Need help deciding on small pet for DS

[talulabelle]

DS11 wants a small pet for his birthday. He said he would like either a bunny or a turtle.

I know that care of a pet ultimately falls upon the adults in the house, and I am game for it - but having trouble deciding what to get...

I would love to get a turtle since they are easy to care for , however I'm pregnant, and I have heard that turtle can carry viruses and samonella - and I know that I won't be able to care for it for at least the first 3 months while I'm still pregnant, and still don't want one around with a small baby in the house.

I would love a bunny, since they are so stinkin cute - but I have no clue how much care I'm signing up for with one. I have never had one before. How often will I be cleaning a cage? How much work in entailed? He would be keeping it in his bedroom, will it stink to high heavens? We have a cat, is it going to drive her crazy?

The other option is a hamptser, which I'm told is the easiest option. I still have not had one of these before, and not sure how much i'm signing up for with it- is it relatively easy? What is the life expectancy?

Would love to hear from anyone who has experience caring for one of these animals.

 

[GoofyBaseballMom26]

We have had several rabbits that lived in hutches outside. I know people keep rabbits indoors successfully but I would never want to try. All they do is look cute, eat and POOP! I swear they poop more than they ever eat. I would not want one in my bedroom.

Just my opinion!

We had a gerbil that was really cute. We didn't ever take him out of the cage so I don't know if you can really play with them or not. He was cute to watch though and didn't stink as long as we changed his bedding on a regular basis.

 

[kamik86]

Gerbils and Hamsters aren't too bad to take care of. However if you want one in your bedroom one of them is noctornal (forget which but you should check) because they have a tendancy to run in their wheel all night... which is annoying if your trying to sleep.

Cleaning the cage is really easy espeically if you either get a cage that has two sections with a tunnel (so you just close the tunnel and clean one side at a time) or something like a ball for them to play in when your cleaning.

 

[Mickeypooh99]

A leopard gecko is a great small pet. It is super easy to care for. They only need to be fed a couple times per week. My 8 year old does most of the care for his gecko. An 11 year old should be able to do it all himself.


I have heard both turtles and bunnies are a lot of work.

 

[Magic Mom]

Rats are smart and fun and not hard to take care of. They are smarter than hamsters. You can teach them to come to their name and other little tricks.

 

[talulabelle]

We have had several rabbits that lived in hutches outside. I know people keep rabbits indoors successfully but I would never want to try. All they do is look cute, eat and POOP! I swear they poop more than they ever eat. I would not want one in my bedroom.

Just my opinion!

We had a gerbil that was really cute. We didn't ever take him out of the cage so I don't know if you can really play with them or not. He was cute to watch though and didn't stink as long as we changed his bedding on a regular basis.

I wouldn't mind a rabbit if it lived in an outside hutch - but we live in Baltimore and have hot humid summers and our winters can be harsh (currently below freezing here) I know there are people in the area with outside bunnies, but how do you keep them warm in the winter?

 

[mjkacmom]

Get a couple of rats - they make awesome pets! Very different from hamsters - they're more like dogs, but smarter. Cage will run about $100, and needs to be cleaned once a week. They don't bite, and love to play and cuddle - ours would leap to the front of the cage if they heard us, begging to be let out. Unfortunately, the females are prone to mammory tumors, and we had to put ours down. Now, I'd only get males (who are also known to be calmer and even more cuddly). My dd7 and dd9 took care of them 100%, and DH cleaned the cage.

 

[Liberty Belle]

Hamsters are easy. I'd go for that. I think their life expectancy is only 2-3 years, though.

When we tried to get a turtle, the people said his tank needed to be a certain size and it was huge! Plus, here anyway, it's illegal to own small turtles and the upkeep seemed pretty big to me.

Never had a bunny, so I can't comment on that.

 

[starann]

I may be the only one to say this, but a ferret. They can be great playmates for a cat (most people worry about the cat hurting the ferret, it is actually the other way around). They can be litter trained and 'walked' on a leash!

Not saying run out and get one, but look into it!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

This is our black teddy bear hamster. We love him to pieces.

Downsides to hamsters are cleaning the cage and the fact that they're primarily nocturnal, as a pp mentioned. But it works out fine for us. Kids clean the cage and feed him. We do have to arrange to have someone watch him when we go away. DD's friend who has gerbils and guinea pigs does a good job for us and we pay her.

