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Question about the cost of owning a rodent2007-11-24 22:14:42

I'm getting a job soon (I'm 17) and after I save up some money for more important things I was hoping to buy a pet rat or maybe a hamster. I've had pet rats before when I was younger so I wanted to do that again (a hamster would be ok too). The thing is my mom thinks I wont take care of it on my own (even though I've proven I can by owning other pets in the past) so I want to pay for everything but I don't know how much it will cost a month, or a week. I know of all the items I'll be needing to get started but how much do you guys spend on the bedding and food for your rodents a month, or every two months, how ever often?

I already own some hermit crabs and I'm very dedicated to them. I know that I can handle the responsibility and care so don't worry about that I've even done research on top of already owning some rats and Guinea pigs in the past.

Answers:

Ok, let's break this down a little bit--

Initial costs:

Cage - $25-$45 (depending on how fancy you get)

Ceramic Food Dish - $2

Water Bottle - $3

Metal Guard - $6 (This is a good investment b/c rodent will chew on just about anything including their water bottles. The guard will help prevent spills and leaks)

Food - $5 or less for most 5lb bags

Bedding - $10 (that's for a med. sized bag of Carefresh which should last you about two months)

Wheel - $5

Chew sticks/toys - $5

Hiding Hut - $4