# ferret or Guinea pig ?????? HELP



## popup854 (Nov 16, 2010)

i would like something energetic nice loving but at the same time when im away for a weekends it wont mind also what is cheaper to keep since im only 15 this is important i had sugar gliders is the ferrets oder worse then them in the us a ferret are around 150-200 in a pet store a guinea pig is only 25 is this a kinda get what you pay for type thing meaning since the ferret is more expensive is it better then a guinea pig


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## Smivers (Apr 17, 2011)

Ferret all day long. Much more fun than a pig. IMO.:2thumb:


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## sophs87 (Jan 25, 2009)

Dont pay £150-£200 for a ferret, look in the rescues or classifieds:2thumb:


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## danabanana (Sep 16, 2008)

Ferrets any day! Try a local rescue/rehoming centre, already spayed/neutered, nip trained and just as loving and fun 

But get a pair so they can keep each other company if you do leave them


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## mrcriss (Nov 2, 2010)

popup854 said:


> i would like something energetic nice loving but at the same time when im away for a weekends it wont mind also what is cheaper to keep since im only 15 this is important i had sugar gliders is the ferrets oder worse then them in the us a ferret are around 150-200 in a pet store a guinea pig is only 25 is this a kinda get what you pay for type thing meaning since the ferret is more expensive is it better then a guinea pig


Ferrets are brilliant, but I can't believe they cost that much in America! Here they go for about £10-15.

As the others said, search for rescued ferrets (you need at least 2), or find a breeder that will go cheaper than the pet shops.

With the extra cash, you could buy some punctuation!:lol2:


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## Marinam2 (Sep 4, 2007)

Wow well the two animals you have short listed couldnt be further apart from each other in terms of personaility or care requirements. 

I'm guessing you need to think much more and very much harder.

Ferrets should really be seen as little dogs in their needs, they are social, independant and need a great deal of exercise so will not fair well shut in small cages for a whole weekend.

G'pigs on the other hand BORING!!!!!!


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## Elina (Jul 22, 2009)

I was shocked when I found out how much ferrets cost in the U.S. but apparently that is because they are all sold neutered so there are not quite as many about as there are over in the U.K. and it does seem to be mostly pet shops that sell them.

I would go with a ferret. I am looking after my friends two when she is away and they are so much fun! You have to spot clean/scoop their litter multiple times a day or they really smell but that is no hardship really. My friend said they naturally go to the toilet in the corner so all you really need to do to litter train them is pit a corner litter tray in the corner that they like to go in. 

You can also teach them tricks which is fun. The ones I am watching are not young by any means but I have been clicker training them and it is going well. 

-
Elina


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## LittlePixieAmy (Sep 29, 2010)

*Ferrets!!!*

Ferrets for the win because they actually have a personality!! :no1:

They are clean animals, which are practically litter trained from birth (with only minor encouragement needed from being a kit). They can learn tricks, mine have learned to roll over, stand up, and spin. Teaching them tricks is easy if you have their favorite treat at hand! They can be walked on a lead and are fun to enter into shows and races!! They must be nip trained from being small kits however!! They sleep around 16-18 hours a day so they make perfect pets for people with jobs, but they need and crave human attention so around 2-3 hours of playing a day is needed!!

I really recommend going on FerretsForum.co.uk - If you want to talk ferrets, this is the place! they are so helpful and will help you with anything, plus there are a lot of answered questions already on the forum 

Drawbacks of ferrets however is the fact that they can be quite prone to cancers, which can be a nightmare in vet bills, they do have a slight pong about them but you learn to love it (unless your like my mum ha ha)

A good cage to get for ferrets (I say ferrets because they need to be kept in pairs) is something like a Liberta Explorer or Ferret Nation!!

