Hamster or guinea pig?

Question

i am nearly 14 and i want a small pet.

i already have a family dog (small and old) but would like a small pet of my own.

i would like it to have a smallish cage that will not take up much room, and i want it to be kept in my bedroom though!

i dont want it to be too much work but i will give it a lot of love

also, not too expensive

but i do not want to be woken up by it in the night (i know that hamsters are nocturnal... is that an issue if its in my bedroom?)

help me PLEASE xxxxxxx

Answer 1

a hamster becasue they are much easier to look after andd yes there cages look much better then guniea pigs, also guniea pigs are very timid andd take alot of time to tame  

Answer 2

guinea pig cages ca get pretty stinky  and the cages can get pretty pricy.. but i think a guinea pig.. hamsters are mean(most of the time) IVE had 6 hamsters and they have been all mean..

but if you want a different pet i would think a bout a mouse... there only 2 bucks from a pet store... there really good pets!! i know they sound grose but there nnot..

Answer 3

Well, Guinea pigs are less noisy, but they aren`t very playful.  Hamsters are fun and you only have to clean the cage once a week.  Put the cage in the bathtub at night or in some other room.

Answer 4

hamster  i've had mine for two years.really cute

Answer 5

i have two guinea pigs living in my bedroom so this will help you alot i so much prefer them to hamsters they are like humans they have their own personalities the first night was h**l with them they drink,eat and poo all night and squeak and make a h**l of a lot of noise you will regret getting them at first but the second night is fine after a while you get used to it and they calm down alot! i took them out of my bedroom for one night just to catch up on my loss f sleep from the first night and i actually couldnt sleep because i had got so used to the noise!! hehe!!!i love them but they do take alot of care but dont smell at all!! i chooseguine pigs defo!! and guinea pig cages arent ugly i think hamster cages are much more uglier than guinea pigs cages! if you cant be bothered looking afte them choose hamsters! but you will get bored very easily with hamsters!!!

Answer 6

hamsters are easier to take care of, but guinea pigs are more, cuddley? guinea pig dont run on a wheel, so less noise, but dont take them on the grass, because the could get a bug and loose hair, and could die, happend to mine :(

Answer 7

get a hamster. there is no such thing as a small guinea pig cage that is adequate for them. hamsters do not take up a lot of room, and they are a perfect pet for someone your age. and with hamsters you only have to get one, you will have to get two guinea pigs. guinea pigs are also expensive, messy, noisy, and antisocial. and guinea pigs are a lot of work, so it sounds like you want a hamster

Answer 8

guinea pig they are the sweetest things and they go on leashes so you can walk them.

Answer 9

      first hamsters are cheaper than guinea pigs because with hamsters you have to only have one but guinea pigs need at least one buddy of the same gender...i suggest female because now this isn't always true but males might fight...of course if you spay/neuter them you won't have that problem...

     Hamsters are easier because guinea pigs need a daily feeding schedule...but if you build a C&C cage [Cubes and coroplast a corrugated plastic] you won't need to clean it every 5 days and whatnot you can go maybe 8-9 days because they can be huge!!!

      Hamsters will keep you up at night if they are in your bedroom no doubt about it unless you are a heavy sleeper...i was so it wasn't a big deal...

      no guinea pig cages don't have to be uglier than hamster if you make a C&C cage which i strongly suggest you do if you get a guinea pig because you can make a theme to it and the plastic crittertrail cages depending on the product can be very good or very bad...

     in the end i hope you decide a guinea pig they are much more lovable and will sit patiently on your lap while you watch tv while the hamster squirms around and also hamsters are more likely to bite than guinea pigs...:)  

Answer 10

hamster

cos

1,they rnt 2 big

2.easier 2 clean out

3.cheaper

4.smaller cage better for bedroom

5.not so much work needed

6.dont need an outdoor run

7.not as expensive to keep

Answer 11

Guinea pigs are better off outside, in my opinion. Plus hamster cages take up less room. The only issue with it being in your room is if it is scurrying around or the wheel makes a noise as it goes round, but you'd probably get used to it. They don't take too much work, but you have to remember to feed them, give them fresh water and clean them out.

You get different types of guinea pigs - small ones or bigger ones. But both take up a lot more room than hamsters as the cages need to be bigger. A guinea pig would also make just as much noise at night (we kept ours inside once and he was making a lot of noise) Guinea pigs are also usually happier in pairs, unlike hamsters

Answer 12

all small animals make noise at night. i have 2 gebils and sometimes they are quiet, but sometimes they arent. you just have to be patient. hamsters arent a good choice for your expectations. and yes, guinea pig cage are big and ugly. but you can make them pretty. between a hamster, a gerbil (even though its not one of your choices.), and a guinea pig, i suggest a gerbil, they may have tails, but they are very cute. they are basically hamsters with tails and they dont bite. but if you get a gerbil, you should get 2 from the same litter, b/c if you get one, if will be lonely all the time.they are vvveeerrrrryyyy social animals and they love to cuddle. good luck, i hoope i helped.

Answer 13

Guinea pigs are wonderful pets and are very friendly and easy to handle.  They have wonderful personalities and can be so tame that they follow you around!  They are also nocturnal to a degree and will keep you awake at night!  I wouldn't advise keeping one in your bedroom.  I have 3 GP's and they live outdoors all year in a hutch and run and are still so tame that I can bring them indoors for cuddles and play and put them back outside when finished.

I would always reccommend a GP over a hamster anyday!

I don't believe that keeping a guinea Pig is any more expensive than keeping a hamster.

Guinea Pigs are easier to handle and large enough to cuddle!

