# New Pet?



## Rumy91989 (Dec 31, 2012)

My fiance is a work-from-home musician who ends up having A LOT of time on his hands. He gets our rattie girls out for playtime during the day, but I'm their primary care giver and I feed, clean, and also am generally in charge of their daily schedule because, well... I'm a control freak. We also have two cats but they are both major lap cats who can be coaxed to play sometimes but generally prefer to lounge around. We can't have dogs at our place, but my fiance really wants to have a different pet that can be just his pet (or pets) that he can bond with and play with, etc.

Some we were considering were ferrets, guinea pigs, and rabbits.

Can any of you shed light on any of these pets and which ones might be best for someone with a decent amount of free time?


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## Jenzie (Dec 26, 2012)

Guinea pigs are great if you have the time to spend with them. They're usually super sweet (I've never personally heard of a guinea pig that was agressive towards humans) and they love being let out for free range time. The only thing about piggies is that you have to stay really on top of cleaning their cage because it can get stinky really fast, and "guinea pig stinky" is on a whole other level than "rat stinky". But as long as you keep it clean and give them lots of attention they are wonderful pets! I've also heard of guinea pigs getting along well with rats, but I don't know much about that. Guinea pigs tend to do well in pairs of females or a female and neutered male. I assume that bonding two males would be similarly tricky to bonding male rats.

Ferrets are really fun and sweet too. I've never had ferrets but a friend of mine had several and they were always really fun to play with. Unfortunately they get even stinkier than guinea pigs (I'm not even allowed to keep them in my apartment due to their smell, and my place is VERY pet friendly). I think they just naturally have a pungent odor, sort of a skunky smell, that will always kind of be there no matter how clean you keep their cage, but you get used to it really quickly. Ferrets are fun because you can play sort of rough with them and they love it. I have heard of people getting bitten by ferrets, but I think it's more because that's how ferrets play than them being aggressive, like how kittens often get over-excited during playtime and start biting and scratching.

I don't know much about rabbits but guinea pigs and ferrets for sure are awesome, fun pets that really benefit from getting tons of attention!


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## LightningWolf (Jun 8, 2012)

I can give you the link to a really good Rabbit forum if your interested in rabbits.

But this is what I know.

Ferrets - I know that they are interactive. Since they are carnivores a lot of people like to do raw diets (like F/T Mice) for them but it's not required. Though be careful cause they will kill rats if they get the chance.

Guinea pigs - they make a lot of noise? From what I know they aren't too interactive, and take up a lot of space.

Rabbits - they basically just ignore you and do their own thing. That's about it. Though if you Do get a rabbit try to get a larger breed since the smaller and dwarf breeds tend to be more skittish. Though on the flip side, kind of, they taste good. What? to me that is a major plus side to any animal, even if it's not for eating.


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## Muttlycrew (Dec 21, 2012)

I absolutely love rabbits! I've always had them and they're really great. They're a lot like dogs, actually. If you get a big house bunny and litter train it it'll just hang around and be chill. They're really cool animals. Feel free to message me with any questions! I've had several rabbits over the years  I have 7 right now. 


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## Jenzie (Dec 26, 2012)

Oh yeah - as LightningWolf mentioned, ferrets will attack rats, so they won't be able to play together ever unfortunately. I have even heard that some rats get really scared just from the smell of ferrets, so it's worth considering that the ferrets and rats may need to be in different rooms even when they're in their cages, but the rats' reaction probably depends a lot on their individual personalities.


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## Rumy91989 (Dec 31, 2012)

LightningWolf said:


> Though on the flip side, kind of, they taste good. What? to me that is a major plus side to any animal, even if it's not for eating.


That is hilarious!


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## Rumy91989 (Dec 31, 2012)

Jenzie said:


> Oh yeah - as LightningWolf mentioned, ferrets will attack rats, so they won't be able to play together ever unfortunately. I have even heard that some rats get really scared just from the smell of ferrets, so it's worth considering that the ferrets and rats may need to be in different rooms even when they're in their cages, but the rats' reaction probably depends a lot on their individual personalities.


