would hamsters or rats attack my lovie?

[Hannah and Azulu]

sorry i'm posting this right after my last post but these questions all came at once!:)

I'm going to get a hamster or rat soon. i was concerned with whether or not they would try to hurt my birdie?:( or the other way around-would Azulu attack the hamster or rat? i am obviously more weary about the rat. i'm thinking that azulu would love to watch and follow the hamster around but i'd still be worried that it would get annoyed and try to bite Azulu? any advice or experience?

[linda040899]

Hard question to answer but hamsters or rats with parrots can be potentially dangerous.

Any breeder who has an aviary has had to deal with rodents at some time, and I'm no exception. Mice love to hide in a space that's between my outside birdroom and my house. I normally keep that area well stocked with rat poison so it keeps numbers down considerably. The birds can't get to the poison and none of the mice have ever bothered any of my birds.

However, it would probably be no holds barred should a bird go after a mouse or rat. I've never found out and I'm not looking to in the near or distant future.

If you are careful and don't have both out at the same time, I don't see any problems.

[Hannah and Azulu]

i was thinking about doing that-keeping them out at different times. i think i'll get a hammy. that way i can have it run in it's ball while i have the bird out, then put the bird away when i want to take the hamster out of the ball! also, i ran into an article where someone was talking about their pet rat killing their lovie. i wouldn't being able to handle that if it happened! and i would never be able to look at the rat the same way either! it would just be an all around bad situation! thanks for the reply!

[bookworm0550]

i think the hamster is a better choice. in the 7th grade, we had lovebirds and a rat in our animal room and the rat ended up killing one of the lovebirds. during free time, everyone always played w/ the lovebirds and no one thought anything about rats and birds out together, but afterwards, the teacher took the lone lovebird home.

[StormyMom]

I personally prefer gerbils and rats to hamsters. Ive found the rats and gerbils ive had to be SUCH sweethearts. All my hamsters were mean as heck, and i got them all very young, all raised the same way, all at individual time so lots of individual attention.

I never allowed my birds near my gerbil or rat tho. ever. Michelle (my gerbil) escaped several times..and shed run over, steal food, and like...get about a foot away from my birds on her back legs like woah....what are those?? But then take off running. I would just keep them out at separate times to be safe. Considering theyre both tecnically "caged" animals, it should be okay. Not like getting 2 dogs, you know?