Rodent for a pet??

[PrincessMom2002]

I have been considering getting a pair of female mice or gerbils. My kids and I REALLY want a cat but DH is too allergic to be around them. We do have a 12 year old black lab but he is just too darn tired to entertain the kids. He's the sweetest doggie though! Anyway, I've been researching pet mice and gerbils but I'm not sure this is a good decision. I know that I would have to make these pets more "hands-off" to the kids and I would be doing most of the care-taking. That's OK. I've grown up with hamsters. But would a different cage animal be better suited for 7 and 4 year olds? We already did the fish thing and I don't care to do that again. And while we like birds, I'm not so sure a bird would be a good match for us. After our doggie is gone DH is insistent that we will not get another dog. But I don't think it's fair that we are already resigned to having no cats and now he's going to make us give up dogs too??? So now my mission is to get another pet! TIA!

 

[mudnuri]

I have 6 chinchilla's- which are rodents- they are not 'hands off' pets by any means, but do require more work than a rat or hamster would. I can't see how a rat or mice would entertain a kid any better than an older lab though?

oh- I do all the work for the chins LOL....seems like thats a mom thing huh?

Brandy

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I do not recommend small rodents for small kids. A pair of guinea pigs or rats would be better.

Before you go ooohhh rats...they are actually very friendly and trainable. Yea...they are not much to look at but you can do all kinds of things with them.

 

[TheOtherVillainess]

I second the rats.

They are very clean, very sweet animals and very trainable. Plus, unlike hamsters, rats are diurnal, which means they are awake during the day and sleep at night. Plus, hamsters tend to be short-sighted and bite-y. Rats (at least in my experience) rarely ever bite unless they are afraid or being mishandled.

TOV

 

[TheGoofster]

I have been considering getting a pair of female mice or gerbils. My kids and I REALLY want a cat but DH is too allergic to be around them. We do have a 12 year old black lab but he is just too darn tired to entertain the kids. He's the sweetest doggie though! Anyway, I've been researching pet mice and gerbils but I'm not sure this is a good decision. I know that I would have to make these pets more "hands-off" to the kids and I would be doing most of the care-taking. That's OK. I've grown up with hamsters. But would a different cage animal be better suited for 7 and 4 year olds? We already did the fish thing and I don't care to do that again. And while we like birds, I'm not so sure a bird would be a good match for us. After our doggie is gone DH is insistent that we will not get another dog. But I don't think it's fair that we are already resigned to having no cats and now he's going to make us give up dogs too??? So now my mission is to get another pet! TIA!

My wife and son are both very allergic to cats and dogs. The other day a friend brought over their hamster, and within minutes both my wife and son were getting the itchy eyes, runny nose, sneezing, etc... You might want to check to be sure that your hubby doesn't react to whatever pet you are thinking of getting.

 

[HeatherFeather]

Agree with the other posters who mentioned rats. They are fantastic pets! They are much more social animals than mice or hamsters and actually need and enjoy attention. They are also much less inclined to bite than hamsters. I've had both... Also, unlike dogs, cats, rabbits, etc they only live 2-3 years on average. It's sad, as they are sweet and beloved pets, but at the same time, it is not a 10-15 year commitment.

Check out www.mypetrat.com for some more info.

 

[ducklite]

Many vets and shelters will suggest a short haired guinea pig for kids that age. They are low-maintenance, sturdy, and less likely to bite than most other rodents.

Before someone suggests it, (they are mustelids, not rodents) DO NOT get a ferret for that age group! They will get mouthy (like a puppy) in play, require as much care and attention as a dog, and are much more fragile than you would think. I have been owned by ferrets for 14 years, and they are not good pets for single digits, but wonderful pets for families with older kids (tweeners/teens) and/or adults. (They live seven years on average, but 8-10 isn't unheard of by any means.) Jasper is snoozing on my lap right now.

I wouldn't suggest a bird, they can bite, can be dirty, and are very fragile.

Please adopt from a shelter rather than buying from a pet store whatever you decide! Shelters will help match an animal with a personality suited for your family, and will be there to offer advice and assistance should things go wrong. Also, they will welcome your husband to visit and make sure he isn't allergic first. Shelters want to make a permanent placement in a good home, not a quick buck, and will work with you to that effect. Feel free to PM me if you want a referral in your area!

Anne

 

[minkydog]

My DD13 has hand-raised gerbils since she was 5yo. They are very easy to care for . they are desert mammals, so they don't pee & poop much therefore, they don't stink much. They are not strictly nocturnal, more active in the evening. However, I would not keep them in the childs room because they dig and chew constantly.

