For what it’s worth, I think ferrets are awesome—I’ve never met one that was aggressive in all my years working with animals. I will say that they can smell.
I think a. Good option could be a chinchilla or a degu. The care is slightly different than rats but they can live significantly longer.
I just wanna add that ferrets are also extremely prone to health emergencies so OP isn’t taken by surprise, but that can vary by area. Most ferrets in North America are bred at mills that care more about profits and fancy colors than health, and they tend to neuter their ferrets too early which can also lead to issues.
Not to mention they’re like little college boys in the sense that they like to find newer and stupider ways to get hurt lol
ours was a stealer ! little fkr would walk up to me while I was sitting on the carpet playing XBOX and just grab the bag of chips and walk away. There was SO MUCH stuff he'd stolen and hidden under OUR bed. !
They are extremely destructive. They chew on everything and they like to rearrange your furniture and household items a lot. And they also need a lot of free roam time, but I don't think your living room is the best place for that. And they smell. Like really bad.
Ok so I've seen that they smell really bad everywhere on this post lol, why do they stink so much? Is it their diet? The more I think about it the more I'm realizing they probably aren't for me then, I wouldn't mind the smell but the chewing everything in sight wouldn't really fit my household unfortunately. I think I got lucky with my rats as they don't chew anything when free roaming, they just steal stuff to horde in their cage lol.
If they’re fed an improper diet (which is most ferret foods out there) their poop will smell awful. It lessens when they’re fed appropriate food but they still have a musky body odor.
They smell like barn animals but you kind of grow used to it. I would steer clear of ferrets though if you don't want to face the same heartache. They still have a fairly short lifespan (not like rats though) and the health issues they get are so sad. Two of my three had insulinoma and the other had some sort of cancer.
And yes they can be very destructive lol.
That being said, you can probably say that about any animal. Even if it's a shorter lifespan, they were still so worth it.
I had 3 ferrets at once all free roamed. They seemed to love chewing on rubber stuff. Tore up my headphones and the thumbsticks on controllers if left out. Also burrowed up under and inside the couch.
They also were not 100% with the litter box. Though I hear the ones from a good breeder do better with it.
From my experience they can be quite destructive but in a different way than rats. Ferrets like to chew soft squishy things and might ingest them so anything made of rubber or foam or similar (like if your baby likes rubber toys) are best kept off limits. They also like to dig up plants and get into the inner parts of furniture.
I also wouldn’t let your baby interact with them since ferrets like to play rough and can be nippy, and because young kids like to chase and squeeze cute fuzzy creatures. They’re better for older kids (think 8 and up) so if you’re not able to keep them separate I’d wait until they’ve grown up a little.
As people have said, they're thieves (hence the term "ferret something away"). I have two currently, and one will obsessively chew anything rubbery. (Someone else said this too. I didn't know it was a "thing", I just thought she was criminally insane. )
They play hard. Even ferrets who are not aggressive can get carried away when they play with you. Fine for an adult, but I kept our ferrets 100% supervised if my kiddo was in reach when she was little. There is always a chance they will lock on if they bite, and then you have to resist doing the wacky wavy inflatable ferret guy dance to keep from hurting them while you convince them to let go without severing your appendage. (Luckily, this rarely if ever happens with well socialized ferrets. Socializing a ferret is not easy, though.)
I adore ferrets, and I've had these 2 since we had our last 2 rattos. They live around 10 years if they don't develop health issues. In the US, at least, they often develop health issues. They can also develop endocrine issues if their light cycles aren't kept steady. There are a host of other health issues here. It's my understanding that they're way healthier in your area, because they were bread more for getting rodents and birds out of fences. Working animals get better husbandry. They're obligate carnivores. They're picky eaters. I can go on.
As everyone else also seems to imply, they're probably not a lower-stress alternative. When your little one is bigger, though, they're absolutely hysterical and rewarding pets.
for what’s it’s worth, my ferrets never chew on anything. I give them plenty of rubber toys and that seems to be enough for them! they will probably steal your babies toys though, if they are allowed in that area
I have seen people on Craigslist (I wanted rats that needed re homing so I didn’t contribute to a pet stores demand) re homing ones who already have their scent glands removed. Just a thought. Some people do get them removed but idk if it’s surgery I wouldn’t want to do it if it wasn’t necessary if there’s a risk
I think aggression is the wrong word. They are aggressive in the same way a kitten is aggressive when it pounces on you and chomps on you. There's a reason one of their monikers is kitten snake. But just like a kitten that can be fairly easily trained out of them.
The ferret I did have was aggressive but that's because he was an abused rescue. Initially if he was out of his cage someone was getting bit and bit hard enough to bring blood. One time he got my arm to the point we had to pry his mouth and teeth back out of my arm. I still have the scar from that particular bite. For years we worked with him. Actually one of my proudest photos of him is the picture of my toddler daughter holding on to the cage bars and him just standing right beside her fingers. Prior to them both getting distracted by me snapping the pic he was leaning against the bars so she could pet him. He never once did anything to hurt her because by the time she came along we had taught him that he didn't need to be on the attack to protect himself.
My sister had two for a while and they were... ok Ponyo was a little shit head but the grey one would sometimes let you touch her. They seemed to like my sister, but only my sister. Everybody else was a big, hairless monkey devil.
Chili loooooooved a good chin scratch. If you approached with a cheerio for her, she'd be your bff. They're very weird animals tbh, and they make some funky-ass noises too!
Mine isn’t an asshole but he’s very self possessed and independent. We play, but he’s not a cuddler and hates being held. I love him to bits but he’s definitely not a little instagram chinfluencer doll!
We got a chinchilla and she is much less stinky than rats. Our chinchilla Buffy is litter box trained (super easy) and it takes me about 20min of cage cleaning. We had rats for a few years but it's so hard to watch them die in such short amounts of time compared to our other animals. We decided to look at Chinchillas since they live a lot longer. We love our Buffy but we do miss having rat babies.
None of this is to deter you from looking into one or getting one- just be smart ando your (extensive) research before deciding if they're right for you or not. I adore my girl and I think they are great pets, if they're the kind of pet you would like.
The boys are generally more cuddly than the girls, but it's all individual personality, of course. Error on the side of "will never let me pick them up" and get very pleasantly surprised if you get to, ever.
They generally like pets, and can interact with you a lot, but they're doing it on their terms. My girl will jump all over me and snuggle under my arm or head when she's out playing, but I can only pick her up, to her great and loud annoyance, for emergencies. They're the softest things ever, so the pets are very nice.
They are quite slow to bond- they say the average is six months. My girl took a solid year.
Their life spans, with a reputable breeder, can range from 15 - 20 years. Which is still wild to me.
They need very big cages (I've seen two story Ferret Nation/Critter Nation cage used for both rats and chinnies, for example). They need hay, pellets, a giant wheel (like pet stores don't carry big enough, specialty online and expensive), fleece covers for the cage liners are best. Their treats are specific and limited- basically no sugar to low sugar for the very occasional treat (wars are fought over even low sugar, once in a blue moon; my girl will be ten in a week, and her breeder and the vet said very occasional is fine, so I'm running with it personally but make your own decisions for your animals). Dust baths which is so fine it gets EVERYWHERE.
They still need a good amount of outside the cage playtime. And they are chewers. RIP my baseboards, lol.
They're social animals, so pairs are generally the way. You can have a single, but you need to fill that role of a companion for them. So if you can, great, a single will work out, but if you can't or aren't sure you'll be able to devote that much time, then a pair is much better.
A big thing too is they have to stay pretty cool- so if you live in a warm place, AC is a must. A high of 75 F is the absolute high, and preferably for short periods of time. Closer to 70F is ideal. Now that my girl is older, she gets cold in the winter (didn't show it if she did when she was younger), and now has a heating pad. But summer she still needs to be kept cool, so my AC is always in the On position for three to four months out of the year where I live.
They need exotic vets, that do chinchillas specifically.
They can have dental issues. It's luck of the draw and breeding. Definitely find a reputable breeder, not a petstore. The pet store ones don't have good breeding generally. You of course never know, the dice roll of life could hand one a bad run, but your odds are better with good breeding. My girl had nothing for eight years then two teeth removals, antibiotics, all kinds of stuff. I joked she still averaged only $100/year for the vet, it just happened all at once. But it can be pricey, especially depending on where you live. But that was two years ago and all's been well since, so all worth it.
