Hamster "replacement"

So poor little Bruno left us for the giant hamster wheel in the sky over the weekend.

We told my daughter this morning and she was devastated. She cried like her heart was breaking and then I cried because my poor little baby was so upset . We honestly hadn't expected her to be so sad, naive I know but she is such a logical little girl and death has never ever phased her. But she was sobbing. So we've told her that she can get another hamster or similar, we hadn't really planned on doing this but as the tears were flooding down her face I hoped it might help.

I'm just wondering what small pets you would recommend over a hamster, they're not the most social of creatures and I would like to get her something that she could really play with. I was thinking a mouse. Any other suggestions to small pets that don't take huge looking after (i.e. it doesn't matter if we go out for dinner instead of coming straight home from work!!)

Thanks

Nollipop

I loved having a rat when I was younger. They are really clean, intelligent little beasts. Like miniature dogs! They last a bit longer than hamsters as well, in the region of 5 years. You can train them to do tricks and come when you call them.

Guinea pigs are also lovely and are very amusing little fluffy things! They do make quite a lot of "wheeeooop wheeeooop" sounds at times (which I found very cute) and (mine anyway) tended to do better in social groups than alone. There's another poster on here who keeps Guineas who can give you more up-to-date information too.

Sigma Force

Gerbils perhaps? Depending on the cage you have now you might be able to use that for the gerbils. But they need a large space minimum 3 feet per pair to be fair on them.

Guinea pigs will need a large pen/cage they can be left longer than say a cat or dog but they do need much more cleaning out than a gerbil or hamster and need baths, consitant hay supply etc. They live 5 to 10 years if they are lucky.

If she's gentle and use to small rodents then a bonded pair of same sex gerbils would work, but go to a reliable breeder rather than a pet shop.

Thanks for the replies guys

Unfortunately my husband hated Bruno, he is a big scaredy cat and there isn't a hope in hell he would have a rat in the house, if I got a mouse I would have to make sure it doesn't get too close to him!

I have considered guinea pigs aswell, how often do they have to be cleaned out etc? The hamster was just once a week which was easy!!

Hadn't even thought about gerbils for some reason, I know nothing about them but she is a very very gentle loving child so I'll definitely investigate more.

Anyone have anything to say about mice? I think they're the cutest things and very playful from what I have heard, any experience?

Sigma Force

Guineas need cleaning out every day or every second day depending how many, size of cage and what type of bedding you use. They're a lot more work than a hammy.
Here's a link to my site which walks you through step by step http://guineapigcottage.webs.com/

Gerbils can be more friendly if handled properly and if the breeder has handled them well, they nip but aren't half as nippy as a hamster. If you got a large fish tank (second hand ones work out cheaper) and made a timber and avairy wire mesh cover for it you're daughter can watch them through the glass playing away they're very active and it's great to watch them digging about the other benifit from using a large fish tank is that the bedding stays where it is, no bedding fired out through bars like regular cages plus they are bigger, deeper and cheaper than some of the fancier larger rodent cages.

Some people sell them cheap if there's a tiny leak in the tank which can be repaired with glue specifically for tanks.

Irishchick

What about a kitten? It would be alot more social than a rodent and it wont scare your husband:D

Plenty of shelters have kittens for adoption.:)

Outkast_IRE

Guinea pigs are a great choice in a situation where the pet is for the child but the adult also has a good interest . I have had my guinea pigs for coming on 4 years this december and they are still very healthy and happy .
In my opinion they have the follwing adv and disadv over smaller rodent pets

Adv.
1.If you want there is no need for wood shavings so big money saver there , you can use a combination of a sheet of newspaper , then a towel , then a fleece. I bought a large swathe of fleece online for €40 euros and have gotten about 12 cuts of fabric to suit cage size. You simply change and wash the fleece/towel every second day, but you clean it off removing poos and newspaper twice a day.
2. They get very used to being handled and for the most part are diurnal staying awake during day and snoozing at night with ocassional water/hay/food snacks during the night.
3. They eat a lot of the same fruits and vegs people eat, so its easy to supplement their pellet diet with fresh stuff.
4. More intelligent than hamsters etc , and when fully grown are less likely to squeeze into tiny spaces and hide out.

