Guinea Pig or Bunny as a Pet

Bargain-er on 27/02/2022 - 08:21
Last edited 27/02/2022 - 08:22

Hi,

My daughter had been asking for a guinea pig for last 2 years. I'm an animal lover but i understand the responsibility of having a pet so had been delaying for some time. Finally we bought a couple of 6 weeks old piggies a few weeks ago. Sadly, they didn't survive long… 😭 One passed away suddenly, we don't know what was wrong except my daughter said she saw a "stringy poo" a day before. The piggie was active so we didn't google it but apparently it may be a digestive problem. The other one died a few days later due to respiratory problem, didn't have a chance to bring to vet. Went so quickly.

Now, we need some inputs… I personally like rabbit more and was reading mix opinions about guinea pig vs bunny (which one easier to care). Any constructive feedbacks/inputs are welcome. Please don't bash us about not being able to nurture the piggies or tell us to google (did that a LOT) . In contrary of my ozbargain badge holder's trait i spent heaps of $$ for best cage, food, bedding, always keep them inside, clean up, etc, but still no good. I thought i will shrug it off since I don't really like rodents (cept bunny) but actually i was quite heart broken with the passing away, last one dropped dead when she was playing… 😢

So my few questions are:

  1. Easier to keep living : guinea pig or bunny (looking at Netherlands dwarf bunny)
  2. 6 weeks is too young to bring home??
  3. Smaller types of piggies and bunnies (read ridgeback for piggies, Netherlands dwarf for bunnies)
  4. Is it true that they die more easily if we pat or hold them too often?

Any experience feedback is really appreciated. So much info on the net but first hand experience advice usually helps a lot. Thanks.

Pets

Comments

  • Quantumcat on 27/02/2022 - 08:38
    +9

    Another pet option is stick insects. They are easy to care for, just change the gum leaves once a week and mist the cage once or twice a day. They repopulate themselves, when adults they lay eggs nearly every day then the eggs take about a year to hatch. The insects themselves live about 1-2 years.

    Don't know a lot about rabbits or Guinea pigs (besides having pet rabbits as a kid) but yes if you hold them a lot they will be stressed a lot more and stressed rabbits or Guinea pigs die

    • jzdhgkd on 28/02/2022 - 13:39
      +1

      Eggs every day? So 2 years after you get one insect you could have hundreds?

      • Quantumcat on 28/02/2022 - 15:33

        Yep. You can often find people giving them away for free when they get swamped by nymphs and can't sell them fast enough. If you have both males and females they take about 9 months to a year to hatch and if just girls, then 1 year to 18 months (but then you only get female nymphs).

        They don't all hatch, the temp and humidity has to be right, sometimes none hatch. And often the nymphs die before they have their first moult (if humidity/temp wrong). But when you get it right yes you can definitely get hundreds of new insects out of one female :-)

        They are great pets, need less care than goldfish but you can take them out of the cage and have them walk on you, so I think they're better. A good first pet for a child who isn't quite ready for the responsibility of a rat/Guinea pig/rabbit.

        • HangryCakeStore on 28/02/2022 - 17:24
          +1

          nymphs? Lol, people will capitalise on anything, backyard lizards are enough

  • yippy on 27/02/2022 - 08:45
    +11

    1. Rabbits are high maintenance and social animals so it's probably best to get a pair if you're not around to play with them all the time. They can be litter box trained so they're sort of like a cat but more high maintenance.

    2. 12 weeks is what the breeders usually let them go at.

    3. It your child is young better off getting a bigger breed like a Mini Lop. Netherland Dwarfs are a bit fragile when young.

    4. I've handled my Netherland Dwarf since he was a kit and he's still alive and kicking at 9 years. He's not as active as he was the past few years though.

    I recommend getting Wonderful World of Pet Rabbits by Christine Carter. It's got everything you need to know about keeping a rabbit.

    https://www.petrabbitworld.com/my-pet-rabbit-book

  • popsiee on 27/02/2022 - 08:47
    +21

    Seriously rabbits shit all over the place like a mini machine gun .
    I'm sure guinea pigs do too .

    • Munki on 01/03/2022 - 09:16
      +1

      Yep. The constant cleaning…Have three right now and man the cleaning is a real chore.

      • lamparnon77 on 23/07/2022 - 00:56

        Yep its the only think stopping me from getting another guinea pig :(

  • Djfhsd1 on 27/02/2022 - 09:07
    +10

    Rabbits are very high maintenance if you truly understand their needs and what they need.

    Not to mention the very expensive vet bills if something goes wrong, as they can be difficult to diagnose and there are not that many rabbit savvy vets around.

    They really need free roam space outside on cool days, and a big cage to stay in at night and other times. As Yippy said, they are social so a pair would be best.

    Rabbits DO NOT cope well with heat so you should never leave them outside in the heat, even in the shade.

