Gerbil or Hamster? Tell my 9 y/o daughter which is ibetter & why, Please?

By better I mean doesn't bite, is tame etc.

I have no experience in this and her research is confusing us. Is there really a difference? Thanks!

maybe3 a little slanted towards gerbils, but a start...
http://www.abcgerbils.com/versus.html

nt.

I think gerbils are slightly bigger, so of course would require a larger cage and more food. We've had hamsters for about 3 years now. They are easy to tame and quite friendly. Just be sure that if you get more than one, they are the same sex. We were assured we were getting two males, and one month later, had 7 babies. :)

:hide:

Dwarf hamsters are a lot of fun. :)

day when the kids are.... so gerbils.

oh, and I had gerbils as a kid and one day I came home to find one of them had torn the other one apart - literally. Again, don't know why.

Gerbils and hamsters are both more prone to bite. They spend their lives trying to escape. Hamsters (I have more experience with them than gerbils) especially hate to be bothered when they are sleeping - which is anytime your child will be awake. They are LOUD at night - using doing one of two things - trying to chew their way to escape or running constantly in a wheel.

I'm an adult that had hamsters as a child, and both rats and hamsters as an adult. Rats are 100% without a doubt the best choice for a child.

Rats are extremely social - 2 rats of the same sex are a must. Jack Hannah called rats the closest thing to a dog one can find in a small mammal. Rats are the cleanest in the rodent family. Although nocturnal rats adjust their schedules to match their people. They LOVE attention and treats. You can put a rat on your shoulder and it will hang out there for as long as you let it. (Hamsters/gerbils will leap off - always intent on escape) If frightened a rat is likely to piddle or poo rather than bite. If a rat gets out (and really, they don't spend much if ANY time trying to get away from their safe place) it's likely to come find you rather than hide and (like has happened to me as a child and an adult with hamsters) take a trip down the ductwork into the furnace. You can teach rats to do tricks, they are very intelligent, and they just plain LOVE people.

After experience with rats they are the ONLY rodent I'd recommend as a child's pet.

some of them look pretty big...

My understanding, though, is that mice are pretty stinky and more "wild" - like a gerbil or hamster.

As for rat size - girls are much smaller than boys - and more active/playful. Boys are much bigger, and total lap rats. Kinda couch potatoes.

I've only had girls - I had 5 of them. I really wasn't "into" the whole rat thing - mainly got some to observe and to get over my "ick factor". Never expected to fall in love with the buggers. It doesn't take long to get over it either - because they are just so sweet and have such HUGE personalities. I don't have any ratties now - but I will again someday. I am and will forever be a rat owner - whether or not I have any at a given time. They totally won me over - and I was even afraid of them at first! lol

If you get baby rats they'll start out smaller - but yeah, they will end up larger than a gerbil or hamster.

Girls are also prone to tumors - mine all had them, and I made the decision to keep getting them removed. That's one of the negatives - with lifespan being another. Lifespan is pretty much the same for all the rodents we're discussing though.

rats are really the better pet. Mice smell more and are WAY more active and can jump really high (i.e. out of open cages, off of tables etc.)

and will get one for our daughter when she is older.

Another rat fan here. :hi:

Our rats like to ride around on shoulders and love attention. Also, I have not been bitten by any of the rats we have had, but can't say the same regarding hamsters & gerbils.

when I was a kid...they were lots of fun, they even used to come when I called their name.

Loved having them - they're pretty low maintenance.

water....for three weeks. They are desert animals.

But those furry hamsters are so cute and lovable. Don't let them out if you have dachshunds.

viscious little bastards that I was never able to even hand train.

Gerbils are much calmer, cleaner and friendlier.

But I'll go with the rats, though. I've had many and they are just nice.