DD has always been allowed to take them out and play with them. She used to ride them around in her pink Barbie car, dress them up in little outfits, and wear them in her shirt pockets. By handling them frequently, she has really gotten to know their personalities. She has rarely been bitten. DD has always been the one to feed & water them daily, but we have to help her change the cage once a week. We keep hers in a 10-gal aquarium with corn cob litter on the bottom--very absorbant. We do not use cedar shavings because they are quite irritating to their eyes and respiratory passages. They have various tubes, wheels, and toys to climb through. I would not advise one of those plastic tube systems--not only does it trap urine and stink to high heaven, gerbils will chew right through it and escape. Glass is the way to go.

If you get more than one gerbil(and I would advise that because, unlike hamsters, gerbils are communal animals--they need others) be certain you have two of the same sex. Gerbils can have litters every 28 days--thats a lot of babies. Ask me how I know If you get two or three, be sure they come from the same litter. Siblings get along pretty much for life. They will fight intruders, sometimes viciously. Gerbils live about 2yrs. We have a little gerbil cemetary in the backyard.We recently lost our great old Mama gerbil--she lived to be almost 4.

PM me if you have questions. As you can tell, we are wild about gerbils. They are very clean, don't require a lot of maintenance, and have not acelerated our allergies. They don't bark and can be left for a day or so, if need be. We have taken ours on vacation with us and even camping Just pick up the cage and your'e off.

 

[TheGoofster]

If you get more than one gerbil(and I would advise that because, unlike hamsters, gerbils are communal animals--they need others) be certain you have two of the same sex. Gerbils can have litters every 28 days--thats a lot of babies.

Too funny. My best friend had two gerbils Harry and Charlie - Harry ended up having lots of babies.

 

[themarquis]

another vote for rats -- they are much more personable than other rodents. They can be trained, carried around in a pocket, and enjoy human companionship. Something like a hamster is not really a pet in that its not really that interested in people. Rats are different.

 

[pppiglet]

I had a rat when I was little. I would go that route also. We've had hamsters the last few years, but they aren't as friendly as rats.

Now all we have are 3 cats and a turtle.

 

[miss missy]

friend gave me 1 mouse... HA it had 10 more!!! IT was prego!! Happens at store all the time so be careful!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

My BIL was the one with the rats...names were Jake & Elmo.
Also easy to tell difference between boy and girl rats.

 

[Barb D]

We've had gerbils, rats, and guinea pigs.

Of those, I say go for the guinea pigs. They're cuddly, personable, and never try to chew their way or jump out of anything.

The gerbils were constantly escaping, and they bit. Also, they were too small to be really cuddly.

The rats were OK until one died...and the others did what came naturally to scavenging animals. I realize that this is nature, but I was really glad it was my teenage son and not my much-younger daughter who checked the cage first that morning.

 

[Barb D]

My BIL was the one with the rats...names were Jake & Elmo.
Also easy to tell difference between boy and girl rats.

Yea, but the pet store told us we had two males, and it wasn't until 3 weeks and lots more rats later that we found out they were wrong.

 

[ducklite]

Yea, but the pet store told us we had two males, and it wasn't until 3 weeks and lots more rats later that we found out they were wrong.

Another good reason to adopt from a shelter--they know how to sex animals properly and won't adopt out an animal they even suspect is preggers...and if by some slim, slim chance it happens, will take responsibility for the babies.

OP--there are a ton of breed specific shelters in OH, please, please get in touch with me for a referral!!

Anne

 

[newholidayx2]

How about a bunny or 2? DS & I adopted 2 bunnies from a RI shelter early this past June.
Tina & Turbo are both fixed, litterbox trained and live in the living/dining room.

 

[Evil Genius]

Another vote for rats. We had two little girls and they were wonderful. Playful, trainable, sweet as can be. I miss them everyday.

 

[PixiePop]

A vote for guniea pigs. We have one and she is just the sweetest thing. She also has a lot of personality. Her cage does not smell and she is good with DS7.

 

[autumnbaby9]

If your husband is allergic to cats then he will probably be allergic to a guniea pig, hamster or gerbil. I have had trouble with all these animals (especially the guniea pig), so has my mother. Check it out before you buy.

I would sugggest getting a rat. I had a couple growing up and had no problems with allergies and they make great pets and are a lot of fun for children. They are also really cheap (they were $4 last time I looked at our petstore).