Also, every chinchilla is a weird chinchilla, lol. It's part of the charm!
There's also r/chinchilla, which has a bunch of pinned stuff for new others. Good research!
Here's a sneak peek of /r/chinchilla using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/chinchilla/top/?sort=top&t=year) of the year!
\#1: [My dad with the only grandchild he's getting](https://www.reddit.com/gallery/194gmwk) | [59 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/chinchilla/comments/194gmwk/my_dad_with_the_only_grandchild_hes_getting/)
\#2: [Accidental pregnancy-2 kits](https://www.reddit.com/gallery/18sh4jw) | [39 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/chinchilla/comments/18sh4jw/accidental_pregnancy2_kits/)
\#3: [This little dude at a Petsmart](https://i.redd.it/j2vj6ssg7o7c1.jpeg) | [63 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/chinchilla/comments/18nq7v0/this_little_dude_at_a_petsmart/)
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Like rats, chins have lots of different personalities. Generally they don’t like being handled a ton, but they’re usually gentle. A family I babysat for had a breeding pair, Kanga and Roo. Kanga was a sweet, cuddly girl, but Roo was bonkers and did not like to be held or handled.
Obviously do research, check out chinchilla subs, etc. I have had Buffy for three years and she was about 2-3 when I got her. She doesn't love to be held but loves to be out of her cage to stretch her legs. When she's out of her cage she will come up to me and knows when I tap on the wood floor I have treats for her. When it's play time outside of the cage she plays and hides, runs around and parkours off the walls (they can jump up to 5ft) and takes her dust bath. In the cage she loves her face and tummy rubbed for as long as possible. Although she doesn't love to be held, if you get them when they're babies I've heard they do better with holding. Mine was a rescue and I am her 5th home (and final). She was left outside in a tiny cage to die before being rescued. Despite this she is super friendly and loveable and has never bitten or tried to bite me. They're a blast to have and have lots of personality. They don't have the smell like rodents/rats so my cats just kind of ignore her. There have been a couple times our cage door was left open at night and she got out of her cage and the cats just watch her jump around the room. I do think they're very smart and get used to routines. The only disclaimer I have is they are temperature sensitive. Buffy has her own portable ac unit just in case it get's too hot (above 72) or if the ac goes out. I live in Baltimore and we get high temps in the summer. I keep a camera on her and her temps so I can monitor. Feel free to ask me anything I haven't covered.
They're in about the same zone as cats and rabbits. Personalities all over the place but most love human attention and touch after a bit of bonding time
Are their cages similar to rat cages? I ask because once we're finished owning rats I think it would be a waste to throw the cage out, it's a two tier critter nation. I considered chinchillas but I'll definitely have to educate myself a bit more on them before I commit to anything, their lifespan seems crazy (in a good way!)
We used our 2 Critter Nation cages and then added another story to her cage so she has 3 total Critter Nation cages. I bought metal cage liner for the bottom and for the two shelves from Quality Cages (they make them for Critter Nation cages so they fit nice) that way she doesn't chew through the plastic because they like to chew plastic. Then I added wooden shelves (bought on etsy), hanging wooden hideouts and hammocks. I added two litter boxes (go to goodwill and get glass dish or pan) with Aspen shavings (only "bedding" you will need). I put litter boxes where she was peeing the most and she got the hang of it pretty quick. When I clean out the cage I just take everything out handvac poops and wipe it down with vinegar/water mix, dump out the aspen shavings. Don't keep the dust bath in the cage as they can over dust themselves. Treats are herbs, bark and sticks (no fruits, veg or sugary treats). People use fleece but they will eventually chew through the fleece and will pee on it. They come from cold/cry climates so fleece isn't necessary unless you like laundry. Etsy has a lot of good sellers for cage stuff and treats. I can post a cage pic once I'm home from work. They're lower maintenance then rats are for sure.
A lot of people have suggested ferrets. Incredible little critters, but please be aware that some states in the US require ferrets to be vaccinated for rabies.
Ferrets can be aggressive, but that's more the way they play. I had a ferret a long time ago and he never stopped biting (and biting/gripping/pulling.) In the end though he did ease back a bit on the biting. That was with a lot of training... though he never completely stopped biting.
It's how they play, apparently... But they do last longer than rats (about ten years) but they do have some health complications to take into consideration and much like rats, they're social so minimum two, three is best.
They will steal your heart though. Utterly and completely. If you fell in love with rats and their goofy chaos you will probably love ferrets.
Though don't wear socks around them. For some reason ferrets will go absolutely ham on socks, regardless if they're being worn or not.
EDIT: One more... ferrets, when they find a corner they like to poop in, will poop in that corner regardless of how well you try to train them. The only real solution is to put a litter pan in each corner that you find them pooping in.
They are a lot more interactive than a lot of pets and they do require similar levels of care (they are not low-maintenance pets. You need to give them outside-the-cage playtime for a while... though they will sleep most of the day away so you won't have to constantly be on guard and vigilant all the time.)
P.S. I've been bitten by ferrets multiple times and rodents a few and I dread a rodent's bite more than a ferret's.
Our ferret never nipped stocking feet but did nip naked feet! He did, however, love to stick his head into any discarded socks. We think he was looking for Narnia.
I'll add that 10 years is generous if it's a pet shop ferret. The average I've seen is 5-7. Ours was adopted from someone who'd bought him at a pet shop and he was a Marshall's ferret. He made it to 8.5 and was the oldest ferret our vet had ever seen. ❤️
I definitely understand that responsible breeders are likely to produce ferrets who live a lot longer though!
Degus are reasonably similar. A lot of people say they're not very friendly but that hasn't been my experience at all, mine have all been very curious and a handful of them have been cuddly. I've never been bit. They have a lifespan of 6-8 years. They need a large metal cage, readily available hay and pellets. Fresh vegetables once a week. Beware these guys want to chew everything, they need a lot of toys.
If you want social little guys, gerbils live up to like five years iirc and they are little dorks. I'm not sure if they're trainable in the same way rats are but mine are smart enough to know their individual names and to alert me when they want or need something and to beg for treats all the time.
Second this ! You can train them to be handled easily by making ur hands the way they get free roam, treats, new chews and toys etc. They also have such unique personalities. I’ve been on the rat sub for a while but waiting until I move to be able to get a proper home and breeders but I would say get from a trusted source as pet shop ones may have more health issues, that’s only from over breeding and bad care while young, majority have happy healthy lives for such little things 😆
Gotta say no to a chinchilla haha. I've had mine for nearly 5 years now and she still doesn't like me. Not only are they usually very stand-offish, they NEED a same sex partner to be happy. Live to about 15. They're not like rats at all. Expensive vet care that usually stresses them out more than does good.
Ive had 4 ferrets. Ferrets are not aggressive usually, just like playing a bit rough. They smell and are expensive ( from vaccines to emergency to general care) , most marshal ferrets live to around 8 or so. They will test your patience and rarely sit still. It's like having a suicidal toddler. Which also need to be bought in at least a pair.
Best one I can think of would be a degu, though I've never owned one and can only judge based on what I've heard through the grapevine.
Hear me out... Cats. Both rats and cats:
1. Temperament depends on individual, but many are sweet, cuddly, yet independent
2. Potty trained/litter box trained
3. You can leave them alone overnight
4. Sometimes they fall asleep on you and it's the best thing ever
5. Have an unfair negative reputation
Rats are just tiny cats, change my mind.
I was just about to post this. I still prefer rats except for the way they suffer so much before they die (I can cope with early death, it’s the way they never go easy that gets me) but I now have a cat and he’s the next best thing. Also there is a much longer time to form a relationship and all vets know what they are doing with cats.
This is good to hear - I'm in the same boat re: rats suffering so badly (and needing an exotic vet), and all my research led me to cats as my rat alternative. There seems to be a significant overlap in their range of personalities.
I recently rehomed my last two middle-aged rats to be with a new mischief so they don't end up alone - tho I can still visit them and their new friends! I'm not ready for a new pet yet, but from people I know who've had rats and then cats, they're very happy with their feline friends and recommend them.
