About Jess Expertise I can answer questions about most species of rodents. I will answer any questions about health, husbandry and welfare. I can also give advise about behaviour problems, how to overcome these and ways of enriching the life of your pet. I can help with those wanting advice about house rabbits.
Experience I have experience with rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, gerbils, hamsters and chincillas.
Education/Credentials I am qualified in animal management, I work as a veterinary nurse.
Question I am looking for a pet that is rodent that is affordable and freindly so what rodent should I get that includes exotic rodents.?
Answer Well I'm going to start off by saying that most rodents are cheap to buy, however suitable housing for them is expensive as are vets bills, so unless you can provide them with any vet care they may need and a big cage then there's not really much point having them as they won't be happy or healthy. There are also some rodents of each species that just never become friendly, they are all individuals. You have the option of hamsters, syrians are probably the best to start with, they need quite a big cage as they will bite the bars of their cage when bored and this can cause injuries. Syrian hamsters need to be kept alone as they will fight to the death. Dwarf hamsters are also nice but I have heard some of these can be nippy. Most species of dwarfs need to be kept in same sex groups apart from chinese who can sometimes fight in groups. Rats are great pets but will need a giant cage, need to be kept in same sex groups and they are very prone to illness so will probably need a lot of vet care throughout their lives. Mine had to have surgery to remove tumours, these are very common in rats. Gerbils are best kept in same sex pairs, they need an aquarium as they can chew through plastic and aquariums can be expensive. They need the whole tank filled with bedding as they will burrow and make tunnels through it. They don't really like to be handled and it causes them stress, they can have seizures when handled especially if they are nervous. Guinea pigs also should be kept in same sex groups. Males can sometimese fight and may need castrated to stop them fighting which can be expensive. They need huge enclosures and have special requirements when it comes to vitamin C. Rabbits aren't a rodent that I would recommend as they need bigger enclosures than guinea pigs, need lots of vet care including vaccination, need spayed to prevent cancer and neutered to stop aggression and a lot of them don't like handling. I would recommend that you start with one syrian hamster as long as you are able to provide it with a big cage, toys and any vet care that it may need. Good luck and I'm here if you need any advise once you have made a decision.
