Popular Rodent Pets

Rodents are small to medium-sized mammals with big front teeth that never stop growing, and many of them make wonderful pets. Some, like rats and guinea pigs, are perfect for families, while others are unusual animals that only experienced keepers should look after. Here is a guide to the most popular rodent pets and what each one is really like to live with.

What Is a Rodent?

Rodents belong to the order Rodentia, the largest group of mammals on Earth, with more than 2,000 species. Squirrels (including ground squirrels), beavers, porcupines, rats, mice, hamsters and guinea pigs are all rodents. Despite their name, guinea pigs are not related to pigs at all.

Every rodent has two pairs of sharp front teeth called incisors, one pair on top and one on the bottom. These teeth grow all through the animal’s life and are worn down by gnawing. That is why pet rodents always need safe things to chew, such as hay, wooden chews and cardboard. Most rodents eat mainly plants and seeds, but some also eat insects and other foods.

The Best Rodent Pets for Families

For most families, the easiest and friendliest rodent pets are rats, guinea pigs, gerbils, hamsters and mice. They are widely available, well understood by vets, and happy living in a home.

• Rats are clever, playful and love attention. Many people think they are the best rodent pet of all.
• Guinea pigs are gentle and chatty, and they rarely bite. They squeak and whistle loudly when they hear the fridge door or see their favorite snack.
• Hamsters are small and cute, but they are mostly active at night and can nip if woken suddenly, so they suit older children best.
• Gerbils and mice are busy and fun to watch, and they need to live with friends of their own kind.

Whichever pet you choose, an adult should always be involved in its care, and every rodent needs a roomy cage, daily food and water, and a vet who knows small animals.

Gerbils

Gerbils are curious, active little rodents that come in many colors. There are around 100 species of gerbil in the wild, but almost all pet gerbils are Mongolian gerbils. They rarely bite, love to dig, and should be kept in pairs or small groups of the same sex. A tank with deep bedding lets them make tunnels just like they would in the wild.

Guinea Pigs

The guinea pig (Cavia porcellus), also called a cavy, comes originally from the Andes Mountains of South America. Adults weigh about 700 to 1,200 g (1.5 to 2.6 lb), are about 20 to 25 cm (8 to 10 in) long, and usually live for 5 to 7 years, sometimes 8 or more.

Guinea pigs are social and should live with at least one other guinea pig. They need lots of fresh hay, some fresh vegetables every day, and extra vitamin C, because, like people, they cannot make their own.

Hamsters

Hamsters belong to the family Cricetidae. They are most active around dusk, at night and around dawn, and in the wild they spend the day safely underground in burrows. Pet hamsters need a large cage or tank with deep bedding, a wheel of the right size, and places to hide.

A good hamster diet is a quality hamster mix or pellets with small amounts of fresh vegetables. Interacting gently with your hamster every evening helps it become tame and trusting. Three popular kinds are described below.

Golden (Syrian) Hamster

The golden hamster, or Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus), is the most common pet hamster. Adults are about 13 to 18 cm (5 to 7 in) long and usually live 2 to 3 years. Like other hamsters, they have stretchy cheek pouches that reach back to their shoulders, which they use to carry food back to their stores.

Syrian hamsters must live alone, because adults fight. In the wild they are found in a small area of Syria and Turkey, where they are now threatened by farming and habitat loss. Their sense of smell is strong and their lungs are delicate, so keep the cage clean and use dust-free bedding. Wash your hands before and after handling them.

Campbell’s Dwarf Hamster

Campbell’s dwarf hamsters are small, round hamsters from the grasslands of Central Asia. They come in several colors, including the natural gray-brown, as well as albino, argente (sandy orange), black and mottled forms. They can be quicker to nip than other hamsters, so handle them calmly and gently. Choose the largest cage you can, and make sure the bars are close enough together that they cannot squeeze out.

Chinese Hamster

The Chinese hamster (Cricetulus griseus) is slimmer and longer than other hamsters, with a slightly longer tail, and looks a little like a mouse. Adults are about 10 cm (4 in) long. Once tame, they are gentle and love to climb along their owner’s hands and sleeves. In some places, such as California, keeping Chinese hamsters is not allowed, so check your local rules.

Fancy Rats

The fancy rat is the pet form of the brown rat (Rattus norvegicus). Pet rats are very intelligent and can learn their names, come when called and even do tricks. They are full of energy and love to explore, climb and play with their owners.