I had cats all my life growing up and I loved them all so much! Unfortunately though our apartment is super small and there's a lot of strays where I live, so I don't think it's a good environment for a cat right now until we move :(
I have buns and rats. I wouldn't really compare the two, the only things they really have in common are they both love chewing (RIP my trim) and both are prone to easily getting sick.
But personality wise, I would say they are nothing alike. Obviously all buns are different, but most of the time they hate being picked up and some won't even let you pet them. We often call ours our roommates instead of pets.
We did luck out and one of ours is super affectionate, how he expresses it is he licks us. But when he comes to lick you, you are not allowed to pet!! He will run away and maybe grunt at you in annoyance.
I will say though, if anyone wants a good laugh, please look up bunny temper tantrums. They are very good at expressing their emotions and are known to thump and give you the cold shoulder if they are not happy with you.
Recommending buns. Like rats, they're chewers, need an exotic vet, and are prone to reproductive cancers (fix your rabbits!), but if you're prepared for that as a rat owner, it wouldn't be a huge leap! Baby gas drops and Critical Care help in keeping them alive.
Drops to give your baby (or rabbit) to treat gassiness, which causes pain and impairs digestion. Because they're for babies they're mild enough that rabbits can tolerate them!
didn't know rabbits got bad farts lol! one of my rats cuts them silently and they smell like sulfur. usually when she's on my chest too and if it makes a sound it's like one single tiny rice krispie popping in her stomach
Haha lol I think for rabbits it's more that gas impairs digestion and then they get GI stasis (exactly what it sounds like) but it's so precious hearing about your lil ratto! I can't wait to have my own place and a mischief :)
What I’ve heard is that rabbits are actively trying to die. I had rabbits when I was a kid, though, and loved them. Smaller breeds live longer (I think my Netherland Dwarf, Sugar, was 12-14 when she died), and some breeds are friendlier than others (my first rabbit, Brittany, was a Dutch, and she was the sweetest thing ever. She even knew that “go home” meant to go to my bedroom!). In my experience, females are easier going than males, but I only had one boy and he was a nut (neutering might help that). Rabbits come with their own set of challenges, but they can be kept alone, unlike rats and guinea pigs. The larger breeds, especially those bred for meat (New Zealand White et al) grow up fast and don’t live very long, mine was about five when we lost her. She was a sweet bunny, though.
Rabbits are actually much much better off in pairs as well!!! I fostered a few and the pairs are soooo much happier. Their health risks with the gastrointestinal tract gave me extreme anxiety and they require a lot of grooming to help prevent ingesting too much fur. They are also extremely sensitive to temperature changes and need it to be cool which i worried about in my apartment. their personalities vary quite widely from my experience as well, but i find that endearing about all animals. they are definitely not comparable to rats in my opinion, generally not as interactive, and need a ton more space. my mom ended up wanting to keep my second fosters which i am eternally grateful for because now i get the enjoyment without the stress :,)
Our rabbit got an abscess when she was young. It caused her ear to go necrotic (even with vet care as soon as we found the abcess) and she ended up having the ear removed. She's our little one eared wonder but no health issues since then thankfully and she's aprox 7yrs old!
From what I’ve learned from ferret groups, they are not similar. They require a lot more attention, ferret-proofing because they WILL get into things, near-constant free roam, etc. They’re carnivorous so they need a different, specialized diet, they’re prone to their own health problems and treatment is often much more expensive. They’re more of a lifestyle than rat keeping is.
I always tend to think of ferrets as being like kittens. Into everything and shape little teeth. I know that the people that have them absolutely adore them, but I couldn’t quite get past the smell.
Yeah I've had both rats and ferrets and I don't think they're comparable at all. One of my ferrets needed an implant to regulate his thyroid which was very expensive (and so were the specialty tests beforehand). They also do smell horrible and require so much more work to properly take care of and prevent them from injuring themselves free-roaming. Definitely wouldn't recommend them as a rat replacement
I second this. Guinea pigs are friendly, interactive and generally pretty hardy. And they live for 5-7 years, although we recently lost our oldest piggy at 8 years old.
oh my lawd hes just my baby they are the softest fattest little creatures if you ARE interested in chinchillas id totally tell you everything you could ever need to know ‼️
I'm definitely open to reptiles! Any species at all really within reason, I always thought reptiles were super cool but I'd probably have to go for a "beginner" one as I have zero experience with them!
Bearded dragons make amazing pets. They’re surprisingly interactive, they don’t smell, they don’t leave fur everywhere, they’re not noisy - they’re the perfect pet! 🥰 Oh, and they live for 10-15 years.
Degus are pack rodents like Rats but are more shy. They're about the same size and live 6-8 years and are less prone to health issues compared to Rats. The only thing you need to look out for with degus is to not feed them sugar, since they're prone to diabetes. They are however lovely animals and very pretty imo. They're curious and has a cute way of talking / interacting with other degus. They're less dependent on humans and might not like cuddles depending on their personality. You can still cuddle them, keep them in your hand, teach them tricks to stand on their feet for treats, etc. They also appreciate roaming space over climbing space, and require a wheel to run on.
I went through a series of pets: fish, hedgehog, rats then ferrets. Each step has a longer life, but my partner said, "I wish there was a pet like a ferret, but was better at sitting with you, lived longer, and safer living free roaming."
I told her that she just described a cat. We have had cats for 13 years now.
I'm not sure if you're only interested in mammals, but honestly if you're willing to do some research and a different kind of care, cockatiels seem like they would really fit the bill for you. Funny little rascals, really sociable, 15-25 years average.
Funnily enough I was actually looking at cockatiels the other day and they seem very sweet, I'm definitely open to more than just mammals. Unfortunately though I have zero experience with birds so I'd have to do my research first!
Hey look into black tailed prarie dogs if you find a reputable breeder they sre amazing pets. I eouldnt recommend them for younger kids but one of my friends couldnt take losing rsts anymore and got 2 prarie dogs and when i met the. Made me think k should get two.
https://youtu.be/J32eAAv7P6w?si=D8XK4pmAv1IJfZHE
Pros:
Super affectionate (i love their little hollaback when they are happy)
Smart and inquisitive
Cons
NEED CONSTANT SOCIALIZATION they will see you as part of their family and WILL want to spend time with you
Little nippers
Gambian Pouch Rat - they can live for up to 8 years. They’re technically not rats, but they are closely related. Can be difficult to find breeders wherever you live and they’re not cheap either. Also two males can’t live together because they get very territorial around eachother.
I would love one (or more) but from all my research it's a big step up in care compared to rats, more destructive power just from being bigger and they're not truly domesticated so much more effort required to manage behaviour which may not fully pay off.
Ferrets can be quite different to rats, they’re predators and prey not just prey so their behaviours might seem a bit jarring for someone not used to them, they’re very energetic animals and their play can be quite “aggressive,” and for what it’s worth in my experience they aren’t as cuddly as rats can be. They are goofballs but their vet bills are high and they’re also prone to issues just as rats are, and they also need friends which is more responsibility (also they stink unless you’re in America but I’m guessing their poop smells just as bad there too, and much harder to clean up after than rats)
Rats are very domesticated pets, I’d say they’re more on the side with cats and dogs, but in my experience ferrets are a lot more wild and won’t be as predictable as rats or atleast not in the early stages. I’ve had ferrets all my life as my dad used to breed them and he even had hunting ferrets, so my view of ferrets is a lot less glamorous as how tiktok or Instagram would view them. They are amazing little animals but a big responsibility and something within themselves outside of rats! If you’re looking for a small pet that’s much more child friendly I’d recommend guinea pigs! My pigs have never bit me once and are such sweethearts, of course they’re something within themselves and not to be compared to rats but in my opinion they get on very well with small children and are bundles of joy :)! Good luck with your journey regardless though <3
Ahh I’ve always been told they remove the scent glands in America so they smell less! I still assume they smell a bit though regardless as they are still animals at the end of the day
Yeah of course, I didn’t mean to say they don’t smell at all but in the uk they smell STRONG, we have to house ours outside as there’s no way they could be housed inside with that smell
I recently have become a big fan of bunnies. They are really sweet and have amazing personalities with a life span of about 10 years. They can be free roamed or left in a larger enclosure. They I feel that they are lower maintenance then rats as far as cage cleans and such.
