You will hear many 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 are more comfortable with one type of animal than another because we are more attracted to its characteristics. 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 are choosing a new pet, regardless of whether you have 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 they bond much better with you as an owner. Gerbils are also quite friendly, but they are shy creatures, and guinea pigs like to be closer to you. They are also somewhat bigger and “cuter”. However, one thing you can count on with gerbils is that they will hardly ever bite you. A guinea pig probably won’t either, but there are more stories of little pigs getting aggressive later in life than there are gerbils.
When it comes to maintenance, the pigs I’ve found will cost you more than gerbils. This is mainly due to its size; they eat more, they are dirtier and you will need one more guinea pig there because guinea pigs don’t like living alone. This investment is definitely worth it because for me, guinea pigs are easier to teach tricks and they are so much fun doing 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.