Rat or guinea pig for a beginner? The honest comparison
Published by Planète Pets · managing editor: Clément Lacaille · how our guides are written
Rats and guinea pigs are both commonly recommended as first rodents for beginners, but they are very different animals. A landmark review by Charlotte Burn, published in 2008 in Applied Animal Behaviour Science, describes the rat as an animal with particularly rich sensory and cognitive abilities, highly responsive to handling and enrichment. Find our other pointers in the bedding and habitat section.
Contents · 4 sections
Two different ways of being social
Rats bond easily with their owner, learn to recognise their name, sometimes come to an outstretched hand on their own, and tolerate daily handling well once it is gentle. Guinea pigs, on the other hand, are social mainly toward their own species: a landmark study by researcher Norbert Sachser, published in 1998 in Naturwissenschaften, shows this species has a deeply rooted need for group living, inherited from its gregarious wild ancestor (see the study). A solo guinea pig, even one that gets lots of human handling, still lacks company of its own kind.
Which housing suits which species?
Rats need height, levels and ropes to climb, while guinea pigs mostly use floor space. Compare recommended sizes in rat cage sizing and guinea pig cage sizing before buying.
Which one fits your schedule?
- Little handling time but room for a pair or trio: guinea pigs thrive among their own kind.
- Wanting a strong individual bond with the animal, play and supervised free-roam time: rats, also always kept in pairs at minimum, respond more to human interaction.
- Tight monthly budget: guinea pigs eat more hay and fresh vegetables, rats need more varied protein; see the breakdown in how much does a pet rat cost per month.
Frequently asked questions
Can a rat be housed alone if it gets a lot of handling?
No: even when very sociable toward humans, rats remain a gregarious species that needs at least one companion of its own kind for its wellbeing.
Can a guinea pig share a cage with a rat?
No, the two species don't communicate the same way and cohabitation exposes the smaller animal to injury or stress risk; each needs companions of its own species.
Which of the two is easier for a child?
Guinea pigs, calmer and less quick in their movements, are often easier for a first supervised handling by a child.
An accessory from our shop for this use: Double-layer plush hammock for rats, squirrels or ferrets (€18.90) · the whole shop
An accessory from our shop for this use: Electric pet heating pad 45 × 45 cm (17.7 in) with chew-resistant cord ($48.90, ships from the US) · the US shop
This guide is part of Planète Pets’s Rodents universe. Our advice is general in nature: for any health concern, your veterinarian remains the only reference.