    The hutch will need constant cleaning, like almost daily. They turbo shit everywhere.

    Lastly there's crap like RHDV2 and Myxo that are released to wipe out the population of wild rabbits, but it also affects domestic rabbits. All 4 of mine died from Myxo. terrible way to go.

    Never heard about a rabbit dying from being held too much. Just don't force it if it doesn't want to. Not all rabbits are chill, even when held from young.

    Good luck.

    • SydStrand on 27/02/2022 - 11:53
      +5

      Concur with this. Contrary to popular opinion, rabbit husbandry is actually more intensive than cats and dogs. They have very specific dietary requirements and are very susceptible to GI disease, especially gut stasis, which often life-threatening. In general, they're quite fragile; minor things that cats and dogs shrug off like abscesses, require surgical correction in bunnies (and they have a habit of dying under anaesthetic). If you're a responsible rabbit owner, then expect higher vet bills than a cat or dog. Because they're relatively uncommon pets, most small animal vets aren't super familiar with them, and refer to an exotic vet ($$$) for anything somewhat complex.

      If you want a small, 'starter' pet, do what some people here recommend, and get a rat, they're quite hardy. This notion that rabbits and guinea pigs are good 'set and forget' pets or great for inattentive kids is nonsense.

  • mapax on 27/02/2022 - 09:29
    +10

    I don't really like rodents (cept bunny)

    Rabbits aren’t rodents, they are lagomorphs.

    • payless69 on 27/02/2022 - 12:16
      -1

      Get a Nutria then! Still a rodent but the size of a bunny. Cheapest option as it can live off your food waste.

      • mapax on 27/02/2022 - 13:25
        +5

        Nutria aren’t legal in Australia. From memory they’re a category 1 prohibited pest (at least in Victoria) and you can’t even get a permit for them.

        As far as I know the largest rodents you can easily own in Australia are the guinea pig and the domesticated brown rat.

        • payless69 on 27/02/2022 - 13:54
          +2

          I must have watched too many mousetrap Monday sessions. At least Shawn's wife shows how to cook and eat one.

          • mapax on 27/02/2022 - 14:09
            +2

            @payless69: The black bear blueberry pie was also a good one. We are lucky nutrias aren’t here as they’re just as destructive as rabbits but to the waterways, if they became an established pest it would be both an environmental and agricultural disaster.

            • Kangal on 27/02/2022 - 15:51
              +2

              @mapax: Maybe the OP could get a Red Panda instead?

              • mapax on 27/02/2022 - 17:10
                +1

                @Kangal: I’ll volunteer to red panda sit if OP goes on holidays…

              • Munki on 01/03/2022 - 09:18
                +1

                @Kangal: I wish you could get red pandas as pets!! Oh man…

        • SlartiBartFozz on 01/03/2022 - 15:08
          +1

          Nutria = Water Rats, not only illegal but looks like they pack a nasty bite if you rub them the wrong way too. If I could I'd get a pair of Capybaras but also not allowed here.

          • payless69 on 01/03/2022 - 15:26

            @SlartiBartFozz: Neighbours kept a 6m illegal scub python. When it escaped I took photos thinking it was wild and just lost. Their mum claimed that somebody paid 3 grands for it! Aparently legal ones go for $600 if you have a license and captive breeds are less likely to bite.

  • rektrading on 27/02/2022 - 09:35
    +6

    I found a box of kittens that someone had abandoned next to a factory on the weekend. I felt 💔 for them for a second.

    Pet owners, get your 💩 together and desex your pets or don't keep them at all.

    • Muzeeb on 27/02/2022 - 09:48
      +1

      What were you doing at a factory on a weekend?

    • SBOB on 27/02/2022 - 15:35
      +2

      Hello Kitty factory??

  • pegaxs on 27/02/2022 - 09:45
    +20

    Also consider getting rats instead.

    Pros:
    They are smarter than both rabbits and Guinea pigs.
    They take up less space.
    They love being in contact with humans and will actively seek you out to play.
    You can teach them cool tricks.
    They are generally friendlier and don’t mind being picked up and played with.
    They don’t ruin your lawn.
    They don’t suffer from many transmissible diseases. Don’t need to be vaccinated.
    They are self cleaners.
    They have tiny little hands they hold things with.
    They are big sleepers, they love a nap, but are semi-nocturnal, they tend to be most awake during sunrise and sunset times, the times the kids are most likely to be awake and wanting to play.
    They are a very low maintenance pet.
    Feed is easy to make, it’s just seeds, nuts and dried fruits basically.
    They make very little to no noise.

