I've been thinking about getting one of the mentioned animals as a pet for a while, but I haven't had been stable enough in a job to do that.

I did a decent amount of research on pet mice a while back, but I've forgotten 99% of it. I used to have guinea pigs, but again I forgot most of the information I learned about them.

What sort of websites are good to look up on how to take care of them? I checked a little on hamsters last night, and read that it's best to keep them alone (although there is one variety that can have a 'friend' with them.) Guinea pigs I think I remember it's good to have a friend for them. Not sure about rats or mice, but I think the same thing is true.

Also, what should I expect the 'start-up' costs to be? Cage/enclosure, food, water bottle, food dish, bedding, maybe an accessory or two (if it's not easily made by hand)?

I also have a pet cat and dog, and would obviously keep any 'caged pet' I get out of the cats reach since he likes to jump on things and sleep on them. Im not sure if he would on purpose hurt them, or try and play with them and hurt them accidentally. The dog isn't much of a worry, because while she does stand on her hind legs a lot, she can't/doesn't jump more than about three feet (the mini-fridge I keep my cats food on top of so he can get it, and not the dog, is about three feet tall.

It would be good if the animal is generally friendly around cats and dogs too...For obvious reasons... I'd like to introduce them to one another, and see if they would get along when I bring them out of the cage only when I'm there.

Im already looking up vet clinics in the area that can treat small animals. From a quick google search, it seems like there is one about 45 minutes away. There's some closer, but I don't know if they treat small animals.

heyyy I'm your person for anything rat-related ^^ I've had 9 rats over the course of the last few years (I have 2 right now and my roommate and I are getting some more in the next week or two probably!) and have dealt with a ton of different health situations/medicating, behavioral problems/training, socializing and introductions... lots of stuff, lol. I also did research on rats for like a year or two before I had the chance to actually get some and I have loads of stuff I can tell you and links and whatnot.

First of all, in any of these cases, the cages they have at the store are probably not going to be big enough. Most of the really experienced rat owners I know prefer to go with Martin's cages (*sidenote: he makes cages for other types of animals as well) or a Critter nation (my personal choice), or at the very least, a SuperPet type cage marketed for ferrets. (It would be too small for ferrets but probably ok for rats, if a little tall and narrow from the ones I've seen). I recently learned also that most of the cages and tanks marketed to hamster owners are wayyyy too small, like loads of people keep their hamsters in 10 gallon tanks and they need at LEAST a 20 gallon tank. Anyway, in the case of rats, there is a rat cage calculator here that you can use, just punch in the dimensions of the cages you're looking at to see if it'll work. I'm sure that if you google there is something similar for hamsters or mice.

Hamsters should absolutely ALWAYS be kept alone; however, the opposite is true of rats and mice - and as far as I know, with guinea pigs as well. Rats and mice in particular are colony animals and MUST be kept with at least one other companion. Rats are too smart and too social to be kept alone, even if you had them out of the cage interacting with you for 6 hours a day it couldn't replace the companionship of another rat. Lone rats tend to get sick, literally depressed, and can even die. No fooling. But no worries, it's more fun to have 2+ anyway and it doesn't really cost any extra except in potential vet bills, if you buy your food in bulk like I do. (I buy this 40lb bag of food, which at $20, lasted 4 adult rats almost a year. They get fruits, veggies, and nuts as supplements between meals, depending on what we have in the house or what I'm sharing = w=)

That's another thing: rats need free-range time! Maybe you know this already, I know this is surprising to a lot of people but it's really important. I usually "baby proof" my bedroom and just close the door so that they can run wherever they please while I'm on the computer. I've had a couple of guys who liked to chew the soles of my shoes, but nobody really ever chews wires, and it's super easy to train them not to poop outside the cage. Mine have always gone back to the cage to go to the bathroom, and would always just wander back in there and go to sleep when they were done playing.

