what's the best rodent type pet for a 10 yr old?

Chinchillas are nice, however they are not a rodent (but neither are guinea pigs!). Rats really make the best pets. They are friendly, smart and trainable.

Over the years I have had hamsters, mice, gerbils, and rats. The rats were the most entertaining and they will actually form a bond with their owner.

Gerbils would be the second choice, a little more entertaining and (from my research) bite less than hamsters and mice, but they should really be kept in pairs (2 same-sex from the same litter is best). They are desert animals, so they drink less and therefore urinate less and smell less than the others.

Whichever you choose, they can present a great learning opportunity. Have your child do some on-line research about the animal and it's needs to ensure a successful experience.

Oh, and a glass aquarium makes the best habitat if you go with rats or gerbils...they like to gnaw and can make really short work of chewing up those plastic cages!!!

If you buy her any kind or rodent, I would suggest getting one from a local breeder. The babies are handled and socialized soooo much, They're really into to people way more than from a pet store. Most rodent breeders only sell in pairs the rodents that are more social and need a buddy, like rats. Or, you can look on craigslist and find some that are being rehomed, already are sweet, too, and you'd get the whole set up for half the money or less. You can type in the search word rattery and go from there on the internet. That can take you to all kinds of websites were people breed everything. Good luck, and I've owned rats, gerbils, mice and ferrets. Ferrets are a great kid pet...my kids would never stop laughing at their antics and always asked to take them out to play. Rats are the second best for pets, I think.

My brothers had rats and loved them! Rats are very intelligent and very personable and affectionate. They are also sturdy and can physically and psychologically handle holding the best. Also, rats do not smell at all. Guinea pigs are very good, but are skitish at being picked up, so learn how to do that. Also, their bones are fragile, so careful holding is also required. Hamsters are a little nippy sometimes, but with training and proper care, could overcome any nipping problems. All of these critters need nail and tooth clipping if they aren't given enough toys to wear down their nails and teeth naturally. Guinea pigs are less smelly than hamsters and a little more loving. Hammies tend to be standoffish.

A guinnea pig, they are great with kids low on allergies, eat alittle, live about 3X the lifespan of any other rodent, and only 1 in 400 to 500 accually bite unlike other rodents such as mice wich are prone to be more agressive.

Guinea Pig , They Love Being Cuddled , And They Groom You Too !

There Also Easy To Clean , They Only Bite If In Pain.

You May Need To Step In Though , They Need Their Nails Clipped , So You'll Need To Do That ,

Don't Get A Hamster , They Smell Badly ! Guineas Don't !

I highly recommend pet rats. They are very loving, social, cute, inexpensive to buy and feed, easy to care for and just plain great. They will be much more interested in interacting with you than guinea pigs or hamsters. They never bite unless they have new babies.

For more information read The Pet Rat, by Ginger Cardinal

I love hamsters, as they are pretty easy to care for. The food they eat is relatively cheap, they are a cheap pet to replace if something happens. They are very easy to handle as they don't bite as much as gerbils do. They don't smell as bad as rats or mice. Although rats do have their benefits, they can be trained like a dog, and can be quite affectionate, but they do tend to smell a bit more.

Get a pet rat!! Mine learned to come when called, knew their names, would play in water in the sink, and could learn other small tricks. One would let herself out of her cage when I was getting home to my apartment and crawl up my clothes to sit on my shoulder to give me kisses on my cheek. They are very social and love to play and be handled. If you want to get one, go to a pet shop to check out babies that are about 6 weeks old. If it will sit in your hand and seems curious without urinating or defecating, or even better yet, wants to play like a puppy (literally), then it would make a wonderful pet. I kept mine in a ten gallon, but it does need to be cleaned regularly (at least twice a week), but a bigger cage would allow for a rattie sized exercise wheel. And they can be quite strong, so you might need to put a weight around the edges of the lid. I ended up getting a custom built aquarium that is probably around 30-40 gallons, and noticed that Celeste would consistently use one area of the aquarium for her potty breaks. In any case, rats can be clowns and tons of fun!!

I would say guinea pig or rat. Guineas are really loving, cute, and don't often bite (if ever). If the child has a lot of time and engery to put into his/her pet, I'd look into a rat. They're very playful and intelligent.

Rats. They're very dog-like. Easy to handle, never bite, can learn tricks, aren't totally nocturnal, the reasons go on and on.