Esmeralda Pigram: (pet)rats are very clean and friendly. my sister has a couple of hairless ones and imo they're better pets than any hamster or guinea pig.as for your age, a friend of mine had and took great care of a hamster when she was 12... it really depends on how responsible of a person you are, i suppose.but if you want one, go for it!...Show more
Randa Hessell: Definitely! Rats are extremely clever - they can perform tricks, learn their names - even come when they're called. They love to spend time with their owners playing on the floor, snuggling in their arms, or just hanging out on a shoulder. They show affection by nuzzling and giving off loving, soft squeaks and squeals. Unlike most small pets (like mice, hamsters, gerbils, and rabbits), fancy rats rarely bite humans, even when provoked, so they're safe to handle.They can be entertaining for hours, climbing on ropes and ladders, chasing each other, and wrestling with one another. Children are free to s! tretch their imaginations by building mazes, tunnels, and obstacle courses for their furry friends. And feeding time is always amusing - rats go crazy over fresh fruits and veggies.Rat cages are surprisingly easy to maintain. They eliminate in one communal corner of the cage, so cleaning is a snap. They keep themselves squeaky clean, grooming each other often during their awake times. Because they have sleek fur, they won't have an odor (as long as you're doing your part in keeping the cage urine-free)....Show more
Emeline Albracht: i have a guinea pig too its probably just scared and shy wait a little more til hes gets used to his new surroundings and i've had my piggie for 3 years and when i sit on the couch with him he still hides behind pillowsXD. hope it helps
Matt Gerdeman: i have thought of getting her a buddy but my mother has said no. we are already having money problems i dont think we could afford another but i'll ask her again next time i see her. i ! just sold my nintendo ds so maybe i could help.
Joni Zia! k: They are great pets! Especially for 5 year old kids and above! 13 year olds are out of the stage of 'hard grabbing', so you should be fine!
Glynda Darrin: Rats can be awesome companions, kind of like tiny dogs. They're smart, affectionate & fun. Rats are also highly social, so they do *much* better if you get 2 of the same sex. Having 2 isn't double the work but it *is* double the fun & you can adopt 2 rats who look completely different from each other if you like.You can easily decide whether rats are the right pets for you by doing a little research on their care & also by meeting some rats if you haven't done this already. Rats do need some quality time with you every day, a good diet & regular cage cleaning. It's also a good idea to set some money aside for vet care in case of illness or accident....Show more
Alphonso Brake: Well she's probably not happy because they're very social animals -THey like to be with other guinea pigs -You shouldn't have go! tten her alone. It's ok sometimes but they can get depressed really easily and like to be able to be with their own kind. I have three guinea pigs and even when i take one out a lone they get depressed. Maybe get a second guinea pig?
Cierra Gadbaw: The pet for you is a ferret. Research it on Yahoo, search 'Ferret Care'. They are wonderful wonderful pets, and make the best of companions if given the time and effort to train. Mine's the best pet i've ever owned.
Toya Braskett: they are AWESOME pets,you need to do research on their general care,but they are really great pets :) I think they are my favorite pocket pet. (you need to get at least two rats of the same sex,dont get opposite sex unless you want a million they breed easily.pet rats are not like wild rats and are VERY clean,they do not get as big as cats and they dont carry diseases,and they dont smell if you clean their cage enoguh! they are like very small dogs.ADD: look at all the fun my rat and I have ! http://www.youtube.com/user/PowWowCowGirl...Show more
Lynn Mctier! : Get her a friend. With a friend they tend to be happier, healthyer, and more talkative! The noise she is making is indeed NORMAL. You could keep a drawf rabit with the guinea pig, but you can't feed it the same food, it's very bad for the piggie and it could be fatal. Also, you could just get a new guinea pig. BUT REMEMBER another animal means a bigger cage and more time and money. Also, she could be sick. I recommend bringing her to the vet first, because if you buy another piggie to live with her, she could easily catch the sickness. Plus, spay her if you want a male piggie. They have lots of unwanted babies. Another female pig would be a great buddy for her! I hope this answer helped you :)-Lindsey...Show more
Olen Penhallurick: gerbil Neutering
Rosio Pasculli: Rats are amazing pets. I have had them since I was 9. They are probably the best pets you can get.Do lots of research and look up as many caresheets as you can about rats, and then when you think you! are ready, get yourself a pair or ratties =]
Tyrone Disanti: after seeing this anwers im affraid i might have to give her back to her previous owner. i do love my guinea but she does need another guinea pig buddy and then i would need 10.5 cage space for her. that cage would be pricy for me and her food is too kinda so i gues ill give her back :'(
Ellis Cellar: ya they are great no problem with them i have a pet rat he is great
Armando Somes: ugh, a rat?? really? theyre vermin, just get a normal pet.