Yeah, that is something I worried about. We wouldn't have room in our bedroom for a big ferret cage so they definitely wouldn't be in the same room, and our girls have NO FEAR which actually worries me a lot, because if any of our cats were more aggressive they'd be dead by now (I have one girl that sticks her head INSIDE one of my cat's mouth to sniff around). Obviously they'd be kept separate, but I'd be worried if either the ferrets or the rats managed to escape what might happen. :/


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## Eden10 (Aug 11, 2012)

I would go with a guinea-pig for your situation out of those choices. I've owned all of the animals you've mentioned...& guinea-pigs can form a close bond with you if you take the time to interact with them. They are very food driven which helps! They can get stinky as they poop A LOT but I honestly don't think the smell is that bad.Ferrets are wonderful pets...I miss my 2! But, I honestly would recommend them as an only pet...they are very high maintenance & the best way to describe them are kittens that never grow up! They need A LOT of attention. And yes they also poop a lot & its not nice poop lol.Rabbits...very very cute, but they are more independant...you would need to research into the right breed for you, most I know don't really enjoy being handled. But, I know they can have really cool fun personalities & are enjoyable to watch during playtime. If you work with them you will have a really sweet pet.I would say guinea-pig tho...if you want a unique pet...look up skinny pigs & baldwins hehe


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## Rumy91989 (Dec 31, 2012)

Eden10 said:


> I would go with a guinea-pig for your situation out of those choices. I've owned all of the animals you've mentioned...& guinea-pigs can form a close bond with you if you take the time to interact with them. They are very food driven which helps! They can get stinky as they poop A LOT but I honestly don't think the smell is that bad.Ferrets are wonderful pets...I miss my 2! But, I honestly would recommend them as an only pet...they are very high maintenance & the best way to describe them are kittens that never grow up! They need A LOT of attention. And yes they also poop a lot & its not nice poop lol.Rabbits...very very cute, but they are more independant...you would need to research into the right breed for you, most I know don't really enjoy being handled. But, I know they can have really cool fun personalities & are enjoyable to watch during playtime. If you work with them you will have a really sweet pet.I would say guinea-pig tho...if you want a unique pet...look up skinny pigs & baldwins hehe


Yes, it seems like ferrets would not be a good call, so it's down to piggies or bunnies. Are guinea pigs like rats in their sociability? In other words, if we got piggies, would we be better off getting more than one? Also, does anyone know how much chewing bunnies and guinea pigs do? I know it's good to pet-proof any room where an animal will be free-ranging, but are bunnies or piggies notorious for getting to wires and furniture?


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## Jenzie (Dec 26, 2012)

Guinea pigs do need at least one fellow piggy companion. I don't know about bunnies, but guinea pigs do like to chew quite a bit. Mine never enjoyed chewing on wires or anything, and I don't think they're destructive as rats can be by nature, but obviously you do need to watch them to make sure they don't chew on anything dangerous or valuable. I've heard that people can pretty easily train guinea pigs not to chew on wires by putting hot sauce or other unpleasant flavors on wires, but it's up to you if you want to do something like that. Guinea pigs aren't as smart as rats, but they can still learn simple things, but I don't know a lot about training them. When I had mine I just let them be cute little dummies lol.

Guinea pigs are also great animals for relaxing on the couch with. I loved putting on some TV and just hanging out with my piggies on my lap. They are super squishy and adorable!

Another animal you may want to consider is chinchillas. I don't know a ton about them but I do know that they can become very closely bonded with their humans given the right amount of interaction and patience (since they tend to be skittish by nature, it can take a long time for them to learn to trust you). Chinchillas also live for a really long time for rodents, so they may be worth looking into.


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## LightningWolf (Jun 8, 2012)

Rabbits are best kept apart, some will "Bond" but most of the time, it leads to injuries and most rabbits only tolerate each other. If your wanting 2 rabbits together they need to be fixed, or have been raised in a colony setting which not a lot of breeders do. Oh and rabbits chew a lot. my rabbit Stripes Loved to chew and toss around my belts.

Chinchilla's can live up to 20 years, so be aware of that. Are there any other animals your looking at? I mean, not sure how good they would be for Playing but maybe some bantam chickens? (like Silkies) that way you can also have eggs (in case you haven't noticed, I like dual purpose animals). you'll need a back yard and a coop and run but they are fairly small (most under 2 pounds I believe) and some can be very friendly.

