Hamsters and Gerbils and Rabbits – Oh My!

Rodents may not be the first species you think about when you start considering a family pet, but they can be a great choice.  Rabbits are easily housetrained and are very social animals.  Gerbils and hamsters are fun and entertaining, but they do have very short lives compared with other household pets.

Hamsters are small (about 6 inches), typically solitary animals.  They are nocturnal by nature, and may be temperamental when handled.  Raising hamsters from babies is the best way to ensure they will be more agreeable, but they can still be biters - and the bites can be very painful.  Most hamsters only live for about 2 to 3 years.

Things to be concerned about when buying a hamster include:

  - Hamsters with runny or sticky eyes, matted fur or runny nose.

  - Pet store employees that cannot guarantee the sex of the hamster (you could end up buying a pregnant female).

  - Cages that are overcrowded and not separated by sex (males should be in one cage and females in another).

Gerbils are even smaller than hamsters (about 4 inches), with long tails.  They are very active and very social animals.  They prefer to be with other gerbils, but putting a male and female together is one way to insure that you will get prolific breeding.  Acquire your littermates when they are young to help them get used to one another.  Gerbils can be quite tame, and a pair would be content in a small home (about 1 ft by 2 ft by 1 ft).  Gerbils also have short lifespans - about 2 to 4 years.

Gerbils are best housed in a terrarium at least 10 inches by 18 inches (and 10 inches high).  Gerbils are hoppers, so keep the top tightly covered with a mesh lid.  They are also burrowers and need about 6 to 8 inches of material on the bottom (preferably a combination of straw and peat, or sawdust or wood shavings). 

There is really only one breed of gerbil sold in stores today - the Mongolian gerbil.  Hybrids of the breed have been developed over the past few years to introduce color variations.  There are some rare, imported species (like the small Egyptian gerbil, the Indian gerbil or the Libyan gerbil or jird) that can occasionally be found in shops today.

Rabbits have traditionally been kept outside, alone, in a hutch.  This is not the best place for such social animals.  Rabbits make ideal indoor pets.  They are friendly, like social interaction, and are typically easy to litter box train.

Both the female (doe) and the male (buck) can exhibit negative habits as they reach maturity.  The does can become territorial and start nipping.  The bucks can begin to spray their urine to try and attract a mate.  The best way to avoid this is to have your rabbit spayed or neutered when it is at the right age.

Rodents like the gerbil, hamster and even the rabbit can make the perfect choice for a first pet.  They are easy to care for and do not require a long-term commitment.  There are plenty of choices when it comes to family pets.  Be sure to pick the one that is best suited to your needs and your home life.