Need help deciding on small pet for DS

[Aristomommy]

We have a letterbox trained rabbit and he is by far the easiest pet we have ever had. His care involves feeding him twice a day and emptying his litterbox daily. Dd takes care of these needs for him. We allow him to roam around the living room when we are home and he is in a dog crate otherwise to allow him to move around. Dd takes him outside in the summer time on a leash and he enjoys that. We got him as an adult from a shelter which was the best decision. This way we could see how large he got, and that his cage at the shelter was clean which meant he was already litter box trained. Many times when getting a baby bunny it is hard to tell how big they can get.

 

[mjkacmom]

I heard that rats don't control their bladder... is that true? I wanted to get ds one but was told by a woman at work they just pee all the time.

They actually have excellent bladder control. They sometimes like to mark their territory (males are worse, but don't if they get fixed). Our would only have pee accidents if they were out of the cage for extended periods of time, and never a poop accident outside of the cage.

 

[klacey1]

I've had turtles when I was a kid and I currently am owned by a bossy bunny.

Turtles are low maintenance, but they're boring. All mine ever did was either swim around the aquarium or sleep. They don't interact with you at all, other than maybe nibble a piece of lettuce that you're holding.

The bunny is soooooo cute, but he is a lot more work. However, I would take the bunny in a heartbeat over any other animal besides cats or dogs. My bunny knows his name, comes running when I shake his treats bag, cuddles on the couch when I watching TV and is rather like a very quiet cat most of the time. I leave his cage door open when I'm at home, so he comes and goes as he pleases. They can be litter box trained, so it's not too bad with the cleaning routine. I just dump the dirty litter out every other day (yes, they do poop a lot) and clean whole cage about once a month. I don't use wood shaving or anything in the cage, just the bare plastic floor with some hay for bedding and snacking. So when they hop into the box and feel the litter underfoot, they remember this is where they're suppose to do their business. Just get them young, about 8-10 weeks if you want to litter box train them. Older rabbits that are used to pooping everywhere are much harder to litter box train. www.rabbit.org has a lot of great information on keeping a house bunny (the kind that lives in your home, not outside).

I don't know anything about small animals (strictly a dog person), but this is SUCH a precious picture!

 

[Joyciemc]

I've had turtles when I was a kid and I currently am owned by a bossy bunny.

Turtles are low maintenance, but they're boring. All mine ever did was either swim around the aquarium or sleep. They don't interact with you at all, other than maybe nibble a piece of lettuce that you're holding.

The bunny is soooooo cute, but he is a lot more work. However, I would take the bunny in a heartbeat over any other animal besides cats or dogs. My bunny knows his name, comes running when I shake his treats bag, cuddles on the couch when I watching TV and is rather like a very quiet cat most of the time. I leave his cage door open when I'm at home, so he comes and goes as he pleases. They can be litter box trained, so it's not too bad with the cleaning routine. I just dump the dirty litter out every other day (yes, they do poop a lot) and clean whole cage about once a month. I don't use wood shaving or anything in the cage, just the bare plastic floor with some hay for bedding and snacking. So when they hop into the box and feel the litter underfoot, they remember this is where they're suppose to do their business. Just get them young, about 8-10 weeks if you want to litter box train them. Older rabbits that are used to pooping everywhere are much harder to litter box train. www.rabbit.org has a lot of great information on keeping a house bunny (the kind that lives in your home, not outside).

I love your bunny! I have two buns, both neutered males. They don't get along with each other, but my cats and dog are great with both of them!

To the OP:
I would say that a rabbit is more work than a 'pocket pet' (hamsters, gerbils). All rabbits can/should be indoors. And if you need to keep a rabbit outdoors, you really don't need the rabbit- you aren't going to want to go outside to play with them after the novelty wears off, and they aren't going to get the attention they deserve. Stick with an animal that can live indoors that fits with the amount of work you want to put in.

 

[traces7]

We've had a hamster and a rabbit. We had the hamster 2 years ago. They're a fun pet and are easy to take care of. They are noisy at night. We always took his cage to the living room at night. They do have a short life span. Ours lived about 2 1/2 years. That was kind of sad. That's why we didn't get another one.

In September my DD got a Holland Lop bunny. He's been a lot of fun so far. He has a very big cage (about 24"x40"). He's not stinky at all. We dump his litter box every day (that might help). We got him when he was 7 weeks old and he immediately started urinating in his litter box. He doesn't always poop in it though, but most of the time. We clean the bottom of his cage once a week and it's not very dirty at all.

I've been really surprised by having a pet rabbit. They are very friendly and fun pets! They live quite a long time, up to 10 years (so be prepared for that). We did have to move our rabbit's cage to a different room because he was too noisy at night. Just hopping in the metal cage makes a lot of noise!