A fancy rat’s body is about 15 to 28 cm (6 to 11 in) long, with a tail about the same length. Females weigh around 250 to 450 g, while some males reach 500 g or more. They usually live 2 to 3 years. Rats should live in pairs or groups of the same sex, in a large cage with shelves, ropes and hammocks. They have excellent hearing and can be startled by loud noises, so speak softly and be patient while they get used to you.

Mice

A mouse is a small rodent with a pointed snout, round ears and a long, almost hairless tail. The house mouse (Mus musculus) is the species kept as a pet, in many colors and coat types. Pet mice are lively and fun to watch. Female mice are happiest in small groups, while males usually need to live alone because they fight. Mice live about 1.5 to 2.5 years.

Chinchillas

Chinchillas come from the Andes Mountains of South America and have the softest, densest fur of any land mammal. Pet chinchillas come in colors such as standard gray, white, beige, black velvet, ebony, violet and sapphire.

Chinchillas are gentle but shy, and they usually don’t like being held for long. If they are handled kindly from a young age, they become calm and friendly. They need a tall cage, a diet mainly of hay, and a dust bath a few times a week to keep their fur clean, because water makes their fur clump. They can live 10 to 15 years or longer, so they are a long commitment.

Degus

The degu (Octodon degus) comes from Chile and is sometimes called the brush-tailed rat. Adults weigh about 170 to 300 g (6 to 10.5 oz). Their fur is yellow-brown on top and creamy underneath, with a pale ring around each eye, and the long thin tail ends in a dark tuft.

Degus are active in the daytime and are very social, so keep them in pairs or groups. Never pick a degu up by its tail, because the skin can come off. Instead, scoop it up gently with a cupped hand on each side of its body. Degus easily develop diabetes, so they should never be fed sugary treats or fruit.

Unusual and Exotic Rodent Pets

The animals below are sometimes kept by experienced keepers or in zoos. Many are wild animals that need special housing, diets and vet care, and in some countries or states it is illegal to keep them without a license. They are not good choices for a first pet.

Acacia Rats

Acacia rats (Thallomys) are African tree rats that get their name from living in acacia trees. They have a body about 12 to 16 cm long, a long brown tail of 13 to 21 cm, and weigh about 50 to 100 g. They are still fairly unusual as pets. In captivity they can live about 3 to 5 years and can become quite tame with gentle handling.

African Dormice

African dormice (Graphiurus), often sold as African pygmy dormice, are tiny, fast-moving rodents with fluffy tails. They are active at night and are so quick that they are much better to watch than to handle. Keepers usually move them only when cleaning their enclosure, when the dormice are sleepy during the day.

African Ground Squirrels

African ground squirrels belong to the genus Xerus and live in the dry grasslands and scrub of Africa. Anyone who keeps an African ground squirrel has to care for it for its whole life. Pet squirrels cannot simply be released into the wild, because they would not know how to survive.

Agoutis

Agoutis (genus Dasyprocta) are long-legged rodents from the forests of Central and South America, with around a dozen species. Each hair on their coat has light and dark bands, a pattern that is now called “agouti” in many other animals too. They are about the size of a large rabbit and weigh a few kilograms. Agoutis are important to rainforests because they bury seeds, which later grow into new trees. They need lots of space and are best left to zoos.

Bushy-Tailed Jird

The bushy-tailed jird (Sekeetamys calurus) is the only member of its genus. It lives in rocky deserts in Egypt and the Middle East. It is about the size of a Mongolian gerbil but slimmer, with a long pointed face, long whiskers and, as its name says, a bushy tail. Its head and body are about 10 to 13 cm long, and its tail is longer still. Bushy-tailed jirds are usually friendly, seldom bite and may take food from your hand.

Capybaras

The capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) is the largest rodent in the world. A big adult can weigh as much as a grown person. Capybaras come from South America and live near rivers and swamps. They have webbed feet, are excellent swimmers, and even mate in the water.

Capybaras have a barrel-shaped body, a blunt head and reddish-brown to yellowish-brown fur. They are very social and get lonely without company. Because they need a large pen, a pool, other capybaras and a specialist vet, they are not practical pets, and keeping them is illegal in many places.

Emin’s Pouched Rat

Emin’s pouched rat (Cricetomys emini) is a very large African rat with cheek pouches, closely related to the Gambian pouched rat. It is sleek and muscular and a good climber. Pouched rats can become tame if handled from a young age, but they are big and strong, so approach them calmly and don’t startle them. Their cousins, Gambian pouched rats, are famous for being trained to sniff out landmines. Many countries limit the import of African rodents for health reasons.