Disadvantages.
1. I dont like keeping them on their own i would reccomend keeping 2 of the same sex , and if they are boys ensure they are very young when placed together.
2. In comparison to hamsters etc Guinea pigs defo need time out of their cage , just to run around the room etc chew on their toys or eat their fruit and veg and explore but be aware mine anyway will try and chew any power cable in site.
3. generally would need more frequent cleaning than hamster etc. i clean the cage twice a day while they get their run.

Im struggling to think of anymore off hand . Their sense of smell is great if you enter the room with any piece of fruit that you have bitten into or cut open they will smell it a mile off and start making their funny nosies

sirgandi

Sigma Force wrote: »

Guineas need cleaning out every day or every second day depending how many, size of cage and what type of bedding you use. They're a lot more work than a hammy.

Guinea Pigs are absolutely ideal for a young child as a pet. They're fun, friendly, hilarious and can have fantastic personalities!
We have two and they couldn't be more different from eachother.
We have both an indoor and outdoor hutch for them which need to be cleaned out about once a week - once a day seems very excessive. They're easy to look after, inexpensive to feed and love a slice of cucumber at night. (They go nuts when they hear the fridge opening!)
They make great lap pets too and love company. It is advised that you get two though because they can get lonely - but two from the same family is advised.
Ours are from different families and they remind me of Steptoe and Son the way they fight!

Hope you find something that suits really soon.

Outkast_IRE

sirgandi wrote: »

Guinea Pigs are absolutely ideal for a young child as a pet. They're fun, friendly, hilarious and can have fantastic personalities!
We have two and they couldn't be more different from eachother.
We have both an indoor and outdoor hutch for them which need to be cleaned out about once a week - once a day seems very excessive. They're easy to look after, inexpensive to feed and love a slice of cucumber at night. (They go nuts when they hear the fridge opening!)
They make great lap pets too and love company. It is advised that you get two though because they can get lonely - but two from the same family is advised.
Ours are from different families and they remind me of Steptoe and Son the way they fight!

Hope you find something that suits really soon.

you see it depends on the material you use, if your using wood shaving once a day is too much , but if your using just newspaper , or like me fleece then once a day is necessary but cheaper

sirgandi

Outkast_IRE wrote: »

you see it depends on the material you use, if your using wood shaving once a day is too much , but if your using just newspaper , or like me fleece then once a day is necessary but cheaper

Absolutely correct, we tried disposable fleece type material before and it does get very dirty very quickly. We had to switch back to sawdust as the boys ate everything else!

Outkast_IRE

sirgandi wrote: »

Absolutely correct, we tried disposable fleece type material before and it does get very dirty very quickly. We had to switch back to sawdust as the boys ate everything else!

It sounds odd but it depends on the way the fleece is made, i bought a few swaths of fleece of different colours at the same time , and two were grand to clean , but one is a pain in the hole the guinea hairs really stick to it even after washing machine twice . I found they sneezed a awful lot more when using the wood shavings that and the cost savings are why i changed.

boomerang

It's pity your hubby couldn't cope with a rat... They are fantastic pets for children. They are extremely intelligent and much more interactive than a hammy or gerbil. The boys especially love a cuddle and they are very clean animals.

Since I took on two little rescued ratties a year ago, I have completely overcome any shudders I might have felt about the little critters... They are fab! I love my girls!

Sigma Force

I find woodchips messy and expensive. I don't do with any of that. When I have pigs here I use a thick layer of newspapers and a great hunk of hay, if they have little hidey toys I use them and the last piggy visitors had really handy fleece lined hideys..they were like mini sleeping bags which are much easier to clean than a big piece of fleece and it's somewhere soft for them to sit.

With any pigs I've had of my own aside from the odd piece of vet bed when they were recoverings or just for a chance of material I just used newspapers and hay. It was their favourite type of bedding out of the gizzillions I've tried over the years plus small cardboard boxes to hide in (Aldi/Lidl ones were perfect because they'd already have a little opening at one end, or both). They also love if you turn a carboard box the other way around they like to sit on it. Elderly pigs do tend to need softer bedding though, their wee feet can become sore because they sit around a lot more than they used to so towels, fleeces or vet bed is great for older pigs.
You can get small pieces of vet bed or cut it up yourself but I find the best is the vet bed that's pre-cut there's no fluffy edges for them to chew on.