Good luck on your decision! Either pet is fun! Hope this helps!

 

[LuLuO]

They actually have excellent bladder control. They sometimes like to mark their territory (males are worse, but don't if they get fixed). Our would only have pee accidents if they were out of the cage for extended periods of time, and never a poop accident outside of the cage.

Yes to this. We rarely had pee/poop issues with Ben and Rick. 99% of the time they'd wait to go until they were in their cage. Amanda and Daisy we did have more accidents because they had issues and although very nice and sweet, they were meant to be feeders, not pets, and just weren't right.

 

[belle118]

if you are looking for a clean, easy to take care of pet, I would make a few suggestions to DS and see if likes them. Ultimately though, I wouldn't get him a pet he's not as interested in. The more excited he is about the pet, the better care he will take of it. Personally, I would try a betta or a tarantula. I had a tarantula as a child that we kept in an aquarium and that thing lived for several years!! We loved catching all kinds of different bugs for it to eat. It stayed in the garage and we never got bit. We even dared to touch it sometimes. It shed its skin one time which was super cool! Currently, we have a betta fish, and I am shocked by the amount of personality and intelligence these type of fish have. Our betta is excited to see us and lets us pet it and likes to jump at our finger if we hold it over the water. It also spends long hours looking at itself in the mirror (it thinks it sees another betta) and it also plays with this ball we put in its bowl that just kinda floats up and down through the water (it must have the same density), it's amazing to watch its attack! Good luck!

 

[StitchFanZ]

I would go for a russian tortoise over a turtle. We have had two for 5+ years and they are great pets. Unlike turtles they do not need water to swim in as they are desert animals. The russian tortoises do not get very large and are very happy with a heat lamp, some mulch, and a few logs to burrow under at night. Super, super easy to take care - they like lettuce and salad stuff. On hot summer days you can take them outside and let them walk around the yard. They have character and will respond to you. Everyone enjoys them.

My dd also has a crested gecko which is a lot of fun. But a crested gecko can walk up glass so be prepared for it to escapte occasionaly. I don't think leopord geckos can escape like that. Their cage needs cleaned more often, they are nocturnal, and some eat live crickets which can be pretty loud in the bedroom or house.

We also have a hedgehog - Its really cute but requires a lot more care and is also nocturnal. If you have a child that is a night owl it would give them something to play with after everyone else goes to bed. <g> They are super sensitive to temperature - I don't recomend it as a first pet. My DD is a budding zookeeper so handles it fine. But she does a ton of research on each animal before she gets it.

Many of these animals are nocturnal so if they are going to be kept in someones room make sure it won't bother them.

 

[MissUndastood]

I bought my 8 y/o son a pair of frogs at Hallmark (yes the card store). They come in a small aquarium with a stand and 1 year supply of food. The lady said they live 3-5 years. The whole pkg was $40.00.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Okay I now know for sure I will not be getting any small pets.
OP-Growing up I have had a turtle. It was not a fun pet and it had to be cleaned daily because they really stink up the tank. I have had fish and, well, they are nice to look at but they don't really play with you. We had rabbits. They are nice to pet and super cute but they poop like a pez dispenser. I swear it is their favorite thing to do! We had birds- those are fun and trainable as long as they are babies when you get them. A pair of parakeets are a fun and easy to care for pet. Just change the food and water every day and their paper. They will go on your finger/shoulder/ in your pocket. They can be taught to talk, to come on command etc. These are great pets for kids imo.
We had ferrets. No matter how often you clean their cages they stink. It's like cat pee. It also doesn't matter if thet are descented. Their feces is very strong smelling. We had lizards and sometimes they get ill and cannot be saved (like any pet) but you have to make sure their climate is controlled and their is always the risk of salmonella to your child if they don't remember to wash their hands. We had sugar gliders and they are fun. You might want to consider those. Look them up. They are really cute and playful.
Ducks- a fun pet but they also poop like there is no tomorrow. They are easy to raise and you can train them if they are raised from babies. They are very cute but they make a mess. We never had any rodentia pets. My bff had hamsters growing up and one had babies and ate them. After I tried not to vomit I decided immediately that I would neve had a pet like that. Blech! I also could never own a rat. I lived in NYC and see nothing cute about owning a rat for a pet.

Good luck in your search for the perfect pet!

 

[nskjerven]

sorry to hear you are passing on the turtle.

