I've been thinking...

[Millimi]

I was going to get a hamster, but then with Caesar dying, I was so upset and couldn't. I've gotten better, still sad, but I was thinking about getting one again. I really want to get a rat, but my dad hates their tails, although he doesn't mind a mouse's , so I can't get one. I was debating between gerbils and hamsters now, I can't get another mouse, I still miss Squeaky. I want a pet I can play with and trust it not to bite me and I've heard of bad things about hamsters, but not so much about gerbils. Also, which one is smarter? Which one plays with more toys, and can either of them use a hammock? Thanks in advance.

[Padfoot]

Well, I'd say that gerbils are more active than hamsters. Also, they are faster, not as fast as mice, but a lot faster than hamters. Gerbils are social, so they need to live in pairs or groups, while hamsters (syrian) have to be kept alone. Gerbils gnaw a lot more than hamsters, so anything plastic in their cage will get destroyed. Gerbils love to dig, so you should give them plenty of bedding.. also it's pretty cool to see them playing with each other. Even though I keep some dwarf hamsters in pairs, I don't see them playing with each other and grooming each other as often as gerbils do. Gerbils rarely bite and when they do it's because you did something wrong. I've been bitten by my gerbils twice. Both times it was by a female and while breaking up a fight. I tell you, it's not smart to break up a fight with bare hands.. haha.

In my experience, in both species, males are more easy going than females. 8)

[Millimi]

I was thinking about that since my friend had two gerbils and they were so cute together. I also loove putting tons of bedding in the cage and it would be a ten gallon glass tank. Is that enough space for two gerbils? Also, I never gave my mouse anything plastic, as I am a nature freak, only ceramic and wood, and stuff like that.

[Padfoot]

Yes, ten gallon is minimum for a pair of gerbils. Wood is good, and cardboard tubes and boxes. They love to chew those and make nests with the carboard, You can also put a piece of toilet paper and they'll make a nest with it. 8) I'll show you a pic of how cute gerbils look together (I'm bad!)

Those are 3 of my girls.

[Millimi]

Awww, you're gonna make this so hard for me when my parents say no. But, yea, my mouse always loved all her chew toys, she was so spolied.

[CorinasCritters]

Well gerbils are cute, but my all time favorite are the Siberian Hamster. When they have a lot of bedding then are so cute they go under it, and sometimes at the edge of the tank and you see them looking like their swimming in the bedding! lol. They also are so cute when they fight over the wheel and then once one gets off they chase each other around the cage and decided neither of them want the wheel! lol. I think the Siberian Hamster, but be careful because if you get some other hamster besides the Siberian a lot are mean. I saw one at the pet store 2 actually cages seperatly because not only did they not like people, but they didn't like other hamsters either! The hamsters were standing on their back feet making a growling noise and hissing at me!!

[grlunderrainbow]

Of all the rodents mentioned (and I've bred Rats, Syrian and Campbell's Russian Dwarf hamsters, and Gerbils) Rats are by faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar my fave. Their just alot smarter..and sweeter. I've probably owned 100 rats total..and over 100 Syrians and over 100 Dwarves..over the years..and not had a rat that bit. They're just such lovebugs. Would your dad mind a genetically tail-less rat? There are alot of people out there weired out by "rat tails" (which I don't get)..but usually, they don't mind one without a tail.

[Millimi]

I thought someone said rats don't come tailless. That's why I didn't ask about them. Where can you get tailless rats?

[grlunderrainbow]

I don't know anyone anymore..but they do have genetically tail-less rats (although there are also SOME breeders that dock tails like in dogs)..
um.. looking at the American Fancy Rat and Mouse Association's site http://www.afrma.org/breederlist.htm .. I found a small list of breeders...none close to you yet..most dont show websites
Here's some pix of tailless rats..
might just do some searches for breeder listings...or ask around..I haven't had/bred rats in a few years and just don't know the links anymore.

[Millimi]

Thank you. I'll try searching as well.

[grlunderrainbow]

If you dont' already have it, this is a good one..they have a directory of breeders..but it appears to be down:
http://www.rodentfancy.org/cgi-bin/chat/ikonboard.cgi

[Millimi]

Thank you.