    Cons:
    They chew things, so you need to give them something to chew on and a strong cage.
    You need to keep them entertained. They are not a dumb animal and need social interaction and things to do.
    They only live for about 2 years.
    You have to put up with people who don’t understand rats saying “eWwWw, iF I HaD a RaT iN mY hOuSe i wOuLd KiLL iT!!1!” Domestic rats are not the same as wild rats.
    Taking them to a vet is usually pointless for most people because they only cost about $15~30 to buy but a vet will want hundreds of dollars to look at a sick rat. (Upside is, they don’t really get sick or need attention if you look after them correctly.)
    Males stink.(females smell much less to almost no smell.)
    Females need to be kept in at least a pair. Males must be kept on their own.
    Males can’t be kept with female, or “babies” and lots of them.
    Because they have big personalities and love being around humans and interacting, when they do pass, it feels much harder on family. Guinea pigs and rabbits are ambivalent towards humans, where rats are a lot more sentient which gives them a much closer bond to humans.

    • Bargain-er on 27/02/2022 - 10:12

      Thanks for the tips… As i said, not a fan of rodents but any link for a good looking domestic rat? Thanks

      • pegaxs on 27/02/2022 - 10:35
        +10

        Yeah, I have had people come over and say they are "not a fan of rats" until they interact with them. I breed mice as pets as well, and whenever I have customers over to pick up the mice (I let them choose which ones they want) I always get the rats out and let them run around and because the rats are so friendly, the people there to buy the mice end up wanting rats.

        You might say you are not a fan of rodents, but you just need to experience them. (FWIW, guinea pigs are rodents, rabbits are not.) Mice are also fun. They are not as friendly as rats (more like the ambivalence of rabbits towards humans) but they are amazing to watch in their tanks (they are fantastic manipulators of their environment and great builders) and female mice can easily be kept inside the house.

        A good place to start is something like Reddit's pet rats page. Lots of photos and videos of rats being rats. If those videos and photos don't make you melt and maybe make you think of rats differently, I don't know what will.

        As for looks, all domestic rats are the same. There is no variations like there are for rabbits (lop, dwarf, Norwegian, etc) The only difference with rats is colouring. You can get all sorts of different colours and colour combination. solids, banded, striped, foxed, but basically, they are all just the same rats.

        And for the fans, here is a some photos of my rats just being their best rat selfs. (during the time I am home, their cage is open and they are allowed out at their own free will.)

      • Gnosh on 27/02/2022 - 23:16
        +2

        Rats are up there with dogs in my books, I never expected them to make as good pets as they did. It's so strange to me how underrated they are. Here's a little bit of advice if you are interested:

        The upside to having male rats is they tend to be lazy and cuddle more often. Females are usually more active, playful and keen to explore. In my experience they do snuggle but only once they've tired themselves out. Note that you can get them desexed, which has the added benefit of helping male behaviour issues.

        Rats are also predisposed to chronic respitory issues and I would recommend you check any closely before taking them home. Two big indicators are a crackling/popping sound when breathing and porphyrin on or around the nose. Using a good breeder will give you the greatest chance at getting a healthy rat, unfortunately pet shop rats tend to be plagued with these issues. They can also develop them if their cage is not cleaned regularly (I would do a tidy 1-2 days, proper clean every 3 days minimum).

        Hope that helps.

      • huggsymersh on 28/02/2022 - 11:41

        Rats are so clever and personable. I love Guinea Pigs but as cute as they are they don't have the most extroverted personalities. I had 3 rat sisters and they would come to me when called and their desire for contact and play was insatiable. I didn't train them up as well as this person, but gives you an insight into how clever they are:

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jo_EG7XqZQ

        The big draw back is how short lived they are. Very robust as a species but individuals are relatively fragile.

        In terms of temperament, I would compare them to interactions with a social and hyperactive jack russell, just much smaller. Having said that, they would also happily sit on my shoulder and nestle in for a snuggle under my collar while I was watching TV.

    • ihbh on 27/02/2022 - 10:29
      +1

      Feel free to take as many for free from my garden as you want.

      • pegaxs on 27/02/2022 - 10:43
        +4

        Domestic rats are NOT the same as wild/feral rats. Usually comments like this are born out of ignorance (ie: garden rats are bad, ergo all rats are bad.) Rats get a bad wrap purely based on misconceptions. Any feral animal can be a pest.

        It's like saying "If you want a dog, I have heaps on my rural property, take one of them".

        • ihbh on 27/02/2022 - 10:49

          It was tongue in cheek. :)

          There's no doubt they're pretty clever and also cute pet looking if I overlook their eating some of my veg. Until I work out a system of getting rid of them, we coexist.

          • pegaxs on 27/02/2022 - 10:56
            +1

            @ihbh: I was surprised as just how much fresh stuff rats will eat. Mice not so much, but rats, they will happily eat fresh fruit/veges and go rummaging through your compost bin for throw aways.

            But they are just doing their best to survive. They didn't ask to be born as rats, and it's a shame that when ever I mention rats as pets, almost instantly, most peoples minds jump to feral rats.