Sounds weird but some reptiles (Mainly the monitors) are considered good for lounging pets, but they need large enclosures (some up to 6 or more feet long) and do have a diet of rodents But monitors are well known for not being picky at all (Most snake owners if they have a monitor if their snakes won't eat that week the monitor will get the snake's food) but they don't Need rodents, you can feed them a diet without rodents, it's just harder to do from what I've heard. Though from what I've heard a lot of people like to sit with their bearded dragons and watch TV so if he likes reptiles those might be an option.


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## Eden10 (Aug 11, 2012)

They are similar to rats in that they do like to chew. Both my piggies & bunny loved the flavoured mineral blocks to gnaw on.They were really good when they were out in not chewing, the only bad habit my bunny had was digging the carpet lol.Piggies do best in pairs, but you have to be careful with males...make sure to get an already bonded pair or 2 males from the same litter.As mentioned above, guinea-pigs are great lap pets! They enjoy a cuddle on the couch


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## Rumy91989 (Dec 31, 2012)

We already have a snake and our gecko that I had for eight years (and he had for the last two as well) just passed away from a really bad infection. We love our reptiles (and feed our BP frozen rodents, so we're not squeamish about that) but I think he wants something fuzzy that will really bond with him. While we LOVE our reptiles and have both grown up with reptiles, they're a different kind of pet. You bond with them, they tolerate you and appreciate treats and that's about it. They're great, don't get me wrong, but they're aren't really the companion type that he's looking for. 
Chinchilla's would probably be a bit too much of a commitment, and not because of their lifespan (I wish my rats could live that long!) but because they require about the same amount of general upkeep as a rat, sometimes more because it takes longer to train them, and since we've already got six rats as well as two cats I think animals like ferrets and chinchillas might be too much.


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## Eden10 (Aug 11, 2012)

In response to LightningWolf...yes reptiles can be good lounging pets...Blue Tongues & Beardies are probably the best for being handled...but you need to make sure you do your research in their correct set-ups...temp & lighting...they can be pretty costly. Diet is also important. But they can be amazing pets if your willing to put in the work


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## Eden10 (Aug 11, 2012)

Haha we posted at the same time! Looks like a guinea-pig is your best choice then!


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## Rumy91989 (Dec 31, 2012)

Eden10 said:


> In response to LightningWolf...yes reptiles can be good lounging pets...Blue Tongues & Beardies are probably the best for being handled...but you need to make sure you do your research in their correct set-ups...temp & lighting...they can be pretty costly. Diet is also important. But they can be amazing pets if your willing to put in the work


I've always wanted beardies! I think when we move to a bigger house I might have to fulfill my dream of making a reptile room... I just have to make sure I have enough time! There are soooo many pets I'd love to have but I work full time and feel that my home time is pretty taken up by my finance, my ratties, and my kitties... *sigh* Why are animals so awesome?


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## LightningWolf (Jun 8, 2012)

I know how you feel about the animals, reason I like dual purpose ones, makes decisions on which ones you want easier ;D Also I like farming.

Bantam chickens (Silkies are "fuzzy") are all of my suggestions unless you have room for a bigger animal like a Wether goat (neutered goat) or want something like a mouse. I guess if you want to go into exotics you can get ASFs or Pygmy mice, just know that pygmy mice only get about 1 inch big or so, they are very tiny. So I'm out of suggestions. Oh and on reptiles from what I've heard with Boas (mainly if you raise them from babies) they are very friendly and even seem to like attention. Though they get big, and some as adults need about 2 adult rats in one meal. So definally not one for the screamish.

I mean, are you in an apartment or do you have a house with a large backyard? What animals have you concluded you don't want?

I guess if things come to it you can just get him a stuff animal or pet rock.


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## Rumy91989 (Dec 31, 2012)

We have a decent sized yard but it doesn't have a fence which makes a lot of outdoor animals a no-no. I thought about mice, too, but he wants something he can let free range around the house, especially the living room while he's working. We also rent, and the only animal we've ever been told was a no-no was a dog, but I do wonder if my landlord is generally not a fan of indoor/outdoor pets--he even specified that the cats needed to be indoor only.

OOH PIGS! I haven't even thought about pigs yet. Do you know anything about pigs as pets? I imagine they're not hard to find in TN...


