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Hamster Central Articles - Thinking of buying a hamster? - STOP - Please read first!
by babyboos
Some things you really need to seriously consider carefully before getting a hamster as a pet. If you are not willing to accomodate these things then I would recommend you choose a fish ... (NO, I love fish, I am a marine biologist after all!) okay a Cyber Pet then:
You MUST be willing to put aside a "vet fund" in case your hamster needs medical attention. (If you are planning to hold an animal in captivity, please take responsibility for his medical needs - he really cannot leave his cage to get what he needs now can he?!?)
You must be able to provide you hamster with more than his basic physical needs. Water bottles ideally should be refilled daily - you don't like stale water and neither do hamsters. But there is more to caring for your hamster than giving it food and water, he also needs more than his usual four walls to look at day after day. You do not need to be rich to provide some extra stimulation for you pet, just a willingness to be creative in making sure his natural need to explore different sites and objects DAILY is met. If you want some ideas please ask!
In hand with this you must also be able to stay up past 8:00 p.m. (sometimes later) to play with your nocturnal pet, (mainly Syrians) and/or make time during the day to play with your hamster while he is active (mainly dwarves). The idea of keeping a hamster means you are willing to spend time with him daily. You will need to provide for his emotional/stimulation needs during his waking hours. (Failure to do this will make for a very lonely, lethargic, unfriendly hamster.)
You should only have a cat, dog or ferret in the house, IF, you are able to keep the hamster in a seperate room, including runaround ball time. (Dogs have been known to knock over hamster cages, and some will even injure or kill hamsters. For example, I know of one little furball who got a fright from a dog barking in his face, fell and broke his leg as he was climbing his wall bars at the time. Cats and ferrets are extrordinary climbers, so putting your hamster somewhere "high up" is not always a solution. Cats are very determined, and will usually find some way to get what they are after, even if you think they can not).
Finally you really must be willing to put up with the inevitable noise that will come from your hamster's natural nocturnal activities. If this will bother you, or you do not have an extra room, away from other pets, to place your hamster in so that his noise will not disturb you, you should re-think buying a hamster. Also, many people will resort to removing thier hamster's wheel to cut noise. This is not fair to your hamster at all - it would be like someone locking you in a small room with nothing to read, look at, no one to talk to, and no way out. Your only option would be to stare at a wall. Once again, please think it through before you buy him!
I am sure there are other aspects to consider but this is all I can think of at the moment. Please do not think I am trying to put anyone off buying a hamster. I adore hamsters, and think they are great pets, but working with rescue hamsters I really think their numbers would be dramatically reduced if owners thought before they bought!
Thank you for listening and remember an older hamster still has plenty of love to give - give one a chance!
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Hamster Central Articles - How to capture an escaped hamster...
by babyboos
This is a question that is asked frequently, an indication perhaps of how good hamsters are at escaping from their enclosure. It is important to capture them quickly as hamsters can be very destructive when allowed to roam free. They can chew through just about anything - furniture, doors, curtains and electrical wiring are common targets. All of these can seriously injure your hamster in the process or potentially cause it to pass over the Rainbow Bridge a lot quicker.
If you lose your hamster outdoors, the chances of recapture are not good. and anyway what were you doing outdoors anyway - there are far too many germs and dangers outside, but an indoor escapee can often be recaptured using the following simple method.
Get a deep, high-sided bucket or basin. It has to be at least 12 inches (30cm) deep but ideally 18 inches deep to ensure that the hamster can't jump out. Syrian hamsters are incredibly persistent and can scramble their way out of surprisingly deep containers. Dwarf hamsters can also jump but their smaller size means that they don't get quite so much height. Although Roborovski with their proportionately longer back to front legs have been known to jump as far as 3 feet in the air!
Make a "staircase" up to the edge of the container using books or magazines.
Remember ONLY on the outside of the container!
Place a trail of food up the staircase and leave a liberal amount in the bottom of the container. Something with a pungent aroma will help to attract the hamster from its hidey-hole. Apple slices, fresh green vegetables such as broccoli, or boiled/scrambled egg are favourites.
Leave the "trap" in the room that the hamster escaped from, unless you suspect that it has taken up residence in another part of the house or flat. The best time to lay the trap is in the evening, with the lights off. With any luck, you will find the hamster in the bottom of the container in the morning.
