[mbriant]

I had gerbils as a kid and while they can be entertaining and aren't high maintenence, I wouldn't consider them to have too much of a personality. While obviously not a mammal, a friend of mine has a cockatiel and I'm amazed at how much personality it has. It's really bonded with his daughter who carries it around with her, snuggles with it on the couch, and even showers with it. When my friends come home, it hops around it's cage and squawks and whistles until they come over and say hello to it.

I usually feed it when they're on vacation and I've taught it a few different whistles which it starts squawking as soon as I enter their front door and it hears my voice. It says a couple of things, and it likes to come over and lean toward you to have it's head and belly scratched. It gets jealous when their dog is getting attention. It mimics the dog and the telephone. It's got way more personality than I ever thought a bird could have. They also have a considerably longer lifespan than a rodent or even a dog .... which makes things a little easier on the emotions. My friends were originally going to get a second one to keep it company but the breeder suggested not to as they then tend to ignore humans when paired. Giving it a window view allows it to see and squawk at the outside birds which must provide at least some sort of stimulous and diversion when it's by itself.

When my 2 old small dogs go, I'm likely going to get one for myself.

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[dcc84]

My cats ate all my hamsters

 

[Dzjudz]

My friend used to have a couple of rats. The whole upper floor of his house (where he kept the rats) stank the living daylights out of you. Not recommended if you prefer clean odours. And yes, he regularly cleaned the cages.

I'm also intrigued by the hedgehog suggestion. Do they even make good pets?

 

[Jussei]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMarchingMule /img/forum/go_quote.gif BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Mysterious mammal caught on film

ha. I actually came to suggest that same little beast. I read about it yesterday.
Something I'd recommend that's a little more attainable (although I still think they are fairly hard to come by) is a Kangaroo Rat. A girl I was dating in college had one, they are really interesting animals. They never go to the bathroom (literally NEVER) because they are ultra efficient and are designed to conserve water in the desert environment they live in. They actually look very much like the thing above. They comically hop all around (a la Kangaroo) and aren't noisy or messy. Very cool animals.

 

[skudmunky]

porcupine! very cuddly.

 

[Jussei]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ecclesand /img/forum/go_quote.gif Get a Chinchilla...

I knew something that raised them. They seem to be a lot of work, with the dust baths and what have you. They are adorable though!

 

[pdennis]

Re: rat smell

Rats don't smell, but, like most small animals, their dirty cages do (their urine contains ammonia). Besides frequent cleaning, the type of cage can make a big difference. Obviously an aquarium-type tank will build up odors very quickly, so wire cages are preferable. Also, plain galvanized wire absorbs the odors, so go for powder-coated wire (easy to find, even at local pet stores).

Also, just like cat litter, some litters are better than others at absorbing odor. Gentle Touch is a good brand. Warning: pine and cedar shavings smell nice, but are slightly toxic to rats (and humans too, though it probably won't do you any harm unless you sleep in a bed of them yourself!) Don't use them as bedding for any small animal.

 

[OlDrifter]

... rats are amazing little creatures; clean, very smart, easy to care for.

I've never owned a ferret but I saw someone's comment that they need a "lot of supervision."

Recently I asked a pet store owner about ferrets as pets. He kind of glanced around to make sure no one else was listening and said: "Basically, ferrets are juvenile delinquents their entire life; they live to destroy everything in the path unless you're on top of them all the time."

I crossed that off my list, since this guy has owned a pet store for years and makes a living selling ferrets- among other creatures.

Good luck,

Steve

 

[Edwood]

I think my vote goes without saying....

 

[BigAmish]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dzjudz /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm also intrigued by the hedgehog suggestion. Do they even make good pets?

I'm no expert, but the folks I knew who had them loved them and considered their care relatively easy compared to some more exotic pets. I got the impression that they would be good for a very mature child or young adult as they like to lead relatively quiet lives with a minimum of scary moments. Handling is fine, so long as it is done carefully with respect for the critter. They are also nocturnal, so frequent noontime handlings may not be best for its sleep patterns & induce stress. Depending on the age of the OP's son, perhaps the small rodent option would be better. Its a damn shame Siberian Hamsters can be congenitally nippy...I'd recommend one in a second, assuming the OPs son could cope with it expiring after ~2 years. I still remember when my first hamster (teddy bear type) died when I was 6!

 

[matt8268]

I second the rat. They're a lot more friendly/curious than hamsters. Like most small animals, it should die within 2-3 years, probably due to a tumor. So you have to be ready for that. And you need to clean the cage.

 

[Bob_McBob]

Don't hesitate to get a rat. They are by far the most intelligent, interesting and fun small pet you can own. They're constantly curious, love to socialize and are extremely friendly. They're also large enough that you can hold and pet them. As they get older they'll be happy to just sit on your lap like a little cat! The hardest thing about owning them is that they will most likely die within 2-3 years of a tumour as matt said. The local stock in this area is particularly susceptible to cancer

I had a hamster when I was very young, and my family later went through two sets of rats. I wouldn't even consider another small animal now. I can't keep a rat anymore because I have cats. Our rats actually got on extremely well with our German Shepherd -- she herded them back to the cage

Do make sure you get a nice big cage and clean it regularly. Rats keep themselves very clean, but their waste area will smell pretty bad after a while. Also, do yourself a favour and get a "rex" rat. Regular rats have fairly coarse hair, but rex rats have a dense, soft curly coat.

In short: Rats make amazing pets!

 

[frozncore]

Get a chubby guinea pig

 

[Austin 3:16]

Quote:

Originally Posted by OlDrifter /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've never owned a ferret but I saw someone's comment that they need a "lot of supervision." Recently I asked a pet store owner about ferrets as pets. He kind of glanced around to make sure no one else was listening and said: "Basically, ferrets are juvenile delinquents their entire life; they live to destroy everything in the path unless you're on top of them all the time." I crossed that off my list, since this guy has owned a pet store for years and makes a living selling ferrets- among other creatures. Good luck, Steve

But that's their charm. They are the funniest pet I've ever owned. Never a day went by that mine didn't make me laugh uncontrollably 10+ times per day.

 

[Oddball]

I had mice, gerbils, and hamsters growing up, and I enjoyed them, but they don't live very long on average, especially mice. If you want a pet with personality for a small child, I'm not sure you want a hamster. They spend most of their daytime sleeping and aren't incredibly social animals. While I think the smaller Dwarf hamsters are the cutest things ever, their personalities tend to be less pleasant. Gerbils are active during the day and can be kept in pairs (adorable interactions), and I generally prefer them to hamsters. If your son wants to get touchy feely, a larger animal might be better. Gerbils aren't as satisfying to hold, and aren't really pet-able.