Rabbit or Hamster - Which Is A Good Pet For You?
Thinking of getting a little furball for a pet, but can’t decide between a rabbit or a hamster? They might seem similar to handle, but they have major differences between each other and some deal breakers depending on what you’re looking for in a pet! Let’s see the main differences between a hamster and a rabbit, so you can properly decide which is best for you.
Are Rabbits and Hamsters From the Same Family?
A rabbit is everything a hamster is not. People have been constantly confusing these two and assuming that they belong to the same family. If you thought rabbits belong to the Rodent (Rodentia) family, well, surprise! Rabbits don’t fall into that category, they are representing the family of Lagomorphs (Lagomorpha). So what’s the big deal about it, you might ask. That’s mainly a difference in teeth and digestive system, which includes the fact that their feed is going to be different.
All About Hamsters
Hamsters are tiny creatures that can be as small as 5 cm, and as large as 13 cm.
Living Space
Hamsters don’t need as much room as a rabbit, and they usually stay put. You can leave the hamster in his cage all his life and it is not going to be a problem, as long as he has a large enough cage. He does need a bit of exercise, but this is where his exercise wheel comes to the rescue.
Hamsters are lone creatures and don’t like to share therefore they shouldn’t be housed together. The only exceptions are the Dwarf types, who can live with a sibling or two of the same sex. But this is only recommended for siblings that have never been separated and live in a very large cage, so they won’t fight over food and toys.It is still highly recommended to keep them separately and alone to reduce their stress levels and to make sure there are no unnecessary fights, which can end up fatal.
Hamsters are prey animals, it’s their instinct to burrow, hide, and run. So when choosing a cage, you should make sure you get one that’s a bit larger, so that it has enough space for him to feel safe. You can also put various items, such as logs, rocks, and other decorative goodies along with the hamster. Their cages also need to have plenty of hiding places, so they can feel safe.
Exercise
Every hamster needs an exercise wheel. It’s their lifeline to exercise along with various other activities for play and fitness. You can even add a variety of rolling hamster ball toys and hamster tunnel play tubes for added workout options.
Behaviour
Hamsters are very sensitive. Taming a hamster will not be as easy as taming a puppy. It takes time, attention, and care. It will take anywhere between a few days and a few weeks to trust you. And that trust can always be lost, or forgotten if you stop interacting with him for a few days.
*Tip
You can bond with a hamster over time. Be patient, don't force handling right away, feed on a regular schedule, provide out-of-habitat playtime, and talk softly with your new furry friend. A hamster will likely come to recognize your scent and voice and see you as a source of comfort—eventually. They get grumpy if you wake them up, they won’t always want to stay in your hands. They want to explore and see everything.
Many of the hamsters tend to be awake at night, so if you’re getting a hamster and you’re going to bed early, there are high chances that you won’t meet him often during the day as he’ll be snoozing away.
While they are awake, they are either extremely lazy or hyperactive. No average. However, when they get older, they kind of mellow down.
If you are mostly working or just don’t have enough time to play with your pet, but still want to look after a companion, your choice should be a hamster. Or if you’re a person who either stays up very late, or works night shifts and can catch your hamster awake more often.
Hamster Feed
For the most part, hamsters do not require a lot of different types of foods. A well-balanced hamster diet consists of a high-quality hamster food that is specially formulated to provide the proper balanced nutrition with the ideal daily dosage of vitamins and minerals, plus all the other essential nutrients. However, in addition to their daily meals, it's fun to offer them a bit of variety in the form of different treats. Remember, treats should never make up more than 10% of your pet's overall diet and not make a dramatic changes to your hamster's diet as it could stress your hamster and cause them to develop wet tail. If you would like to change their primary diet, do so gradually.
You may be surprised to know that your hamster will not overeat, so be sure to keep her food bowl filled at all times.
Here are some treats you can consider:
- Grains.
- Vegetables.
- Fruits.
- Timothy hay.
- Hamster Treats
Lifespan
A hamster’s life span is a good deal shorter than that of most other common household critters. The average hamster lifespan is 2.5 years.
Top 5 Hamster Breeds
There are 24 hamster species, however, five are the most commonly kept as pets.
