Which's better?

Question

which is a better pet for a starter a guinea pig or a hamster?

Answer 1

I would say hamster.

Answer 2

guinea pig, they are more social then hamsters at lots of times. guinea pigs are also bigger but don't need as much 'play time'

Answer 3

There is no such thing as a "starter pet." All animals require lots of care and none are really "easy".

Guinea pigs are a more expensive pet to keep than hamsters. Guinea pigs must be kept in pairs. They need a very spacious cage - I'd recommend about 10 square feet for two guinea pigs. All of the cages sold in pet stores are too small. You'll either need to order a large cage online (and those can cost over a hundred dollars) or make your own. Check out http://www.guineapigcages.com/ for info on making a cage.  

They eat and drink a lot, so they produce a lot of waste - and you'll need to clean that cage out very frequently.

A guinea pig's diet consists of unlimited timothy hay, a small amount of timothy-based pellets, and lots of fresh vegetables. The veggies can be costly, but they need about two cups each per day.

Also, they need lots of exercise - "floor time," as they call it in the guinea pig world. Guinea pigs can't be litter trained and they will chew on everything in reach, so you'll need to guinea-pig-proof a portion of your home and be prepared to clean up accidents. I'd recommend about an hour a day of floor time.

A guinea pig kept alone in a small cage will be an unhappy, "boring" pet.

This site is good for general info about guinea pigs:

http://www.cavyspirit.com/

Hamsters are less costly, but they still have very specific care requirements. Like most commercial guinea pig cages, most commercial hamster cages are too small. The acceptable ones cost somewhere in the neighborhood of 70 dollars. You can also make your own.

If hamsters aren't handled frequently or are handled improperly, they can bite. It's important not to get a hamster and just leave it alone in the cage. Socialized pets are the best pets.

They don't produce as much waste as guinea pigs, but they still need their cage cleaned each week.

A few hamster sites:

http://www.petwebsite.com/hamsters.asp

http://www.hamsterific.com/

Also, both species can have costly vet bills, so make sure you can fit that into your budget. Hamsters may be small, but they also get sick and need treatment.