he could pee like no one's business. lol


She will take them into the pet store, walking around proud as can be. We have a 100 lbs German Shepard, a american short hair cat and Tom and Jerry the rats. And DD takes care of all of them, because they are really "her" pets. She truly loves animals and wants to be a dog trainer, have her own doggy day care with dog and cat boarding-well not in the same area. lol

 

[mrseace711]

The more I read about Rats the more interesting and appealing they become. The tails are really what creeped me out the most. DD just would not touch it. Maybe it was the red eyes?

 

[Tinkbellfan]

We would love to be able to take our furry pet on a harness for our family walks!! Can a chincilla be harnessed and walked like the bunny? The Petstore told us a Guinea Pig could?

I know bunnies can be litter trained can guinea pigs or chinchillas?

Please don't listen to anything a petstore employee says about GP's or put a GP on a lease. You could seriously damage their spines. I am a GP rescuer and foster and have three of my own girls. The previous website for C&C cages is excellent, as is a website called guinea lynx. GP's from petstores are also bred in terrible conditions and usually have some sort of medical issues. Vet bills can pile up quickly. Please think about adopting from a local rescue. The rescues will help you choose quality food (no colored bits please) and proper housing. Hay is also a factor for some. GP's need hay 24/7 so allergies can become an issue. They are alot of work and need daily attention. GP's are not usually litter trained. They are pooping machines but I love mine dearly! If you have more specific questions I would be happy to answer them. I will get off my soap box now . . sorry!

 

[MrsPete]

The more I read about Rats the more interesting and appealing they become. The tails are really what creeped me out the most. DD just would not touch it. Maybe it was the red eyes?

Tails, beady eyes, and don't forget their nasty little foot-hands. I've heard people say they're loving and intelligent pets, but I don't want one. Serious ick factor.

 

[ktlm]

don't forget their nasty little foot-hands. I've heard people say they're loving and intelligent pets, but I don't want one. .

It's those hands that get me too! DH's cousin used to have 2 of them. They were sweet, intelligent, and good pets (according to him and from what I saw when we visited), but I couldn't get past those hands. They creeped me out.

 

[hereyago]

LOL ya'll are skeeving me out and we have them lol. I will say that I am a chicken when it comes to any sort of rodent, but I am trying to be more non chicken, but I am still not picking them up ha ha.

When DD goes to her DF"s or goes out of town during the summer with friends, I have learned to take care of them and not freak out.

One of her rats is an albino with little pink eyes, but they are kind of cute with their little dumbo ears.

My ex has a snake, so maybe that's where DD gets her odd pet thing from.

 

[Mom2m&k]

As the Mother of two Guinea Pigs I will say good luck! I found the Cavy Spirit website to have great information and pictures of cages. We went with fleece bedding which in my opinion is much much easier to deal with then bagged bedding. Also don't forget with GP the daily fresh veggie requirements! It is a lot of work!!

 

[Tinkbellfan]

Mom2M&K - thank you for great advise! I use fleece too and love the cavy spirit website. She is also a member of guinea lynx.

Again - adopt from a rescue always!

 

[mrseace711]

Please don't listen to anything a petstore employee says about GP's or put a GP on a lease. You could seriously damage their spines. I am a GP rescuer and foster and have three of my own girls. The previous website for C&C cages is excellent, as is a website called guinea lynx. GP's from petstores are also bred in terrible conditions and usually have some sort of medical issues. Vet bills can pile up quickly. Please think about adopting from a local rescue. The rescues will help you choose quality food (no colored bits please) and proper housing. Hay is also a factor for some. GP's need hay 24/7 so allergies can become an issue. They are alot of work and need daily attention. GP's are not usually litter trained. They are pooping machines but I love mine dearly! If you have more specific questions I would be happy to answer them. I will get off my soap box now . . sorry!

=] aw okay no harness then. We only went to Petsmart to visit pets and give DD a visual. We are definetly adopting a long term pet a plus side adopting is many have already been sprayed =] I will be looking into females =]

 

[TracyL1991]

It's those hands that get me too! DH's cousin used to have 2 of them. They were sweet, intelligent, and good pets (according to him and from what I saw when we visited), but I couldn't get past those hands. They creeped me out.

You guys are so funny! lol I love their little hands! Especially when they eat their apples and whatnot. Ours loved honeycomb cereal.
The more you play with rats, the more awesome they get. I'd love to get a hairless one someday...and maybe call it Yoda? haha They are so ugly that they're cute!

 

[mrseace711]

Today is my day off wooo hooo... I am going to make time to stop at the local pet shop that is hosting the adoption location this weekend and just look around and ask more questions.


Do Guinea Pigs shed?? Also fleece lining?? Instead of the stuff that comes in a bag?? How exactly does that work just take it out and wash it in the washer? Sorry if its a simple question but if they do shed and theres 'poop' say stuck to it ummm how does the washer handle this? From working for Whirlpool we did not recommend washing pet beds or such in the washers due to animal hair clogging and getting wrapped in places it shouldnt? maybe I am reading this incorrectly or not understanding? If that is how fleece works I wouldnt mind taking it down to the laundry mat which is literally around the corner once a week, this would give DD a new chore and show her how to use a washer and dryer (I dont let her touch mine) which is great for college in 8 years seriously

 

[mjkacmom]

The more I read about Rats the more interesting and appealing they become. The tails are really what creeped me out the most. DD just would not touch it. Maybe it was the red eyes?

