Do NOT get rodents as pets

[DoctorD]

We've had 3 guinea pigs, 1 mouse and 2 rats. These animals are defecation machines. If you don't want to spend every fourth day cleaning up poop or pee, don't get one.

Guinea pigs are stupid as wood. We bought one female only to learn she was prgenant and she had two males. Then we needed separate cages to prevent incestuous breeding. It is amusing to get guests from Ecuador or Peru who tell you they eat them.

The mouse died quickly, but my youngest replaced it with 2 rats. Why did I say yes? The rats are cute and intelligent but leave a trail of pee everywhere. Their cage stinks and we don't play with them out of the cage because then everything is covered with pee. I'm waiting for them to die.

God, all these rodents stink. Don't make my mistake.

[Ian Lozada]

We've had 3 guinea pigs, 1 mouse and 2 rats. These animals are defecation machines. If you don't want to spend every fourth day cleaning up poop or pee, don't get one.

Guinea pigs are stupid as wood. We bought one female only to learn she was prgenant and she had two males. Then we needed separate cages to prevent incestuous breeding. It is amusing to get guests from Ecuador or Peru who tell you they eat them.

The mouse died quickly, but my youngest replaced it with 2 rats. Why did I say yes? The rats are cute and intelligent but leave a trail of pee everywhere. Their cage stinks and we don't play with them out of the cage because then everything is covered with pee. I'm waiting for them to die.

God, all these rodents stink. Don't make my mistake.

It's great to have a Jack Russell Terrier. They think if it's small and it moves, it's prey. Pretty soon, you won't have any more rodents underfoot.

[billreeves]

We had hamsters when I was a kid, but they would inevitably escape (i.e. get let out of their cage by me or one of my brothers) and go find a crack in the wall and hide, until they died. And then it would smell for a while.

The mouse died quickly, but my youngest replaced it with 2 rats. Why did I say yes? The rats are cute and intelligent but leave a trail of pee everywhere. Their cage stinks and we don't play with them out of the cage because then everything is covered with pee. I'm waiting for them to die.

I thought I read somewhere that rats have no bladder control -- they basically pee all the time and leave trails of it everywhere they go. But I can't find a reference for that now.

[Ian Lozada]

We had hamsters when I was a kid, but they would inevitably escape (i.e. get let out of their cage by me or one of my brothers) and go find a crack in the wall and hide, until they died. And then it would smell for a while.


If you're lucky they won't have babies there first. Or if they do, sometimes they'll eat them. Hamsters are a little traumatic for kids.

And they occasionally bite. I know. I checked.

[Maczebus]

It's great to have a Jack Russell Terrier. They think if it's small and it moves, it's prey. Pretty soon, you won't have any more rodents underfoot.

When I was kiddie my first official pet (I'm discounting the 'pet' slugs and worms I used to cram into my toy cars in an attempt to create some kind of mollusc/annelid rush hour scenario) was a Jack Russell. Always cute with its boundless energy, but I was small and I moved - so I was a pretty easy target.

And I will totally support the motion to avoid having rodents as pets. Totally pointless. Thankfully they don't live very long. I've had hamsters (esacaped and crushed under a sofa); gerbils (did absolutely nothing endearing - then escaped and got lost under the floor boards and I presume died); and a couple of rats, which do indeed stink. Rats are the best of the rodent bunch unless you're going hardcore and opt for ferrets which stink even more - however they do seem to have a couple of brain cells floating around somewhere.

I'd even bunch rabbits in with this motely crew - pointless.

Lesson is - you want a pet? Get one you can interact with. It's basic but cats or dogs can't be beat. Or if you're lazy, fish. Not great at interaction but they don't make the place smell of piss.

[Ian Lozada]

Lesson is - you want a pet? Get one you can interact with. It's basic but cats or dogs can't be beat. Or if you're lazy, fish. Not great at interaction but they don't make the place smell of piss.

Fishbowls have their own smell. Ugh.

[Twenty26Six]

Fish are cool. But, fish are for bachelors and child molesters.

I can't imagine I'd want to clean a fish tank after cleaning up after two kids all week.

[Bluto11]

i did a psychology lab in college with a rat. That little guy was awesome. Taught him to push a lever to get some water. I'd let him crawl around on me after the experiment was done for the day and I was doing my lab report. surprisinly he never pissed on me once.

[RichardL]

Guinea pigs are stupid as wood. We bought one female only to learn she was prgenant and she had two males. Then we needed separate cages to prevent incestuous breeding. As a kid I had two dogs who used to incestuously jump aboard and hump each each. Stranger still, they were mother and daughter.

[Ismitje]

Family Ismitje brought home a pair of dwarf hamsters on Saturday and both daughters are very happy. :)

[Twenty26Six]

As a kid I had two dogs who used to incestuously jump aboard and hump each each. Stranger still, they were mother and daughter.

Did the dogs also howl when you played Motley Crue (or maybe Poison)? :)

[DoctorD]

Family Ismitje brought home a pair of dwarf hamsters on Saturday and both daughters are very happy. :)In a month you'll be wishing I had started the thread a week earlier.

Have a good night's sleep.

[cookiely]

Guinea pigs are stupid as wood. We bought one female only to learn she was prgenant and she had two males. Then we needed separate cages to prevent incestuous breeding. It is amusing to get guests from Ecuador or Peru who tell you they eat them.


It is actually animal abuse and illegal to keep a guinea pigs solitary in a cage.

guinea pigs have complex social structures, they even have their own language
they use to talk to each other.

Perhaps you should just gather a little bit more information before you get an animal

[flowergirl]

i agree with the previous poster. it sounds more like you need to do research before you get a pet.
my guinea pig is awesome (and she's my 4th) -- she's totally socialized (here's a clue about g-pigs.. the more you play with them, the more social they get and the more they love people.. same with a lot of animals). and she's also brilliant. she's potty trained. we let her run around the living room and when she has to pee or poop she goes in a litter box. i know many a dog who's a lot dumber than my guinea pig.

[argentine soccer fan]

When we were kids my sister had two hamsters. Once she forgot to feed them, and one ate the other one.

[Twenty26Six]

When we were kids my sister had two hamsters. Once she forgot to feed them, and one ate the other one.

Funny thing those animals eating each other. Humans are much more refined.

Who's up for a burger?? :p

[rabble-rabble]

We have 2 cats. Only problem we have with rodents is when one of them kills one outside and tries to sneak it into the house.

[argentine soccer fan]

Funny thing those animals eating each other. Humans are much more refined.



I wonder, if we put two humans in a cage and forget to feed them, what would happen?

[BocaFan]

I'm probably directly (by setting-up various types of mouse-traps) or indirectly (through my cats) responsible for over 1000 rodent deaths in my life. Why would anyone want them as pets again?? :confused:

[Ian Lozada]

I wonder, if we put two humans in a cage and forget to feed them, what would happen?

I take it you've never been to Ireland.

What?