            • ChocStrawberries on 27/02/2022 - 13:12

              @pegaxs: They eat fresh stuff alright! One night we let our rat out and were watching TV when we heard a crunching sound. She had found a cockroach (a live one) and was happily munching away on it! Insert vomit emoji here Mum had to tear it from her paws, since we didn't know if the roach might have come into contact with baits, and had to watch her a bit more closely after that! ;)

              • mapax on 27/02/2022 - 13:28

                @ChocStrawberries: They’re also cannibalistic and will eat other rats including their offspring.

              • pegaxs on 27/02/2022 - 14:40
                +1

                @ChocStrawberries: I just got through my Sunday mouse and rat house cleaning session (4 hours worth) and when I was cleaning the rat house out, there was a head and a wing of a cockroach in their cage. I dare say that roach didn't know what hit it.

                I give my rodents fresh leaves from my garden. I grow my own strawberries as well, so they get all the mangled looking ones. They love lettuce and will happily eat ginger leaves and passion fruit leaves. But in addition to all this, for extra protein, I feed them live or dried meal-worms. Meal-worms are my go to training food for getting the rats to do what I want them to do.

                I have a giant outdoor play pen for all the rodents as I clean their cages made up of a raised garden bed shell and the first thing they always do is go looking for all the spiders and insects that have made their home that week in the enclosure.

                I dont use any pesticides around my house that would harm animals or humans, so mine are pretty safe to watch them eat wayward insects.

                As for @mapax comment, so are humans under the right conditions. I've been breeding mice and rats on and off for years and have never had any of them eat each other nor their offspring. This is usually a stress related response or a lack of food response, much the same way a human would react to there being no food. They dont just eat each other for no reason. They dont see each other as food unless there was no food and usually it's either another dead rodent they will eat or a very weak one. Again, much like a human would do to survive. (Think plane crash in mountains/deserted island)

                • mapax on 27/02/2022 - 17:21
                  +1

                  @pegaxs: I never said they eat each other for no reason. With domestic rats there often is a reason, which could be as simple as a nutritional deficiency since rats are omnivores and some people treat them as herbivores and feed them an inadequate diet.
                  I’ll spare everyone the detailed anecdotes but an ex lost some rat pups despite “ideal” conditions and I have plenty of experience with wild rats cannibalizing dead rats, but similar to what you mentioned there are different stress factors and levels of competition when it comes to wild rat populations.

                • ChocStrawberries on 28/02/2022 - 21:50

                  @pegaxs: @pegaxs Glad it wasn't just mine that enjoyed the odd roachy dinner! Haha!

                  I used to breed rats for a while, and witnessed the same female eating two of her litters, which was the most apalling thing. The first time, the vet said there may have been something wrong with the babies. The second time, the vet said there's probably something wrong with the mother! So I didn't let her have any more litters. It was the only time I'd seen it, but I've read stories about it happening to others.

        • [Deactivated] on 27/02/2022 - 11:29
          +1

          Could you domesticate a wild rat?

          • Benoffie on 27/02/2022 - 12:06

            @[Deactivated]: Don't go near wild rats. They will bite and you will require shots at best.

          • pegaxs on 27/02/2022 - 12:39
            +4

            @[Deactivated]: You could, but there is no point. They have a different mentality to domestic mice and rats (more aggressive, more shy, more prone to defending itself and will avoid predators). It would be like asking, "Could we just domesticate a wolf/dingo/fox/puma/etc", yes, if you had years to invest in selective breeding and the time to look after generation after generation of animal and selecting the best traits to breed…

            Or, you know, just buy a domesticated rat and skip the 100 years or so of doing it yourself :)

            No wild animal makes a good pet. You cant take a wild animal and domesticate it by simply giving it food and a home.

    • Benoffie on 27/02/2022 - 12:03
      +1

      Came here to also recommend rats instead 🐀

    • nigel deborah on 28/02/2022 - 10:00

      I have been interested in getting a pair of rats. Any tips on how/where to find a good quality and ethical breeder?

    • j4ck on 28/02/2022 - 11:50

      Rats are amazing creatures… but their short lifespan makes me sad.

    • trapper on 28/02/2022 - 12:09
      -1

      They only live for about 2 years.

      This is a pro actually.

  • wizzy on 27/02/2022 - 09:46

    We've had rabbits.

    In my experience rabbits are happiest if you let them roam freely in your garden. They are very sociable, will hop up to you when you go outside, and follow you around the yard. They are very curious and will want to get into everything you are doing. We really enjoyed them even though they did not like being picked up.

    The negative side of this is that they dig big burrows and eat all of your plants. They are also vulnerable to predators, although ours were fine, and you have to rabbit proof your yard or they will dig their way into the neighbour's yard.