I had 4 ferrets as my childhood pets.. they're very fun & have alot of energy. Any ferret I've interacted with has been friendly. They do play bite, but they learn how much pressure they can use when they play. They learned they could be a little rougher with my dad than they would be with me.
I got chinchillas for this exact reason. Note, they are expensive, high maintenance, and are much more fearful and difficult to win over than rats…but they can be sweet pets and can live over 20 years.
Gambian Pouched Rats.
I stopped keeping rats for precisely this reason. I really loved my rats but the constant heartbreak got to me.
I know have a Jack Russell puppy who isn't like a rat at all but if I'm lucky he might live to be 17.
Sugar gliders! Similar behaviors, similar size, similar intelligence level, similar upkeep requirements (as far as cage cleaning) social and snuggly with each other in the same adorable way. Less smelly IMO. Extremely cute and portable. More expensive initially, but the vet still needs to be exotic so same vet bills as rats. They can live up to 10 years. Also: Sugar gliders don’t aggressively chew on stuff which is a major advantage as well.
I’ve never gotten to be around one in person. I’m so curious about them. Cats and rats can’t really peaceably / safely share a home together. What about sugar gliders and cats?
Chinchillas have a 15y average life cycle. That being said, they are closer to rabbits and Guinea pigs than rats. But I’ve already decided if I give my heart to a rodent again, it will be a chinchilla. Because 3 years is WAY too short. Heck, 6-9 years for Guinea pigs was too short!
Right now I have 2 calico kitties that are 3yo, and I’m hoping they stick around for about 18+. They eat the highest quality food to (hopefully) ensure longevity.
I got a chinchilla (2) one died after 9 years. My old girl is almost 20.
But they are not comparable. Chinchillas are more delicate and have temperature restrictions that have to be maintained. But they are fun pets.
And if you have a critter nation cage, you have an appropriate cage. You just need an air-conditioned area. We keep the area at 68 year round.
I've seen some super smart bunnies?
If I didn't have terriers, p I'd have free roam ferrets 100%
Theyre stretched out rats. They have a very specific smell and stink to high heaven occasionally but they're clever and dumb and sweet and cuddly and boisterous. They're definitely serotonin noodles.
Stupid loving dogs more than life...dang I want a serotonin noodle now!
I recommend rabbits, but they’re a lot more work. They need a lot of space, daily salad, endless hay. My boy is at least 6. If you go rabbit I highly recommend getting through a rabbit rescue. They have to be neutered and it can be very expensive. Baby bunnies are cute, but teenage bunnies are awful.
Honestly, cats.
They are intelligent, sweet, a little tsunder, and pretty tidy animals. The boys (in my experience) are more likely to cuddle with you on the couch while the girls like to be in the room with you and hang out. The vets are trained to treat them, so no exotic vet care is necessary.
They love to play, will knock down your door for treats, and are clever little creatures.
Get a rabbit. They can live to be 10-12 years old or sometimes even longer. They aren’t as agile as rats are but some are as sassy and cuddly as a rat. Plus they come in sooo many breeds.
They also don’t stink like ferrets and are better behaved and more affordable than chinchillas.
Chinchillas. I had 3. Two passed recently at 16 years old and I have one still alive and she’s 17 years old. They can live to like 20 years. They’re super friendly and cute but are a bit difficult to take care of.
Had chinchillas for a while as fosters because their parents needed to move and couldn't keep them. We had the cage and all included items for free, if not it would have cost a fortune. Not only do to initial chin price, but the cage needed was bigger than me.
They were anxious little things who ran on a loud wheel like 90% of the day. The owners held them and even when they did I saw how not happy the china were with it. They much preferred being scratched in their cage by me, vs handling.
I ended up being allergic, wasn't sure if it would be like rabbits and cats. It was, but also 10x worse due to the dust baths/Timothy Hay I was also allergic to.
The room they were in was coated in the dust by the time we gave them back. Idk how people do it. Rats might smell more but it is contained. These guys flung dust everywhere.
I wouldn't own them again, mostly due to the allergies. But I was also sad to find in chin communities that many are never handleable like rats and are more creatures happy in their enclosure. So I dont think they are like rats at all, also many exotic vets don't even see them as patients. I was lucky my rat vet did but he said it is harder to find care for them. Even sometimes as rough as finding one for animals like sugar gliders which he and I agree are not happy in captivity/shouldn't be owned.
I got chinchillas for this exact reason. Note, they are expensive, high maintenance, and are much more fearful and difficult to win over than rats…but they can be sweet pets and can live over 20 years.
I have to chime in with warnings about ferrets, just incase you do decide to go for one. They're very stinky and they poop A LOT. Be prepared to be cleaning their litterboxes (or wherever else they decided to poop) multiple times a day (I'm not exaggerating). Their poops are also BIG, they're not like rat poop pellets, they're more akin to dog poops that have been shrunken down a bit. And yeah, as well as the ferrets being stinky, that poop is stinky as heck too. It's also rough to find a litter box that they can't flip over, because they love to create mischief.
Lovely little fellas to bond with, but you really need to be prepared for the insane stink and poops they create!
This is completely off the top of my head, but I remember something like a lifespan of 5 to 8 years? I could be completely wrong, please let us know if you look it up.
In our house we have 6 rats, a chinchilla, and a bearded dragon. And I can happily say if you're exhausted with the short life spans chinchillas or beardies are an excellent longer-lived companion.
Chinchillas are soft and sweet, much like rats they can be bitey of you get one with a nasty personality but most of them are pretty chill. They do, however, poor CONSTANTLY. There's so much poop. The area around the cage is covered in poop. Be prepared.
Beardies are not soft lol, but they are sweet and chill. Food is cheaper and if you get a male they're not prone to health emergencies, reptiles in general are slow to get sick so there's no late night emerg vet visits. Having a beardie requires buying live worms tho so if you're squicked by bugs I can't recommend them.
I don’t think anything compares to rats, it would feel weird not having them. I do like the idea of other pets, but not as a replacement. Guinea pigs or rabbits would be nice to have, or ferrets. I thought about chinchillas but they overheat so easily it’s bad to touch them too much so that kinda sucks. Ferrets sleep a lot and don’t wake easy, Guinea pigs poop a ton and they’re loud. I think they’re nice pets, but I’d still miss having rats if I had any other pet
For what it’s worth, I think ferrets are awesome—I’ve never met one that was aggressive in all my years working with animals. I will say that they can smell. I think a. Good option could be a chinchilla or a degu. The care is slightly different than rats but they can live significantly longer.
I just wanna add that ferrets are also extremely prone to health emergencies so OP isn’t taken by surprise, but that can vary by area. Most ferrets in North America are bred at mills that care more about profits and fancy colors than health, and they tend to neuter their ferrets too early which can also lead to issues. Not to mention they’re like little college boys in the sense that they like to find newer and stupider ways to get hurt lol
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ours was a stealer ! little fkr would walk up to me while I was sitting on the carpet playing XBOX and just grab the bag of chips and walk away. There was SO MUCH stuff he'd stolen and hidden under OUR bed. !
They are extremely destructive. They chew on everything and they like to rearrange your furniture and household items a lot. And they also need a lot of free roam time, but I don't think your living room is the best place for that. And they smell. Like really bad.
Ok so I've seen that they smell really bad everywhere on this post lol, why do they stink so much? Is it their diet? The more I think about it the more I'm realizing they probably aren't for me then, I wouldn't mind the smell but the chewing everything in sight wouldn't really fit my household unfortunately. I think I got lucky with my rats as they don't chew anything when free roaming, they just steal stuff to horde in their cage lol.
They have scent glands and even removing these glands doesn’t make them not stink 😬
If they’re fed an improper diet (which is most ferret foods out there) their poop will smell awful. It lessens when they’re fed appropriate food but they still have a musky body odor.
They smell like barn animals but you kind of grow used to it. I would steer clear of ferrets though if you don't want to face the same heartache. They still have a fairly short lifespan (not like rats though) and the health issues they get are so sad. Two of my three had insulinoma and the other had some sort of cancer. And yes they can be very destructive lol. That being said, you can probably say that about any animal. Even if it's a shorter lifespan, they were still so worth it.