- Dwarf Roborovski
- Campbell’s Dwarf Russian
- Syrian (Golden) Hamster
- Dwarf Winter White Russian
- Chinese Hamster
All About Rabbits
Rabbits are small mammals with fluffy, short tails, whiskers and distinctive long ears and can be incredibly cute. Most people expect rabbits to be small pets and can be surprised at how big they can get sometimes. The adult weight of an average-sized house rabbit is about 6 pounds. Dwarf and mini breeds of rabbits will usually be full grown at 4 pounds, while the giant breeds typically reach 10 to 15 pounds. The largest breed of rabbits can reach upwards of 20 pounds.
Living Space
While rabbits are small in size too, even the tiniest bunny is bigger than the largest hamster. You can get anything from Dwarf bunnies to the ridiculously large Giants which means your cage and pens are going to vary according to the type of rabbit you have.
Behaviour
Bunnies are social creatures. They’re more like a cat than a hamster, actually, demanding attention and then getting fussy if they don’t get it. This means that rabbits can’t be kept in a cage all their life, like a hamster. You’re going to need to let the bunny out often, and let them roam around the house, or a designated play area where they have enough space to hop around.
Pet rabbits are intelligent animals and do know their own names too. They can learn to associate sounds with specific commands over time. This includes coming to you when you call its name. Rewarding a rabbit with treats, petting, or other consistent positive reinforcements will help it retain these commands in its memory. With patience, you can also teach your pet rabbit some commands and tricks.
Rabbits can even express their happiness too when they are excited. They burst into a mid air turn which are called binkies. They may burst in a series of binkies when you get home or if they’ve been treated to their favourite treat. The reason why the binky is not necessarily a graceful act is because it is an expression of sheer joy.
Feed
Contrary to popular belief, rabbits need to eat more than just carrots and lettuce. They require a balanced diet of hay, fresh veggies and fruit, and a few pellets. Rabbits have very sensitive digestive tracts, so the transition to hay or pellets, or the introduction of new fruits and vegetables, must be done gradually to allow the rabbit’s system to adjust.
Rabbits also have a gigantic sweet tooth! They will absolutely love you for giving them some yummy treats, but we need to be careful that we don’t give them too many. Rabbits have a sensitive digestive system and too many sweet treats can easily make them sick. As a general rule, the best treats to give rabbits are fresh fruits and vegetables. They should be unsweetened and cut into small chunks to avoid overfeeding.
Rabbits also go through a bag of food much faster than a hamster seeing as a hamster only needs a teaspoon or two of his dried food mix every day. A rabbit can need even 4 heaping tablespoons of pellets. This is aside from all the extra veggies and hay.
Lifespan
Rabbits live longer than hamsters – about 8-12 years – so they’re a big commitment. That means for the next 8-12 years you’re going to have to adapt yourself to your bunny’s demanding yet endearing personality, and he’ll adapt to yours.
Top 5 Rabbit Breeds
Are you wondering which rabbit breeds will be best for your family? There are currently 49 rabbit breeds recognised but here are the top 5 rabbits breeds you can consider that are kept as dosmetic pets!
- Holland Lop
- Netherlands Dwarf
- LionHead
- French Lop
- Mini Rex
So Which Pet is More Suitable For You?
You need to think very carefully which pet would be best for you. If you’re looking for more of a quiet pet, who won’t take up more than you give him, then maybe the hamster is for you. He needs less attention from you, and is there more to look at than cuddle with. They can be charming and cute on their own. However, they aren’t as social as the bunnies, that’s why they prefer sleeping during the day. Hammies are much harder to tame. But looking after hamsters is much easier than it is for rabbits.
A rabbit is more high maintenance, more than a cat for example. And definitely more than a hamster, which means they require greater commitment. Rabbits are very social and demanding attention. However, they reward you with cuddles and affection.
If you’re thinking of getting your kids a hamster or a rabbit, neither of them are good pets for young children. They require a very patient person to look after them, and to handle them.
Whichever the choice is, a pet is lifetime commitment and both require patience and great care.
Small Animals Available at Pet Master
If you’re up for the commitment, we have rabbits and hamsters available at out Eastpoint outlet that are gonna be your perfect little sidekicks!
For more information on our small animals, you can also contact us at 6908 7577 (Whatsapp: +65 9613 3189) or private message us here. Visit https://petmaster.com.sg/all-you-need-to-know-about-pet-master-at-eastpoint-mall to find out what else you can expect at our newest second outlet.