    They get sick pretty easily, and as others have said not many vets know how to treat them. We spent over $1000 dollars when our rabbits got sick. Even going to a specialist rabbit vet, they were unable to diagnose the problem or treat them, and they both died after a couple of years. However, they were both adult rescue rabbits when we got them, so they were probably closer to five years old by the time they died.

    • kabammi on 01/03/2022 - 12:16

      The Ferntree Gully Rabbit clinic (now under Unusual Pets) in Melbourne are rabbit experts.

      Bunnies can get sick, and they don't show many signs of exactly how sick they are. We've spent about $3000 on vet bills for 2 bunnies in the last 6 months.
      We have Dwarf bunnies.
      They're beautiful animals though. Such friendly little critters.

      We mainly keep ours in a massive hutch outside because Calici Virus is a huge concern. You'll need to give your bunnies vaccinations for it.
      The rabbit clinic has recommended us to bring them inside when its >28C outside.

      • wizzy on 02/03/2022 - 18:15

        Thanks. I'm in Sydney though, and we don't have rabbits anymore.

        We did love them, and they were fully vaccinated.

  • ChocStrawberries on 27/02/2022 - 09:50
    +4

    As another option, rats make awesome pets. My family inherited a female rat when I was 11, and she lived for 6 years with us - which is way longer than rats are meant to live! She was like a puppy, used to follow us around the house, liked to sit on our shoulder or in our lap while we watched TV. Really easy to care for - clean sawdust or paper-based cat litter in the bottom of their cage each day (to avoid any smell), a few toys to keep them busy, and they don't need special pet food, just fruit/veg and some boiled eggs or othr protein (Google for a list of things to NOT feed them). They are super intelligent, and can learn tricks. Our rat was amazing. I went on to have a few as an adult, until I met my husband who refused to get a rodent as a pet - he hates them! But if you're not opposed to them, they are really great pets. Just remember though - if you're buying two, make sure they're both female!!! Two males will just fight, and one of each…well…avoid that unless you want LOTS of pet rats. ;)

    Sorry pegaxs - I must have been typing at the same time! Basically just a +1 from me then! ;)

    • Bargain-er on 27/02/2022 - 10:12

      Thanks for the tips… As i said, not a fan of rodents but any link for a good looking domestic rat? Thanks

      • ChocStrawberries on 27/02/2022 - 10:34

        Good looking? They're all pretty similar, just different markings. The most common are the hooded ones, but some have patches or spots. I know there are some "fancy" breeds out there like Sphynx (no hair), Manx (no tail), Dumbo (bigger ears), but they'd be stupidly overpriced - if you can even find them in Australia. I once had a "blue" hooded rat (blue/grey fur instead of the usual dark brown), which was really pretty, but never saw one again.

    • pegaxs on 27/02/2022 - 10:50
      +2

      Here, take my upvote! Rats are a very underestimated pet that if people just got a chance to be around some, they would change their mind.

      My rats have converted a lot of people into changing their opinions of domesticated rats. The size of a guinea pig with the brains of a Kelpie and hearts as big as a Labrador. (And the cunning of a thief and the fluidity of water…)

      • wizzy on 27/02/2022 - 11:45

        I would be ok with having a rat, but my experience of having pet mice is that they poo constantly. Is there anything you can do to train them not to poo on you?

        • pegaxs on 27/02/2022 - 12:47
          +1

          Yes. I have my rats trained to only poo on their potty area. I have a box set up in the corner of their cage and they use it about 90% of the time. My rats are allowed free road of their bench space with an open cage while ever i am home and I have never some home to them peeing or pooping anywhere other than either in their toilet box or in the bottom of their cage.

          Rats don't poop as much as mice do. Mice have an extremely short digestive tract and food goes though them rather quickly. As I said above, mice are also more ambivalent to humans. They know we exist, but they dont care that much about it. They will also just pee and poop as they require. Rats are a lot more conscience of who we are and generally I dont get pooped on by my rats, at all. I will get the odd "dot" or two of pee when they get excited, but that's why I don't wear my good Sunday church clothes while handling either the mice or the rats.

          And rat/mouse poop is not the same as cat or dog poop. There is or should be no meat in their diets, so rodent poop is more like rabbit or other herbivore poop. It doesn't stink and like anything, after handling any animals, you should wash any part of your body they come in contact with.

          • wizzy on 27/02/2022 - 16:57

            @pegaxs: Thanks. This is good to know.

          • ChocStrawberries on 28/02/2022 - 21:52

            @pegaxs: Haha! I was going to mention the wee drops. Nothing more annoying than getting dressed up to out, and having to do a spot clean or whole outfit change because of an excited pee. ;)

  • AndyC1 on 27/02/2022 - 09:54
    +1

    Rabbits dig and need to be vaxed otherwise they are like any other pet and need to be looked after. If you let rabbits out then they will run away or dig your yard up.

  • holdenmg on 27/02/2022 - 10:22
    -1

    ¿Por qué no los dos?

