Is a Hamster a good pet for companionship?

People in South America share them homes with them I believe. I used to think it was because they [gulp] ate them but I've since read that it isn't always so..perhaps they're regarded as lucky or something. I think even litter mates can turn on each other eventually[females as well] so you always have to be prepared to provide separate accomodation for them. Annoyingly I took down the phone number of a local breeder when I was at the county show and I've lost it....I was thinking of getting one or two for my grandson. And, of course, they do 'talk' to you and put their little paws on the bars of their cage.

Once made the mistake of putting two male hamsters in a big cage together, they ran around happily, went into the wheel, ate etc.The next morning one was slumped dead in the water dish, and the other looking innocent saying "what?" I told the children it must have been ill when we bought it(Cain and Abel!)

Properly handled rats are lovely pets, much more fun than hamsters and not as messy as rabbits or guinea pigs.

I thought hamsters were solitary animals. When I was a teenager my boyfriend got a hamster and it was supposed to be a male. When it had babies he discovered it was female. He was going to give the babies away when they were bigger, but before that happened the mother had another litter. I looked at the cage and thought my boyfriend had bought some new bedding which was coloured instead of plain. Then I realised that as the mother was birthing the new litter, the first litter was eating the new babies. That was the end of keeping a hamster - they all went to the pet shop. Gross.

Ew.

Yuk!

So who was the father?

Why not try a parakeet?

Ana who knows??? I know now this is not unusual and quite a natural thing to happen - survival of the fittest kind of thing. Still gross.

I get the impression Jenny would prefer something that she can hold/cuddle/stroke, so maybe a bird isn't ideal. Also birds can be quite noisy.

I find the smell from a bird cage quite oppressive, no matter how clean it is kept. But they are nice to have around and, given that the cage is head height you can chat away to them. I had two sweet gerbils in quite a small cage so I bought them a super deluxe one. However the cat was somehow able to get it's claws into it and the sweetest and cheekiest of the two was killed. They were very amusing though. I used to put them in the bath when I cleaned the cage out as they couldn't seem to be able to climb up the sides of the bath. It's strange how 'empty' a house can be with no other person there, which was really brought home to me when my husband left. However, having the computer on is, to me, like having someone else in the house. Years ago I had a nuisance phone call in the early hours of the morning which really scared me and there was someone still awake on one of the forums I'm on and it was very reassuring; likewise when there was an earth tremor.

I can highly recommend pet rats, had them for years despite an initial phobia about their tails. They are hugely intelligent, (all of mine came to the call of their name), affectionate, (mine would sit on my lap or shoulder whilst watching tv or reading), love playing games with you and will set their body clocks to as and when you are up and about. Incredibly clean as well, spend a lot of time grooming and do not smell.

Mine were 'free range' and
would spend most of their time out of the cage, (watch wires!) but always went back in for their 'toilet'.

Only downside, short lived, think only one of mine made it past the age of 3. But a joy to come home to a living creature eager to see and engage with you. A home is not a home without a pet in my book no matter how good your social life is. Everyone needs someone or something to do 'nothing' with.

Beware gerbils - we had two when the DC were little. Definitely both female they said! Apparently they're very difficult to sex! They are certainly more entertaining than a hamster as they're active during the day - but not affectionate! (We kept ours in an old large aquarium - minus water, everyone makes that joke - as they like to tunnel and dig.)

I don't know if you live near an animal shelter but I do know they often need dog walkers if that would be of any help to you :-)

nfk when our children were little we had gerbils and somehow they escaped and ate their way into the bottom of our upholstered sofa and lived there happily ever after ... (not!) But what a palaver to get them out.

Fearless little beggars too, gerbils. When ours escaped and the cat thought he'd help round them up, he ended up with a gerbil hanging on his nose by it's teeth!

Hi all thank you so much for you comments and advice. I have learnt a lot. I never knew that you can keep Guinea Pigs as indoor pets and as for African Pgymy Hedgehogs they were completely new to me. Fate played its part in the end. I saw an advert for a lady who was having to re-home her hamster due to her son been allergic to its fur. I have now had "Harry" for a week. What a difference he has made. I know that some people said that they were not ideal pets as they were nocturnal. However Harry wakes up about 7.30pm each evening so that gives me a couple of hours with him before I go to bed. Also if I had a cat or dog I would feel guilty leaving them alone all day whilst I was at work, but with Harry I know that I am doing him a favour by letting him sleep all day without any noise or distraction from me. Haven't managed to hold him yet but have had him out the cage running around the living room in his exercise ball. Hopefully soon he will be happy for me to handle him, did manage to stroke him last night. It is so good having another living thing in the flat. If there is anyone else in a similar situation to me, then I would definitely recommend getting a hamster.

Have you considered becoming a foster parent for pets in shelters? You can spend time with them there or take in small animals at home for defined periods of time.

I do hope Harry is well and happy - but I came on here to say that my hamster-loving son at uni and his girlfriend have 'lost' their hamster in their rented house... Total chaos as of last night! We think it is hilarious, but are having to hide our laughter as they are distraught. He says the place has never been so tidy - I think that made us laugh more than anything.

I have told them to leave out a saucer of water, and to follow the wet pawprints.

It isn't funny when a small pet goes missing. The thought of it being unable to fend for itself, being injured or attacked by a cat or other animal is upsetting.

stillhere we managed to find our escaped Houdini Hamster with a piece of cucumber which was one of her favourite foods.

Does anyone remember this about an escapee hamster?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgYt0BluEKM

I shall send that to DS - hamster is still at large!

Yes, Houdini could open her cage like that!

I hope you and Harry are very happy together, never had a Hamster before but I'm sure they make great pets. I was also going to suggest Rats as good small pets; I would personally never go near one but my cousin has two, he says they are very friendly.