Bookmarks! the Ratguide - indispensable resource to anyone who has rats, it covers basically every behavioral/health topic there is. You will need to refer to it at some point, pocket pets tend to be sickly (esp. if purchased from a big chain store, where they are bred in mills). Also good on you for looking up vets already, most people I talk to about my rats don't even know you can take small animals to a vet in the first place :I NFRS - the national fancy rat society, info about colors/markings/varieties GooseMoose.com - my actual favorite resource, GM is a forum for pet owners that has had an active community for years. Some of the members on there have had rats for over 20 years and have been running online rat owner groups since the internet became a publicly available thing. It's usually safe to say that if you have a question, someone on GM has already answered it and/or will be more than happy to answer it again for you, and they have a search feature which comes in handy all the time. You don't necessarily have to sign up, I know a lot of people who don't like the community (and it seems like a lot of parents to me? idk) but the info is still there and available.

As far as a startup cost, when I got my first pair of rats, it was a cage (which wound up being too small as they grew), food, bedding, toys, a water bottle, and the rats themselves, and it was around $150. That being said, I'd recommend just holding out for a bigger cage right off the bat. Trust me, it's so much more worth it. The cage you choose is really going to be the biggest factor in your costs, since the bigger/better quality cages cost more, and all of these animals themselves - and their supplies - are relatively cheap. I always use either a superpet one-level cage that's like, roughly 1.5'deepx2'x3' (it was around $60 - for when we travel, don't have access to the big cage, or when I have a sick or elderly rat who shouldn't be climbing). Or I use a double CN, I found one used through the GooseMoose forums for $160 (closer to $250+ new) and you can find them on craigslist or whatever sometimes, too. It will also depend on what type of food you buy and where from, or if you choose to mix your own food (info here. Her site is also v good, she goes by SueBee on almost every rat owner forum there is, and she's had rats for like 20+ years).

hmmm I have some more stuff I could get into or detail I could go into about why I prefer the CN to other cages or training or whatever but this is already really long so if you have any specific questions feel free to ask! Sorry if this is way too long already too, I'm not trying to be intimidating, I just LOVE my rats so stinking much and they're just so important to me, I can talk about them forever ^^

Thanks for the info! I'll give it a better read when Im not so tired.

I've heard people say Ferret Nation cages are good for rats, and they seem plenty big (but expensive D:)

Syrian hamsters need to be kept alone. Chinese, Campbell, Roborovski and Winter Whites are fine living with same gender siblings. They are also completely hyper, fast and great escape artists. Make sure that you can stand the sound of their wheel turning all night. Gerbils are also good pet choice.

The main thing to remember is that small pets don't like the tiny cages so many petshops sell. You also don't want all the plastic stuff that comes inside most cages nowadays as its not good for small critters who have a huge urge to chew. Most small pets prefer the digging space in tanks, but they also like some bars so they can be nose to nose with you at your level. They also love having lots of supervised play outside the cage and company (you just being in the room interacting with them).

Things like Guinea Pigs and Rabbits will need to have their hutch cleaned daily and most other you can get away with cleaning weekly. So there is a large time commitment to factor in. House bunnies are often the boss of other pets such as dogs and I have heard of one which used to chase away the foxes out of the garden.

I'm not sure if its a good idea to get small critter(s) if you can't give them the time they need and be able to keep them in a room away from the cat (if its a hunter/has a strong interest in small fluffy things).

Fair enough, it's a huge post lol. Whoopsss. Ferret Nation cages are good but the bar spacing is a little wider. Critter Nation cages (the "CN") is basically the exact same cage but with smaller bar spacing and slightly different shelves. Either one works.

I got my double CN used for $160 through the Goosemoose forums, which is a good place to snipe for cages. A single CN (just the one section) is still large enough to house at least two rats, and would cost about what I paid new. So yeah, they are pretty expensive, but they are SUCH good cages and having the extra space for your lil friends is totally worth it. Mine have always loved their cages and would voluntarily go in and out. When they're in a boring cage or one that's too small they get kinda anxious and want to come out all the time.

I've had rats. They ended up breaking my heart because they are amazing; they are seriously on the level of dogs as far as intelligence and bonding levels go. However, they're almost guaranteed to get sick, and their life spans tend to be anywhere from 2 - 4 years (for pet store-bred rats). After my last pair died, I couldn't handle getting any more.