This little guy hangs out with us in the evening and otherwise is pretty happy in his big cage.

 

[GoldieSaysMeep]

I have owned a plethora of small pets in my life including rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, rats, gerbils, mice, sugar gliders, ferrets, hedgehogs and assorted reptiles and amphibians. So here is my take on all of them. lol…

First, any animal will smell if not properly bathed and if its cage is not cleaned every few days. So odor doesn't really matter. All of these critters smell about the same aside from ferrets (which smell like musk if you stick your nose right up to them. lol)

Out of all of them my favorite are the ferrets. The start up cost can be high but then they're more on par with a cat that requires a cage. If the expense doesn't matter, they are easily litter trained and a way more playful and interactive than a small pocket pet. Older ones are less likely to nip than pocket pets too. Babies will nip until taught not to. They learn fast and live between 6-8 years. 2 of mine lived to be 9. They were all litter and leash trained. They do require vaccinations and frequent vet checks. They have a slight musky smell if you get really close. Most come descented from the breeder.

Of the smaller, "pocket pets" type animals, my favorite would be the domestic rat. I have owned many and they have all been very VERY VERY (I can't stress this enough) docile and friendly. When I worked at a pet shop, I used to try and steer people away from hamsters and towards rats. I realize they might freak some people out but they really are very gentle, intelligent creatures. They are clean and quiet and social. I have never been nipped by one, even a youngster. I lost my last one about a year ago. He was the sweetest thing ever. I used to keep him in my sweatshirt pocket while I'd be typing or watching tv and he's just cuddle up in there.

Reptiles and amphibians can carry salmonella. I guess it really comes down to how clean your child is. Is he very careful about handwashing? If so, you'd be ok. But I wouldn't risk it with a baby on the way. Reptiles live a LONG time and many of them eat things that are kind of gross. Mealworms are not fun. Also, you can't do much with a reptile. They're just cool to look at.

Rabbits I find to be luck of the draw. I've had a few that were sweet but more that were kickers, scratchers or just so shy that they did not want to be handled at all. I do have a friend who has a 12 year old rabbit right now that is the sweetest thing ever though. So it is possible.

Guinea Pigs are skittish and while they are funny to watch, and very adorable, they are VERY noisy.

Gerbils tend to be a bit more friendly than hamsters. Both have a tendency to bite, but like rabbits there can be some that are really sweet. Your best bet is to get one from a shelter that is known to be docile.

Mice are really small. A bit small to really do much with aside from just watch.

Gliders & Hedgehogs are not legal in every state and require pretty specific care. Gilders are amazingly friendly and bond to their human. They are expensive though. Hedgehogs do not make good pets for kids. They bite and are hard to handle.

I've also heard good things about Chinchillas but I have never personally owned one.

 

[akcire]

Our local newspaper always has bunnies/rabbits for free, including all the accessories (cages,etc). I think it they must be more work that people realize.

If you want a turtle, why not give your son a delayed birthday gift. He is 11, just explain to him that the turtle could hurt the baby while you are pregnant. Let him know, a couple of weeks after the baby is born, he can have a turtle.

BTW--you know that you can't clean your cat's litter box while pregnant. My husband is currently in charge of cleaning our box, because I too am pregnant.

My vote for a pet would be a small fish tank with an African water frog. They are inexpensive, small, stay in a cage at all times, can co-exist with a fish or two and are really neat. I had a 20 gallon vertical tank in college with 2 goldfish and a frog. It was fun to watch him swim to the top (he had lungs not gills) and then sink to the bottom.

 

[GoldieSaysMeep]

Get a couple of rats - they make awesome pets! Very different from hamsters - they're more like dogs, but smarter. Cage will run about $100, and needs to be cleaned once a week. They don't bite, and love to play and cuddle - ours would leap to the front of the cage if they heard us, begging to be let out. Unfortunately, the females are prone to mammory tumors, and we had to put ours down. Now, I'd only get males (who are also known to be calmer and even more cuddly). My dd7 and dd9 took care of them 100%, and DH cleaned the cage.

My last one, Nimh, did that too. I miss him so much. I totally agree the boys tend to be more relaxed. I wouldn't put two together though, unless they're fixed.

 

[Fly4free]

I have had many guinea pigs over the years and find them to be wonderful pets. They do better in pairs as they are social animals. They do make noise as a pp said. I love it when my piggie "whistles" at me when I come home. He is just asking for a treat. They do need fresh veggies/fruit daily and a weekly cage cleaning.