If you are not sure which room they have taken up residence in you may need a trap in a few rooms. Make sure to close all doors when moving between rooms during the day. On hard surfaces you can sprinkle some flour on the floor. I leave a saucer with a few grapes and sunflower seeds out in each room and check them frequently - they can't resist strawberries, melon, or cucumber, or some other water-bearing fruit or vegetable works just as well, and provides enough moisture to keep them going for a few days.
Remember to improve the security of the hamster's cage before returning its occupant. Watch out for loose bars and clip-style wire doors that can be forced open by a strong pair of hamster teeth.
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Hamster Central Articles -
Common fresh foods for your hamster.
by SnuggleHam
[table] [tr] [td] In addition to feeding your hamster its regular daily feed, it抯 important to offer fresh foods on a regular basis. Fresh foods can include almost any sort of fruit or vegetable. When beginning to offer fresh foods its important to start introducing them in small amounts and gradually to avoid diarrhea.
Start offering fresh food once or twice a week in pieces no bigger then roughly one inch square in size. Its recommended you continue this feeding regimen for a couple weeks then increase to feeding a small piece of fresh food each day. If your hamster starts to show any signs of diarrhea, stop feeding any fresh foods until the diarrhea stops and then slowly reintroduce the fresh food into the diet.
When offering fresh foods be sure to watch the hamster closely. Only offer as much as it will eat and take away anything uneaten as soon as possible. Fresh foods that are stored will eventually become moldy, so be sure to search the hamster抯 cage for any leftovers incase your ham may have buried it someplace for later.
Suitable Fresh foods to feed.
Apples
Banana
Basil
Broccoli
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Celery
Corn
Cucumber
Dandelions (leaves and flowrs)
Grapes
Grean beans
Kale
Lettuce
Melon
Ornages
Peas
Spinach
Sweet Potato
Turnip
Watercress
Zucchini
Other treats you might find around the house!
- Eggs - cooked, scrambled or hard boiled and with no salt. Especially good for pregnant and nursing hams.
- Dog Biscuits - help keeps your hamster teeth worn down
- Milk - just a teaspoon or less.
- Mixed birdseed
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Hamster Central Articles - Breeding Hamsters
by SnuggleHam
[table] [tr] [td] Before breeding there are a number of important questions to go over. Some of these questions are |
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Hamster Central Articles - Please STOP and read this BEFORE breeding your hamster
by babyboos
Many posts on this board are from people who have had surprise litters after bringing home a pregnant hamster from the pet shop - this can't be helped (apart from campaigning for better standards in pet shops) and we're here to help and advise you all we can.
There are also many people who decide to purposely breed their hamsters. Breeding hamsters isn't necessarily a bad thing - we are not against the breeding of hamsters per se! Knowledgable and responsible planned breeding can produce wonderful animals and further the hamster fancy. However the decision to breed should not be taken lightly or for the wrong reasons - so please please please, THINK BEFORE YOU BREED!!!
1. Quality - the vast majority of hamsters shouldn't be bred from. Responsible breeders in the hamster fancy breed for qualities of body conformation, size, depth of colour, quality of markings and fur, and health AS WELL as a good temperament. Good temperament is a given, not something to breed for! Simply being a sweet-natured pet does not make for good breeding material. If you're breeding your own pet with your friend's pet because they're both sweet hamsters, it is highly unlikely they are both good quality hamsters, especially if they came from a pet shop with an unknown background.
2. Practicality - do you have the space to house perhaps 20 hamsters individually if you can't find homes for them, can you afford that many cages? Can you afford to feed them and keep them in bedding and toys, for possibly three years? Can you spend at least twenty minutes a day playing with each one? Can you afford unexpected vets bills - which may run into hundreds of pounds/dollars? Do you have a competent hamster vet nearby, that you can get to in an emergency at any time of the day or night?
3. Responsibility - are you going to let these babies go to any old home, or a pet store, where anything may happen to them? Will you check each possible home, make sure the new owners are knowledgable and able to care for your hamsters, will you make yourself available to advise the new owners for the life of that hamster, and are you willing to take the hamster back at any time, if for some reason the owners can no longer keep it? You have bought these animals into the world, you really should be willing to take responsibility for them for their entire lives.
4. Reality - can you cope with the possibility that the first-time mother may eat her own pups? That she may die during a difficult birth, whilst you watch her writhing in pain? That pups may be stillborn, or born with deformities that require them to be put down, you may have to deal with sick or dead pups?
