Guinea Pig VS Ferret

[reesepoultry]

True ferrets are fun. But are a major mess. They will back there rear end up anywhere in your house or in there cage and poo and pee at the same time. They are a big responsibility. If you are ready to clean up such messy little buggers then they would make a great pet. We also had a guinea pig There urine smells to high heaven. They are also high maintenance you must keep there cage clean to not have an odor. I personally would not own either one ever again. They just make too much of a mess.

Good luck in whatever decision you make.

 

[Cara]

My sister and I had guinea pigs as kids and they were great pets. They never bit and were quite friendly. They lived outside in a hutch and run when the weather was nice and inside if it was too hot or cold. They also came inside frequently to run around. They are easy to clean up after and don't smell nearly as bad as other small pets. However I wouldn't get a guinea pig if she's more or less decided she doesn't want one (bearing in mind they're not particularly happy kept alone).

That being said, I have no idea why anyone would want a ferret. They absolutely wreak and have a nasty bite.

 

[vtsarahb]

Short answer... neither. Personally, I would just stick with chickens

That said, I'd choose a ferret over a guinea pig any day... even if they are a bit stinky. Guinea pigs are terrible pets. I had two of them when I was a kid. In my experience, they don't do anything and really don't enjoy human contact. They were also quite dirty- voluntarily sleeping in their droppings when they had a nice clean place to sleep.

As far as small furry rodents go, rats and chinchillas make MUCH nicer pets than GPs or ferrets.

 

[M To The Maxx]

I think they are both cute. Ferrets are stinky but they are great. Guinea Pigs are all around great.

 

[Mahonri]

stick w/ chickens.

Ferrets are stinky and messy.

 

[shelleyd2008]

I voted guinea pig, I've been bitten by a ferret before, not fun

Plus, if you have a ferret and brood chicks in your house, there is the 'chance' that the ferret could get out and eat your chicks, since they are a type of weasel. The guinea pig would be more likely to eat your plant, if they could reach them.

Guinea pigs are so sweet, I bet if she got one, she would see just how much personality they have. We have 2, and they are very different.

 

[gritsar]

Same answer I gave on another thread. Neither. Rats are a great compromise between guinea pigs and ferrets. Friendlier than the GPs (I've known) and not quite as high maintenance as a ferret.
If I had to raise my kids thru their pre-teen/teen years again I would start with the rats as pets, and skip the GPs and ferrets.
ETA: A ferret can be broken of nipping very easily. Their noses are very sensitive, so flicking them hard on the nose when they bite usually gets the point across quickly.

 

[CityChicker]

I have had both and hands down- I would get a Guinea Pig. Of course, it is all personal preference and depends a lot on the individual animals. All of my GP's were very sweet and calm. They loved to be held and I don't think I have ever been bitten by one.

My ferret was the worst pet I have ever owned, bar none. He was just awful. He smelled bad, simply could not be trained to use a litter box, and he was the meanest animal I have ever owned. He had razor sharp teeth and was EXTREMELY aggressive. We tried to tame and make a pet out of him for several months to no avail. Of course, again- I'm sure it all depends on the individual animal. We got ours as an adult and we were I think his third home.

 

[ladycrotalus]

Ive worked with ferrets for 7 yrs.
Ferrets smell bad when they aren't properly cared for.
They need a high protein ferret diet that doesn't have fish in the ingredients. Fish makes their poop smell worse.
Their litter corner needs to be cleaned daily, the whole cage cleaned weekly, and the ferrets hammocks and bedding washed weekly as well.
Ferrets should never be bathed more then once a month. Bathing too often strips their oils from their coat, making the oils come back stronger, thus making them stink more.
This stuff works good too.

http://www.hugawoozel.com/

http://www.ferret-universe.com/

 

[fowltemptress]

Ferrets smell bad all the time, regardless of how they're cared for. I just read the rat suggestion, and especially since she doesn't seem to like the idea of GPs anymore, I'd broach the idea of a rat. They make lovely pets, and they'd be a great compromise between the two animals. Great personality without the stench.