Pets are adorable as the part and parcel of our lives. They give us companionship and reduce our loneliness. They live with us as family members. There are different kinds of pets, although small pets are most precious to nurture. Hamster, Guinea pig, Rabbit, Gerbil, and Chinchilla are popular pets. All of them look beautiful with their distinct traits and have numerous advantages. So, do you want to choose your pet among them and are confused about which one should you choose?
Surely, you are in a wavering mind. Because there are considerable similarities and dissimilarities among pets which leave you in a puzzle to choose a particular one.
So, here in this article, we are going to give you some common information about hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits, and chinchillas by comparing them to each other. We hope that you can choose your desired pet from the comparison we are going to make.
Hamster vs Guinea pig
Hamster and Guinea pigs have different characteristics. According to the environment, their fostering systems vary. They have particular advantages and disadvantages. Let’s know about them.
The characteristics of hamster are:
As a pet, Hamster is really delicate and it is a small pet. Its weight is almost 0.8 to 3.5 ounces. Like a little animal, it does not need a huge cage. A 12 to the 18-inch cage is suitable for it.
A hamster is an unsocial animal. It loves living in a solitary space. It makes little noise and moves soundly. So, hamster cages should be housed in a quiet place of indoors.
As a peaceful creature, the hamster leads a very sober life. It doesn’t mess its cage shortly. So, it is enough to clean its cage once or twice a week.
Hamster is an omnivorous animal. It likes to eat both animal materials and fresh vegetables. Moreover, it eats dry foods and fruits. To know more about hamsters food, go here.
Though it is restful, it is swift. Even, sometimes it can be quite aggressive. It may bite when it feels unsafe.
The lifespan of the hamster is very short. It lives for two or three years. So, it needs subtle attention. Proper care can make it quite tame.
A hamster is a nocturnal animal. It awakes in the morning and most of the time during the night. At that time, it squeaks.
The characteristics of Guinea pig are:
A Guinea pig is larger than a hamster. It weighs 2 to 4 pounds. It can live both indoors and outdoors if the weather suits it.
Unlike hamsters, Guinea pig is very social in nature. It likes to live in pairs. Even it can live in a cage with other animals. For its activities, a larger cage is needed for it.
Pellets, vegetables, and hay are the fundamental foods for a Guinea pig. You should give it vitamin C. It eats so many times in a day. For more foods, it makes the place dirty. So, the guinea pig cage needs to be cleaned up several times.
A Guinea pig lives a long life than a hamster lives. Its lifespan is almost 5 to 8 years. For this reason, it needs regular care. You have to interact with it. If you are in a limited time, the Guinea pig is not favorable for you.
Since it is known for its courteous temperament, it bites rarely.
From the characteristics mentioned above, it is clear that there are various dissimilarities between a hamster and a guinea pig, now, it is your time to choose your preferred pet.
Gerbil vs Hamster vs Guinea pig
If you are facing a problem in choosing your pet from Gerbil or Hamster or Guinea pig, which one will you like? As we characterized hamster and guinea pig earlier, now you have to know about the Gerbil.
The Characteristics of Gerbil Are:
Like hamsters, Gerbil is a small and cuddly pet. It weighs only 2 or 3 ounces. If you want a small pet, you can adopt a hamster or gerbil. Moreover, gerbil and hamsters, both are inexpensive. A gerbil lives typically 2 to 3 years like a hamster.
In this lifespan, it is very swift and agile. Most of the time, it plays and runs. But its temperament is cool. Gerbil is a social pet. It loves to live in pairs. As it is very active and playful, it needs a larger cage.
In this case, the guinea pig is similar to it. You can choose which one you like. In the gerbil cages, keeping a nest box would be better for it. Gerbil likes to sleep in a box. Remember, the box should be made of wood as gerbil chews plastics. Seeds are the favorite food of gerbils.
It also eats pellets and little vegetables. Some proteins should also be given to it. Freshwater must be supplied. Proper care can make gerbil as your best friend. You must give it time. When it feels secured and comfortable, you can hold it by hand. Though hamsters and guinea pigs are different in nature, gerbil carries miscellaneous characteristics from them.
Hamster vs Rabbit
At this moment, we’ll let you reach the determination of whether you like hamster or rabbit as your pet. As we have already talked about the hamsters, now we should move on to know about the rabbit.
The characteristics of the rabbit are:
Rabbit is a pretty, delicate, and lively animal. It is small and beautiful. Rabbit is a social animal, unlike a hamster. So, you must ensure it companionship. It prefers to live in pairs.
Keeping two rabbits in pairs is best for them. It likes playing. As it is swift and active, you should place it in a larger hutch. Sometimes, you can release it in a room so that it can roam freely. It will keep you cheerful by playing.
Rabbit is herbivorous in food taste. It relishes plant foods. It eats soft grasses, leaves, and also vegetables. It has a preference for chewing things. Generally, the rabbit lives almost 5 to 6 six years. But some rabbits can live a maximum of 12 years.
Hamster and Rabbit are really nice pets and they share many things in common except nature. The rabbit is social while the hamster is shy and lone-loving. Now, it relies on your choice which one you need.
Chinchilla vs Hamster
It is hard to choose one from Chinchilla and Hamster. Firstly, read on about them. As you have already learned about the hamster, here’s some information on Chinchilla.
The characteristics of the chinchilla are:
Chinchilla is another adorable and cute pet. It is almost the same with hamsters in size. While a hamster lives almost 2 to 3 years, a chinchilla lives about 15 to 20 years. So, you should have a mind to care for it for a long period.
Chinchilla is also a clean and neat pet like a hamster. It needs a quiet environment to live in. Being mild in nature, it should be properly handled.Chinchilla is a herbivorous pet. Its food habit is totally different from a hamster which is nearly omnivorous. It eats pellets, hay, and vegetables.
So, Which one do you prefer, a hamster, or a chinchilla?
Final Thoughts
Now it can be summed up that, all the pets are actually sweet and cuddly. They vary from one to another. Hamster, gerbil, and rabbit are gentle, swift, and playful in nature. Hamster is an unsocial pet, where guinea pig, gerbil, rabbit, and chinchilla are mostly social. In food taste guinea pig, gerbil, and rabbit are herbivorous and the hamster is omnivorous. Rabbit gets a longer life than the others. Now that you know everything you needed to know about the 5 pets, choose one or two among them as your pet.
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