Answer 14

I prefer hamsters myself too. I have two roborovski hamsters. They are the cutest thing. However if you are looking for small pet in a small cage, that might not be the right pet. They do need a cage where they can run around. Hamsters are also harder to tame. Also they are like little night owls. Hamsters do run in their wheel (that's where most of the noise came from. I did put some vaseline on the wheel. Now I can barely hear them running.)  

Answer 15

get a guinea pig, they way more fun!

Answer 16

UH I think you should probably get a hamster. They are less expensive then guinea pigs. The wheel may do squeaking though, but I think vegetable oil should fix that, because it worked on mine. (I have the Penn Plax Pink Princess Castle for Hamsters and Gerbils) it was 40 bucks though . . . you could probably find a cheap cage somewhere, maybe on the internet.

But yes you're right, hamsters are nocturnal, but it doesn't matter too much, as long as you're able to give them attention while he or she is awake (I don't recommend waking them up)

But yes, guinea pig cages are huge and ugly, lol. I'm not a huge fan of guinea pigs.

Hope I helped

Steph

Answer 17

Get a hamster. They are cuddly, love-able, and fun, plus easy to train. They live 2-4 years, so if you get bored with them, they won't be around long. Guinea Pigs live to be 10 years or older! So you'll have to not get bored with it. I'm was 13 like you when I got my first pet: a teddy bear hamster. She was so sweet.

For the issue of your room: get a 'Silent Spinner' brand wheel. That's really the only noise you'll hear at night, if you get the wrong wheel, that is. A hamster's price, altogether, is about 45-50 dollars. You'll also have to keep getting bedding, food, and treats. Get Pine or Aspen bedding, as paper can lead to serious medical issues. Get a high-quality hamster food with lots of seeds. Good luck! ^-^

Answer 18

I'm also getting a small pet but  am deciding between a hamster or some dwarf hamsters. I would say hamsters because they are more popular, and I think Guinea pigs are kind of ugly.

Answer 19

i prefer hamsters, i have a 2 russian dwarf hamsters i keep in my room and at first they were really noisey when using the wheel but if you buy a decent quite wheel you wont be able to here much anyway, (mine never wake me up) :)

Answer 20

I think your should get a hampster they are much smaller than a guinea pig and they are less work. and  i dont think that will be a problem that they are nocturnal i have had one in my room before and they are not a burden. Good Luck!!!

Answer 21

Depends do you want squeaky Guinea Pigs or nocturnal hamsters.

The choice is yours. I used to always take care of my friends Guinea Pigs and now I have a hamster.

Kaylee N.

Answer 22

As you want to keep it in your bedroom i would suggest a hamster!

Guinea pigs are best kept in an outdoor hutch witch will be bigger and have an outside space!

Hamsters are easier to keep but you need to regularly clean out the cage and make sure they have fresh food and water!

Answer 23

you need to decide what kind of small pet you want

i personally would suggest two female rats as they in my opinion are the best

theyre friendly and sleep when you do (more than often)

they dont smell

they keep each other company and they want ot be handled

guinea pigs will need a hutch and a companion

they arent always friendly and many dont like being handled

they are lovely pets though

i have 8 and adore them all

hamsters can be lovely but are known for biting

they will need a cage full of entertaining things and yes thry will make noise when you try and sleep

id do alot of research before you do buy anything

*how long they live for

*what they need

*where's best to get them from

*do they need company

etc

goodluck

xxxxxxx

Answer 24

Hamster are cheap guinea pig's can be deer but Guinea pig just p**p on you and hamster is more easily to train than guinea pig, Guinea pigs are for like out doors you wouldn't keep that smelly thing in side.

i prefur to go with rat  their more cleaner  they don't smell either they more easier to tame depends what hamster you after.

well u take the wheel out at night or put the  hamster cage down stairs.

Can you really look after an hamster  that needs lots of love for 2 and halve years they only live for  same with guinea pigs rats 3yrs or more

it all depends how you look after the animal.

Answer 25

I would recommend guinea pigs over hamsters, if you're looking for something that is not awake all night. Yes, you are correct in saying that hamsters are pretty much awake all night, and on their wheel. Often, the wheels are very loud, and if kept in your bedroom, can wake you up at night.

Guinea pigs should NOT have a wheel, so you would only hear them running around in their cage, if anything, if they are even up at night. My guinea pigs right now are kept in my bedroom, and do not make too much noise. They are usually sleeping by midnight. They take naps during the day, though.

Depending on the specific guinea pig, you might want to house two guinea pigs together, which would mean that you need a little bit more space in the cage.

You stated above that you want a "smallish" cage. I'm not sure exactly how big that is considered, but a hamster can even have a small cage, if it is a dwarf hamster, like I said above.

I have listed for you some good things about guinea pigs, and also some other information about hamsters. Feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions!

Good luck, and have fun choosing your pet!

Answer 26

go to Petco. and see if they have any small animals for adoption.  Yesterday I could have adopted a Koi fish for $5.  It was about the size of a good book.  We adopted a turtle several yrs. ago.  They are easy to take care of.  Hampsters get out.  Had 2 of them.  They could chew through the plastic cages and they could squeeze between the bars on the metal cages.  I'd go with the fish.

Answer 27

Get roborovski hamsters because they are small, cheap, their cages are not ugly, and, I'm not certain about all roborovski hamsters but mine are always asleep when I am asleep, but they are usually awake at dawn and dusk. They are also very cute, search them on google images if you don't believe me! Also, you can get them in pairs because they get on very well!!! My best friend and I have them and they are very very cute!!!! Go for it!!

Answer 28

it is a problem if you leave the wheel fixed to the cage...i made that mistake as a young one, the cage soon went down stairs which made sense anyway since my dad didn't g bed til about 2 in the morning so he could keep him company...maybe a guinea pig would be best