Mice or Hamster for a pet

Question
Hi, We have decided to let my 8 year old son get a small pet for Christmas. I have been trying to figure out which pet --Mice or Hamster-- would be most friendly and lest likely to bite. I have read a lot on both pets, with each pet being claimed as the "best" for "not" biting or being aggressive. The pet stores we have looked at have "feeder mice" that are "tamable", but I am very leery of this. We are hoping to get a pet that is loving and playful--not aggressive or sleeping all the time. Please let me know your thoughts on which pet would be the most loving and non biting. Also, do you know where we could get a pet that has been raised by "people" not sitting in a cage at a pet store since these pets always seem skiddish and you never know what type of pet you are getting. I hope to hear from you ASAP.

Answer
Dear Alisa,

In my experience, hamsters bite.  To shore up my opinion, In the latest issue of Critters magazine (2008) (a must if you like small pets) there was a cute article about how to interact playfully with your mice and another about how to keep your hamster from biting you.  They didn't label it that, but it was 14 ways to understand your hamster's communication, and almost every one was a sign not to go near the hamster.  Still, I'm sure some people have  hamsters who don't bite.  

Hamsters are also not nearly as intelligent as mice.  Ever hear of a hamster running in a maze?  Mice are very smart.  They are also loving and know their people. Mice are sweet, friendly, interesting, intelligent, curious, creative, tenacious, and adorable.  The only advantage to a hamster over a mouse that I know of is the hamster's adorable cheek pouches!

A quick Google of 'hamster club' reveals 313,000 hits whereas 'mouse club' (without Mickey) yields 545,000 (and 'rat club' 612,000!)  There are also mouse associations, societies, etc. Interestingly enough, the mouse people I have met are 95% female, so there goes the idea that mice scare women!  

I could say a lot more about my favorite pets, so if you have any more questions, please ask.  As for getting a well-bred, beautiful mouse, there are fancy mouse breeders all over.  A fancy mouse is a show mouse-- like show cats, they have different kinds of fur length and texture, different markings, and different colors (such as blue, chocolate, champagne, fox..)-- and they are specially bred to be sweet-tempered.  

Here is one list of rat and mouse breeders:

http://www.ratster.com/breederlinks.html

Here is a long list of foster care for mice and rats who need owners.  This is a good place to start because these critters have been very well taken care of after being rescued, and the foster owner will be extremely knowledgeable about the animal and mice in general.  Do call the rat people too, because they often know of mouse resources, and mice do get surrendered to rat rescues.  I have a rabbit from a rabbit rescue and she is the most amazing rabbit ever seen.  Rescue organizations are really great places to get pets.

http://www.rmca.org/Rescue/orphans/index.php?method=showhtmllist&list=adoptionsc...

Why so much about rats?  Well, rats make awesome pets.  Although fancy rats haven't been around as long as fancy mice (40 years vs ~4000 years), they are such a terrific pet that the ownership of rats is increasing exponentially.  Although many of us are socialized to be afraid of rats, no one who has met a tame rat can help wanting to have one of their own.  They are so smart.  They can be kept a lot like cats and they are as loving.  When I have a big enough apartment I will definitely get a rat!!  There is a lovely article in the same Critters magazine (2008) about rats.  But enough about rats.  

Important mouse clubs (for information & contacts):

http://www.rmca.org/

http://www.eastcoastmice.com/

http://www.afrma.org/

You can also join a Yahoo! or other group about mice and ask about where to get mice.  One active club is Mouse, which is a group of mouse breeders in the New England area.  This is where I met my breeder.  You can post questions and they will be answered.  

You do not have to get a mouse from a breeder, though.  If your pet store is clean, its animals look healthy and are not overcrowded, and the help seems to know what they are talking about, you can get a nice mouse at a pet store.  Ask if they are hand-tame; they usually are.  Pet store mice are if anything, a little more clever and awake than fancy or show mice.  And many of the pretty colors of the fancy mice have ended up in the gene pool of pet store mice, so you can get a very pretty mouse.  But wait!  Don't get just one!

Crucial to mouse care is to keep mouse company.  Mice are happiest living with friends.  The sad thing about male mice is that they usually can't live together because they fight; thus they usually have to live alone.  If you are set on getting just one mouse, then it makes sense to get a male.  But if you may want more than one, I always suggest three females, so that when one dies, the others don't get sick from depression.  Then you can replace the third at your leisure.  But two is a fine number too.  When you have a single mouse you must give it lots of love and attention.  

Although a mouse is a low-maintenance pet as compared to a cat, dog, or rabbit, they do need love and attention, as opposed to a snake, reptile, or fish.    The intelligence of a mouse makes it especially needy for interesting things to do.  I guess in this case the difference between the hamster and mouse is if you want a clever, active, loving, interactive pet, choose a mouse, but if all you want is a cute furry pet a hamster will do.

Have lots of fun with your new critter!  

squeaks n giggles,

Natasha