# any fit this criteria?



## carter2011 (Feb 4, 2011)

hey all , im defo a novice with mammals, hope you can help

looking potentially at getting something 


-that does not spray p*ss everywhere and stink - non biased responses please lol 

-live inside my flat,in a cage,not a huge avairy thing 

-quiet as in vocally

-tame /bond/ideally playful 

-isnt going to stink room out

-ideally day active but im not sure if this means under no circumstances do you disturb it in the day if nocturnal?

-worried about temps - my flat gets roasting in summer FREEZING in winter 
-not dead expensive,as in around th £100 mark ok

-doesnt crap every 60 secs like mice

-intelligent

-lives a few years,4+ ideally

-smallish , but not tiny .smaller than a cat ideally

-it doesnt smell !!!! its so mportant,that its worth mentioning again haha!


im thinking sto ? or even flying squirrel?anything im missing? polecats/ferrets be good if not for the smell and they a bit big

does anything fit the above criteria? 

are any exotic mammals actually playful comparable to a cat /dog? 

most important are the smell, the toilet rate,the tame/bond ability


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## Tanzer (May 13, 2012)

carter2011 said:


> most important are the smell, the toilet rate,the tame/bond ability


Honestly, that's sorta down to you :whistling2: animals won't stick out a room if you're cleaning them. And same goes for 'tame/bond ability' if you're putting in the time and effort you'll be rewarded!


Now my suggestions to you would be;

1. Rats, I used to keep rats and found them to be intelligent, trainable and yes affectionate. If you're keeping them on the right substrate the smell is hardly noticeable along with spot cleaning daily and full cleans. Can also potty train.

2. Chinchillas, I've had my pair for going on five years now (can live up to 20) while they are nocturnal they sorta do end up adapting to you. I can take mine out during the day without issues, they enjoy a good cuddle and will fetch a peanut or two but a large cage is required.

3. Foxes... make excellent indoor pets but as its outside some of your criteria I'll leave you to look into that one.

The thing which makes it hard is your cage/size requirements honestly, otherwise things like sugar gliders could be an option


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## Moony14 (Aug 20, 2011)

Anyone who says animals don't have an odour to them are lying in my honest opinion. They all have a smell to them- just some people are more tolerant and less sensitive to it. I can tell you now my four male rats definitely smell and that's with a weekly cleaning and spot cleaning! It's nothing horrible but I wouldn't want it in my livingroom. Can't think of anything that would suit you to be honest- maybe a pygmy hedgehog? I don't have very much experience with them though so I wouldn't want to comment on them anymore than that.


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## mrkeda (Nov 6, 2012)

A stuffed animal toy might fit all of those criteria


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## carter2011 (Feb 4, 2011)

dont gliders stink? the cage size can possibly be bigger 

it is pretty specific criteria,obviously the more thats ticked the better but not all I appreciate that

for example, Ive read that flying squirrels dont stink or scent mark,but gliders do?

so do pretty much all small mammals scent mark or is the smell from their skin pores etc 

My beardies stink when they crapped but other than that they odourless 

ok, which, if any , dont smell ,and are tameable and intelligent?? they the most important ..


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## Tanzer (May 13, 2012)

Moony14 said:


> *Anyone who says animals don't have an odour to them are lying in my honest opinion*. They all have a smell to them- just some people are more tolerant and less sensitive to it. I can tell you now my four male rats definitely smell and that's with a weekly cleaning and spot cleaning!* It's nothing horrible* but I wouldn't want it in my livingroom.


 Agree. Like I already said if you're cleaning them like you should they don't smell that bad.

I remember I had three males and two female rats (split into different cages) and if I missed ONE DAY of spot cleaning I'd notice the smell much stronger.

- Just wanted to chip in again that yeah animals smell, but if you clean them its manageable


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## Tanzer (May 13, 2012)

carter2011 said:


> dont gliders stink? the cage size can possibly be bigger
> 
> it is pretty specific criteria,obviously the more thats ticked the better but not all I appreciate that
> 
> ...


Like the other animals I listed, they tick some box but not others!  males have a strong scent but they are sweet when tamed (box tick) but yeah sorry for throwing it out there anyway! :blush:


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## Cazzy4 (Aug 16, 2012)

Sugar's are noisy, messy, require large cages and a pair will cost a lot more than your £100 budget.

Chinchillas require large cages, need to sleep all day so they can spend the night bouncing around and making as much noise as possible.