We have a turtle and a bunny pros and cons to both

bunny very cute and ours is people friendly (many are not) but she stinks no matter how often you clean the cage. Rabbit pee does not smell good

our turtle is the love of my son's life. Crush has been with us for 6 years - our son was 4 when we got him. she does interact with us - specially knowing she will get food - but her tank does need a good amount of maintenace - also she needs a big tank - so we have upgraded her 3 times - the last time we sunk alot of money in a big tank because we then learned that turtles can live for 40 years

good luck and whatever you get if you do decide to have the pet in your child's room they are likely to become best of friends

 

[Luv Bunnies]

To the OP:
I would say that a rabbit is more work than a 'pocket pet' (hamsters, gerbils). All rabbits can/should be indoors. And if you need to keep a rabbit outdoors, you really don't need the rabbit- you aren't going to want to go outside to play with them after the novelty wears off, and they aren't going to get the attention they deserve. Stick with an animal that can live indoors that fits with the amount of work you want to put in.

Very true! Rabbits can live 10 - 15 years when properly cared for and kept indoors. There are many, many reasons they should never be kept outdoors. Those who say rabbits stink aren't using the right type of litter. You need to use a litterbox and pelleted litter made for small animals (never use cat litter). Critter Country and Yesterday's News are both good brands. There are ways to encourage the rabbit to use the litterbox and, in fact, they prefer to use one corner of their cage because they are very clean animals. If you just put shavings in the bottom of the cage, it will not neutralize the pee smell and they will stink within a day.

I have four indoor rabbits and no one has ever noticed an odor in my house. Most people are surprised to see that I even have them because there is no noticable smell.

They also must be spayed/neutered when they reach about 5-6 months of age. If they're left intact, 85% of female will contract uterine cancer within 4-5 years and it is usually fatal. Spaying/neutering also helps them to calm down (especially boys), nip and dig less and develop better litterbox habits. Many people end up returning baby bunnies when they reach bunny puberty because they don't understand that the bad behavior is caused by hormones and it can be lessened by getting them fixed.

Rabbits need a lot of socialization and the correct type of handling to learn to trust their humans. Some are very good natured and even-tempered. But, more often than not, their status as prey animals makes them suspicious and defensive. If you handle them in a way that they don't feel secure or if you inadvertently scare them, it can take a long time to rebuild their trust. They are very social animals and like to be part of the family. They are also very intelligent and need to be stimulated and challenged with toys and new environments to explore. Untrusting, scared and downright bored rabbits can quickly be labeled as unsocial and mean.

Most kids don't have the patience or the knowledge to work with a new rabbit so I don't recommend them as pets for kids. For adults who are willing to do their research and work on the bunny's timetable and on his/her terms, rabbits make wonderful and very rewarding pets.

 

[ilovepcot]

My vote would be for a sugar glider or a parakeet.

 

[Lassie Lynne]

I have had better luck with gerbils over hamsters for pocket pets. Hamsters can be very nocturnal....we had one that ran on her wheel from about midnight to 3 am EVERY night...we kept her in the living room so she didn't bother anyone, but if I stayed up late, I could still hear her.

Gerbils tend to be awake during daylight hours. I also suggest if you get gerbils to get two of the same sex, they really like to have a cage mate and if you get a big enough cage, two really is not harder than one to care for.

I strongly encourage you to really look into whatever type of pet you are thinking about with web resources...there are pro and cons to different ones and an informed choice is better for you, your child and the animal...good luck!!

 

[Mermaid02]

We had 3 rabbits that lived outside in insulated hutches..... I know people keep saying they have to live indoors, but ours lived to be 11 years old so I think we did something right. One of them liked everyone...... one of them HATED everyone and one of them only liked me for some reason.

I agree with whoever said their urine is stinky..... and it also will bleach fabric. We found this out while trying to litterbox train them. If you are successful training them though they are so soft and really wonderful to have around. I wanted ours to be house bunnies so badly.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Very true! Rabbits can live 10 - 15 years when properly cared for and kept indoors. There are many, many reasons they should never be kept outdoors. Those who say rabbits stink aren't using the right type of litter. You need to use a litterbox and pelleted litter made for small animals (never use cat litter). Critter Country and Yesterday's News are both good brands. There are ways to encourage the rabbit to use the litterbox and, in fact, they prefer to use one corner of their cage because they are very clean animals. If you just put shavings in the bottom of the cage, it will not neutralize the pee smell and they will stink within a day.

I have four indoor rabbits and no one has ever noticed an odor in my house. Most people are surprised to see that I even have them because there is no noticable smell.

They also must be spayed/neutered when they reach about 5-6 months of age. If they're left intact, 85% of female will contract uterine cancer within 4-5 years and it is usually fatal. Spaying/neutering also helps them to calm down (especially boys), nip and dig less and develop better litterbox habits. Many people end up returning baby bunnies when they reach bunny puberty because they don't understand that the bad behavior is caused by hormones and it can be lessened by getting them fixed.