Flying Squirrels

Flying squirrels are a group of about 50 species of squirrel. They cannot really fly like birds or bats. Instead they glide from tree to tree using a furry flap of skin that stretches between their front and back legs, which works like a parachute. They are active at night. Flying squirrels raised by people from a young age can become very attached to their owners and may even ride around in a pocket. In many places, a permit is needed to keep one.

Greater Egyptian Jerboa

The greater Egyptian jerboa (Jaculus orientalis) lives in the deserts of North Africa and the Middle East. It looks like a mix of different animals: it hops on very long back legs like a tiny kangaroo, has short front legs with claws for digging, large eyes and ears, sandy fur and a long tail with a tuft at the end. These features help it survive the heat and spot danger. Jerboas are shy and nervous, and they are not considered good pets.

Harvest Mouse

The harvest mouse (Micromys minutus) is one of the smallest rodents in the world, found across Europe and Asia, including Britain. Its body is only about 5 to 7 cm long and it weighs about 4 to 6 grams, about the same as one or two sugar cubes. It has a blunt nose, small hairy ears, orange-brown fur with a white belly, and a prehensile tail that can grip grass stems like an extra hand. Harvest mice are lovely to watch weaving their ball-shaped nests, but they are too tiny and quick to handle.

Nile Rat

The Nile rat, also called the African grass rat, has a short, stocky body and coarse fur that is tawny to grayish-brown, with black and yellow flecked hairs along its sides. Unlike most rats, it is active during the day. Nile rats are not aggressive and are usually easy to handle, though they may bite if frightened. Scientists also study them to learn about diabetes.

Patagonian Mara

The Patagonian mara (Dolichotis patagonum), also called the Patagonian cavy or Patagonian hare, is a large relative of the guinea pig from Argentina. With its long legs and big ears, it looks rather like a hare or a small deer. Its back legs are longer and stronger than its front legs, and its feet have hoof-like claws for running. Maras usually live in pairs that stay together for life. Maras raised around people can become friendly, but they need a big outdoor enclosure.

Prairie Dogs

Prairie dogs are burrowing ground squirrels that live in huge underground “towns” in the grasslands of central and western North America. They are stocky animals about 30 to 40 cm (12 to 16 in) long including the tail, weighing about 0.5 to 1.5 kg (1 to 3 lb), and males are usually bigger than females.

Prairie dogs are very social and smart, and they may nip during play. As pets they need a lot of time, space and attention every day, because in the wild they are never alone. Their sale is restricted in some places.

Siberian Chipmunk

Siberian chipmunks have five dark stripes running down their backs, separated by lighter stripes. Including the tail they are about 18 to 25 cm long, and adults weigh about 50 to 150 g depending on the season. They are smaller than their relative the red squirrel.

Chipmunks are timid and have good memories. If something scares them, they may stay wary of you for a long time. To build trust, start by offering food through the cage bars, then slowly progress to letting them take food from your open hand. Pet chipmunks that escaped or were released have become an invasive species in parts of Europe, so they must never be let go outdoors.

Zebra Mice

Zebra mice, also called striped grass mice (Lemniscomys), come from the grasslands of Africa. They have a brownish body with dark stripes running from head to tail. Including the tail, which makes up about half their length, they measure about 18 to 29 cm (7 to 11.4 in), and they weigh about 18 to 70 g. They are fast and jumpy, so they are best for experienced keepers, but some become more relaxed and attached to their owners as they get older.

A Surprise: Not Actually a Rodent

The short-eared elephant shrew (Macroscelides proboscideus), also called the round-eared sengi, is sometimes sold alongside rodents, but it is not a rodent at all. Elephant shrews belong to their own group of mammals, and scientists have found that their closest relatives include elephants and aardvarks.

This tiny animal lives in the dry areas of southern Africa. It is about 10 to 12 cm long plus its tail and weighs only about 30 to 50 g. It has gray-brown fur, a pale belly, a long, bendy, twitching nose and long back legs that let it bound along a bit like a tiny rabbit. It eats mostly insects, and pairs stay together for life. Elephant shrews are timid and not suited to life as a pet, and many places require a special license to keep them.

Choosing the Right Rodent

Before getting any rodent, think about how much time and space you have, how long the animal lives, and whether you want a pet to cuddle or one to watch. Visit a reputable breeder or rescue, ask lots of questions, and find a vet who treats small animals. With the right choice and good care, a rodent can be a fascinating and loving companion.