what to get my son

Question
hi my 11 year old son wants a small animal really bad.we already have 2
guinea pigs and 2 cats.i said i would get him a dog but he is not as thrilled.
out of 1 i think male chinchilla which ever gender is better, 2 rabbits whatever
gender is better, or 2 female rats. which has the least odor and not to much
maintenance but will be a good playful and social pet.
PS i wold get sugar gliders because we both have read a lot about them but
in CA they are illegal like hedgehogs and ferrets

Answer
Hi Lori,

Chinchillas don't really have a smell to either sex.  Females are better because they are a lot easier to be able to pair up with another of the same sex.  Chinchillas, however, need a multi-level cage, require several dust baths a week and requires at least an hour of play time a day.  They can be sweet and affectionate but they shouldn't be picked up because their ribs are very fragile and can break very easily.  They are not really a pet that can be handled too often.  They also require a cool area all the time.  They should never be in a room that is over 70 degrees or they can get heat stroke and die rather quickly. They have a lifespan of about 7 years.

Rabbits also are not a naturally smelly animal.  Females are the best as far as pairs.  They aren't as aggressive as males are.   They require regular grooming because they can get hairballs like a cat except they can't vomit so it gets stuck and can cause health problems.  They should also have at least an hour of playtime out of their cage.  A good thing about rabbits is that they are easily litter trained.  So they can play around your house and go to the bathroom in their litter pan.  They need a constant supply of hay.  They also can be pretty sweet animals. They also can live 7-8 years.

Female rats don't have a natural odor either.  They require exercise out of their cage daily. They can be very sweet and affectionate.  Your son can also teach them tricks because of how smart they are.  They are probably the least maintenance of all the animals you listed but of course, they do have a short life span. The shortest out of all of them. which is roughly 2 years.

Unfortunately, I don't know what you personally see as high maintenance or not.  All I can do is give you very basic details about them and let you make your own choice.  I hope this helps.