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Anonymous
So /an/, which is the best rodent pet? This is of course a very vague question thats mostly a matter of somebody's own opinion.

Its just that lately ive been sort of wanting a rodent pet, and I find gerbils to be absolutely adorable. So, which rodent is the friendliest most easy pet of em all?
>> Anonymous
w/e you get, get an albino versoin
>> Anonymous
capybara
>> Anonymous
a hairless, toothless, and clawless gerbil
>> Anonymous
Dwarf hamsters.
>> Anonymous
Rats are by far the friendliest. Dwarf hamsters tend to be very, very mean. Dont get one. If you go, get ONLY one, they are extremely territorial and will fight/kill eachother.
>> Anonymous
>>194589
Second'd.
If not rats, gerbils are next in line. I never owned fat tailed gerbils like in OP's but I hear they are the most docile type of gerbil.
>> Anonymous
Rat. Female if you want an energetic thing, Male if you want a companion willing to sit on your shoulder/lap. They're very smart and don't stink HALF as bad as motherfucking hamsters- the worst pets ever. Rats are really friendly, I used to own two. I didn't think they were so human-oriented. They would run to the front of the cage and scramble around until you let them out to crawl on you. Adorable.
>> 1198504643.jpg Anonymous
Go with a rat. I got a male one. Huge 'boy parts' creep some people out, but he rarely bites me, eats just about any food, and easy to clean cage. Any assorted boxes become hide-ie holes. I use shredded bills as bedding. Oh, plus they chitter softly when they're happy. VERY low sound, saw a science clip showing microphones increasing the volume. They only sqeak when in pain, but are forgiving unless pressed. Even when I clip his nails & he sqeaks a bit he forgives. Plus you can give them baths too, no prob.
>> Anonymous
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>>194615
>> Anonymous
OP Here, how big do rats grow? Im more interested in a small rodent. What do you think of mice?
>> Anonymous
>>194665

Mice have no bladder control, and smell the WORST out of all the rodents.
>> Anonymous
>>194668
OP here, Mice is a no no then.
>> Anonymous
Rats are also known to 'laugh' when you play and tickle them. But we can't hear it. You can find a youtube video on it though.
>> Anonymous
The best rodent pet: rats. Hands down. They're the smartest of the rodents, can be trained to do tricks, recognize their name if you call (helpful if they're running toward something that could get them into trouble), and generally LOVE attention from humans. Bad side: you have to get a pretty decent sized cage (2 cubic feet per rat is the rule) and they have to be kept in same-sex groups or pairs. They take a lot of work but they are very much worth it.

The next on the chain would probably be a golden hamster or gerbils. They can handle human interaction, but do have to be warmed up to you.

Mice and dwarf hamsters are after that, they can be handled (mice are less likely to bite, dwarfs are only territorial within their cage) but they don't exactly enjoy it. My dwarfs don't mind petting and picking up but it took a lot of positive training to get them that way.

Anyway, save up some money, get a kick ass cage, and keep a pair of rats is my advice.

http://www.petmountain.com/product/cages/513077/super-pet-deluxe-my-first-home-cage-for-exotics-30-l
-x-18-w-x-30-h-.html

Here's a kick ass cage that could hold up to four rats, and has small enough spacing that they won't escape.
>> Anonymous
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>>194665
Christ, how big do you think rats GET?
Google-grabbed image for the sake of size example.
You can look up some more yourself to get better examples. Rats aren't giant, or anything. Small enough to fit in your hand.
>> Anonymous
>>194699
Thanks for the great advice and the link. I'll consider a rat or a gerbil. :)
>>194708
I've only had cats as pets in the past (and they practically take care of themselfs), I have no clue whatsoever in rodents, which is why I might like to start out with a small one, i'm not saying rats are giant, but perhaps too big and too demanding for my current inexperience.

Would you rather liked that I went out and got a rat and neglected him? I think not.
>> Anonymous
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OP, you seem to be interested in gerbils. They're not bad pets. With proper socialization, they're usually pretty friendly. They won't be as smart or as affectionate as, say, a rat, but they'll certainly better than dwarf hamsters or mice. Keep in mind, however, you _need_ more than one. Two or three of the same sex is really the best choice. They are extremely social animals and I've heard of them wasting away and dying after the loss of a cagemate. If you want a single animal, think along the lines of a syrian hamster (aka golden, teddy bear, etc) since they need to be kept solitary. Cannibalism and aggression is common once they get a little older, even between siblings who have been housed together their whole lives.

But back to gerbils - since they're desert rodents, they drink less and make less waste. Their coats get oily and they need dust to bathe in, which is a lot of fun to watch. They enjoy burrowing and you can do some interesting cage setups with that in mind (pic related).

Just remember, with all small animals, no cedar and preferably no pine. Aspen should be okay, no oils or strong scents. Carefresh and such is also an option, that.. recycled wood pulp stuff.
>> Anonymous
rats.
>> Anonymous
Rats WILL piss all over you and your stuff.

They "scent" mark things they like with small drops of urine. Or in the case of my rat, a lovely snail trail.

While its odorless and hasn't stained anything, getting sticky pee drops on your hand because rattie wuvs you is only semi-endearing...

go for gerbils, they're very docile and cute.
>> Anonymous
>>194728
Out of the seven male rats I've ever owned, only one left some drops of urine on me and another one would jump off of me to piss.