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## Muttlycrew (Dec 21, 2012)

Pigs are kind of like dogs, too, and can be litter trained, but they aren't sweet ALL the time and do their own thing. They're kind of hard to control and are very destructive. They are definitely a pain to have, but are very fun and sweet (again, only when they want to be) things to be around. 


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## Jenzie (Dec 26, 2012)

If you have wood floors, don't get a pig. They will completely destroy them. From what I've heard they also like to chew on furniture a lot.


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## Eden10 (Aug 11, 2012)

Plus pot bellies which tend to be the breed kept as a pet get HUUUUUGGGGEEEE! Its recommended they are able to have a yard to roam in too.


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## LightningWolf (Jun 8, 2012)

Well pig taste good to most (I personally am not a big fan of pork, no idea why just doesn't taste all that good to me).

If your considering a pig what about a wether pygmy or nigerian dwarf goat? (wether means neutered since unaltered buck goats tend to be aggressive). you couldn't get milk, but they tend to only get maybe 2 to 3 ft tall at max, they like to be outside, so might need to try to build a fence, or at least a small run area for him to run in. And goats do not eat everything, they actually mainly forage on bushes and shrubs, not grass. oh and if you do go with a goat I Think they like to be in pairs (I don't think it's required) since they are herd animals and you might want him/them to be de-horned (If done before the age of I believe 6 weeks this is safe, the horns have yet to actually attach to their skull and is painless) since even wether goats can have their moments.

Other then that, an indoor cat isn't a bad thing, you can build them a run area so he can go outside. Though I recommend males, we have a female, and well, let's just say she is a major pita. There are some breeds of cats that only get to about 4 pounds or smaller, I forgot their name but it's a specific breed that tends to stay really small but they are very hyper.


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## Smilebud (Jul 31, 2012)

LightningWolf said:


> Well pig taste good to most (I personally am not a big fan of pork, no idea why just doesn't taste all that good to me).


That would probably be your instincts. Humans are said to taste exactly like pork. True fact, they asked some cannibals.

Ahem, anyways, have you guys thought about birds? African Greys are the best, but If you don't want something that lives for so long, get a budgie or a lovebird. They are super affectionate. I had a budgie named Charlie (yes I named a rat in honor of him) who loved people. Well, he was really my brother's pet, but he loved me more. You can also teach them their names and they like to just sit with you. Can't say much for lovebirds, except that I heard that thy will bond really close with their owners.



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## Rumy91989 (Dec 31, 2012)

Smilebud--While I LOVE birds, I get the sense that my fiance isn't crazy about them. When we were initially making a list and thinking through what pets might fit well into our household and fit the criteria he's looking for, I mentioned birds and he shrugged it off. It's sad because birds are so freaking cute! 

Lightning--You're making me want to revisit my dream of owning a farm and growing my own food (including raising livestock, etc). Goodness.


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## JLSaufl (Jan 20, 2013)

I have had both guinea pigs and bunnies. I really didn't enjoy my rabbit, perhaps I got a lemon but she was mean and aggressive, I got her a baby and played with her constantly and she grew up mean and withdrawn. I will say, I always enjoyed watching her play with our cat and dogs, she did love to play with other animals.

Guinea pigs are incredibly sweet. They can be stinky, we had 4 males in a 5x7 foot pen, and they all got along great together, played a lot and were just sweet and kind in general. They're easy to train and incredibly food driven. They also are very snuggly and like to sit in your lap and be petted while watching tv. 

I've also had Degus, and I really liked them. They have great personalities and are social and the males can be quite snuggly. You need to have them in pairs, and they're diabetic so they can't have sugar at all, and need special food. I think they look like big gerbils.  They need a home similar to rat.


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## LightningWolf (Jun 8, 2012)

Rumy91989 said:


> Lightning--You're making me want to revisit my dream of owning a farm and growing my own food (including raising livestock, etc). Goodness.


Owning a farm is one of my ultimate goals in life (This year I'm finally able to start a garden since we're in an apartment. We're growing potatoes, maybe Tomatoes, and going to try growing garlic since I like garlic and it's actually very healthy). Yeah I'm contagious ;D Now we just need a house so I can go onto step 2 of my farming plan.