Rabbits need a lot of socialization and the correct type of handling to learn to trust their humans. Some are very good natured and even-tempered. But, more often than not, their status as prey animals makes them suspicious and defensive. If you handle them in a way that they don't feel secure or if you inadvertently scare them, it can take a long time to rebuild their trust. They are very social animals and like to be part of the family. They are also very intelligent and need to be stimulated and challenged with toys and new environments to explore. Untrusting, scared and downright bored rabbits can quickly be labeled as unsocial and mean.

Most kids don't have the patience or the knowledge to work with a new rabbit so I don't recommend them as pets for kids. For adults who are willing to do their research and work on the bunny's timetable and on his/her terms, rabbits make wonderful and very rewarding pets.

I don't care what litter you use- pee in a box still smells like pee in a box. I am also not trying to be insulting but people are not going to tell you your house smells. Unless you are changing that litter box 1-2 times a day it smells. People are being polite.Many times I have been that guest who will act surprised that the host has animals when it actually stinks. I am not saying YOUR home smells. I am saying that it is rare that any home with a litter box does not.

 

[traces7]

I don't care what litter you use- pee in a box still smells like pee in a box. I am also not trying to be insulting but people are not going to tell you your house smells. Unless you are changing that litter box 1-2 times a day it smells. People are being polite.Many times I have been that guest who will act surprised that the host has animals when it actually stinks. I am not saying YOUR home smells. I am saying that it is rare that any home with a litter box does not.

Have you tried Yesterday's News? That's what we use for our rabbit and it really does work. It doesn't stink unless you put your nose right up to the litter box. We dump the whole litter box every day also. I can honestly say that our house doesn't stink. Maybe our rabbit doesn't pee that much yet, I don't know, he's fairly young.

 

[MulanUSAF]

I use Oxbow's Eco-Straw litter and it's the best odor absorbing litter I've ever found. I used to use Yesterday's News until I tried this stuff, and now I'm sticking with it until I find something even better.

As for people saying the house will stink no matter what... I used to live in an apartment and the maintenance people used to come and go without ever noticing any odors, or they would've asked me about my "unauthorized" pet for sure. Also, I think neutered/spayed bunny's urine doesn't smell as strong as those who aren't fixed. My first bunny wasn't fixed, and hers was very strong compared to my next two bunnies who were both neutered.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

I don't care what litter you use- pee in a box still smells like pee in a box. I am also not trying to be insulting but people are not going to tell you your house smells. Unless you are changing that litter box 1-2 times a day it smells. People are being polite.Many times I have been that guest who will act surprised that the host has animals when it actually stinks. I am not saying YOUR home smells. I am saying that it is rare that any home with a litter box does not.

Still have to disagree. The right kind of litter really does absorb and neutralize the odor. If I stick my head in the cage, yes I can smell it. If I don't change the litter at least once a week, I can smell it if I walk by but it does not make my entire house smell. My sister uses the same litter I use for her 3 rabbits and her house doesn't smell like rabbit pee either. I even keep a litterbox in the corner of the family room for them to use while they're out for exercise. I strongly contend that it does not smell if I change it once a week. Rabbits can and should be kept indoors and, when maintained correctly, their cages and litterboxes will not give off a noticable smell. Trust me. If my house smelled like rabbit, my mother would tell me. Even she agrees that it does not.

 

[talulabelle]

Thanks again to everyone for the advice! I decided to get DS a hamster. I had narrowed it down to that and the rabbit, and came very close to getting the rabbit, but was just afraid I would get overwhelmed by a third pet that was a bit of a commitment (already have and dog and a cat) just before having the new baby arrive. I even went to see the rabbit he wanted and was close to getting it, but when I arrived the black and white one he wanted had already gone home with someone else. I took this as a sign that it wasn't meant to be. The other bunnies left, just didn't seem as sweet and I didn't want to"settle".

I was hesitant at first to get the hamptser because the life span is so short. My DS is a very sensitive little guy and I didn't want him to have a heart break in a couple of years....but then I thought if I just explain to him how long he will have it, and that 2 years would be a nice long life for the hampster spent happily in his bedroom, that he would be prepared. Also , he will be a teenager by then adn will probably be better prepared to handle it. I figured that my new baby will be older by then, and if he is heartbroken, then I would get him a rabbit at that time when I don't have so much going on to handle.

We gave him the hampter and HE WAs THRILLED! He loved it instantly! It is so cute and allows him to hold and pet and cuddle it already. I realized I did the right thing when we put the cage in his room, and it doesn't take up too much room. It was up a bit at night when I checked on them, but my son sleeps sound and it didn't bother him at all.