Is a rat a better pet than a Gerbil?

Question

I wanted to get a Gerbil for a pet, but my mom says that one of her friends said that a rats would be a better choice. She says they are more friendly, aren't as noisy, don't bite as much, and sit on your shoulder and wrap there tail around your neck. =]

Should i get a rat? and are they more money to take care for?

Answer 1

Rats are more expencive more work but more Social meaning more playtime and rats like people gerbils would rather stay away id  get a rat if your going to play with it but if your just going to let it sit in its cage get a 2 gerbils i say two cause they get lonly and bored alone!

Answer 2

Ratties are great, I have had lots in the past and loved every one of them!

They are all the same but so different!!!

Not alot of them bite, they are clean, dont squeek, dont have smelly poo (unless you dont clean them out for days) and they will be your best frined, thats all they want is a friend for life and as long as you would be prepaired to see them every day and fuss them etc, they will give you alot back.

They do sit on your shoulder and wrap their tails in your mouth :P

lol, but they are so sweet and have a lovely persionality and lots of character.

I think you should get one, gerbles are boring, no offence.

Answer 3

YES YES YES YES!!!!!!

If you have the time and money to properly care for a rat then they're the BEST pets in the world! Rats are the rodent least likely to bite, hamsters are most likely to bite. They're not too noisy except for bruxing, which is hardly loud enough to hear and the occasional squeaky sound, which is soft and very cute XD

Cages can be expensive, but Martin's cages (link included at the bottom) is awesome! The toys you see at pet stores are usually expensive, but a rat will be a happy camper with a bunch of cardboard boxes, a ribbon and a box of tissues to pull out and play with. A tennis ball with a hole in the top and bottom can be tied up with rope and the ratties love to swing on it! It's tempting to buy treats from the pet stores that are fancy looking, but a bag of frozen peas, some nuts still in the shell and maybe some yogurt drops is fairly inexpensive and the rats love it! Bedding should NEVER be cedar or pine!! I included a link to my favorite site, The Rat Guide. It has a lot of helpful info and has a list of acceptable bedding.

I use soft and sorbent pet bedding. It's not too expensive and it lasts.

My rats love to play! They love to sit on my shoulder, stick their noses in my hair, groom my earlobes and yes, wrap their tail around your neck! A rat's tail is actually very soft! The coolest thing about rats is that you can train them to do tricks. Youtube has a lot of videos of rat tricks and how to teach them to your rat. Hamsters aren't able to learn tricks because of the way their brain is. Rats learn their own names too.

I could go on and on but I think I've covered enough XD

Answer 4

i prefere gerbils, cuter, cheaper and smaller!

Answer 5

Me and my boyfriend just bought two baby husky rats and they are so adorable, don't bite and are much more friendly than people have said gerbils are. My boyfriend originally wanted a gerbil because there fun to watch but we discovered rats are much more fun and don't bite like gerbils.

Hope this helps.

Answer 6

rats are more intelligent  

Answer 7

They are more expensive than gerbils, but well worth it. They must be kept in pairs/groups for optimal happiness.

The cage that I recommend, is the Super Pet My First Home for Exotics (minus the wire mesh wheel), and it is $99. Here's a picture of my boys' cage *they have fleece fabric as flooring, but they're litterboxed trained*:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/22307555@N0...

They're much more interactive than gerbils. More intelligent, as well.

Answer 8

A rat is a better choice and I can't imagine they would cost anymore than what a gerbil would to take care of.  Maybe a few extra handfulls of bedding but other than that not much.

Answer 9

Okay rats are pretty much the best small animal pet to get. They are very friendly and are easier to handle.

Answer 10

Rats are not necessarily better pets. They're both wonderful, but one isn't better than the other. They're just different. I have two gerbils, and I love them to pieces. I would never trade them in for another pet that someone said is better than them.

With that being said, though, if you're looking for a more interactive pet, a PAIR of rats would be a good choice. Rats are highly social and should be kept in same s*x pairs or more. They're, generally, more friendly. They, like gerbils, bite when they feel threatened. Rats tend to bite less, though. They can learn to sit on your shoulder, come to their name, different tricks, etc. They're more cuddly and the kind of pet that you'd want if you want one to be able to hold and play with.

Rats ARE more expensive than gerbils. They require a large cage. However, they're great pets, and are worth the extra money.

Gerbils are social and should be kept in same s*x pairs. Although they're not as social as rats, they still should have a friend. Gerbils are more for watching than holding and cuddling. They're very curious and would much rather run around to explore than be held and kissed. My girls only tolerate being held, kissed, and fussed over for a short period of time. Then, they want to be put down so they can run around, chew on a paper towel roll, explore, etc. Gerbils, generally, will not sit still on your shoulder. They're not too, too noisy. They can be depending on what's in their cage/tank.

In my opinion, if you'd like a pet you can handle more, you should go with a pair of rats. If you'd like a pet that is more for watching and is inexpensive, you should go with a pair of gerbils.

If you'd like more information or have any questions, feel free to e-mail me. I'd be glad to help answer them for you. Good luck!