Anyways, so basically now it's Guinea pig vs something else we can think of? (Also guinea pigs apparently also taste good, but I've never been to Peru so I can't say so my self, and plus the guinea pigs in the US are too small and not worth it. great I probably just disturbed a bunch of people. Though I want to go to Peru just for that reason. Also want to go to Africa for Cane rat but that's not related to this).

Nothing wrong with Guinea pigs, but they are naturally daiturnal (up during the day) and I've heard they are noisy. Oh also, just a warning. A lot of guinea pigs forums I've been on are not very friendly.  At least building a cage for them is easy since they can't climb.

Oh, I forgot, what about a hedgehog? or a short tailed possum? Short tailed possums are shorter and a tad bit meaner then rats but still are very liked as pets. Though both of them you need to make your own food mix since 99% of store bought mixes don't meet their needs at all. Most feed them a mixture of meal worms, and ferret and cat food.


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## HelloClarice (Feb 1, 2012)

When I was younger my dad owned balled pythons, Chameleons, and monitor lizards which I would say were the coolest and acted like hairless dogs haha

I had a Guinea Pig named Hairy...get it? Hair-E hahaha I'm a comedian! He was pretty cool but knew his schedule so one the weekends I would have to get up early to feed him his veggies or he would oink like mad until I got them for him! haha he was a great pet and I miss him =( I've seen Skinny Pigs and those are pretty interesting but I like the long haired ones better they looks cuddly and I really want to put a bow in their hair haha


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## Muttlycrew (Dec 21, 2012)

Guineas are really really noisy. I've had 7 in my life. They're sweet but to me they poop WAY too much and will squeak alllll day. To hold them you have to have a towel under them to catch all of the poop. (Well, unless you don't mind poop all over your lap or the couches) I'd really personally suggest rabbits for your situation. A rabbit doesn't need a cage (If potty trained correctly) and are very sweet and docile if you get the right breed.

LW- I, too, would LOVE to have a farm. Not a "farm" per say, but the ability to be completely self sufficient. I already raise a slight variation of meat and loads of vegetables but would like to get a cow eventually and what not as well. 


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## Rumy91989 (Dec 31, 2012)

I'm actually ok with the idea of making food mixes myself--I do that already for my rats and cats (the cats are on the raw diet) and since it's most likely we'll be ending up with guinea pigs (I think my fiance is pretty set on it at this point even though I've been getting excited about all the exotic suggestions on here) I've been researching homemade guinea pig diets. 

So the guinea pigs are bigger in Peru? I wondered about that because I know they're used as a food source in different parts of the world but they seem so very small and not very meaty. Hmmm...

The best of luck with your farming plans! I'm thinking about starting a random thread about it because it seems like there are plenty of people on here that either do farm or are interesting in farming... hmm... 

I did find a guinea pig forum (because since it seems likely we'll be getting one I want to be as informed as possible!) called rodentswithattitude. It's based in the UK and seems to be pretty good... I find myself more likely to ask for help on here though, but that might just be because y'all are awesome.


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## Jackie (Jan 31, 2013)

I hope the guinea pig(/s) work out well for you. I personally am rooting for a hedgehog. I've never had one but I almost got one instead of rats and I think they're so cute.


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## Rumy91989 (Dec 31, 2012)

Muttly, when we move into a bigger house rabbits are so happening! Especially if I can build a nice hutch outside for them in the summer! 

Hedgehogs would be sooooo cool! I'm kind of glad at this point that the decision rests with my fiance, because Lord knows it'd probably take me like 8 months to choose. I WANT THEM ALL!!!


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## Muttlycrew (Dec 21, 2012)

Rabbits are fantastic I think  right now I'm choosing between a Flemish or a tan. Tans are my absolute favorite looks wise, and Flemish rabbits are my second favorite overall, so it's a hard choice! I think with the reasons I'm going for now I'm going to go with a Flemish though. 

You'll really like them- I promise! 


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## JLSaufl (Jan 20, 2013)

Muttly, all your wonderful talk about rabbits make me wonder if I had a lemon. She was so MEAN.  But so pretty, she was a dwarf of some fashion and was sable siamese in color. He fur was outrageously soft too. 

