Hamster on Boat: Stupid?

[Dave the Canuck]

I hear that there's a young goat looking for a ride...
(attempt at thread hijack is entirely intentional)

[TrevC]

Rodents on board? yuck I've never understood how people could bring themselves to look after them in any environment.

They do have their uses. I've bought our cat live mice twice, as a treat. He loves it so much. However, Gold fish work a lot better, are cleaner, and keep the cat entertained for days! Sorry, totally off topic.

Perhaps something like a cat would be better? if you're going to have all the hassles of animals on board, might as well make it one that cares about you.

[Stillraining]

Originally Posted by TrevC

might as well make it one that cares about you.

Better get a dog then...cats could care less

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by Stillraining

Better get a dog then...cats could care less

To quote Winston Churchill..........I think the answer is a pig

"I like pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals. "

[MarkJ]

You are all totally barbaric. I am going to list your names and take them to the pet store. You will be forever banned from squirmy little cuddles!

[Reckless]

After working for several years in the pet industry, I can tell you a Hamsters urine has a very strong ammonia smell, bad enough in a kids bedroom, I can't imagine what it would be like in a boat. Their bedding typically woodchips needs changed often, not sure if that would be worth the storage space on a boat.

They are also very sensitive to weather changes, hot and cold, something that can not be as easily regulated on a boat.

And as said before if it got out all the places it could hide in a boat, it would have a blast.

I also don't know if you would have any problems with customs, I know other countries have had problems with foreign rodents, while you may not take it ashore, they can swim and this could be a logistical problem for you.
Hamsters are great for home but I would never want one on my boat.

[Carley]

hey mark! you could always have a baby! a sweet cuddly little baby! lol.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Carley

have a baby! .

Sounds pretty much the same as dferringo decribed: smelly, piddley rodent!




LOLOL

[cburger]

Gerbils will eventually smell, of course you could always use them for live bait if things get to bad. Here,s another possibility figure out how to turn one of those little wheels they like to run on into a little generator, this way they could charge your batteries when they exercise.

[cat man do]

Lemmiwinks

Is that you?

[svHyLyte]

Mark--It sounds like your one-and-only is angling for a rug rat whether you like it or not. Tell her you're willing to get a kid...





Just think... With a mineature kid, when its two or three you could send it off for a new world record-- Youngest kid ever to circumnavigate after having spent its entire life living aboard.

FWIW...

[TrevC]

Mmmm... Goat Roti! I had no idea they were so cute (not that it will stop me from eating them)

[Dune]

Originally Posted by dferringo

they can swim

At least you won't have any problem when you get tired of having them on board and decide to set them free. What... they can swim.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Hamsters on board may not be entirely voluntary...........

[fishwife]

Wandering around London, I chanced on a pet shop. With this thread in mine I explored the possibility of an small furry rodent as super-cargo They had some quite attractive looking guinea pigs, artfully bred hamsters, some gerbils, large rats and even white mice sharing a cage with some kangaroo rats. This look promising.. Then there were the cages, or as the store called them 'rodent homes' with designer nests. Then I looked at the prices. At the low end you could have a white mouse and a small 'home' for around £12.00, Moving on up, a white rat and an 'escape proof' house came in at around £15.00. Hamsters, the common variety fell into this price range. Exotic hampsters could be twice that. An 'apartment' suitable for guinea pigs, complete with two adult looking animals was around £30.00

That's when I realised that it just wasn't going to work. However you slice it, whether it's guinea pigs for the barbecue or hamsters et al as live bait, their just too darned expensive. Even the largest guinea pig can't weigh over 250g and then you have to realise that the dressed meat is at best only going to be perhaps half of that.

Buy fillet steak, it's much cheaper