5. Knowledge - do you actually know what you are doing? Do you understand hamster genetics - are you aware what varieties of hamster a particular mating may produce? (And no - if you mate a black hamster with a white hamster you do not get a litter of half blacks and half whites, or a litter of black & white hamsters, or a litter of grey hamsters!!!) Do you know the genetic history of the animals you are breeding from - do you know what colours their parents, grandparents and great-grandparents were, do you know of any hidden recessives in the line? Are you aware of possible lethal combinations of various hamster markings? Have you read up on husbandry of pregnant and young hamsters - do you know how to care for them, how to feed them, what to expect at various stages, how to sex young pups, when you should be separating them into different sexes and at what age they should be housed singly?
6. Why? - Finally, why do you want to breed hamsters? If it's to make money, forget it! This is not a profit-making business. If it's because you want to and you think it's cute, take a while to think about the reality and practicality of it, and all the points mentioned above - does your hamster (and the possible mate) really fit the quality criteria, are you really knowledgable? If you're breeding because you want more hamsters, for yourself or for your friends - please, please contact your local animal rescue, sanctuary or shelter. There are many unwanted hamsters spending their lives in shelters due to people becoming bored of them, abandoning them, or breeding indiscriminately until they can no longer cope with them. Please give one of these unlucky hamsters a second chance rather than bringing more hamsters into the world to add to the shelter's problems.
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Hamster Central Articles - Will You Please Stop Chewing Those Bars!
by SnuggleHam
[table] [tr] [td] Some of you may have experienced this |
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Hamster Central Articles - Cage Chewing - Tips to break the habit!
by BubblesandSqueak
Right. Well, we all know how annoying cage chewing can be. Especially trying to sleep at night. If your hamster does it - don't panic, he's not the only one! Cage chewing is really common. It's a bit like a bad habit in humans, once they do it, it's hard to stop.
Hamsters usually chew their beloved cages because they are bored, their teeth are too long or they just need a chew toy.
Solutions:
1) Try buying a chew toy, this could be a block of wood, or something that will last a while, but get your hamster munching! This usually works, especially if you've nipped this nasty habit in the bud! If you really want to be creative, try adding more floors, toy and tubes to your hammys cage!
2) If this doesn't work, your hamster is probably just really bored or fed up. Try moving things around in his cage, changing his diet, or just give him more attention. A great way to do this is to take him out of his cage, and set up some obstical courses, something fun - for the both of you!
3) If none of my suggestions have worked, then I strongly recommend changing your cage, maybe get a tank or bin. Something with no wire, which is easily accessible, but this is your last resort.
The reason that this is so important is because cage chewing could easily led your hamster to teeth or gum problems, it may even end up in taking the teeth out. Which is unpleasant for the hamster, as well as you!
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Hamster Caging
Making the cage a home
The first cage accessories that you will need are a water bottle and a fooddish. Water must be provided for hamsters at all times. Dishes can be used butyou will quickly find that they get filled with bedding material and will needconstant changing. There for water bottles are recommended. You can find thesein plastic, and sometimes glass. They can be bought to mount on either theoutside or the inside of a cage or aquarium. Some plastic habitats come withits own water bottles that are designed to nicely fit in with the cage.
It is recommended to provide two water bottle sources in the event one drainsdue to not being tightened securely or simply malfunctions and stops dispensingwater.
Ceramic food dishes are best as they are heavy and not easily toppled and wontbe chewed apart like most plastic food dishes. The hamster may rarely use it asthey store their cheek pouches full and horde a supply of ready to eat food intheir nests.
Bedding Material
Hamsters are burrowing creatures and enjoy digging around. Bedding is suppliedfor this reason but also to give comfort to the animal, warmth and to helpabsorb urine and contain the smells.
There are verities of rodent beddings on the market. Two types to avoid usingare clumping Cat litter and cedar based shaving and litters. Hamsters arecoprophagic which means they eat a portion of their feces as part of thedigestive process. kitty litter will get lodge in the digestive system and willcause the hamster to die of an intestinal obstruction if digested.
Cedar shaving release aromatic oils which over long periods of time of breathingthese fumes a hamster can become ill from irritation of the respiratory system,and in some cases cause neurological damage and convulsions. However, the pinewood shavings available in the UKdo not have this problem. Cedar is still offered in pet stores but just becausea product is made for the use of hamsters or any animal doesn抰 mean that it抯the best to use. Sawdust and 'cotton-type' beddings are also dangerous.