White vinegar and kitchen roll was what I used to clean them out either that or keep it clean spray which smells lovely (lavender, lemon or coconut scents) and is safe to use around them.

Guinea pigs don't do well in damp conditions and the way the weather is now they need to be brought indoors for the entire winter usually May to Sept is ok to have them out depending on the weather. But outdoor hutches and runs can be expensive, much handier to keep them indoors in winter anyway saves you getting soaked when going out to clean them and they have an even temperature indoors. Although in the summer they do love to play out in a secure run on the grass (that hasn't been sprayed with chemicals).

The initial set up eg large cage/secure run etc. can be expensive but day to day feeding is cheap enough (although more expensive than a hammy to feed). If you google or check out the links on my page you'll find C&C cages, Homevalue Hardware were selling the grids up till recently and might still be..these can be used to make a cage or make a play pen for them..way way waaaaay cheaper than any run or cage you'd buy in a shop.

I'll shut up now...

loveisdivine

Sigma Force wrote: »

I find woodchips messy and expensive. I don't do with any of that. When I have pigs here I use a thick layer of newspapers and a great hunk of hay, if they have little hidey toys I use them and the last piggy visitors had really handy fleece lined hideys..they were like mini sleeping bags which are much easier to clean than a big piece of fleece and it's somewhere soft for them to sit.

We got them from Cavy Couture on the internet! I would defo recommend them.

Piggies are great pets, but I do think they take more work than other small animals.

I also find that they can be abit timid for some children. For instance, our neice is quite a loud child and whenever she visits the piggies hide at the back of their cage because she claps her hands at them and shouts and they really dont like it. It doesnt matter how much you tell her not too, some kids just love to do it.
They really are scaredy pigs! Aslong as your child isnt too boisterous, then piggies would be good.

edit - oh and also I would recommend housing them indoors year round. They become so much more social and less timid if you are constantly around them. After we moved ours inside the difference was amazing! Just make they get a run around outside in a pen whenever the weather is good.

Well I mentioned rats to husband last night and he looked at me like there was something actually wrong with me!! no hope. I also suggested gerbils and he got the shivers. This is going to be a disaster He hates cats so that is a no go. Didn't talk about the guinea pigs yet, decided it best to let the shivers pass before I continued on

I've thought about bunnies too! Aw I do love bunnies.

No mice fans then no? :pac:

Rabbitandcavy

I'm a mouse fan! I haven't actually got to own one yet, but as soon as my move out from my parents house it's first on the agenda! They are very intelligent and of course adorable. They don't bite (rarely anyway) and are much more social then hamsters. Also can get very attached to their owners and extremely cute to watch. They don't take too much looking after either.

Very few animals come smarter then these guys!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txq_BogA1NM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_pOvtOYuIw&feature=related

anniehoo

Deleted User wrote: »

Well I mentioned rats to husband last night and he looked at me like there was something actually wrong with me!! no hope.

Aw! How involved in the care of "the pet" is your husband willing to be?

Ive known plenty of hardcore dog/cat/rat/insect HATERs...to literally turn full circle once they get involved in what they're about and owning one.

Not to sound patronising (really not) but any pet, regardless of whether its a dog or rodent has a personality and special requirements of its own. Id honestly start with your hubbie first and then get your daughter involved.

Get him to research "options", even going to a petting farm. Ive seen the "toughest" bloke turn into a total softie over a kitten.

anniehoo

anniehoo wrote: »

Aw! How involved in the care of "the pet" is your husband willing to be?

Oh he won't be involved at all haha. He never went near Bruno and we had him for nearly two years. The only household pets he likes are dogs and fish! He wouldn't mind a rabbit either but he thinks cats are evil and rodents belong in the sewers :rolleyes:

I even tried to get him to agree to a reptile and he thinks they're really cool to look at but you can see the fear in his eyes if I even hint at him holding one.

I'm not worried about that side of things too much though, I just won't be getting a rat or a cat but all others are still on the table!

Personally, I really love mice, I think they're are the cutest little things! I might try and sway her in that direction.