I then rescued a baby wild rabbit who we found caught in our fence, it was a male and we had him for 7 weeks, helping him grow and gain strength, on a warm summer day we let him go out in the yard, and he hopped away. He had big white blaze on his forehead and I still see him from time to time at my parent's. That bunny was much friendlier than my Sophie ever was.


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## Muttlycrew (Dec 21, 2012)

Well... If she was a Netherland dwarf, they tend to be completely for looks/show. Which is why I don't have one... Haha. If it can't serve a purpose I just really don't see the point in giving it cage space I can use for a more useful one. I have one that is a ND cross and he is mean too. He was abused though, so his is a combination of fear and bad attitude. 


I attached a pic of a sable point ND and a Siamese sable ND 

Sable point:










Siamese sable:











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## Muttlycrew (Dec 21, 2012)

Oops! I read your comment wrong. I for some reason swapped the "of some fashion" part. I have no clue why but I thought you said of her color not her breed. Lol!! Ignore my pics then! 


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## JLSaufl (Jan 20, 2013)

Yep, she looked EXACTLY like the bottom one. So pretty and soft. I'm happy (now) knowing she wasn't a lemon and just a snot by nature. She kind of ruined 'bunnies as pets' for me.


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## Jackie (Jan 31, 2013)

If you get a rabbit get a flemish giant, simply because it is giant! I've heard they are nicer than some smaller rabbits too.


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## Muttlycrew (Dec 21, 2012)

You should give a Holland Lop or a Flemish or and English or French lop a try then  generally you want to stay away from thin-boned rabbits to go by personality. By this I mean slender bodied rabbits or rabbits with very stick-like skinny front legs. Those ones are generally meant to be skittish and jumpy. Just more wound up by nature. The squishier, thicker rabbits always seem to be much more docile. 


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## Eden10 (Aug 11, 2012)

My bunny was the same, she was I believe a dwarf/lion head mix...pure white with blue eyes. She too was sweet as a baby, but got pretty feisty...she would even growl & charge at us. Then was posessive of her toys, would charge & bite us if we went near them!
She was fun tho hahaha can't deny that! And the little crazy jumps they do are hilarious...I believe there called binkies?
Thats why I said if you get the right breed I'm sure they make wonderful pets! 

Good luck with your piggie! Post pics as soon as you get him/her/them! Lol! ;D


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## LightningWolf (Jun 8, 2012)

Muttly I keep telling you, breed the tan to a black new zealand and Bam, perfect tan right there, ok fine maybe a tad bit of line breeding, but you got the ingredients set right there. ;D Now you just need to go find a black new zealand. I wonder, broken tan? I've seen white rump tan mice (I know, completely related to rabbits) and they look really cool.

We need a farming thread, my laptop and computer is broken (so far in 2013 all of my technology has broke, I'm my mom's laptop since she goes to bed really early) so I hope by tomorrow afternoon-ish when I'm probably on we should have a farming thread.

Curious, Is anyone on here on the homesteading forum? it's for people who like to be self sufficient (or preppers if anyone on here is that, which I don't think anyone is). I've been meaning to join.

Oh and yes Guinea pigs in Peru are bigger, they are called Cuy there I believe, and just due to thousands of years of selective breeding (Guinea pigs originate from Peru and have always been their main meat source) they've been bigger. When guinea pigs were brought to France or Spain (I forgot which one) they were bred for pets instead due to them being exotic, so they got smaller. There are some people who are trying to selectively breed them here to be bigger since I don't think you can import them.

I would love to be self sufficient, oh and on the garden I'm also going to do a fodder system and herb garden. I like beef, but I like cows (their tongues are so cool) so probably the only animal I couldn't handle raising for meat. Reason I'm probably going to stick with goats unless I decide I really need a dairy cow.

Oh does anyone here have Japanese Harlequins? I've already had this conversation with Muttly but I love Japanese Harlequin, my pet rabbit was a broken one (he was a meat mutt) and I just love their pattern. reminds me of halloween dominos for some reason.

Now you have a tougher choice, what type of guinea pig, or do you not really care. I may not like guinea pigs but I think the satins or white crested ones are pretty cool. especially if you can find a tan (yes they come in tan).

Wow look at my farming rambling, yep I think it's time for someone to start a farming thread


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