A gerbil or maybe a mouse...

 

I think gerbils will be your best bet. My neighbors have three kids, the twin boys are both 4 and the girl is 7. They also have 2 gerbils, used to have 4 put they died of old age. All three of the kids do great with the gerbils and vice versa. The girl can carry the gerbils around for a long time and they love it, both of them that is. And you said you already had a cage, but you can get a ten or twenty gallon tank at a pet store for under $25. Gerbils are great pets, one of my friend has one, used to have 2 but again, one died of old age (he was almost 4), and she loves Lemon, the name of her gerbil. They are fun, energetic, friendly, and for people of all shapes, ages, and sizes. Good luck with your search and it's good to know that you're doing a lot of research and not just buying an animal and finding out about it later. :thumbsup:

 

Thanks. I think we've decided on a pair of gerbils. We'll use the tank for now and maybe the plastic cage for play time (?) and upgrade later on. Now to find gerbils. I really don't want to buy from a pet store so I'm looking for local breeders.

 

well, just one thing... I'm pretty sure you know it already, but just in case.. throw away the cedar chips! Besides that hmmm.. I don't know where you are... I know a breeder in NY, though... or you can check the AGS website for a list registered breeders
http://www.agsgerbils.org

 

I scored a cage on Freecycle. Here's the description they gave:

Critter Trail mouse cage. Comes with food dish, water bottle, litter
bowl with litter, half a bag of cedar chips, exercise wheel, look out
tower and other additional tunnels we bought. Also a homemade cage
that attaches to the critter trail cage just for extra play room.

Sound to me by this description "Mouse cage" it will be to small for gerbils
I have seen mice cages in pet stores and they are quite little compaird to a gerbil/hamster one.
Up here you can get a 10gallon tank for $12.99, 10G is great for 2 gerbils.
I reccomend gerbils as pets, I've had hamsters, and well they smell and mice i think are to small for a child to handle.

Getting from a breeder in your area will give you more colours to choose from and better chance of tamer gerbils that are allready used to being handled.

 

Thanks! We've decided on gerbils but can only find them in a pet store. I spent over an hour on the web last night trying to find a breeder with no luck.

 

Did you try the AGS breeders list?
AGS Breeders List

 

Yes, there are 2 and they're both too far away.

 

Did you contacted them? Some breeders are willing to drive half the distance... Good luck getting in finding a nice pair of gerbies.