# small pets



## Jacs (Jun 7, 2009)

hey everyone, hammible my lil robo passed away R.I.P. lil man! i found him this morning and he looked very peaceful. thing is, it seems really wierd not having him running around in his cage at the end of my bed. i am starting to look around see what other small pets are out there that might suit me, i want something that i can handle this time but at the same time something thats interesting  i already have a pair of degus who are gorgeous but i want something to fill the hole where hammible was. suggestions are greatly appriciated


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## Silvermoon77 (Dec 24, 2007)

I hear that rats are extremely clever and interesting to interact with. 

If you have more space, a ferret, maybe? I have one and I am delighted with him (although I am not sure I could sleep next to his cage, he has not been "snipped" yet and the smell is quite powerful, although not unpleasant).


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## Jacs (Jun 7, 2009)

rats are out of the question my dad is highly allergic  idealy i would love rats tho. ferrets arent really suitable eaither becuase we have dogs and couldnt give one everything it needed


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

African Pygmy hedgehog


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## Mischievous_Mark (Mar 16, 2008)

Mice?


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## Jacs (Jun 7, 2009)

an aph is tempting but i dont know that i have the space for one, may be something to look into, and marc, mice do seem lovley but do they not smell? gotta bear in mind they will be living in my bedroom hehe


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## Mischievous_Mark (Mar 16, 2008)

Jacs said:


> an aph is tempting but i dont know that i have the space for one, may be something to look into, and marc, mice do seem lovley but do they not smell? gotta bear in mind they will be living in my bedroom hehe


Male mice tend to smell a little more than females, but i doubt 2-3 females will smell anymore than a hamster, i never really noticed a smell when i kept a few in my room but now they are all in the shed and they smell but thats because theres are 30-40 in there maybe :S


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

What about a Chinese hamster, ours is so cute and she doesnt bite at all


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## Amalthea (Oct 2, 2007)

Or a short tailed opossum? I love my guys here and they can be such fantastic little pets.


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## Marcia (Aug 23, 2009)

Gerbils.......:2thumb:


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## Jacs (Jun 7, 2009)

chineese hamster is something i have been looking at.

and amalthea. i have wanted STO for a long time... but i dont think i could do the whole "live food" thing...and i dont think its fair to keep any animal unless you can do everything that needs doing for them... 

i really wish dad wernt as allergic to rats as he is, and its not their fur he is allergic to eaither tis something in the wee so i couldnt even get away with nekked ones


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## Jacs (Jun 7, 2009)

Marcia said:


> Gerbils.......:2thumb:


could be an option... how much do they chew tho? and how much space would you say they need idealy? as well as how tame can they become with lots of training?


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## Marcia (Aug 23, 2009)

Jacs said:


> could be an option... how much do they chew tho? and how much space would you say they need idealy? as well as how tame can they become with lots of training?


For a pair, you would need a 15-20 gallon tank as the minimum size. With mine, they chew less than the hamsters but as long as you provide wooden toys you'll be fine 
Pet shop gerbils can be a bit jumpy, nervous and nippy. If you go to a breeder though, they're usually calm, don't bite and are more than happy to be held.


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## Amalthea (Oct 2, 2007)

I only ever give my STOs live food as a treat every now and then. And when I do, I just get a tub of locusts and dump them in. They are happy for the night  For their main diet, they always have a mix of cat food and parrot food down, a bit of insectivore fare, and then they get fresh food nightly (wet cat food, fruit and veg (I just use the mixes I make for my gliders), baby food, etc etc etc). They are opportunists, so will eat pretty much anything.


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## Jacs (Jun 7, 2009)

what kinda cage do they need? size etc... and also i couldnt be doing with any live creepy crawlies in my room locust are the worst actually make me cringe could poss manage the odd wormy thing... lol


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## Amalthea (Oct 2, 2007)

You can guarantee that any bugs you give them will be gone within minutes 

As big as you can manage for housing. A large tank with loads of climbing available and a wheel is essential (I use wodent wheels for mine). And then I also give a heat mat on one side of their cages.


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## Jacs (Jun 7, 2009)

will look into it a bit more, but cage size is my main issue, i have a very small room, and as it is my degus cage is the size of a small wardrobe hehe.


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## Jacs (Jun 7, 2009)

i had a lil look around and came across winter white hamsters... was wondering weather anyone has had any or know someone who has had them? they seem like very friendly hammies


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## Marcia (Aug 23, 2009)

They're pretty much the same as russian dwarfs 
Make sure that you keep a close eye on them if you get a pair though, they are well known for fighting.