My next small pets are going to be guinea pigs or rabbits; both of which have long lifespans and are generally healthy. I'm leaning towards rabbits because they're a lot more interactive and cuddly.

I used to babysit some kids YEARS ago (as in about 10 years ago) where they each had a pet rat. The girl had a female rat, and she'd sit on my shoulder and give me kisses. I moved not too long after they got them, so I don't know what happened to them, or how long they lived.

I've had two pet rabbits...

The first one I got was from a breeder and never spayed. The breeder sold her to me when she was a little more than 8 weeks old. She had a seizure and died when she was around 1 1/2 years old. There were literally no symptoms other than her just laying around in her cage and not really eating much. However, if I took her to the vet every time that happened, I would be in debt. She had the occasional lazy day and would do what was described above-- so I figured she was just having one of those days. Until she had a seizure that lasted around 20 seconds and involved her flailing around and kicking her legs. It was such a short period of time and I was freaking out because I had no idea what was going on or what I should do... I couldn't even pick her up or else I'd get completely mauled by her nails.

Note: It's very highly recommended that you spay/neuter your rabbit. For females, it decreases the risk of reproductive system complications (I believe they're prone to ovarian cancer) and if you have her outside for periods of time, there's always a risk of pregnancy. Also, they tend to be very territorial of their cage and may bite you if you reach into it, even if you're only trying to feed or water them.

For males, it will decrease their overall aggression. This includes spraying pee to mark their "territory" which can be your carpet, furniture, or pretty much anything. Also, they can turn into a humping machine. It's funny the first or second time when they love on your slippers or anything that looks, feels, and is the size of a rabbit. Then it just gets annoying because they're so horny that you really can't interact with them or play with them.

Within the next year or so, I went to an animal shelter, a.k.a. humane society, and picked out another female rabbit. The staff estimated her age to be 2+, and she was spayed.

I didn't really notice a difference, but my parents frequently said that this rabbit was a lot more calmer and nicer to them than my previous one. That being said, I was practically my first rabbit's "mom" because I've had her since she was the size of my hand. So maybe she was nice to only me because she viewed me as her mother. I dunno. Although, no matter who it was, she abhorred being picked up or held. My second rabbit didn't mind being picked up to take a short stroll, although she definitely wasn't a cuddler. She kept her distance, and would only allow you to pet her when she wanted you to pet her; otherwise she would hop away and leave you in the dust.

Anywho, I had my second rabbit for a year and some change, then one night I'd noticed she stopped eating all together. She wasn't like my other rabbit who would occasionally skip on meals-- this one was always munching on something, be it a wooden toy or hay. I figured the following morning I would take her in to the vet, which I did.

My vet said that her GI (gastrointestinal) tract had completely shut down, which is a huuuge, life-threatening problem. She prescribed anti-bacterials to kill any harmful bacteria that could be growing in her stomach due to its inactivity. She also prescribed something that looked and smelled like Pepto-Bismol, except obviously for pets. I had to feed her with a syringe every 2 hours, and when I was sleeping, I did leave her hay, pellets, and water supplied just in case she felt good enough to nibble on some of it.

The next morning I had to go to work, so my mom was in charge of the bunny duty. Mid-afternoon, my parents came into my work and gave me the bad news; she didn't make it. My mom was holding her to feed her, and out of no where she started to have-- no surprise-- a seizure. She described it exactly how my first rabbit's one was.

tl;dr

Either I have really bad luck with rabbits, or they just have a short life span. My vet said that their average life span is five years, and she's never seen one older than 8, even though she's been in the business for 20+ years.

And yes, some rabbits are cuddly, but don't expect much. They do love to play though, and it's hilarious to watch them run around and binky.

My rats (who were lazy boys; generally less active and go-go-go than girls) preferred to spend most of their free time hanging out on my shoulder. There is nothing cuter than a rat poking their nose in your ear or fiddling with your hair.

... Less amusing was when they'd turn around and whip me in the face with their tails, but such is the price of love. :P

I'm sorry you had to go through that. :[ I know how horrible it is to watch a pet suffer like that.