    • pegaxs on 27/02/2022 - 14:52
      +2

      Because you would need to separate them. Guinea pigs are notoriously defensive of their area. Rabbits are the same. They do not get along with each other if they are introduced as adults. Hell, guinea pigs doint even like other guinea pigs that are new to the clan.

      Also, guinea pigs can catch diseases from rabbits. So, you run the risk or cross contaminating them if you have both.

      Added to that, they are similar to look after, but both have their special needs. They both need different habitats to live in, as rabbits are burrowers and want to live under ground. Guinea pigs live above ground and like hiding in hollowed out logs.

      Why not both? Because it's twice the amount of work with two different species with their own special needs.

  • ihbh on 27/02/2022 - 10:32

    Guinea Pigs

    If you have a yard, put them there with shelter during the day, or cut some grass for them and give them veg scraps and that's all their food costs covered. You should get two to keep each other company and make sure they're not exposed to too much heat such as a typical Aussie summer.

  • SF3 on 27/02/2022 - 10:40
    +5

    Get her a Tamagotchi instead.

  • afoveht on 27/02/2022 - 10:48
    +8

    If you're an "animal lover" then don't go buying "new" animals. Rather find someone who wants to get rid of theirs and take them on. (Adopt, don't shop.)

    Even better teach your kid that animals are sentient beings like us and we shouldn't just go out and get one on a whim.

    • pe arl on 27/02/2022 - 11:45
      +2

      This. Check animal shelters too, some of the bigger ones have rabbits.
      To OP, I don't think they normally die from being held too much, but they do get stressed easily and that can contribute. When I was little I didn't know how to handle animals even though I loved them, and thinking back I regret a lot of things I did eg. chasing them around, picking them up when they clearly didn't want to be picked up, stressing them out and being annoying, constantly disturbing their peace and quiet etc., so it'd be good to supervise and teach your kids about these things.
      Also if you have a lot of electrical cables lying on the floor most rabbits will gnaw right through them.

    • wizzy on 27/02/2022 - 11:47
      +1

      Yes I agree. Always rescue pets. There are so many that need homes, and there is no need to support the pet industry.

  • pharkurnell on 27/02/2022 - 10:54
    +3

    Just got a Bearded Dragon at home… dudes full of character and easy to maintain..

    • Christown on 27/02/2022 - 11:55

      I'm jealous! I'd love to have a beardy. The wife is terrified of lizards though.

      • Muzeeb on 27/02/2022 - 12:05
        +3

        Time for a new wife?

        • pharkurnell on 27/02/2022 - 12:19
          +2

          Without doubt… this time dont sign lease papers.. just use it as required… once you sign the lease papers, divorce is horribly expensive.
          PS.. dragon is much cheaper to keep than a wife.. ;)

  • star-ggg on 27/02/2022 - 15:52

    I had guinea pigs as a kid. They are very easy to keep if you have a little yard for them to run around in. Mine would free roam during the day and we put them back into the cage at night. They kept the grass nicely trimmed down. Their poo are dry pellets that you can leave to decompose naturally in the yard. I've read rabbits are quite a handful and never had any issues with guinea pigs. Mine lived about 10 years. If I had kids I would definitely consider keeping them as pets again. I think they are a very good low maintenance introductory pet (if given sufficient space).

  • Mosher on 27/02/2022 - 19:39

    Get the kid a pet rock

  • kranix on 27/02/2022 - 20:00
    -1

    If you love animals like you say you do, don't get a rabbit.

    Rabbits are one of Australia's most destructive pest animals. They have a significant negative and costly impact on agriculture through overgrazing and they endanger many threatened plant species and ecological communities.

  • MessyG on 27/02/2022 - 20:28
    +2

    I would prefer guinea pigs although we had trouble with dogs attacking them as kids, and them dying randomly. Have you looked into chickens? Free eggs!

  • Oz em on 27/02/2022 - 20:29

    I have a hand raised rabbit. She’s lovely and we adore her but she’s also such hard work.
    She’s litter trained and has a pen inside and a run outside. Magpies try to eat her or she could run around the backyard but they are very hard to catch to bring back inside. The pen takes up a lot of space.
    She needs to be desexed because she will bite on occasion or jump at us. She also needs vaccination as they have released the mosquito virus.

    I actually think a puppy would be easier.

  • Rawr_ on 27/02/2022 - 21:21
    +1

    I personally don't think guinea pigs are low maintenance. I've had them most of my life, and I shake my head at how I used to care for them as a kid! I've picked up a lot over the years, and hopefully my piggies are now getting the life they deserve.
    My cat takes a quarter of the time to look after if that, in the daily routine!

    Pigs are also not usually that sociable with humans. Most prefer company of their own kind, so playing with them can just stress them out. I don't think they are a great pet for kids in most cases.

    I also had rats and rabbits as a kid.