The rats at a pet store are usually breed to be food for snakes. There are some rat rescue groups out there (and man are they passionate - I got on an email distribution list for the NYC area after listing my cage). Our rats were tan and brown (and by far the best pets we've ever had). If you decide on rats, try a rescue, because there are many fostered rats out there. Spend the money to get them fixed (you need at least 2) - females are prone to mamory tumors, and males are prone to leaking urine. Both of these problems are fixed when they are fixed.

We rescued the best puppy ever (which is why we can't have rats anymore - she chases small animals), but no pet can compare to rats (cuddly, smart, friendly, fun).

 

[mrseace711]

The rats at a pet store are usually breed to be food for snakes. There are some rat rescue groups out there (and man are they passionate - I got on an email distribution list for the NYC area after listing my cage). Our rats were tan and brown (and by far the best pets we've ever had). If you decide on rats, try a rescue, because there are many fostered rats out there. Spend the money to get them fixed (you need at least 2) - females are prone to mamory tumors, and males are prone to leaking urine. Both of these problems are fixed when they are fixed.

We rescued the best puppy ever (which is why we can't have rats anymore - she chases small animals), but no pet can compare to rats (cuddly, smart, friendly, fun).

At a rescue would we be able to find a baby rat or young one? I am asking because of the short life span I wouldnt want to adopt a rat and its time be up very shortly after Adopting is our 1st choice no matter what pet we find =) and 2 would be great... DD7 really wants a pet and I think helping DD9 would be best before she has her very own pet.

 

[mjkacmom]

At a rescue would we be able to find a baby rat or young one? I am asking because of the short life span I wouldnt want to adopt a rat and its time be up very shortly after Adopting is our 1st choice no matter what pet we find =) and 2 would be great... DD7 really wants a pet and I think helping DD9 would be best before she has her very own pet.

Here is a link to a group here - I'm sure they could get you started on finding a rescue in your area. I've gotten dozens of emails regarding baby rats:

http://www.meetup.com/New-York-Rat-Group/

 

[Tinkbellfan]

I use fleece in the main portion of the cage and have a "kitchen area" with bedding (I use carefresh) that lift outs to change every three/four days. The rest of my cage is fleece (I buy pre-made liners on line from Jens custom Crafts). The poop gets vacuumed out twice a day (dedicated hand vacuum) and the liners, misc. cage pads and cuddle cups get washed once a week with unscented detergent and white vinegar. Most GP's do shed (get a short haired american breed) but the vacuuming helps and I shake out the cage liner before putting it in the wash. I have two long haired piggies that need combing almost daily, monthly trims and leaves hair everywhere. They are beautiful, but alot of work!

In regard to GP's I have three girls that all live together. Sometimes they fight but that is normal. As long as no one is injured it is just pack mentality. Make sure you have a cavy (or rat) savy vet locally too. I use to have to drive 45 minutes to the only vet that dealt with small exotics, but she has opened an office closer now. Another thing to think about is making sure your younger children know not to pick up the pigs themselves. If they are dropped, they can be severely injured or killed. Always have the younger ones sit down on the couch with a lap pad and have an adult handle them. We have trained ours to walk into a cuddle cup to be picked up.

http://www1.snapfish.com/snapfish/s...otsc=SHR/otsi=SPIClink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Just an FYI if you're going to a pet store to look at small pets. See if they have any teddy bear hamsters but don't expect them to be tame. The one we got this year (in pics) was only two months old and completely wild when we first held (or tried to hold) him in the pet store, and he bit us! (This after we had the most amazing teddy bear who was tame when we got him but who had just died.)

Once we got him home it took time and patience to tame him. A friend of mine who has hamsters and guinea pigs came over shortly afterward and noted she could tell he'd been held a lot because "he was beginning to get snuggly". Every evening, after HE woke up (ideally, as they can be startled and cranky when you wake them up AND when you take them out on their time they've usually gone to the bathroom already ), we brought him into our sunroom and held him, played with him, let him run around with the doors closed. Within a few weeks it had become routine and he seemed to look forward to it.

Now he comes out in the evening and sits with one of us (we rotate so he gets to know us all) with our hands lightly cupped around him as he likes a tight little spot for a while. He'll sit that way sometimes for 20 minutes or more looking at us or grooming himself, etc. Then he wants to walk around on us and the furniture, then he gets really going and we put him on the ground where he'll run for a bit. After an hour or so he's ready go back in his cage where he happily eats and explores for the rest of the night. He is completely adorable and we fell in love with him early on. Even our dog enjoys watching him and sniffs and licks him.

We did wind up putting two cages together with plastic tunnels to give him a little extra space to explore, as they can get pretty big. (Our last one could barely fit in the tube and I was afraid he'd get stuck so we didn't do the two cage thing with him, but he was older when we got him and was happy in the one big cage alone - if anyone wants the link to that cage, let me know. I think it's a great one for larger hamsters.)

My kids take care of almost everything related to the hamster, especially DD. The biggest thing I have to remind them about is changing the water every day and of course, cleaning the cage. They feed him every night while he's out and sometimes move his cage up to their rooms for a few days if they want to. Otherwise we keep him downstairs in our family room because those wheels do get loud at night, even the ones that are supposed to be "quiet"!

I grew up with small syrian hamsters and we even had them when we first got married. I much prefer the teddy bears now as they are just super friendly and fun as far as small pets go. (In fact, they were bred to be that way.) I think that the more time you put into them, the more you get out of them, and understanding and respecting their personalities and routines make them happier and friendlier overall.