Boohoohoo!

[Mike Haverty]

My parents won't let me get a Southern flying squirrel! They won't because my mom saw an episode of a vet show on Animal Planet where a flying squirrel died of pnuemonia. So they don't want to take a chance of me buying an expencive pet that might die. So they want me to get a cheap pet thet might die.

[Mike Haverty]

I cried for a while after they told me.
What do you think I should get instead?

[Karen]

Any pet can get sick and that's all there is to it. What other pets do you have, or have you considered? Guinea pig, rabbit, ferret, dog, cat .... what's available at your local humane society?

[Mike Haverty]

My parents want me to get something from a pet store because we don't have a very good humane society here.(most of the animals are sick and dieing beyond anything I can do. )
I have a dalmation, tabby, and fish, but none of them would be able to get to the cage which is in my room on top of my dresser.

[wolfsoul]

You should tell them more of the upsides to squirrels. Did you know that flying squirrels cannot suffer from ANY disease? There is no disease at all that can affect a flying squirrel. Lots of other small animals can suffer from hundreds of things. Really, any animal can get pnuemonia, and what are the chances of your squirrel contracting pnumonia unless you leave it in a cold and wet place?

[Mike Haverty]

I know. I told them all of this, but we just lost our cat Tigger(may he rest in peace at the rainbow bridge) so they're really cautious. Well accually we lost him about a year ago (2 years tomorrow).
I really wish they would change their minds.

[Mike Haverty]

I'm kind of scared of getting a new rodent, because I don't want it to contract wet tail.
Why can't I just get a squirrel?

[DejaVu]

Only syrian hamsters get wet tail. The other small animals can get severe diahrroea, but not wet tail, if I am correct. You can read my article on wet tail here: http://www.geocities.com/calhamassoc/WetTail.html If you find a small pet breeder in your area most of them can guarantee the health of your new pet. I get my hamster breeder friends and who are also members of the California Hamster Association. They all have very hugh standards for their animals as pets and for show. I also know rat, mouse, rabbit, and guinea pig breeders. It is pretty much the same for them... A lot of pet store animals are always sick.
Also, I know several hamster breeders around your area in Rhode Island, Pennysilvania, New York, Maryland, etc, as well as some of those people breed other things as well..

[Mike Haverty]

Awsome! My science teacher lost 4 baby hamsters to wet tail, which really scared me. Do you know of any Dwarf Roborovskii hamster breeders near the west border of WV?

[DejaVu]

I could look for breeders for you, however, the roborovski's are the goldfish of the hamster world. The are extremly fast and not really handleable. You can stick your hand in their cage and let them run on your hand and that is about it. Along with that, they do best with the biggest size cage possible. Aquariums or tubs are good for this. Storage bins as cages
They also do best with lots of toys.

[Mike Haverty]

Happy New Years!
Can you recomend one then other that Syrian?

[molucass]

How about rats?

[Mike Haverty]

Don't rats atract rats? 'Cause we already have rats trying to get in our house. Besides my mom thinks they're ugly (I don't), and until I move out, she and my dad are in control.

[DejaVu]

Here is a link that has some hamster breeders.
Breeders

[lute]

how about a guinie pig!