I recently adopted a rabbit from a rescue and think he is just the sweetest guy! He is trained to use a litter box so his cage is easier to clean than the piggie's. He is neutered which helps with the temperment. I think they can be nippy and territorial if not fixed, females too.

I recommend looking for a shelter to adopt from, especially for a rabbit. That way you can get an idea of the animals temperment. I know many of the local shelters here foster the animals out, so the caretakers really get to know the animals.

Guinea pigs are shy, but if you spend time with them they get used to you and enjoy the attention. Mine were always very sweet, and they purr when you pet them.

My rabbit loves to be petted. We could pet him all day. He is an indoor rabbit, but I let him run around a bit every day as bunnys need excercise, and he uses a litter box. When I am home he follows me around wanting attention.

 

[laurie31]

My DD wants a turtle. The things stopping us is their life expectancy. I don't want a pet that I will need to bequeath in my will! On a more serious note, I don't want a pet I will be taking care of for the *rest of my life* if she gets tired of it. We are committed to caring for our pets for their whole lives. 10-15 years, yes. 50 years...umm...that's a MARRIAGE! LOL


DD12 has a bearded dragon (they are cool, and you can walk them on a leash!) and a chinchilla. Chinchillas are VERY soft and pretty, but they are nocturnal. They cannot use hamster wheels, they have to have expensive chinchilla wheels, and yes, they run at night. They don't smell, though, and they are fun to play with after around 8-9 at night.

Both of these are prey animals, and so you need a fool-proof way to keep the cat out of the room. DDs room is kept locked unless she's in there, and it is a "sacred rule" in our house that her door must always be closed, and we always check it before we leave the house. We are a bit over-the top, because two years ago, she THOUGHT her door was shut, we went to church, and came home to find it hadn't been shut all the way, and let me just say it was HORRIBLE.

We really thought hard about another chinchilla, but we have not regretted it, and our "safety plan" has worked well, and isn't as big a hassle as I made it sound. We just make sure her door is SHUT. ALWAYS. (we have cats and dogs inside too).

If you think your DS could handle the responsibility of keeping the door shut, then a hamster/gerbil/rat/chinchilla etcwould be fine. I don't think a cat would bother a turtle, but I don't know from personal experience. I do know that I would not take care of a reptile OR a cat if I were pregnant! (the litter box, I mean).

 

[talulabelle]

Thanks for everyones advice. I have definately ruled out the turtle...(and I don't change the cats litter while pregnant - DH has been doing that..and it is one of the great things about being pregnant )

I am really split between the rabbit and the hampster. I think he could handle either...guess I need to do some more reading.

 

[MulanUSAF]

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).

 

[TheZue]

I'd avoid turtles. They are awesome, but they get BIG. Also they can be really tricky.

We really enjoyed our hamsters. I'm long past the small pet phase but if there was anything I'd be tempted to get again it is a hamster. The last one we had was HUGE, like almost rat sized, brown & extra fuzzy, and used to wait for us to come over and give him his treats, actually standing on his back two feet with his hands up against his cage...it's what he and all his siblings were doing at the pet store. I have no idea what kind of hamster he was but I've never seen another like him and LOVED him, He was just so cuddly and actually aware of us unlike a couple of the hamsters we had. The other great thing about hamsters is it's hilarious watching them stuff their cheeks when you give them a bunch of something they like. They also make adorable little beds.

 

[LuLuO]

Rats are smart and fun and not hard to take care of. They are smarter than hamsters. You can teach them to come to their name and other little tricks.

I had four rats as a kid and loved every single one of them. If you are going this route, make sure you ask for a pet quality rat so that you don't get a feeder. I ended up with two feeders that only lived about a year each and they had some physical and health issues and were a little on the dumb side, too much inbreeding. The two that were pet qualtiy were very smart and in great health most of their lives and each lived to about 3 years old. They were easily trained and loved to be around us all of the time. I used to dress them up in little hats and shirts...lol.

 

[Mermaid02]

My son has a turtle.... I just love him to pieces. He's in my son's room, but he's really my turtle. I think he's fun to watch and when I come into the room he goes nuts! But you can't "play with them" like other pets. They are selling tortoises now at Petco..... I'd love to have one of those!

We had rabbits too- tried to litter train them with no luck. They had to be outdoor bunnies.

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.