Litter training also tends to curve it a little.
>> Anonymous
>>194730

Really? I must be unlucky. I gots three dudes, the one doesn't like me much, and he doesn't pee on me. The other two are brothers and they always pee on me. I was told it was a sign of affection and that they're claiming my hand and stuff as part of their rat pack. Maybe they're just genetically special.

The rat club I belong to said it was common behavior?

They don't unload a HUEG OMG PUDDLE --they are all litter trained--just a splash :C

Perhaps they are just very macho. hahaha.
>> Anonymous
>>194739

Neutering can help with the male rats marking issue, but it's a risky surgery unless your vet has handled small animal surgeries in the past.
>> Anonymous
i owned and bred many gerbils, and they are GREAT pets. they are seriously my second favorite to dogs. they're smart, loveable, and definitely have personalities. please dont get a hamster. they SMELL and are mean. gerbils are social and like to have 2 or more together. rats also smell...gerbils are desert animals, therefore don't drink as much and rarely smell. i changed mine's cage every 2 weeks when i had them. great pets. GERBILS ALL THE WAY!
>> Anonymous
>>194743

You sound pretty dumb. I've kept rats and they don't smell. Urine in great quantity smells, but you shouldn't be waiting to be overpowered by the stench of your pets' waste before you're changing the litter, anyway. Even a gerbil's cage will stink if you let it go for long enough.
>> Anon
Gerbils are rather dumb and hyper compared to rats. But I don't see where taking care of a rat and gerbil is much different.
My rat is overall easier to take care of and more enjoyable as she's doglike. As someone mentioned, they come when called, do tricks, and the few times she's gotten out she's tracked me down. Once she made it to my room (from the other side of the house) and jumped on my face. Scared the crap out of both of us, but she let me pick her up. My gerbil on the other hand, I've actually had to catch him via glue trap. That or let the dogs eat him.
Thank god it's rare they do get out.
>> Anonymous
>>194743

You're a home rodent breeder, so we all know what your opinion's worth.
>> Anonymous
>>194755

That's funny, I had a rat a few years ago who always knew to come look for me in the computer room. My mom would let her out and she'd dash up the stairs and down the hall to pee on my toes and climb on my leg. I miss her.
>> Anonymous
Guinea pigs /thread
>> Anonymous
>>194760
What? Not that person - but what is wrong with people breeding their rodents at home(given that they have experience, suited for it, not in it for the money, etc)?

I got my rats from a home breeder and she does a wonderful job.
>> Anonymous
Ferrets.
>> Anonymous
>>194793
ferrets aren't rodents numb nuts
>> Anonymous
>>194809
In /an/ every small and furry pet that isn't a cat or a dog is a rodent. Every small and furry animal that is NOT a pet, on the other hand, is a mustelid.
>> Anon
>>194762
Mine likes to surprise me. Though the last time she did I ended up catapulting her acrossed the room when I sprung up. Much cuddling ensued, and a lession was learned. She no longer jumps on my face, prefers to sneak under the covers or nibble on toes.
>> Anonymous
>>194760

Yes, because breeders who operate large scale facilities where rodents are bred en-masse without regard to health, temperament, or appearance are far superior to home breeders who might actually give a fuck about their animals, amirite?

Fuck off, faggot, and take your ad hominem attacks with you.
>> Anonymous
>>194743
Rats don't smell if you clean their cages WHEN YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO.
>> Anonymous
>>194980

Saying shit like 'I'm a gerbil breeder lulz' translates into 'When I was 14 I got the bright idea to put the boy animal and the girl animal together to see the "miracle of life!!"'

If you are a professional breeder who has had experience and breeds for temperment and health, say so. If not, we've all got the picture in our mind of some moron kid breeding small animals because he can.
>> Anonymous
>>194989
Not everyone. Just you.


Just you.
>> Anonymous
>>194991

So you automatically figure every person who breeds animals at home is a good, responsible breeder? Good luck with that, faggot.
>> Anonymous
>>194997
You don't even know what you're arguing about anymore, do you?

Let me guess, you think the animals in pet stores come from good, responsible breeders?
The best breeders you'll find ARE home breeders. I don't see why you can't get that through your head.
>> Anonymous
I have a hamster.. and to be honest i really dont know what im supposed to do with it. I used to take him out but all he would do is crawl up my hand and freeze when i look at him. He also doesnt like me to blow on him. He smells like crap and craps on my hand alot. So for like the last two weeks i havent brought him out whatsoever..is this a good idea? I dont see what i can possibly do with him he doesnt bite or anything hes just boring.
>> Anonymous
>>195003
That is the /purpose/ of a hamster. It is not supposed to be fun an engaging, like a dog, cat, or rat. It is supposed to just look cute and either be a little shit or do nothing.
>> Anonymous
>>195003
Sounds like you did zero research into what to expect from a hamster, and how to treat it, before you got it.

>>195002
Some of the best breeders might be home breeders BUT like>>194989said, there are way too many kids who let their pets reproduce because they think it's like.. the right of the animal, or that it's something the animal should experience, or that they themselves want to see happen. I worked at a pet store for a few years and it was just awful to see how many kids and their parents had this mindset and thought it was OK to do.

Yes - some home breeders are well educated, care about their pets, and are worth buying from - but seriously, read>>194743again, look me in the eyes and tell me this sounds like an intelligent, mature breeder without laughing. *Please.*