You will hear a lot of different opinions when you talk about whether to buy a guinea pig or a gerbil. First of all, these two animals are wonderful and depending on who you ask, you will get a different answer. That’s because we all have our own likes and dislikes and we find ourselves more comfortable with one type of animal than another because its characteristics appeal to us more. This does not make the animal better or worse than the other.

For me, I have personally chosen guinea pigs, but that’s me. If you’re choosing a new pet, regardless of whether you’ve raised guinea pigs or gerbils before, there are certain things to consider before making the decision.

Gerbils are generally more active than guinea pigs or hamsters. Guinea pigs, while not as (hyper) active, are a bit messier than gerbils, but bond much better with you as their owner. Gerbils are also quite friendly, but they are shy creatures, and guinea pigs just like to be closer to you. They are also slightly larger and “cuter”. However, one thing you can count on with gerbils is that they will almost never bite you. A guinea pig probably won’t either, but there are more stories of piglets becoming aggressive later in life than there are of gerbils.

When it comes to maintenance, the pigs I have found will cost you more than the gerbils. This is mainly due to its size; they eat more, they are dirtier and you will need one more guinea pig because guinea pigs do not like to live alone. This investment is definitely worth it because for me guinea pigs are easier to teach tricks and they are a lot of fun when they do things. This is one of the main reasons I chose a guinea pig over a gerbil. Also, if you need a pet that is active but calm, you should definitely take the pig with you.