what to do with unwanted pet?

[melissa5]

We bought my 4.5 year old dd a hamster last christmas. She is very good at playing with him and making sure he always has food and water but I really regret getting the thing. It SMELLS really badly. I can clean the whole cage and by the next day it smells again. The whole room smells. There is no way she will let me give him away, but I am just sick of this smell. What can I do?

[Zabibaby]

I guess there is a lot of people who might take it. I go to the pet stores to by food for my bird and people seems to love those. Spread the word, specially older kids, I had two when I was 12...and yeah they smell but I didnt seem to mind back then.

[blossomgoat]

rest assured that at the very least, they have a short life span. Have you tried a different litter type? I think that the corn-cob stuff might work for hamsters. Just don't do cedar. I made that mistake once and my poor hamster went bald from a reaction to it.

You can also post on craigslist if you are serious about finding a home for it.

[melissa5]

I would love to give it away but how do I explain it to my dd?

[sibergirlblue]

Maybe you can find a classroom (maybe her preschool?) that will take him... maybe a good excuse. You can tell her that he is going to school. If you can get her school to take him, she can see him all the time... but you don't have to smell it.

[myfrugalfunlife]

Originally Posted by sibergirlblue Maybe you can find a classroom (maybe her preschool?) that will take him... maybe a good excuse. You can tell her that he is going to school. If you can get her school to take him, she can see him all the time... but you don't have to smell it.

that's a good idea otherwise I'd also suggest craigs list. sara

[kaymurr]

I'm thinking if you bought the thing last XMas it's already got one paw in the grave...

[kaymurr]

Oh and if it makes you feel better, I did pretty much the same thing last year. Bought a fire belly toad which my kids thought was really cool; what was not cool was me having to go to the pet store and buy live crickets every single week (that's all they'll eat) and then having them get loose in the house no matter what I did! THEN, when I think he's acting a little sick around 8 months, I look online and discover they live 15 years!! That one went on craigslist and "went to school" with a bio teacher who had so many creatures she raised her own crickets. My kids were like, whatever.

[AnnaG01]

Originally Posted by sibergirlblue Maybe you can find a classroom (maybe her preschool?) that will take him... maybe a good excuse. You can tell her that he is going to school. If you can get her school to take him, she can see him all the time... but you don't have to smell it.

This is a great idea!

[hippydippymama]

Originally Posted by kaymurr I'm thinking if you bought the thing last XMas it's already got one paw in the grave...

I had two hamsters as a kid and neither of them made it much past a year. I'd just tough it out till the little guy goes to the big hamster wheel in the sky, and then if your DD wants another one, get a female. Males of any rodent species STINK!