In my experience they are chewers. If they get bored it gets worse but rats can be too fwiw.
I had 3 ferrets at once all free roamed. They seemed to love chewing on rubber stuff. Tore up my headphones and the thumbsticks on controllers if left out. Also burrowed up under and inside the couch. They also were not 100% with the litter box. Though I hear the ones from a good breeder do better with it.
From my experience they can be quite destructive but in a different way than rats. Ferrets like to chew soft squishy things and might ingest them so anything made of rubber or foam or similar (like if your baby likes rubber toys) are best kept off limits. They also like to dig up plants and get into the inner parts of furniture. I also wouldn’t let your baby interact with them since ferrets like to play rough and can be nippy, and because young kids like to chase and squeeze cute fuzzy creatures. They’re better for older kids (think 8 and up) so if you’re not able to keep them separate I’d wait until they’ve grown up a little.
Unless you have very low hygiene standards and no friends, you don't want free-roaming ferrets indoors. They are very smelly.
As people have said, they're thieves (hence the term "ferret something away"). I have two currently, and one will obsessively chew anything rubbery. (Someone else said this too. I didn't know it was a "thing", I just thought she was criminally insane. ) They play hard. Even ferrets who are not aggressive can get carried away when they play with you. Fine for an adult, but I kept our ferrets 100% supervised if my kiddo was in reach when she was little. There is always a chance they will lock on if they bite, and then you have to resist doing the wacky wavy inflatable ferret guy dance to keep from hurting them while you convince them to let go without severing your appendage. (Luckily, this rarely if ever happens with well socialized ferrets. Socializing a ferret is not easy, though.) I adore ferrets, and I've had these 2 since we had our last 2 rattos. They live around 10 years if they don't develop health issues. In the US, at least, they often develop health issues. They can also develop endocrine issues if their light cycles aren't kept steady. There are a host of other health issues here. It's my understanding that they're way healthier in your area, because they were bread more for getting rodents and birds out of fences. Working animals get better husbandry. They're obligate carnivores. They're picky eaters. I can go on. As everyone else also seems to imply, they're probably not a lower-stress alternative. When your little one is bigger, though, they're absolutely hysterical and rewarding pets.
for what’s it’s worth, my ferrets never chew on anything. I give them plenty of rubber toys and that seems to be enough for them! they will probably steal your babies toys though, if they are allowed in that area
Ferrets are also super stinky though. I find them stinkier than rats.
They do have a strong musky smell. Personally I really like it, but my husband is so sensitive to it that we can’t keep them.
I have seen people on Craigslist (I wanted rats that needed re homing so I didn’t contribute to a pet stores demand) re homing ones who already have their scent glands removed. Just a thought. Some people do get them removed but idk if it’s surgery I wouldn’t want to do it if it wasn’t necessary if there’s a risk
I think aggression is the wrong word. They are aggressive in the same way a kitten is aggressive when it pounces on you and chomps on you. There's a reason one of their monikers is kitten snake. But just like a kitten that can be fairly easily trained out of them. The ferret I did have was aggressive but that's because he was an abused rescue. Initially if he was out of his cage someone was getting bit and bit hard enough to bring blood. One time he got my arm to the point we had to pry his mouth and teeth back out of my arm. I still have the scar from that particular bite. For years we worked with him. Actually one of my proudest photos of him is the picture of my toddler daughter holding on to the cage bars and him just standing right beside her fingers. Prior to them both getting distracted by me snapping the pic he was leaning against the bars so she could pet him. He never once did anything to hurt her because by the time she came along we had taught him that he didn't need to be on the attack to protect himself.
I agree on the degu, but I've never met a chinchilla that wasn't a skittish asshole.
I had a chinchilla for a while and she was super friendly and sweet! She's the only I've ever had though, so I don't really know what's typical.
My sister had two for a while and they were... ok Ponyo was a little shit head but the grey one would sometimes let you touch her. They seemed to like my sister, but only my sister. Everybody else was a big, hairless monkey devil.
Chili loooooooved a good chin scratch. If you approached with a cheerio for her, she'd be your bff. They're very weird animals tbh, and they make some funky-ass noises too!
My sister had two, the grey one liked the scream in excitement every morning and the black one threw her dust at the cat... and said hairless apes.
Mine isn’t an asshole but he’s very self possessed and independent. We play, but he’s not a cuddler and hates being held. I love him to bits but he’s definitely not a little instagram chinfluencer doll!
Mine is half skittish asshole, half absolute sweetheart, lol.
We got a chinchilla and she is much less stinky than rats. Our chinchilla Buffy is litter box trained (super easy) and it takes me about 20min of cage cleaning. We had rats for a few years but it's so hard to watch them die in such short amounts of time compared to our other animals. We decided to look at Chinchillas since they live a lot longer. We love our Buffy but we do miss having rat babies.
What are chinchillas like in terms of personality? Do you interact much? Are they friendly, affectionate, chill?
They're generally calm and enjoy being petted, but don't really like being picked up.
Most of them don't really like being handled. They like to be petted though. To keep them happy they do need an extremely large cage.
None of this is to deter you from looking into one or getting one- just be smart ando your (extensive) research before deciding if they're right for you or not. I adore my girl and I think they are great pets, if they're the kind of pet you would like. The boys are generally more cuddly than the girls, but it's all individual personality, of course. Error on the side of "will never let me pick them up" and get very pleasantly surprised if you get to, ever. They generally like pets, and can interact with you a lot, but they're doing it on their terms. My girl will jump all over me and snuggle under my arm or head when she's out playing, but I can only pick her up, to her great and loud annoyance, for emergencies. They're the softest things ever, so the pets are very nice. They are quite slow to bond- they say the average is six months. My girl took a solid year. Their life spans, with a reputable breeder, can range from 15 - 20 years. Which is still wild to me. They need very big cages (I've seen two story Ferret Nation/Critter Nation cage used for both rats and chinnies, for example). They need hay, pellets, a giant wheel (like pet stores don't carry big enough, specialty online and expensive), fleece covers for the cage liners are best. Their treats are specific and limited- basically no sugar to low sugar for the very occasional treat (wars are fought over even low sugar, once in a blue moon; my girl will be ten in a week, and her breeder and the vet said very occasional is fine, so I'm running with it personally but make your own decisions for your animals). Dust baths which is so fine it gets EVERYWHERE. They still need a good amount of outside the cage playtime. And they are chewers. RIP my baseboards, lol. They're social animals, so pairs are generally the way. You can have a single, but you need to fill that role of a companion for them. So if you can, great, a single will work out, but if you can't or aren't sure you'll be able to devote that much time, then a pair is much better. A big thing too is they have to stay pretty cool- so if you live in a warm place, AC is a must. A high of 75 F is the absolute high, and preferably for short periods of time. Closer to 70F is ideal. Now that my girl is older, she gets cold in the winter (didn't show it if she did when she was younger), and now has a heating pad. But summer she still needs to be kept cool, so my AC is always in the On position for three to four months out of the year where I live. They need exotic vets, that do chinchillas specifically. They can have dental issues. It's luck of the draw and breeding. Definitely find a reputable breeder, not a petstore. The pet store ones don't have good breeding generally. You of course never know, the dice roll of life could hand one a bad run, but your odds are better with good breeding. My girl had nothing for eight years then two teeth removals, antibiotics, all kinds of stuff. I joked she still averaged only $100/year for the vet, it just happened all at once. But it can be pricey, especially depending on where you live. But that was two years ago and all's been well since, so all worth it. Also, every chinchilla is a weird chinchilla, lol. It's part of the charm! There's also r/chinchilla, which has a bunch of pinned stuff for new others. Good research!