    Rats are definitely more interactive. I had a large rabbit who was very gentle. We did not keep him inside though, so I'm not sure how easy it is to house train. My friends had dwarf rabbits and they were grumpy lil things! Always tried to nip your fingers. I imagine they are not all like that though :)

  • ldt on 27/02/2022 - 21:44
    +1

    I currently have 2 rabbits and 5 Guinea Pigs.

    The Guinea pigs are MUCH easier to look after. They need feeding and cleaning and that’s it. My oldest is 8 years old, but I have lost 2 (one at 6 and one at 2.5). I have had to take them to the vets a few times but overall not a lot.
    2 of mine were born in my house, but I had no issues keeping them alive!

    The rabbits live out in an external hallway, and it fills with their poo after about 24 hours. They also should be let out into a bigger space once a day and I then have to sit and supervise or they would eat all my plants.
    Mine were both rescued from the street so don’t really like being held but they are friendly and full of personality. Holding them doesn’t hurt them at all.
    I have to take them to the vets all the time for checkups and I had to get one the chop because they were fighting as they’re both males.

    Let me know if you have any further questions, but I hope that helps.

  • kachi on 27/02/2022 - 22:27

    We have had rabbits, definitely not 'low maintenance' :(. They are a lot of work, like from diet to pretty constant supervision, companionship and observation. Vets are not as easily accessible due to not every vet being more specialised in exotics/rabbits, even still I think there is still much to be learned about exotics… IMO rabbits get shocked easily and probably could even get scared to the point they have some sort of serious issue from it like an attack of some sort, so I personally would not recommend them as an animal to be around younger children, maybe at least responsible teenagers?

    We had to recently euthanise our old girl as she was infected with myxomatosis, an introduced virus here. I am still devastated and feel so much sadness. There is no vaccine to prevent this in Australia as they won't allow it. It is a virus used to reduce/try to exterminate the wild rabbit population but can also harm domestic pets through transmission via insects, like mosquitos.

    They are wonderful animals but a lot of work to care for them, and a number of rabbit virus aren't really treatable/no vaccine here and only euthanasia is the option.

    I don't think I can own any rabbits anymore after having one infected with a virus…it is really horrible and I think the experience has really scarred me. Maybe even pets in general. I am so sad for domestic and wild rabbits because the way the virus makes them suffer is really inhumane. They are prey animals, hide their sickness and stay quiet until the end :(

  • Aerith-Waifu on 27/02/2022 - 22:35

    Guinea Pig or Bunny is not for those who have not had a pet before, they need so much attention and maintenance .

    We had a pet mice, died at 8 months, cutest little thing, one thing about them they do need a lot of maintenance , changing straw is a must every day or every 2 days, they require a lot of play time so make sure you spend times with them.

    Now I have a budgie, again, lots of play time with budgie also but less messy however you do need to wipe away their poop everyday since she is free the wonder the house most of the time.

  • HappyPuppies on 28/02/2022 - 00:07
    +5

    Have you thought about chickens? If you look up silkies they are quite good with children. You get fertilizer for the vege patch, and eggs for breakfast.

  • Bargain-er on 28/02/2022 - 07:01

    Thanks very much guys, for all inputs/feedback. Appreciate it.

  • sweetchilli on 28/02/2022 - 09:12

    My partner conned me into getting guinea pigs, at first I was against it as I didn't like them and I wanted a dog but now we have 2 rex's and an american and they're awesome.
    I wanted rabbits but from the friends that have owned them they said they've messy as.
    Our pigs are sociable so we can pick them up pat them without stressing them out, we put the in the lounge room and they don't shit everywhere but we've kinda trained them. When they're on the floor we put a towel down and they do their business on that and in their cages we put a towel down and that's where they do their business as well, it all comes down to how to handle them. Only thing for maintenance we spot clean them every night and do a full cage clean every 3-4 days which takes about 5 minutes, they eat fresh veggies, grass and guinea pig and rabbit mix/ pellets, we bought ours at around 8 weeks old.

  • robbie613 on 28/02/2022 - 09:39
    +1

    I had 3 - 4 guinea pigs growing up for at least 4 years without any of them having health problems. They were so low maintenance, just clip their nails, give them water, clean their hutch and play with them. We had a lawn so we'd just rotate the hutch and they would eat the the grass. Maybe buy from a more reputable breeder to start with, or have them checked out with a vet initially to make sure they are healthy. Rabbits are more maintenance IMO but are a bit cuter for your daughter =)

    • Bargain-er on 28/02/2022 - 10:47

      Any suggestion re: breeder? Thanks for your comment

  • goat3584 on 28/02/2022 - 10:41

    Have two Netherlands dwarf rabbits (black otters) that we got about 4 months ago after our dog (spoodle) passed away. We had the thought of a pet that would be easier to maintain and look after for my two girls (8 and 9). Our experiences so far
    - As others have mentioned they poop every where even though they are trained to use the cat litter tray.
    - They have escaped our backyard at least 5 times, they will find any little gap and make their way through. Very difficult to catch as they are quick!
    - They love to dig holes, especially under my tomato plants!
    - They generally love to do their own thing.
    - Need to constantly clean the hutch or it stinks.
    IMO the kids love them and we will keep them but I would of much preferred to get another dog. Once trained the dog is so much easier and provided alot more affection as a pet.

