How do I convince parents to let me get a hamster.

Furini · 09-26-2016, 06:55 PM

Hello there!As you read from the title,I want to convince my parents for a hamster.I am currently making a power point that shows them the supplies I need,how much they cost,what food and bedding I will buy, how me and my sister will tame and etc.But,I want to know if there are any tips to convince them some more?

(My sister and I will pay for it,we stated it in the powerpoint)

Thanks to anyone who helps, because hopefully it'll work and I'll finally get my hammie!

MeganAndMisty · 09-30-2016, 01:29 PM

Hello, welcome to Hc

I was just wondering if you'd asked your parents before? Is there a certain reason that they wouldn't want you to get a hamster?

pinkneon · 09-30-2016, 01:52 PM

Hi and welcome to the forum!
You need to sit your parents down and ask. The presentation can be good for showing you have done your research and stuff, but there may be a reason they don't want you to get one - maybe they are worried they'll end up responsible for the hamster. Also, you need to consider things such as should the hamster need the vet, how are you going to pay for it? Your parents may help out with this, but you need to show you can at least pay some of the vet bills. Could you put your allowence towards it? The other thing to think about is who will look after the hamster if you go away. What you could do, is maybe ask if you can look after a friend's hamster for a few days, or even a week, to show you can be responsible for a hamster and provide it with the things you will need. Although it's not the same in terms of cost, it could be a good way to show responsibility! My last point is one I should mention, though many people don't like it ... But you have to remember that it is their house, and therefore their rules. You have to respect their rules whilst you live there. This doesn't mean you can't ask about it, but it means that if they say "no" or "not at the moment" then this is something you will need to be able to accept

chesca_27 · 10-04-2016, 01:29 AM

Hopping Hammy did a video on convincing parents. Check it out on YouTube

!

I was in a similar situation to you - I begged for at least 3 years

! The thing that really convinced my dad was dressing up hamster care as easy and low maintenance

(it's not really) which seems to have really worked. Another good place to start is looking after a friend's hamster. This is another part that convinced my dad.

I also had to make a spreadsheet with everything I wanted, where I could get it from and how much it would be. I made many care sheets to help my dad for when he needs to look after my hamster as well. It helps to have a practical solution for everything.

Good luck and I hope one day you get your hamster

AmityvilleHams · 10-04-2016, 02:26 AM

Be persistent,but not to a point that causes annoyance as most parents will not appreciate that!Be able to answer any question they might have as well,that does help a lot.If they use something as a reason why it isn't a good idea,offer the solution to that.

Something that helped me a lot was being able to show that while some hamster items can get expensive,there are lots of ways to save money and that not everything is extremely expensive

A good example of that is if your parents think good substrate that won't cause an allergic reaction is too expensive,explain firstly why it is important and then why it can save you money over the long term.

**Serena_jayne98** · 11-05-2016, 07:10 AM

Everyone else has given good tips. But I just wanted to add, it depends on your parents. They might say no just because they don't like hamsters/see the point in them. After I got my Syrian and my little sister (who's 14) met him, she reeeeaaallly wanted one. I trust her to look after one so I told our mum that if she let me get her one I'd pay for everything it ever needed, because I really wanted my sister to have one. I think everyone deserves a pet if they're able to look after it properly. But our mum still said no, despite there being no logical reason to say no. She just doesn't see the appeal of hamsters. So even if you have a perfectly valid, logical argument as to why you should be able to have a hamster, they could still say no. After all, it's their house.

AmityvilleHams · 11-05-2016, 07:25 AM

Taking every opportunity to show someone who seemingly dislikes hamsters that they are cute and make great pets can help though,and honestly that's what sealed the deal with my parents and made it possible for me to actually get my hamster when I did!

**Serena_jayne98** · 11-05-2016, 07:29 AM

Some parents just don't listen and are extremely stubborn and do the whole "no, because i said so" thing..I'm hoping Furini's parents aren't like this..unfortunately my mum is so I just wanted to add that it's a possibility

velma · 11-05-2016, 12:07 PM

That's a very good point, Serena-Jayne. Always respect the rules of the house you live in. You might not like the answer and yes, showing how responsible you are to your parents may mean they change their mind in time but if they don't want pets in the house, respect their answer.

Figaro · 11-11-2016, 09:57 PM

Hi!

When I was a kid, my parents let me have a mouse, several fish, a bunch of rats, and 2 ferrets with my sister. They didn't care about the money as much, but we had to prove we were responsible enough to devote the correct amount of time and care to the animals. Show them where you plan to keep the cage and where the out-of-cage playtime will occur. If you have a messy room (like I did, and still do!), clean it. If you do any after-school activities or are really busy in general, keep in mind that you won't always feel up to exercising your new friend or cleaning his/her cage, but that is the responsibility that comes with having a pet.

Like others have said, your parents might not have a legit reason for saying no, and that's okay. Some people are afraid of rodents no matter what, although that's more common in the mice & rats department. I had to wait until I moved into my own apartment to get pet snakes!

Good luck!