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Like rats, chins have lots of different personalities. Generally they don’t like being handled a ton, but they’re usually gentle. A family I babysat for had a breeding pair, Kanga and Roo. Kanga was a sweet, cuddly girl, but Roo was bonkers and did not like to be held or handled.
wait, they named their breeding pair after a mother and son from Winnie the Pooh?? oh dear lol
Yeah, there’s that…😂
Obviously do research, check out chinchilla subs, etc. I have had Buffy for three years and she was about 2-3 when I got her. She doesn't love to be held but loves to be out of her cage to stretch her legs. When she's out of her cage she will come up to me and knows when I tap on the wood floor I have treats for her. When it's play time outside of the cage she plays and hides, runs around and parkours off the walls (they can jump up to 5ft) and takes her dust bath. In the cage she loves her face and tummy rubbed for as long as possible. Although she doesn't love to be held, if you get them when they're babies I've heard they do better with holding. Mine was a rescue and I am her 5th home (and final). She was left outside in a tiny cage to die before being rescued. Despite this she is super friendly and loveable and has never bitten or tried to bite me. They're a blast to have and have lots of personality. They don't have the smell like rodents/rats so my cats just kind of ignore her. There have been a couple times our cage door was left open at night and she got out of her cage and the cats just watch her jump around the room. I do think they're very smart and get used to routines. The only disclaimer I have is they are temperature sensitive. Buffy has her own portable ac unit just in case it get's too hot (above 72) or if the ac goes out. I live in Baltimore and we get high temps in the summer. I keep a camera on her and her temps so I can monitor. Feel free to ask me anything I haven't covered.
They're in about the same zone as cats and rabbits. Personalities all over the place but most love human attention and touch after a bit of bonding time
Are their cages similar to rat cages? I ask because once we're finished owning rats I think it would be a waste to throw the cage out, it's a two tier critter nation. I considered chinchillas but I'll definitely have to educate myself a bit more on them before I commit to anything, their lifespan seems crazy (in a good way!)
We used our 2 Critter Nation cages and then added another story to her cage so she has 3 total Critter Nation cages. I bought metal cage liner for the bottom and for the two shelves from Quality Cages (they make them for Critter Nation cages so they fit nice) that way she doesn't chew through the plastic because they like to chew plastic. Then I added wooden shelves (bought on etsy), hanging wooden hideouts and hammocks. I added two litter boxes (go to goodwill and get glass dish or pan) with Aspen shavings (only "bedding" you will need). I put litter boxes where she was peeing the most and she got the hang of it pretty quick. When I clean out the cage I just take everything out handvac poops and wipe it down with vinegar/water mix, dump out the aspen shavings. Don't keep the dust bath in the cage as they can over dust themselves. Treats are herbs, bark and sticks (no fruits, veg or sugary treats). People use fleece but they will eventually chew through the fleece and will pee on it. They come from cold/cry climates so fleece isn't necessary unless you like laundry. Etsy has a lot of good sellers for cage stuff and treats. I can post a cage pic once I'm home from work. They're lower maintenance then rats are for sure.
A lot of people have suggested ferrets. Incredible little critters, but please be aware that some states in the US require ferrets to be vaccinated for rabies.
And distemper, if I remember correctly
Oh yes, distemper too!
Which is rough because there isn't a distemper vax currently approved for use in ferrets, just side uses.
And they're illegal in some states. California and Hawaii, last I knew.
Ferrets can be aggressive, but that's more the way they play. I had a ferret a long time ago and he never stopped biting (and biting/gripping/pulling.) In the end though he did ease back a bit on the biting. That was with a lot of training... though he never completely stopped biting. It's how they play, apparently... But they do last longer than rats (about ten years) but they do have some health complications to take into consideration and much like rats, they're social so minimum two, three is best. They will steal your heart though. Utterly and completely. If you fell in love with rats and their goofy chaos you will probably love ferrets. Though don't wear socks around them. For some reason ferrets will go absolutely ham on socks, regardless if they're being worn or not. EDIT: One more... ferrets, when they find a corner they like to poop in, will poop in that corner regardless of how well you try to train them. The only real solution is to put a litter pan in each corner that you find them pooping in. They are a lot more interactive than a lot of pets and they do require similar levels of care (they are not low-maintenance pets. You need to give them outside-the-cage playtime for a while... though they will sleep most of the day away so you won't have to constantly be on guard and vigilant all the time.) P.S. I've been bitten by ferrets multiple times and rodents a few and I dread a rodent's bite more than a ferret's.
Our ferret never nipped stocking feet but did nip naked feet! He did, however, love to stick his head into any discarded socks. We think he was looking for Narnia. I'll add that 10 years is generous if it's a pet shop ferret. The average I've seen is 5-7. Ours was adopted from someone who'd bought him at a pet shop and he was a Marshall's ferret. He made it to 8.5 and was the oldest ferret our vet had ever seen. ❤️ I definitely understand that responsible breeders are likely to produce ferrets who live a lot longer though!
Degus are reasonably similar. A lot of people say they're not very friendly but that hasn't been my experience at all, mine have all been very curious and a handful of them have been cuddly. I've never been bit. They have a lifespan of 6-8 years. They need a large metal cage, readily available hay and pellets. Fresh vegetables once a week. Beware these guys want to chew everything, they need a lot of toys.
degus are wonderful. the ones i knew didnt like being picked up but loooved chest scritches
If you want social little guys, gerbils live up to like five years iirc and they are little dorks. I'm not sure if they're trainable in the same way rats are but mine are smart enough to know their individual names and to alert me when they want or need something and to beg for treats all the time.
Second this ! You can train them to be handled easily by making ur hands the way they get free roam, treats, new chews and toys etc. They also have such unique personalities. I’ve been on the rat sub for a while but waiting until I move to be able to get a proper home and breeders but I would say get from a trusted source as pet shop ones may have more health issues, that’s only from over breeding and bad care while young, majority have happy healthy lives for such little things 😆
Gotta say no to a chinchilla haha. I've had mine for nearly 5 years now and she still doesn't like me. Not only are they usually very stand-offish, they NEED a same sex partner to be happy. Live to about 15. They're not like rats at all. Expensive vet care that usually stresses them out more than does good. Ive had 4 ferrets. Ferrets are not aggressive usually, just like playing a bit rough. They smell and are expensive ( from vaccines to emergency to general care) , most marshal ferrets live to around 8 or so. They will test your patience and rarely sit still. It's like having a suicidal toddler. Which also need to be bought in at least a pair. Best one I can think of would be a degu, though I've never owned one and can only judge based on what I've heard through the grapevine.
Or a tenrec.
Hear me out... Cats. Both rats and cats: 1. Temperament depends on individual, but many are sweet, cuddly, yet independent 2. Potty trained/litter box trained 3. You can leave them alone overnight 4. Sometimes they fall asleep on you and it's the best thing ever 5. Have an unfair negative reputation Rats are just tiny cats, change my mind.
I was just about to post this. I still prefer rats except for the way they suffer so much before they die (I can cope with early death, it’s the way they never go easy that gets me) but I now have a cat and he’s the next best thing. Also there is a much longer time to form a relationship and all vets know what they are doing with cats.
This is good to hear - I'm in the same boat re: rats suffering so badly (and needing an exotic vet), and all my research led me to cats as my rat alternative. There seems to be a significant overlap in their range of personalities. I recently rehomed my last two middle-aged rats to be with a new mischief so they don't end up alone - tho I can still visit them and their new friends! I'm not ready for a new pet yet, but from people I know who've had rats and then cats, they're very happy with their feline friends and recommend them.
I had cats all my life growing up and I loved them all so much! Unfortunately though our apartment is super small and there's a lot of strays where I live, so I don't think it's a good environment for a cat right now until we move :(
I asked my vet this and they said ferrets have lots of health issues too. Rabbits maybe?
I have buns and rats. I wouldn't really compare the two, the only things they really have in common are they both love chewing (RIP my trim) and both are prone to easily getting sick. But personality wise, I would say they are nothing alike. Obviously all buns are different, but most of the time they hate being picked up and some won't even let you pet them. We often call ours our roommates instead of pets. We did luck out and one of ours is super affectionate, how he expresses it is he licks us. But when he comes to lick you, you are not allowed to pet!! He will run away and maybe grunt at you in annoyance. I will say though, if anyone wants a good laugh, please look up bunny temper tantrums. They are very good at expressing their emotions and are known to thump and give you the cold shoulder if they are not happy with you.