Many people are now switching to and recommending bedding made of reclaimed cellulosefiber that does not contain ink, solvent or dyes found in many recycled paperproducts. Its soft and extremely absorbent, has no scent and is hypoallergenic.It appears to look like small chucks of gray dried paper pulp. Some brands outthere are Carefresh, Yesterday's News and CritterCare.
Other beddings available are pine shavings, aspen shavings, pine pellets,alfalfa pellets, sawdust, and corncob bits (although unsuitable as they are tooscratchy). Paper based beddings and paper-based cat litters (like Bob Martins)are safest for hamsters.
Other cage Accessories
Since hamsters are burrowing creatures its important they are proved with a denthat they can crawl into and build a nest and sleep. A cardboard box with a cutout hole would suffice but there are many wooden nest boxes and cute littlehouses available for you抮e hamster to sleep in. Some hamsters may prefer tosleep in a built up nest behind an exercise wheel or food bowl but from myexperience once a house is provided they will happily move in.
Water bottles
Water dishes can be used but there is a hygiene disadvantage of dishes, whichis that they easily get filled with sawdust, soaking up all the availablewater. They must be checked a few times daily and must be cleaned daily.
Water bottles are recommended. Water bottles with ball-bearings in the tubetend to better than those without. They should regularly be checked to makesure the bottle is working and the ball isn抰 stuck.
Food dishes
A food dish is not absolutely necessary, the hamster would be just as happy toforage for it off the cage floor if sprinkled around. Ceramic food dishes andmetal dishes are suitable since they aren抰 easily knocked over and are easy toclean and can抰 be chewed. Your hamster will most likely relocate the food toits nest area anyway.
Bedding/nesting material
Your hamster will appreciate bedding material to build a nest with. However anybedding material that it fluffy, cotton or wool should be avoided. Thesematerials can cause harm if eaten by the hamster and the fine fibers can becomecaught around the hamster's limb causing injury.
Soft paper bedding is best. Try taking un-dyed and unscented toilet paper orpaper towel and tearing it into strips for your hamster. Hay can also be usedbut it should be clean and not moldy or dusty. Straw should not be used as thesharp edges can injure a hamster.
Exercise wheels are very important they keep the hamster busy and wellworked out, plus they love to run on them! Many hamster cages come fitted witha wheel, some are attached on and some removable. It抯 important that the wheelhas a solid running surface. Although there are still wire wheels out therethey are not safe for the hamster. Wheel such as this can result in brokenlimbs that get caught in between. Some good wheels out there are the SilentSpinners, The Wodent Wheel and Comfort Wheel.
Removable ramps and platforms can also be purchased to add someinteresting exploring. These also increase the floorspace for the hamster tomove around in.
In addiction to the basics there are other items to add to a hamster cage forhabitat enrichment. Adding such items like chew tunnels or pvc pipes can helpmake exploring more interesting.
A sand box can be added into the cage. Use chinchillas sand and makesure it is not the dust. Dust is to fine and can get into the hamsters respiratorysystem. The sand can be placed into a ceramic bowl or empty tissue box. Theywill enjoy digging and rolling in it and you can also use it as a potty andtrain your hamsters to use it.
Other items such as toilet paper rolls, wood chews, mineral blocks and plastictubes can help add enrichment. |
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Hamster Central Articles - Hamster Bedding, Substrate and Nesting materials.
by SnuggleHam
[table][tr][td] All hamsters need to be housed with a type of bedding (or substrate). These days there is a wide variety of substrates available to small animals, it can be possibly overwhelming to choose! Some are good for hamsters and some are bad. In this article you will read an overview on what is recommended and what is not.
Bedding or substrate, is the material in which you cover your hamsters cage with. It is the primary material that your fury friend will be living on its whole life. Hamsters are burrowing creatures and enjoy digging around. The bedding offers a natural cozy floor. It is also used to build its nest with to keep warm and act as a sponge, absorbing urine. Sadly many pet stores still sell substrates which can be harmful to your hamster. Be aware of what pet store try and sell you. More often then not employees are not adequately trained or aware. Remember, just because its for sale in a pet store doesn't always mean its a safe choice. Thankfully you are reading this so you will be prepared!
Two types to avoid using are clumping cat litter and cedar based shavings and litters. Hamsters are coprophagic which means they eat a portion of their feces as part of the digestive process. Kitty litter will get lodge in the digestive system and will cause the hamster to die of an intestinal obstruction if digested.