Hedgehogs need large cages, around 2x3ft, and are noisy and are messy.

I would suggest a STO, or a pair of rats, but I doubt either of these would live 4+ years...


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## carter2011 (Feb 4, 2011)

really? I thought STO were 5 year mark? I know rats are 2 . are ALL species of rat 2 year life expectancy?

i think what ticks most my boxes are STO,and flying squirrels but neither seem readily available,I stil cant find out how much flying squirrels go for either


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## Tanzer (May 13, 2012)

Cazzy4 said:


> Chinchillas require large cages, need to sleep all day so they can spend the night bouncing around and making as much noise as possible.


I have a pair in my bedroom, they aren't that noisy at night HOWEVER my friend has one and it squeals like a gremlin and throws itself around the cage :whistling2: BUT I believe the difference there is I do handle mine during the day and later on at night. They get out for a run around (secure room, obviously) in the afternoon and then about 9-10pm they get out again for an hour. Every day. I have like a natural tree stand thing that they climb/chase each other around. 

Another thing to note is I got mine handraised from a breeder so they are uber tame and sorta just always had this routine. My friend got hers from a petstore at an unknown age and doesn't get out nearly as much as mine - I had a length discussion about this on a chinchilla forum and an active 'out of cage' life makes for content, quiet chins 

I just think they make great pets (especially tame ones from breeders) and get a bad rep sometimes when people buy them from pet stores or just leave them in their cage to entertain themselves! 


But pretty much any pet you get is going to require commitment and effort to get them how you want them anyways


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## Cazzy4 (Aug 16, 2012)

STO's can live to 5 years, but I normally hear of only 4, so should just about make the lifespan asked for.

Rats used to have great life-spans of around 4-5 years, but over the years that has decreased dramatically and I'm now surprised to hear of them living past 2-3!

I let my chins sleep during the day, I don't disturb their natural pattern unless they ask for interaction, so let them sleep until they awake then get them out so they can have a good few hours free-roam play time, and then they go back in the cage where they continue to bounce about from their platforms and chatter which can make a bit of noise, but I'd rather respect their need to sleep during the day than make them fit in with my lifestyle!


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## Draco (Nov 23, 2005)

I don't think chins are good with temperature exstreams.

Gerbils or degus may be sutable.

I've had gerbils for years and I love them. small don't smell much, active fun to watch.


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## Tanzer (May 13, 2012)

Cazzy4 said:


> but I'd rather respect their need to sleep during the day than make them fit in with my lifestyle!


Hahaha fit with my lifestyle they certainly don't! :whistling2: I have to have my room mate let them out for their afternoon run as I work either a 9-6 or 11-8. She'll go in and let them out when she hears them bouncing around (usually about 1/2). Guess it's just the way the breeder raised them, I won't keep them cooped up if they are wanting out - day or night : victory:

Though it'd certainly be easier to have them sleep all day...


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## carter2011 (Feb 4, 2011)

Draco said:


> I don't think chins are good with temperature exstreams.
> 
> Gerbils or degus may be sutable.
> 
> I've had gerbils for years and I love them. small don't smell much, active fun to watch.


 eres lots of weird rodents i know little of ,gerbils,jirds,duprasi (?) etc , do some rodents smell more than others? do all small rodents have short life spans? are they calm ?or which of them have a more calmer tendancy?

Im not sure im after something just to watch to be honest . maybe in my current situation there isnt something right for me, ill look into sto more, but really i want something like a fox etc but am realistic ,in this flat with the limitations etc , not really much I can get that im passionate about 

do STO smell? as in as bad as ferret or rat? i dont mind a smell if you stood next to it but not a smell that grips your face as soon as you enter the room lol


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## Tanzer (May 13, 2012)

Draco said:


> I don't think chins are good with temperature exstreams.
> 
> Gerbils or degus may be sutable.
> 
> I've had gerbils for years and I love them. small don't smell much, active fun to watch.


Degus are actually a good shout  they are sometimes a little noisy and can be messy. They also chew like crazy so never (like anyother animal) leave them unattended when they are out their cage or buhbye wires :lol2: having said that they are actually lots of fun and really cute!


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## Tanzer (May 13, 2012)

Something to watch? you'll find that STO's, rats, Chins are more active at night.

Degus are active during the day.