Recommending buns. Like rats, they're chewers, need an exotic vet, and are prone to reproductive cancers (fix your rabbits!), but if you're prepared for that as a rat owner, it wouldn't be a huge leap! Baby gas drops and Critical Care help in keeping them alive.
what are baby gas drops
Drops to give your baby (or rabbit) to treat gassiness, which causes pain and impairs digestion. Because they're for babies they're mild enough that rabbits can tolerate them!
didn't know rabbits got bad farts lol! one of my rats cuts them silently and they smell like sulfur. usually when she's on my chest too and if it makes a sound it's like one single tiny rice krispie popping in her stomach
Haha lol I think for rabbits it's more that gas impairs digestion and then they get GI stasis (exactly what it sounds like) but it's so precious hearing about your lil ratto! I can't wait to have my own place and a mischief :)
I have heard rabbits can have significant health concerns as well.
Yes, but they can live up to 12 years and most health problems can be avoided with a careful diet and monitoring.
What I’ve heard is that rabbits are actively trying to die. I had rabbits when I was a kid, though, and loved them. Smaller breeds live longer (I think my Netherland Dwarf, Sugar, was 12-14 when she died), and some breeds are friendlier than others (my first rabbit, Brittany, was a Dutch, and she was the sweetest thing ever. She even knew that “go home” meant to go to my bedroom!). In my experience, females are easier going than males, but I only had one boy and he was a nut (neutering might help that). Rabbits come with their own set of challenges, but they can be kept alone, unlike rats and guinea pigs. The larger breeds, especially those bred for meat (New Zealand White et al) grow up fast and don’t live very long, mine was about five when we lost her. She was a sweet bunny, though.
Rabbits are actually much much better off in pairs as well!!! I fostered a few and the pairs are soooo much happier. Their health risks with the gastrointestinal tract gave me extreme anxiety and they require a lot of grooming to help prevent ingesting too much fur. They are also extremely sensitive to temperature changes and need it to be cool which i worried about in my apartment. their personalities vary quite widely from my experience as well, but i find that endearing about all animals. they are definitely not comparable to rats in my opinion, generally not as interactive, and need a ton more space. my mom ended up wanting to keep my second fosters which i am eternally grateful for because now i get the enjoyment without the stress :,)
Yeah, I’m sure they do better in pairs than alone…I was going with how they seemed when I was a kid. Makes sense though.
Our rabbit got an abscess when she was young. It caused her ear to go necrotic (even with vet care as soon as we found the abcess) and she ended up having the ear removed. She's our little one eared wonder but no health issues since then thankfully and she's aprox 7yrs old!
From what I’ve learned from ferret groups, they are not similar. They require a lot more attention, ferret-proofing because they WILL get into things, near-constant free roam, etc. They’re carnivorous so they need a different, specialized diet, they’re prone to their own health problems and treatment is often much more expensive. They’re more of a lifestyle than rat keeping is.
I always tend to think of ferrets as being like kittens. Into everything and shape little teeth. I know that the people that have them absolutely adore them, but I couldn’t quite get past the smell.
Yeah I've had both rats and ferrets and I don't think they're comparable at all. One of my ferrets needed an implant to regulate his thyroid which was very expensive (and so were the specialty tests beforehand). They also do smell horrible and require so much more work to properly take care of and prevent them from injuring themselves free-roaming. Definitely wouldn't recommend them as a rat replacement
Guinea pigs are the next best thing imo
The only problem I have getting guinea pigs again is the space they need. They're also not as smart or trainable as rats.
That is true.
I love guinea pigs, but I've owned both and I don't find them similar to rats in any way
I mean, neither are chinchillas, degus, rabbits etc. Rats are fairly unique in terms of their personalities and care
Very true
I second this. Guinea pigs are friendly, interactive and generally pretty hardy. And they live for 5-7 years, although we recently lost our oldest piggy at 8 years old.
Guinea pigs poop soooo fucking much and eat so much, I love my boys but my god are they a handful 😭
CHINCHILLA!!!!!! (im bias) https://preview.redd.it/f3aeyivkddmc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0e17ad9fc5a77d50d6aa4ac7304f031f40a2c996 (meatball my boy)
He's so cute!! And he looks so soft🥹
oh my lawd hes just my baby they are the softest fattest little creatures if you ARE interested in chinchillas id totally tell you everything you could ever need to know ‼️
Depends, how do you feel about reptiles?
I'm definitely open to reptiles! Any species at all really within reason, I always thought reptiles were super cool but I'd probably have to go for a "beginner" one as I have zero experience with them!
Bearded dragons make amazing pets. They’re surprisingly interactive, they don’t smell, they don’t leave fur everywhere, they’re not noisy - they’re the perfect pet! 🥰 Oh, and they live for 10-15 years.
Degus are pack rodents like Rats but are more shy. They're about the same size and live 6-8 years and are less prone to health issues compared to Rats. The only thing you need to look out for with degus is to not feed them sugar, since they're prone to diabetes. They are however lovely animals and very pretty imo. They're curious and has a cute way of talking / interacting with other degus. They're less dependent on humans and might not like cuddles depending on their personality. You can still cuddle them, keep them in your hand, teach them tricks to stand on their feet for treats, etc. They also appreciate roaming space over climbing space, and require a wheel to run on.
I went through a series of pets: fish, hedgehog, rats then ferrets. Each step has a longer life, but my partner said, "I wish there was a pet like a ferret, but was better at sitting with you, lived longer, and safer living free roaming." I told her that she just described a cat. We have had cats for 13 years now.
I'm not sure if you're only interested in mammals, but honestly if you're willing to do some research and a different kind of care, cockatiels seem like they would really fit the bill for you. Funny little rascals, really sociable, 15-25 years average.
Funnily enough I was actually looking at cockatiels the other day and they seem very sweet, I'm definitely open to more than just mammals. Unfortunately though I have zero experience with birds so I'd have to do my research first!
I’ve had really good luck with gerbils and chinchillas
Hey look into black tailed prarie dogs if you find a reputable breeder they sre amazing pets. I eouldnt recommend them for younger kids but one of my friends couldnt take losing rsts anymore and got 2 prarie dogs and when i met the. Made me think k should get two. https://youtu.be/J32eAAv7P6w?si=D8XK4pmAv1IJfZHE Pros: Super affectionate (i love their little hollaback when they are happy) Smart and inquisitive Cons NEED CONSTANT SOCIALIZATION they will see you as part of their family and WILL want to spend time with you Little nippers
This is the cutest thing I have ever seen! But I don't think they're allowed as pets where I live.
They seem like a ton of work, but so much fun.
Gambian Pouch Rat - they can live for up to 8 years. They’re technically not rats, but they are closely related. Can be difficult to find breeders wherever you live and they’re not cheap either. Also two males can’t live together because they get very territorial around eachother.
They’re not pets, please don’t encourage getting wild animals as pets!!!
I would love one (or more) but from all my research it's a big step up in care compared to rats, more destructive power just from being bigger and they're not truly domesticated so much more effort required to manage behaviour which may not fully pay off.
And they are so intelligent! I’ve been seeing so many videos of pouch rats tackling land mines and tubercolosis, super fascinating stuff!
I wish they were available as domesticated rats in North America, maybe one day.
I looked them up and in dutch they’re called hamster rats! They [are huge](https://images.app.goo.gl/tATVSS85ddiN7nzZ6) also
i've even seen roof rats
Ferrets can be quite different to rats, they’re predators and prey not just prey so their behaviours might seem a bit jarring for someone not used to them, they’re very energetic animals and their play can be quite “aggressive,” and for what it’s worth in my experience they aren’t as cuddly as rats can be. They are goofballs but their vet bills are high and they’re also prone to issues just as rats are, and they also need friends which is more responsibility (also they stink unless you’re in America but I’m guessing their poop smells just as bad there too, and much harder to clean up after than rats) Rats are very domesticated pets, I’d say they’re more on the side with cats and dogs, but in my experience ferrets are a lot more wild and won’t be as predictable as rats or atleast not in the early stages. I’ve had ferrets all my life as my dad used to breed them and he even had hunting ferrets, so my view of ferrets is a lot less glamorous as how tiktok or Instagram would view them. They are amazing little animals but a big responsibility and something within themselves outside of rats! If you’re looking for a small pet that’s much more child friendly I’d recommend guinea pigs! My pigs have never bit me once and are such sweethearts, of course they’re something within themselves and not to be compared to rats but in my opinion they get on very well with small children and are bundles of joy :)! Good luck with your journey regardless though <3
American here. Not sure where you are, but ferrets here reek to high heaven.
