which should i get?

Question
I am getting a pet soon, but i haven't quite decided which kind to get. I am trying to decide between a Robo Dwarf hamster, or a gerbil. I'm going to be taking care of them with my 14 year ol brother ( i'm 12). WE've had fish before, but nothing else. It seems that Dwarf hamsters are more work, though. Also, where would i get a tank for them? Can they live in a 30 gallon fish aqarium?

Answer
Hi Jessie

This is a difficult question to answer because they are such different animals.

I'm not sure how big a 30 gallon fish aquarium is - it sounds big!!

The point I think is worth making is that I would definitely recommend that whichever animal you decide to get you look at getting more than one.  Providing they are the same sex, are related and have never been separated then they should be OK to live together.  There is always a danger they will fight and if this happens you would need to separate them, but often they are fine.  In the wild dwarf hamsters and gerbils both live in colonies and they seem to do well if they are in pairs or groups (but do double-check the sexes so that you don't end up with a litter).

The number of gerbils or dwarf hamsters you get would really depend on the size of the tank.  Tanks are good for both of them.  

Gerbils like to shred loads of cardboard and burrow in it and therefore a glass tank is ideal as they can make their nest quite deep.  They are generally very clean animals and only need cleaning out every couple of weeks, and even then I tend to only remove any soiled bedding and if their shredded nest gets a bit too large I take some of it out.  

Robos are incredibly fast and love running around - therefore a tank is good for them so that they can have lots of tubes etc to run through.  They tend to make a circuit on the base of their cage and love to have lots of 'houses' and other containers that they can run in or sleep in.

Hamsters often need cleaning out weekly but if they only soil one corner of their cage you might get away with cleaning this soiled area daily and the rest of the cage every couple of weeks.

My gerbils are in a tank that is about 16" (41cm) deep which is deep enough for cleaning out.  Any deeper than this and it could be a bit difficult cleaning them out.

Because dwarf hamsters don't climb a low level tank is fine for them.  The more floor space they have the better, rather than a tall cage/tank.

In terms of suggesting which one is best - that is impossible.  i think that if you ask a number of people they will all have different views.  Robos are fun but you really need to have a few to make them entertaining.  They can be incredibly difficult to handle because they are so fast.

Gerbils are fast and can be hard to handle as they really don't want to sit still.  They are entertaining because they love shredding so it is important to make sure they have a constant supply of cardboard (i get all my neighbours and colleagues to save their toilet rolls for them).

If you were looking for a small pet that is easier to handle, then a Syrian hamster would be the best option.  These are solitary and must live alone so you would only need to get one.  They also need large wire cages so that they can climb, and to fit a large wheel in (most standard wheels in cages are too small for adult syrians).  They are quite easy to tame and once tame most can be handled.

If you can't decide which to get, then have you a got a pet rescue near by that you could visit?  The pet rescue I foster for (based near Beckenham, Kent) is often looking out for foster homes.  These are homes where hamsters/gerbils can go and live for a few weeks and then they are given back to the rescue for them to rehome permanently.  As a foster home I ensure the animals are well looked after and handled a lot, but sometimes i fall in love with them and offer them a permanent home.  If you have somewhere like this they may let you 'borrow' a tank of gerbils or robos for a couple of weeks so that you can see which you prefer.

I hope this helps you.

regards
Sheila