What about birds? they can be really tame and affectionate?... just throwing it out : victory:


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## carter2011 (Feb 4, 2011)

if wasnt for the noise, birds would be IDEAL,so clever and fun ,but I have neuro probs after swine flu,noise is a problem for me.I know the smaller birds are pretty quiet,but all the interestingly clever ones are noisy 

thats why reptiles are ideal ,but as bright as my beardies are, they just not playful


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## Cazzy4 (Aug 16, 2012)

My chins don't like me disturbing them, if I try to clean them out during the day they will look at me as if to say 'You're choosing to do this NOW?! At bedtime!? Pee off!', so now I don't disturb them during the day unless they wake up naturally, I just do everything at night and stay up for hours until they want to go back in the cage, but they only decide to go back in because it's another play area! Asleep all day, and playing all night, that's not just the chin's lifestyle but now mine too! Ah, the things we do for our pets! :lol2:
Yeah I also vote degus! They're great pets!


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## Tanzer (May 13, 2012)

carter2011 said:


> if wasnt for the noise, birds would be IDEAL,so clever and fun ,but I have neuro probs after swine flu,noise is a problem for me.I know the smaller birds are pretty quiet,but all the interestingly clever ones are noisy
> 
> thats why reptiles are ideal ,but as bright as my beardies are, they just not playful


Ooo I see 

But really! there are really quiet bigger ones 

For instance Senegal Parrots are known as the one of the quietest parrot species. Don't really screech and can be taught to talk  or even the smaller Parrotlets they /can't/ screech and scream and instead have a really soft chirp/chatter : victory:


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## Tanzer (May 13, 2012)

Cazzy4 said:


> My chins don't like me disturbing them, if I try to clean them out during the day they will look at me as if to say 'You're choosing to do this NOW?! At bedtime!? Pee off!', so now I don't disturb them during the day unless they wake up naturally, I just do everything at night and stay up for hours until they want to go back in the cage, but they only decide to go back in because it's another play area! Asleep all day, and playing all night, that's not just the chin's lifestyle but now mine too! Ah, the things we do for our pets! :lol2:
> Yeah I also vote degus! They're great pets!


:lol2: see I am convinced mine are somehow smuggling smarties or something. My friends chin sounds much like yours, it curls into a little ball in its box and doesn't move...all day. -eyes mine- half chin half squirrels clearly :hmm: : victory:


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## aquajird (Oct 27, 2010)

Jirds. Especially Shaw's Jirds. These are a rat/degu size relatives of the popular Mongolian gerbil. As desert animals, they hardly drink and hardly pee, so there is no smell.

I have kept lots of different gerbil species and find that Shaw's bond the most closely with their human keepers. They are most active in the evening but not nocturnal. They go to bed in the wee small hours.

Cost around £10-£20, so will not break the bank. Unlike other species of gerbils, they are happy to live singly. They live 3-4 years.


If you are prepared to splash out and have lots of time to devote to them, then prairie dogs are the gold standard. These can get incredibly tame, one of mine is curled up next to me as I write this. They live 10-12 years in captivity. There is no smell.


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## carter2011 (Feb 4, 2011)

see the desert drink / pee thing...golden nugget of info that! cheers . so jirds are handleable? or very skittish ? my reactions arent too great haha dont want a nutcase but suppose as long as on the whole,a species is ok then that not as bad as renowned for being nutters 

ill look into prarie dogs too,cheers ,not one ive looked at yet


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## shane 08 (Dec 31, 2009)

*reply*

I'd say buy a gold fish


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## carter2011 (Feb 4, 2011)

thanks for that pearl of wisdom do you need a lie down after that?


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## DONTLOOKATME (Apr 5, 2013)

Have you considered a pair of male guinea pigs?
Granted they may be a bit loud at times, but it's not all that realistic to find a pet that's perfect :2thumb: If you keep them right they won't smell.


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## MrJsk (Jul 29, 2012)

Not read any of the comments so sorry if it has been said..

Rats! They will have their own smell but then so does every animal although they do NOT stink! They are extremely intelligent too. Can be a little skittish at first but tame really well and can be carried around in your pocket and all that. If you sit on the floor they will come over to you and climb on you, take treats from you.. they can even be taught tricks. They ideally need to be kept in pairs or small groups but they are not expensive so that should't be too much of an issue.


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## MrJsk (Jul 29, 2012)

Forgot to mention.. they tend to be more active of an evening but once tame they are happy to come out during the day! Especially when bribed with a few mealworms or crickets.. they go crazy for live insects !!


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