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What are the pros and cons of having a pet rabbit?

Rodent , first pet for 11 years old... ''pros and cons" from personal experience with different rodents?

  • General info for each kind I can find online so Im looking more for 'pros and cons" from personal experience with different rodents. Will be a first pet for 11 years old (in general parents will be responsible for it) . So, compere the rodents (that you have / had) and recommend some kind, taking in to consideration pet attitude ( Better first pet for kid ), level of maintaining (child to do most of the care with supervision), cost (not very expensive to care for), etc... Also, if they need to be a pair- 2males vs 2females,for 1 of the kind male vs female, cage vs aquarium , some unusual habits,etc.. If you can recommend good book or beginner's guide for kids, to go with the pet.

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    Mice~ Pros: - Easy to tame - Can be kept in a 10 gal aquarium or cage - Rarely bite - Aren't usually active at night Cons: - Need to be kept in same sex pairs* - Can smell strongly if note cleaned out once a week. - Unknowingly buying a pregnant mouse isn't uncommon. - Hard to find a vet willing to treat them ------------------------ Hamsters~ Pros: - Most species can be solitary - Can be kept in a 10 gal aquarium or wire cage Cons: - Hard to hand tame - Usually bite unless socialized young - Can smell strong if not cleaned out once a week - Active at night - Hard to find a vet willing to treat them ----------------- Gerbils~ Pros: - Don't go through food or water very fast - Exotic vets will typically treat them - Can be hand tamed easier than a hamster or mouse Cons: - Biting isn't uncommon in pet store gerbils - Need a deep base or aquarium with much bedding for digging - Need to be kept in same sex pairs* - Vet bills will be expensive ---------------------------------------… Rats~ Pros: - Very rare for them to bite - Males are cuddly, Females are curious - Can eat pretty much what you eat - Generally easiest rodent to hand tame and socialize - Can take more rough housing from younger children than most rodents. Cons: - Most rats will need to see a vet in their lifetime - Vet costs are similar to that of a dog - NEED to be kept in same sex pairs* - Females are susceptible to tumors ~~~~~~ * Not necessarily a bad thing to be kept in groups, but not all parents are in favor of having two or more small rodents. I can assure you though it doesn't add that much to the smell, the animals are happier, and they will typically be healthier.

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Well, for an 11yr old hamsters are always best. I got my first hamster aged 11, and my twins got their first hamster aged 11. The only pets they got beforehand were fish, stick insects or other boring things which were not family pets. Hamster Pros: Small, 3 level cage would be fine. Semi=nocturnal. Awake in morning and early evenings, perfect for kids coming back from school! Easy to tame, a week or so is good Easy to play with- they just love exploring or being held. Cons: Only live 3-4yrs but first will most likely live till 1 or 2. You need to keep them for 24hrs away from him/her or you! They need to have no one in the room! Otherwise they can get stressed and die... Best books- http://www.amazon.co.uk/RSPCA-Pet-Guide-Care-Hamster/dp/0007193572/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329935829&sr=8-1 Hamsters (Syrian Hamsters) do not bite much, generally are friendly, bond well and are very affectionate. Dwarf Hamsters bite more, and bond less well in my experience, so get a Syrian hamster!! Guinea Pigs: Cons: They are a five year commitment. They require attention for at least 45 minutes a day Need to have to feed them at morning (guinea pig premium feed) and night (guinea pig feed and hay) They need to be in twos (two NEUTURED males go well) They shed their hair They need to have there nails cut Pros: They are sociable and easy to tame. They make cute noises when they think there going to be feed. you can train the to walk from one room to another to go to its cage to go away. they tolerate pain well there active 23 hrs they are fairly quiet at night I still prefer hamsters to them. But that is because they were my first pet maybe? Guinea pigs are very friendly little fellas, and I would really reccommend adopting them. http://www.amazon.co.uk/RSPCA-Pet-Guide-Care-Guinea/dp/0007182694/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329936112&sr=8-1 Here is some more info- find gerbils, dwarf hamsters, rats or hamsters are best. Hamsters and dwarf hamsters are asleep during the day, but awake in early morning, and the evening when you are at home. They are cheap, and do not need much exercise, and will be happy with 30mins of your time a day. The most they need is a nice cage, some tubes, a bit of food every day, a little house with bedding, fresh water and they can be cleaned out once a week. They are also very intelligent- I have taught my ones to go through an obstacle course, and one could stand up on its hind legs when I said her name. Rats are very intelligent and prefer being kept together. They need a bigger cage, but are very rewarding and very intelligent. New scientific results also show they can feel empathy with other rats- more human than we think? I have taught my three rats to climb along a rope, go along obstacle courses, and also to stand up if I tap their back twice- adorable! I find two younger females are best when you get them, because younger female rats seem to be the most tolerant. They are good for children and adults but only if the 11yr old respects their intelligence and doesn't force them into things such as climbing or taming. They need more expense at the start, but are fairly cheap in upkeep and care. Gerbils need a bigger cage than hamsters, and prefer being kept together, and are happy with the same exercise as the hamsters. They need sand or a large amount of woodshavings in the gerbilarium, they love to burrow! They are sociable, friendly guys who enjoy being petted though, so if you want a funny, pretty creature, these are best. They live in a gerbilarium, so need loads of sand to burrow usually, alternatively, keep them in a plastic house with tubes etc; Books about rodents- http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dwarf-Hamster-Se%E2%80%A6 http://www.amazon.co.uk/Training-Your-Pe%E2%80%A6and http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rats-Owners-Manu%E2%80%A6 http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gerbils-Sue-Fox/%E2%80%A6 Here are the cages I would advise- http://www.amazon.co.uk/Chelsea-Hamster-%E2%80%A6for a hamster http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ferplast-Duna-Ha%E2%80%A6 (more spacious than it looks) for dwarfs http://www.amazon.co.uk/Savic-Habitat-Na%E2%80%A6 or http://www.amazon.co.uk/Savic-Habitat-St%E2%80%A6Housing/dp/B003GP9HUA/ref=sr_1_11?s=pet-%E2%80%A6 Rats and chinchillas can use basically the same type of cage, degus need special cages with a finner mesh.

I would go with the Guinea-pig for your sons first pet. My eleven year old cousin has a Guinea-pig and they are far less likely to bite than other rodents(hamsters/rabbits etc). They are easy to clean out and easy to maintain. It's preferable for them to live in pairs or groups as they are VERY social animals. Your son would have to spend a lot of quality time with them. But in my opinion they would make excellent first time pets for children! It's better to get a hutch for them to roam about in, with logs and shelter housing/beds.

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