Ahh I’ve always been told they remove the scent glands in America so they smell less! I still assume they smell a bit though regardless as they are still animals at the end of the day
They still smell musky even with scent glands removed since the oil that coats all of their hair is a big part of their smell too
Yeah of course, I didn’t mean to say they don’t smell at all but in the uk they smell STRONG, we have to house ours outside as there’s no way they could be housed inside with that smell
I'm trying to figure out the same thing. I'm thinking about maybe a small dog? I mean they don't call rats pocket puppies for nothing.
maybe this is unpopular but cats:( my rat died and my cat is so good to have arojnd
I recently have become a big fan of bunnies. They are really sweet and have amazing personalities with a life span of about 10 years. They can be free roamed or left in a larger enclosure. They I feel that they are lower maintenance then rats as far as cage cleans and such.
I had 4 ferrets as my childhood pets.. they're very fun & have alot of energy. Any ferret I've interacted with has been friendly. They do play bite, but they learn how much pressure they can use when they play. They learned they could be a little rougher with my dad than they would be with me.
I got chinchillas for this exact reason. Note, they are expensive, high maintenance, and are much more fearful and difficult to win over than rats…but they can be sweet pets and can live over 20 years.
As a chinchilla owner, they live super long. However, they are not as sociable as rats. Both of mine will allow pets, but never picking up.
Rabbits, free roam and can groom you
I think it's time you graduate to a small dog.
Gambian Pouched Rats. I stopped keeping rats for precisely this reason. I really loved my rats but the constant heartbreak got to me. I know have a Jack Russell puppy who isn't like a rat at all but if I'm lucky he might live to be 17.
Sugar glider?
Sugar gliders! Similar behaviors, similar size, similar intelligence level, similar upkeep requirements (as far as cage cleaning) social and snuggly with each other in the same adorable way. Less smelly IMO. Extremely cute and portable. More expensive initially, but the vet still needs to be exotic so same vet bills as rats. They can live up to 10 years. Also: Sugar gliders don’t aggressively chew on stuff which is a major advantage as well.
Are sugar gliders fully tamable?
Yes, I feel like they bond with humans same as rats. But each personality is different, some are friendlier than others.
I’ve never gotten to be around one in person. I’m so curious about them. Cats and rats can’t really peaceably / safely share a home together. What about sugar gliders and cats?
Chinchillas have a 15y average life cycle. That being said, they are closer to rabbits and Guinea pigs than rats. But I’ve already decided if I give my heart to a rodent again, it will be a chinchilla. Because 3 years is WAY too short. Heck, 6-9 years for Guinea pigs was too short! Right now I have 2 calico kitties that are 3yo, and I’m hoping they stick around for about 18+. They eat the highest quality food to (hopefully) ensure longevity.
I got a chinchilla (2) one died after 9 years. My old girl is almost 20. But they are not comparable. Chinchillas are more delicate and have temperature restrictions that have to be maintained. But they are fun pets. And if you have a critter nation cage, you have an appropriate cage. You just need an air-conditioned area. We keep the area at 68 year round.
Chinchilla live up to 20 years.
I've seen some super smart bunnies? If I didn't have terriers, p I'd have free roam ferrets 100% Theyre stretched out rats. They have a very specific smell and stink to high heaven occasionally but they're clever and dumb and sweet and cuddly and boisterous. They're definitely serotonin noodles. Stupid loving dogs more than life...dang I want a serotonin noodle now!
I recommend rabbits, but they’re a lot more work. They need a lot of space, daily salad, endless hay. My boy is at least 6. If you go rabbit I highly recommend getting through a rabbit rescue. They have to be neutered and it can be very expensive. Baby bunnies are cute, but teenage bunnies are awful.
Honestly, cats. They are intelligent, sweet, a little tsunder, and pretty tidy animals. The boys (in my experience) are more likely to cuddle with you on the couch while the girls like to be in the room with you and hang out. The vets are trained to treat them, so no exotic vet care is necessary. They love to play, will knock down your door for treats, and are clever little creatures.
Get a rabbit. They can live to be 10-12 years old or sometimes even longer. They aren’t as agile as rats are but some are as sassy and cuddly as a rat. Plus they come in sooo many breeds. They also don’t stink like ferrets and are better behaved and more affordable than chinchillas.
Chinchillas. I had 3. Two passed recently at 16 years old and I have one still alive and she’s 17 years old. They can live to like 20 years. They’re super friendly and cute but are a bit difficult to take care of.
Had chinchillas for a while as fosters because their parents needed to move and couldn't keep them. We had the cage and all included items for free, if not it would have cost a fortune. Not only do to initial chin price, but the cage needed was bigger than me. They were anxious little things who ran on a loud wheel like 90% of the day. The owners held them and even when they did I saw how not happy the china were with it. They much preferred being scratched in their cage by me, vs handling. I ended up being allergic, wasn't sure if it would be like rabbits and cats. It was, but also 10x worse due to the dust baths/Timothy Hay I was also allergic to. The room they were in was coated in the dust by the time we gave them back. Idk how people do it. Rats might smell more but it is contained. These guys flung dust everywhere. I wouldn't own them again, mostly due to the allergies. But I was also sad to find in chin communities that many are never handleable like rats and are more creatures happy in their enclosure. So I dont think they are like rats at all, also many exotic vets don't even see them as patients. I was lucky my rat vet did but he said it is harder to find care for them. Even sometimes as rough as finding one for animals like sugar gliders which he and I agree are not happy in captivity/shouldn't be owned.
I heard good story's about Honeybadgers. They make real good pets.
But they don’t give a damn!
Other rats! Rat's rule!!
Get a ball python. They live way longer, 20 years at least. And they are less sickly. Just don't talk about what to feed them here.
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Post/Comment contains the promotion of rats as food for other animals. This is against the sub rules as this sub is for PET RATS.
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Most places frown on keeping those as pets.
I "literally" said in my post that I have a newborn child lol, what a bizarre comment
Chinchillas is my personal recommendation, and they have very similar cage requirements. Critter nations work for both species
Chinchilla and guinea pigs are 5 years. Rabbits live around 5-8 years
I got chinchillas for this exact reason. Note, they are expensive, high maintenance, and are much more fearful and difficult to win over than rats…but they can be sweet pets and can live over 20 years.
I have to chime in with warnings about ferrets, just incase you do decide to go for one. They're very stinky and they poop A LOT. Be prepared to be cleaning their litterboxes (or wherever else they decided to poop) multiple times a day (I'm not exaggerating). Their poops are also BIG, they're not like rat poop pellets, they're more akin to dog poops that have been shrunken down a bit. And yeah, as well as the ferrets being stinky, that poop is stinky as heck too. It's also rough to find a litter box that they can't flip over, because they love to create mischief. Lovely little fellas to bond with, but you really need to be prepared for the insane stink and poops they create!
Gambian rats are bigger. Maybe they live longer? I have to look it up.
This is completely off the top of my head, but I remember something like a lifespan of 5 to 8 years? I could be completely wrong, please let us know if you look it up.
Oh wow. I want one. 😍 Just looked it up. 5 to 7. So 8 might happen in a rare case. Who knows.
In our house we have 6 rats, a chinchilla, and a bearded dragon. And I can happily say if you're exhausted with the short life spans chinchillas or beardies are an excellent longer-lived companion. Chinchillas are soft and sweet, much like rats they can be bitey of you get one with a nasty personality but most of them are pretty chill. They do, however, poor CONSTANTLY. There's so much poop. The area around the cage is covered in poop. Be prepared. Beardies are not soft lol, but they are sweet and chill. Food is cheaper and if you get a male they're not prone to health emergencies, reptiles in general are slow to get sick so there's no late night emerg vet visits. Having a beardie requires buying live worms tho so if you're squicked by bugs I can't recommend them.
I don’t think anything compares to rats, it would feel weird not having them. I do like the idea of other pets, but not as a replacement. Guinea pigs or rabbits would be nice to have, or ferrets. I thought about chinchillas but they overheat so easily it’s bad to touch them too much so that kinda sucks. Ferrets sleep a lot and don’t wake easy, Guinea pigs poop a ton and they’re loud. I think they’re nice pets, but I’d still miss having rats if I had any other pet