Which is a better pet- a gerbil or a guinea pig?

Question

My hamster is very nippy and bites everyone, I was wondering which would be better to get.

Prices, sizes, all of that stuff.

Answer 1

a guinea pig wouldn't be as easy to lose compared to a gerbil and there nicer.

Answer 2

rats are real cool. they are smart and affectionate. theyre not the dirty animals alot of people think they are and dont bite like hamsters

Answer 3

multimammate mice!!!

Answer 4

Guinea Pig

Answer 5

Guinea pig.

Answer 6

GERBILS!!!! They are so cute and nice! I have two of them and they are so tamed already and i just got them two days ago. Go to a local pet store because the ones at petsmart and petco are either unhealthy or are not tamed, so the ones at a local petstore are easier tamed and healthier. GOODLUCK!!!

Answer 7

Rats need large cages, and you  need more then one.  A cage that would hold 3-4 adult rats will cost you about 80 bucks new.  They also need a lot of time spent with them, or they will bite, too.  Mine don't bite, but they're pretty social.

Guinea pigs need pretty big cages, too.  They need time outside the cage, and lots of exercise.  They're social animals (As all rodents are) and so do best in same-s*x pairs or groups.

Gerbils would probably be the easiest to take care of.  They'd need the smallest housing (So cheapest) but they still need a good amount of space.  The do best in things they can burrow in, so wire cages aren't the best.  For 2, you'd need something larger then a 10 gallon aquarium.  Really, 1 gerbil would be pretty cramped in a 10 gallon.  (and crittertrail type housing is pretty cramped, too)

Maybe you could instead get a larger cage for your hamster?  Most of the time, if a hamster is very nippy, it's due to either being housed in too small of a place, or not being handled enough.

Answer 8

I have had all of these pet and here is what I think about all of them:

Gerbil - are very fun & friendly and they dont smell or bite

Rat - are fun adn friendly and like to play they dont bite most of the time

Guinea Pig - are cute but they make a lot of noise when they want you to pet them or want food.

Hamsters -  smell & bite

Answer 9

guinea pig! i used to have 2 guinea pigs but now i only have one. well anyway:

if you only have one guinea pig, you only really need to clean the cage every other week. (thts what we do)

theyre super sweet and theyre so much nicer than gerbils and hamsters.

they live about 6 or 7 years.

its easy to feed them cause they just eat pellets and veggies

if u get a guinea pig you should probably get a little "house" for them so they can sleep in it.

well good luck and go for the guniea pig =]]

Answer 10

We used to have a guinea pig, get ready to change the cage because they p**p a lot! Also, make bad pets, bacause they are not really crazy about humans. The vet said we had they tamest guinea pig he'd ever seen, and even then, she wasn't that friendly. Gerbils can be tamed, but, bite far more than a hamster, and are much faster, more unfriendly, they require a lot of attention. Hamsters are the easiest, and sweetest. Our hamsters know their names, and will come to us. I have one that I let run in the bathroom while I sit in their with him, he is so sweet, and always climbs my body, to sit on my shoulder, his favorite spot, sooo cute! I have never had a rat, my husband told me if I tried that I would have to leave with my rat.....but....I had a friend that had one, and hers was so sweet, and smart, did not bite, and was a large rat. He used to be able to do tricks, rats must be very smart. As far as cost, guinia pig, the most money, gerbils are cheap, but, their food is a little more, hamster....about 10 dollars where we live, cheap food, unsure about rat.

Answer 11

I had a gerbil once, its not all that. My friend has a guinea pig and he's pretty cute, and doesn't bite, at least hers doesn't. I'd say go for the guinea pig.. They're usually around $30. The only thing i find eh about them is that they have sharp nails. But i guess its just that my friend doesn't clip them as often and i guess gerbils have sharp nails too,  don't remember though.

Answer 12

keep the hamster i have 4 and one mite be pregnant just train it you can let him smell you everyday for 5 or 10 minuets feed him snacks out if your hand be slow and gentle with it hamsters are great pets don't give up it could take 1 2 or 3 weeks to train him        Goodluck!

Answer 13

Gerbils are even worse than hamsters. I wouldn't recommend getting a gerbil. Guinea pigs are very sweet pets. But, I would mostly suggest getting a rat. They are usually not too expensive, and they usually don't bite.  I have had rats my whole life. They are really fun to have as pets.

Answer 14

I would go with a rat.  They can learn their name and come when they are called and mine would sit on my shoulder for hours while I did homework or walked around the house.  They also can be potty trained, which is excellent.  I didn't care much for my guinea pig (if you like cuddly things) he didn't want much to do with me, peed everywhere and was nippy.  Good luck!

Answer 15

Sorry about your hamster.

I would'nt recommend a gerbil because they are very much like hamsters.(They are known to be quit nippy and grumpy aswell)

Guinea pigs, I would recommend.

They are gentle and love to be loved.

They seldom bite, and if they do they are only testing their limits (or they REALLY want to pee!)

I, have NEVER been bitten by a guinea pig.

Rats are OK,they arent as lovable and they are more known to bite than guinea pigs.

I think you should buy a guinea pig, but MAKE SURE to do research about them first :)

http://www.Cavycages.com