And yeah; the biggest issue for rabbits is definitely GI stasis. You have to be really vigilant about their eating and bathroom habits, and rush them to the emergency vet as soon as you notice they're not eating.

And on a sobering note ... if your vet gave you an antibiotic that was pink and smelled like bubblegum, that was probably amoxicillin; an excellent medication for cats and dogs, but dangerous for rabbits. :l

I dunno; I know I definitely want a small pet in the future, and a padded vet fund and access to a knowledgeable vet and e-vet is something I consider necessary for them. Even a five year lifespan (which disagrees with the House Rabbit Society's avg. lifespan, though your vet could be talking strictly about large rabbits, who tend to live shorter lives) is better than two or three year lifespan.

Holy fucking shit I think she did give me amoxicillin, and I totally forgot it's harmful to rabbits. Many offensive profanities She better not have been the reason why my rabbit died...

And yeah, I definitely looked at HAS as a source of reliable info, so I was kinda surprised that my rabbits didn't really live too long. I know it's definitely not user error, because I didn't give them anything bad.

I about had a heart attack when I saw my mom trying to feed both of my rabbits yogurt chips, even though I told her the first time that it's waay too high in sugar, etc.

I knew when to take my first rabbit off of the Alfalfa hay and give her Timothy instead.

I kept their bum clean by regularly changing litter, groomed them regularly (they both had pretty long fur), checked their ears, eyes, and teeth for problems.

I just don't know what I did wrong... ):

Heh ... the first time I bought Yogis for the rats, I popped one in my mouth out of curiosity (they smelled good!) and when they tasted awesome, I was like ... yeah, this can't be good for them.

Please, please don't blame yourself. ]: Small pets are just cursed with really, really bad health problems; even if you do everything perfectly, eventually your luck will run out with them. It's just a matter of when.

I'm always going to feel like shit because of the way my rats died, even though I know I did my best and that's just how life is with them. I seriously do not know how people who have been caring for these animals for decades can handle it.

Yeah they smelled awesome, never thought to try one, though.

Probably because when I was <10 my older sister said that Milk Bone dog treats taste like cookies. Let me just say-- they don't.

Back on track, I am absolutely horrible when it comes to dealing with a pet's death. Hell, I cried for 2 days when my fish committed suicide.
I dunno how someone can go through that regularly, like you mentioned.

oh my god you ate a yogi, i love you lmfaooo

too true that rats will break your heart, but I also couldn't function without them. they're so much part of my daily routine and coping mechanisms and stuff, I think I'd go crazy if I didn't have any around. They make me soooo happy. Having your heart broken every few years is worth it imo. I just lost my <3 rat, Mishka, he was my best friend, and the littermate he lost right before he passed was traumatic for everyone who had to see it go down (he had a tumor in his head).

I'm still sad when I think about them, of course I am, but I still had 3 years full of goofy shit they did on a daily basis, and three years of little kisses and cuddles, and three years of them always rushing to the door to say hi to me when I got home, and tricking my dad into giving them more food, and rat-staches when they're sitting on your shoulder, and stealing things, and generally just being too cute like oh my god how are they real. Also I sleep better with them in my room. /shrugs

I think I'd like to start a rat rescue in the future ^^ and I totally want rabbits someday. I got to foster a rescue rabbit last year. His name was Jeffrey and he was kind of a dingus but he was SUUUPER cute. I couldn't keep him at the time because I was moving into an upper apartment (bunnies stomp, in case anyone wasn't aware of that), but he got adopted really quickly by a local rabbit rescue and was fine. (:

Rats are beyond beautiful pets. They are such curious little critters and even become attached to you if you give them enough attention every day. However, they do get a little stinky, so you have to keep up with cleaning their cage on a regular basis. Here is a picture of my late Remy, which is what my Spectrum Wyllop is named after. She died of old age a few years ago, but I miss her every day. :(

From my experience in taking care of my friend's hamsters... they are evil little buggers who like to bite if your feet are too close to the cage! :( :( Haha. Good luck on your new addition.