    • spasto on 28/02/2022 - 23:57

      Easier to litter train when the rabbits are desexed. Ours are super clean - we rarely see any poop outside of their litter trays.

      Try restricting them in one area of the garden and place a wire mesh on top of the lawn to prevent digging. Obviously they need to be enclosed in fences (min 60 cm height).

      Use wood litter and replace them every 2-3 days to reduce smell. But first, desex them and restrict their movement until they are fully litter trained. Shouldn’t take longer than 10 days.

  • KaraZorEl on 28/02/2022 - 10:43

    Partner and I have been debating pets recently for our 6-year old. As two people who have never had pets, we are a bit skeptic. Lots of helpful comments in this post. I was leaning towards fish.

    • Bargain-er on 28/02/2022 - 10:46

      Had fish, last forever but at the end kids want something to cuddle/hug. And as i mentioned, I don't like rodents but still heart breaking watching the piggies died… We re going back to the drawing board.

  • OzHunterNSW on 28/02/2022 - 11:45
    -1

    Rabbits just sit there…. munching away on the expensive lettuce you have to buy each and every day.

    The Guinea Pig is cute, cheaper to house, clean, feed, and they are fun. Get a "running wheel" for them.

  • Herbse on 28/02/2022 - 12:36

    In the ratio of ease to look after vs companionship of a pet. IMO, Guinea pigs are a good balance.

    Anything easier like insects, reptiles, fish are fun to look at but you can't really cuddle them in think.
    And bigger pets like rabbits, weasels, cats etc start requiring more, space, work and money to maintain.

    Pigs enjoy being in their cage and can be affectionate if you want them to be or can be left alone to themselves if you prefer.
    They eat a shitload of hay and poop a lot, but I prefer hay pellets over any meat poops younger from other animals

  • lltravel on 28/02/2022 - 14:36
    -6

    Op please do not buy any more pets

    You've killed 3 already, haven't you learnt your lesson?

    Its clear you're not suited to these kind of pets

  • jv on 28/02/2022 - 15:43

    Guinea Pig or Bunny as a Pet

    Try this… Easy to look after…

  • AssamLaksa on 28/02/2022 - 17:34
    +1

    Is there a reason you are not considering a more commonly available pet like a cat? In terms of maintenance I think cats are really easy. No cage cleaning etc. Just scoop their poop once a day and litter box clean weekly.

    There are heaps available in the shelter for adoption and are very sturdy animals. Cats are pretty good starter pets IMHO

    Source : Am cat owner

    • Bargain-er on 28/02/2022 - 18:23

      It's a possibility now 😅 We're going back to drawing board.

      • AssamLaksa on 28/02/2022 - 18:37
        +2

        As a cat owner, I highly recommend a cat lol.

        You can adopt kittens from shelters/rescue easily too if you wanted to watch them grow up. Need a bit more work with kittens than adult cats but they are less fragile than baby guineas/rabbits I believe

        I adopted an adult cat from a rescue and she is barely any more work at all, very chill but likes getting pats/cuddles. Minds her own business (e.g. sleeps) when we aren't home and generally calm and super quiet.

      • Payne on 01/03/2022 - 12:44

        Yep, adopt a kitten and train it to be indoors. If you train it well, it'll be the cutest, cuddliest thing ever. I've got one of my girls on my lap at the moment and she's smooching my nose 😽

  • sheebies on 28/02/2022 - 20:51

    My 7 year old had a rabbit, we had it for 7 months before we found it dead in its cage. It was very sad..

    Rabbits chew.. a lot. It chewed its wooden cage, it chewed the carpet, it chewed my hair straightener cable lol. It needed a variety of vegetables every day to eat, it required pellets, it flicked poo everywhere and it was an escape artist, we would come home and find it randomly in the lounge room or the hallway.

    You should get a rabbit vaccinated against viruses, they’re sensitive to cold and heat and oh so high maintenance. I would honestly get a cat or something over a rabbit again. It was too much heart break when bunny died.

  • apu on 28/02/2022 - 22:04

    Did you buy these GPs from gumtree by any chance? Not worth the risk with backyard breeders, plus you don’t know if they are pregnant.

    We have had pigs from a breeder for 18 months no issues. Suggest you buy from a breeder next time (cost is not much more). Check out the cavy club. If you are in the east, there are breeders in Doncaster, Greensborough and Mt Waverley.

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