Joey Mekeel: As a fellow rat lover/owner it sounds as though you need to do it ASAP I'm sure the vet would advise you. Unfortunately the last 6 ratties I had suffered with tumours. My heart goes out to you as it is such an awful thing to have to contend with
Torrie Weissenbach: I used to love them. They make wonderful pets. They're cute, intuitive and friendly.Then they gave me Rat Bite Fever, though I was never bitten (I just didn't wash my hands! after being around them enough). It was two weeks in intese pain, 5 da! ys in the hospital, and over $16,000 in medical bills. All rats carry this disease, though it isn't extremely common for people to catch. (It is becoming more and more common though, as more people keep rats as pets).Anyway, as much as people would like to say that they're extremely clean and not as disease ridden as people make them out to be, they DO still carry disease that can be passed to humans.So just be careful....Show more
Derick Kinnard: Is it operable? Rats recovery from surgeries surprisingly well. http://www.goosemoose.com/rfc/index.php?topic=4101...If you opt not to have it removed, then euthanization is another option. It can be hard to tell when an animal is ready to go - some will give clear signs but others will just keep going and going without "telling you" when it's time to let go. Sometimes you have to make the decision for them.I would just keep an eye on her at this point. Evaluate her quality of life. Is she eating? Drinking? Playing? Or is sh! e laying around, not doing much and not enthusiastic about things that used to get her revved up? Is there anything the vet CAN do for her? Pain meds, something to ease her breathing? IF you honestly think her quality of life isn't good, and it doesn't have hope of improving, then letting her go would probably be the kindest thing to do. Only you can make that decision, though, because you know your rat best....Show more
Mel Crapo: I want the very best for my gerbils.I was told that the first one I adopted was a male (Napoleon) as was the second one (Charlemagne) that I bought.However, I'm very concerned that my adopted male might actually be a female.He has been gaining weight slowly over the past couple weeks. (I've had the second male for the past for two and a half weeks, -Napoleon scaled his side of the split cage barrier in less than 20 hours after obtaining Charlemagne).Napoleon is fully grown, and he has become very large lately, almost double his size and his! belly is extremely heavy (for a gerbil, compared to Charlemagne).I've ! found some reading on tumors/heart failure. However, I find the correlation between introducing Charlemagne to Napoleon to his gradual weight gain to be a more likely scenario.If Napoleon is actually a girl and has her first litter in a week and a half, I don't mind taking care of her litter, but I certainly don't want any other surprise litters in the future.I don't want to split Napoleon and Charlemagne up if this should be Napoleon is indeed a female. I think that spaying/neutering my gerbils would be the best route of action to take so that they can live a healthy happy life together. I would hope the procedure itself would not be expensive, but cost is not really an issue for the health of my pets....Show more
Rose Krouse: give it lots of love and attention
Judie Kise: shes a year old and i adopted her like 3 days ago. on youtube when i look at peoples guinea pigs they run around but my guinea pig, coco, will barley move. i feed her like shes supposed to be! fed, looked up guinea pig diets, and i spend lots of time wit her cause i heard they need lots of attention. i set with her for hours like when im on the computer, watchin tv, or gamin. yet she still just sits there. i also hear they like to hide. i've been sittin with her on the coach for a couple of hours and she just decided to hide behind a pillow. she looks sad yet she makes some guinea pig noises every once in a while. i looked up their sounds and cant decide which she is doing. does anyone have any advice on how to make her happier?...Show more
Charlotte Bryar: Rats are great pets, but they don't really like humans.I would also like to suggest guinea pigs! They love people and have such great personalities.
Wilbert Shellgren: They can be but it depends on the girl. The problems that most teens have with rodent related pets are they are not attentive enough. Rodents do need attention and handling time just like any other pet. Also their cages need to be p! roperly tended to, it is easy to forget to do it.
Renay Billiar: ! You seem to be doing everything in your power to make her feel at home and loved. :) It just takes time for them to warm up to people. It also depends on the guinea pig's personality. Just give her some time and I'm sure she'll warm up to you! :)
Robt Heemstra: I've had hamsters and gerbils before and took pretty good care of them.
Donte Hamme: buy it a partner, that is what idid and it worked.
Abby Herwood: My rat has a huge tumor. So big It gives a lot of trouble when she tries to move around. She also has a lot of breathing problems due to where it's located. How do I know when it's time to put her to sleep?Thanks.
Mildred Pombo: guinea pigs are herd animals and really need to be in groups of 2 or more. She maybe depressed and getting her a friend would help. Also remember that they need a minimum of 7.5 square feet cage and 10.5 for 2 pigs, or that can also make them depressed.
Oda Mauson: It's your call, I think you should spend the last! few days with her/him treating her well so she/he can have the best time of his/her life. If she/he looks uncomfortable and is struggling a lot I think it best to call it. I would suggest cleaning her/his cage because this can make her/his breathing problems a little easier to cope with. Sorry for your situation.
Rodolfo Merel: Rats are the best. But make sure they are from a good pet store. They are very sweet and fun. I always bought little shirts from my local pet store. But be careful not to ever leave a lid open.
Colby Millberg: I personaly can not stand rats bcause they can carry diseases, smell, and can get as big as a catyucky choice oh well I still love all animals
Peter Lapoint: Rats are clean, friendly and wicked-intelligent. they make great pets.
Violette Vanek: I wouldn't think a rat would be good, but a hamster would be better because it looks cuter
Truman Biby: The vet says she has a ver, very slim chance of surviving s! urgery and if she does it would maybe add another month to her life but! that month would be filled with pian from the stitches and surgery. Other wise I would have it removed.
Ervin Overbee: if it's inoperable, and restricting her mobility and breathing to the extent you describe, then it sounds like you're already there I'm afraid.
Bettye Arre: she does get along with one of my cats though.
Elva Batie: Yuck rats are nasty and carry disease. They helped cause the plague in Europe. Nasty!