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## Jacs (Jun 7, 2009)

Marcia said:


> They're pretty much the same as russian dwarfs
> Make sure that you keep a close eye on them if you get a pair though, they are well known for fighting.


 
i c, i had a russian dwarf when i was small and remember he was the most loving hammie i have had to date ^_^ are they ok to live alone as well as in pairs?


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## sophs87 (Jan 25, 2009)

Jacs said:


> chineese hamster is something i have been looking at.
> 
> and amalthea. i have wanted STO for a long time... but i dont think i could do the whole "live food" thing...and i dont think its fair to keep any animal unless you can do everything that needs doing for them...
> 
> i really wish dad wernt as allergic to rats as he is, and its not their fur he is allergic to eaither tis something in the wee so i couldnt even get away with nekked ones


 
Get a guinea pig, they are full of character an gorgeous little things:flrt:!! I have a little male and he is wonderfull, great to handle, interacts ect! i find the little chinese hammys very fast and not very good to handle. Although friendly, ive never been bitten!!


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## Jacs (Jun 7, 2009)

sophs87 said:


> Get a guinea pig, they are full of character an gorgeous little things:flrt:!! I have a little male and he is wonderfull, great to handle, interacts ect! i find the little chinese hammys very fast and not very good to handle. Although friendly, ive never been bitten!!


thing is i dont have the space for a guinea pig


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## Marcia (Aug 23, 2009)

Jacs said:


> i c, i had a russian dwarf when i was small and remember he was the most loving hammie i have had to date ^_^ are they ok to live alone as well as in pairs?


I bought a pair once and they needed to be split up due to fighting and they were great on their own :2thumb: 
Wierdly, they seemed happier on their own


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## Trekky (Feb 4, 2009)

Jacs said:


> rats are out of the question my dad is highly allergic  idealy i would love rats tho. ferrets arent really suitable eaither becuase we have dogs and couldnt give one everything it needed


How about a hairless fancy rat that way you get best of both worlds :2thumb:


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

Mimi my little Chinese hammy is gorgeous, shes quite happy to sit on your hand and wash herself. With their tails being that bit longer than the avearge hammy she curls it around your finger.Very cute:flrt:


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## Jacs (Jun 7, 2009)

Trekky said:


> How about a hairless fancy rat that way you get best of both worlds :2thumb:


its not the fur dads allergic to tis something in their wee =/ hehe cuz the 1st thing that popped into my head when he said hes allergic was "ok so ill get a nekked one" ^_^


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## Jacs (Jun 7, 2009)

ok so i looked into the winter white aka syberian a little more, and they seem lovley very tameable and very curious lil things... only problem is i cant seem to find any for sale near me... anyone have any ideas? or know of any breeders in kent? xx


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## Marcia (Aug 23, 2009)

Jacs said:


> ok so i looked into the winter white aka syberian a little more, and they seem lovley very tameable and very curious lil things... only problem is i cant seem to find any for sale near me... anyone have any ideas? or know of any breeders in kent? xx


Check this out - Welcome to the British Hamster Association Web Site


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## Jacs (Jun 7, 2009)

thanks marcia, i have sent a couple emails out to the two breeders near me =) the end of my room seems soooo empty without hammible running around his lil wheel =(


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## Marcia (Aug 23, 2009)

I know what you mean, i lost my syrian a few weeks ago and seeing a bare cage in heartbreaking


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## Ruthy (Dec 10, 2007)

Marcia said:


> Gerbils.......:2thumb:


I agree with he gerbils things, they are clean, have very little odour, fantastic to watch and with handling from an early age they make fantastic pets!


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## Jacs (Jun 7, 2009)

thanks to the lovley naomi i have been put intouch with someone who has baby winter whites =) i decided its fate and am going to plan a trip to see them =D


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## Marcia (Aug 23, 2009)

Jacs said:


> thanks to the lovley naomi i have been put intouch with someone who has baby winter whites =) i decided its fate and am going to plan a trip to see them =D


Let us know what you decide


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## Jacs (Jun 7, 2009)

hehe it has been decided, a week sunday ill be mummy to two male russian winter white hamsters ^_^ oooh excited hehehe


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## Marcia (Aug 23, 2009)

:2thumb:

Don't forget to post pics : victory:


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## Jacs (Jun 7, 2009)

of course ^_^ hehehe


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## Marcia (Aug 23, 2009)

I havn't had winter whites in ages...i must resist....:lol2:


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## Jacs (Jun 7, 2009)

hehehe, they will be my first winter whites im soooo impatient tho cant waaait hehehe. gonna be wishing next week away ^_^ lol


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