Hamster vs Gerbil
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Re: Hamster vs Gerbil
Degus are fun, but to be really happy they need to be kept in a large group which means a large zoo type compartment. But if kept as they should be they will breed like crazy! (worse than rabbits). There are lots of degus needing re-homed from rescue centres because of this.
You can keep them in a pair in a chinchilla size aviary, but they won't be so happy. Always get a same sex pair to avoid breeding. They need a very particular diet to avoid diabetes and cataracts.
Like chinchilla's they need lots of different levels and things to run along and tunnels. They are very bright with a complex language and need lots of toys, which they will gradually destroy.
Chinchillas are gorgeous with the softest fur of any animal, but they do not like to be handled. They do like to socially interact and can learn tricks. They are highly destructive to your house and fittings so you need a room you don't care too much about.
Chipmunks are very cute. Again, they need a large area with levels and branches to climb about. They particularly like to sleep in an old sock hung from a branch.
However I would not keep any of the above unless you have a spare space of at least 6'x5'x5'. Though people do keep them in smaller cages, anything smaller is not fair on them. Pet shop cages intended for chinchillas or degus are really much too small. They get bored and start damaging themselves (in particular pulling out their own fur) Degus in the wild travel miles every night in their search for food.
As has been mentioned on this thread, hamsters can be more fragile than you think and are not so good for constant handling.
You can keep them in a pair in a chinchilla size aviary, but they won't be so happy. Always get a same sex pair to avoid breeding. They need a very particular diet to avoid diabetes and cataracts.
Like chinchilla's they need lots of different levels and things to run along and tunnels. They are very bright with a complex language and need lots of toys, which they will gradually destroy.
Chinchillas are gorgeous with the softest fur of any animal, but they do not like to be handled. They do like to socially interact and can learn tricks. They are highly destructive to your house and fittings so you need a room you don't care too much about.
Chipmunks are very cute. Again, they need a large area with levels and branches to climb about. They particularly like to sleep in an old sock hung from a branch.
However I would not keep any of the above unless you have a spare space of at least 6'x5'x5'. Though people do keep them in smaller cages, anything smaller is not fair on them. Pet shop cages intended for chinchillas or degus are really much too small. They get bored and start damaging themselves (in particular pulling out their own fur) Degus in the wild travel miles every night in their search for food.
You can get netherland dwarf rabbits which are a lot smaller and very easy to handle. Keep them as a house rabbit for maximum fun for both you and them.scary mum wrote:A lot easier for a child to handle than a rabbit.
As has been mentioned on this thread, hamsters can be more fragile than you think and are not so good for constant handling.
Re: Hamster vs Gerbil
I don't know much about degus / chinchillas ..DH always steers me away from them as I have a tendency to add to our furry children everytime I go to a pet shop............but I think guinea pigs might be the easiest option really. Hamsters are fragile , rabbits can kick out when picked up and fracture their spines and the rabbits we have had did suffer from various ailments which cost me rather a lot at the vets....we have had guinea pigs for 15 years ( yes, before we had children 
) and I think I've only taken them to the vets a couple of times. The only biggy was when DH decided to carry 3 of them in from the run together like a guinea pig pyramid and dropped one on concrete, so it broke it's back. 
He did try to build a trolley to support it's back legs 
but the vet said it was best to just put her down.
) and I think I've only taken them to the vets a couple of times. The only biggy was when DH decided to carry 3 of them in from the run together like a guinea pig pyramid and dropped one on concrete, so it broke it's back. He did try to build a trolley to support it's back legs but the vet said it was best to just put her down.