The Three Pets Side by Side
All three are small, all three can be kept in a flat, and all three need more than most people expect. Here is what each one asks of you.
| Guinea pigs | Rabbits | Syrian hamster | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lifespan | 5 to 6 years, sometimes longer | 7 to 10 years on average | Up to about 2 years, sometimes longer |
| Company | Keep a pair | Need another rabbit, ideally both neutered | Must live alone |
| Space | At least 120 x 60 cm of floor for two, more if you can | 3 x 2 x 1 metres for two, or a rabbit-proofed room | At least 100 x 50 cm of floor, 50 cm tall |
| Awake | In short spells, day and night | Mornings and evenings | Evening and night |
| Heat | 17 to 20°C is ideal; heatstroke above 26°C | 10 to 20°C is ideal; overheat easily | Indoors, out of direct sun and heat |
| Monthly cost | Hay alone is about ₹2,800 for a pair | Hay is the main cost, and rabbits eat more than guinea pigs | The lowest of the three: food and bedding |
The hay figure uses our shop prices of 31 October 2026 and the farm’s own hay table; the guinea pig price guide shows the working. We have not measured a rabbit’s hay the way we have a guinea pig’s, so there is no rabbit figure here.
Choose Guinea Pigs If
- you want a pet that is awake and chatty in the daytime and that you can handle gently on your lap
- you can give a pair a solid floor of at least 120 x 60 cm, such as a C&C cage (see guinea pig cage size)
- you can keep a room cool through the Delhi summer
Guinea pigs live in pairs, so you are choosing two. The RSPCA says to hold them with one hand under the hindquarters and the other around the chest. See the guinea pigs at the farm, or read how to look after them.
Choose Rabbits If
- you have a room, or a corner of one, to give: the RSPCA’s minimum for two medium-sized rabbits is 3 x 2 x 1 metres
- you can let them run every day, because a cage is a base and not a home
- you are ready for 7 to 10 years, and for neutering, which the RSPCA recommends for both rabbits in a pair
Rabbits are most active in the morning and evening. See the rabbits at the farm, and plan the space with our rabbit cage and pen guide and the rabbit care guide.
Choose a Hamster If
- you are up in the evening and enjoy watching more than cuddling
- you want one pet, not two: Syrians live alone
- you can give a cage of at least 100 x 50 cm, 20 cm of bedding and a wheel of 27 to 32 cm
A hamster lives for up to about two years, so it is the shortest commitment of the three. The RSPCA says an adult should always be responsible for a hamster’s care, because looking after one is too much responsibility for a child. See the hamsters at the farm and the hamster care guide.
Can They Live Together?
No. The RSPCA says rabbits and guinea pigs don’t make ideal companions: they eat different things, rabbits may bully or injure guinea pigs, and they communicate very differently. Rabbits are best kept with rabbits and guinea pigs with other guinea pigs. A Syrian hamster should live on its own. If you want more than one kind, give each its own home.
Heat, Flats and Travel
Delhi NCR summers decide a lot. The RSPCA says a guinea pig can get heatstroke above 26°C and that rabbits are very vulnerable to heat, so both need a cool room, with an AC or a cooler. Plan for that before you bring them home.
When you travel, our farm stays take guinea pigs and rabbits for up to 10 nights. Our farm stays are for cats, dogs, guinea pigs and rabbits, so we do not board hamsters.
Which Small Pet Questions
Which small pet is best for a flat?
Most families with a flat and busy days do best with a pair of guinea pigs. They need less room than rabbits, whose minimum is 3 x 2 x 1 metres for two, and they are awake in the daytime, unlike a hamster.
Can a guinea pig live with a rabbit?
It is not ideal. The RSPCA believes rabbits are best kept with rabbits and guinea pigs with other guinea pigs, because they have different needs and rabbits may bully or injure guinea pigs.
Which small pet lives longest?
Rabbits. PDSA says healthy rabbits live about 7 to 10 years on average, the RSPCA says guinea pigs live 5 to 6 years, sometimes longer, and hamsters usually live up to two years.
Which small pet is best for children?
Whichever you choose, an adult should be responsible for its care. The RSPCA says looking after a hamster is too much responsibility for a child, and that rough handling can injure one.
How much does it cost to keep a guinea pig each month?
Hay alone is about ₹2,800 a month for a pair on Fresh Grass Hay, by our shop prices of 31 October 2026. Add vegetables, pellets, bedding and the occasional vet visit.
Do you board hamsters?
No. Our farm stays are for cats, dogs, guinea pigs and rabbits.
Sources
- RSPCA, guinea pigs: a lifespan of 5 to 6 years, and active up to 20 hours a day in short spells.
- RSPCA, keeping guinea pigs together: pairs, and why rabbits and guinea pigs are not ideal companions.
- RSPCA, guinea pig housing: 17 to 20°C is ideal, and above 26°C can cause heatstroke.
- RSPCA, rabbit housing: 3 x 2 x 1 metres for two, and 10 to 20°C.
- RSPCA, rabbit health: both rabbits in a pair should be neutered.
- PDSA, how long do pets live: healthy rabbits live about 7 to 10 years.
- RSPCA, hamsters: up to two years, Syrians better kept alone, and an adult responsible for a hamster’s care.
- Blue Cross, hamster care: at least 100 x 50 x 50 cm, 20 cm of bedding, and a wheel of 27 to 32 cm for a Syrian.