Hope I helped persuade you! Any questions just PM me :2thumb: x


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## zahirre (Dec 6, 2010)

PLEASE don't get a guinea pig if you're going to be away weekends. Despite what many people think, Guinea's are difficult and expensive to keep when done properly. You need to thouroughly research nutritional needs as they need extra calcium.
They need a minimum 5x2x2 hutch and need to be kept in pairs (2 x females or 1 neutered male and 1 female) as they are sociable animals.
Vet bills can get horrendously high and they will need vacc'd. They also need a permanent run attatched (would need to check min sizes)
If you went for a Guinea, I'd seriously suggest a rescue otherwise you could end up paying hundreds in vet bills due to breeder defects. Furry breeders who supply pet shops aren't exactly 100%!


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## BlueRat (Oct 3, 2010)

If you're going to be away at the weekends, I'd say avoid ferrets. I have two, and trust me, they need daily attention. My two are house ferrets, and they have a whole room to themselves when Im not there, but even with an entire room to be in, you can tell how frustrated and bored they get if Im not there for even half the day. A ferret in a cage, left alone for a weekend, would just not be fair. 

Also, if you have money issues and are so concerned with whats cheap, perhaps its best not to get any pet at all right now? All animals can get ill, and you'll need money to pay their vet's bills. 
And these can be ridiculous. Im 29 with a job of my own and an income and I have to seriously budget to pay for the vet care for my rats.

Im wondering how, at 15, you can have the money to be the sole carer of an animal? I didn't have a penny to my name at 15, certainly didn't have the money to take on my own pet without a lot of help from my parents. 
If your parents are involved, thats fine, they can help you.
But at 15, you just can't have the funds needed on your own. We're talking vets bills that can be hundreds of pounds.

So while I'd say a lot of animals CAN be cheap to keep (my ferrets don't actually cost much to feed, I go through the reduced section in tesco and buy fresh meat, and most toys for them I make myself) but its the vet bills that will cost you the money.

Also, remember, ferrets can live anywhere from 7-10 years. Some have even been known to reach 15. Do you know where you'll be in 10 years time? You're at an age where taking on a permanent commitment like an animal that lives 10+ years isn't wise. A lot will change for you in the next 10 years. What if you want to go to uni? Move out? 
Even guinea pigs can live a fair while, my aunties ones lived to 7. 

Im just being realistic here; you're 15, you are at an age where lots can and will change in the next 10 years, you've admitted you want a cheap animal, which suggests money issues, and it all kinda doesn't sound like the right time to be bringing an animal in.
Unless, like I said, your parents are helping you with money and such.
In that case, I'd still not consider either ferrets or guinea pigs.
Ferrets need SO much time, and yes, they do smell. Males more than females, and intact ferrets more than spayed/neutered ones, but there is always some odour.
You may not be able to smell them when you walk into the room, once you're used to it, but it'll get into your clothes everytime you handle them. 

Guinea pigs aren't really the most entertaining of pets. Nothing against them, I think they're sweet, but they are nervy prey animals who need patience and don't tend to be what I think of as an 'entertaining' pet. 

I run a rat rescue, and would suggest rats if it weren't for your financial issues. 
Rats are intelligent, active, very entertaining, they bond to you like superglue, and there are plenty in rescue who need a good home.
They have an average life span of 2-3, which is far more realistic for your situation. They do need daily out of cage time ideally, but they won't get too upset if you're away for a day or so and can't get them out, as long as they have a big enough cage and company. 
BUT they get ill a lot.
I just spent £120 on a single one of my rescue rats. 
They are definately NOT cheap pets. 
If you have money and dedication, get rats would be my advice. If you don't, please don't.


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## Amalthea (Oct 2, 2007)

I always describe ferrets as lifelong kittens on speed, so wouldn't deal well with being left all weekend. Plus, they do smell. Much worse than gliders, in my opinion (even the descented ones you buy in US pet shops... only the scent gland are removed, so their natural smell is still there). My guinea pigs are entertaining, funny little characters. Peri, especially, is very odd. She loves the dog, seeks you out for attention, robs off your plate (especially meat pie... nobody told her she was a veggie), etc etc etc. She's an amazing gig and the one that really opened my eyes to these usually overlooked critters. But as people have said, both of your choices need company of their own kind, so you must get at least two (three is a better number in case the worst should happen and one dies... you're not left with a lonely critter while you are rushing to find a new cagemate).


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