Pine and Cedar shaving release aromatic oils which over long periods of time of breathing these fumes, a hamster can become ill from irritation of the respiratory system, and in some cases cause neurological damage.
For those in the UK please note that pine wood shavings do not have this problem. Cedar is one of the problematic substrates which is still offered in pet stores.
Many people are now switching to and recommending bedding made of reclaimed cellulose fiber that does not contain ink, solvent or dyes found in many recycled paper products. Its soft and extremely absorbent, has no scent and is hypoallergenic. The original color appears to look like small chucks of gray dried paper pulp. Some brands out there are Carefresh (found in many colors now!) and Yesterday's News and CritterCare to name a few.
file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/NAUZEF%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/msohtml1/01/clip_image001.jpgWhile you can use wood based pellets and corncob type beddings they don't really appear that comfortable. My opinion as the author of this article is that a hamster would probably feel more comfortable living on a softer substrate.
Bedding/nesting material
Hamsters will appreciate bedding material to build a nest with. However any bedding material that it fluffy, cotton or wool should be avoided. These materials can cause harm if eaten by the hamster and the fine fibers can become caught around the hamster's limb causing injury.
Soft paper bedding is best. Try taking un-dyed and unscented toilet paper or paper towel and tearing it into strips for your hamster. Hay can also be used but it should be clean and not moldy or dusty. Straw should not be used as the sharp edges can injure a hamster.
Sand baths. You can buy chinchilla sand at your local pet store and place it in a shallow dish or empty glass jar on its side large enough for the hamster to safely enter and turn around in, or simply a cut out box. There are also special sand bathhouses you can guy for small rodents if you wish. They will love rolling and digging in it. The sand will help wear their nails down and keep the coast clean and helps to take some of the grease out of their fur. Make sure you stay away from any products labeled 揚owder |
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(Phodopus roborovskii)
These are the newest addition to the family of hamsters kept as pets. They originate from Mongoliaand are the smallest of the hamster family, being only about 5cm long whenfully grown. They are sandy brown on their head and back and pure whiteunderneath, but have endearing white "eyebrows" and whiskers, as seenin the photograph above. Like their relatives, the Russian hamsters, theseanimals are social, and live in groups, (unlike Syrian hamsters). They are byfar the fastest moving of the hamster family, and indeed are rarely still,except when they are asleep.
Roborovskii's hamsters are gentle and naturally docile but extremely fast! They rarely if ever bite but do wriggle - and if they escapethey are difficult to catch, although repeated, gentle handling will calm themdown somewhat. Since they are so wriggly, they are not generally recommendedfor anyone wanting a pet to "cuddle". When they are being handled, itis best to do so over a "playbox" or normal cardboard box from thesupermarket. (If a Roborovski's hamster once gets loose on the floor it will bea major challenge to retrieve!) On the plus side, however, their temperament isreliably good; bites or even nips are so rare as to be effectively unheard of.As a pet to watch, busily going about its day to day existence, they arewithout equal.
Their care is basically similar to that of other hamsters, particularly theother "Dwarfs". As with Russians and Chinese, mouse barred cages arerequired to safely confine them or, failing that, a tank, (either plastic orglass). They seem to be more fond of tubes, plastic houses and hideaways thanother species of hamster, and will enjoy nesting in any cardboard rolls orsmall boxes that are given to them. In terms of feeding, normal hamster foodsuits them well, although as a treat they especially relish a small amount ofbird seed, particularly millet or foreign finch seed. (They will also take thespray millet sold for budgerigars). Concerning fruit and vegetables, any of the"greens" that other species of hamster will eat are suitable forRoborovski's.
Lifespan for Roborovski's hamsters is usually about two years, comparable toSyrians and other "Dwarfs". They do not seem to suffer from any geneticpredisposition to disease that I am aware of, apart from the fact that somebloodlines do seem to throw out occasional individuals which "spin",as if they have had a stroke or middle ear infection. These individuals arevery uncommon and seem to be completely unconcerned about their affliction,feeding well and coping perfectly with the requirements of a normal life.
Breeding this species is not difficult but they do not seem as fertile as,for example, Campbell's.In addition, litter size is usually fairly small, three to five being normal,although I have known up to eight. These facts may make "Robos" lessattractive to commercial breeders and hence explain why few Pet Shops sellthem. For the Exhibitor Breeder, however, this is not necessarily a problem,since they do not have a living to make from their hamsters. Breeding is simplya matter of leaving a male and female together and waiting. Both sexes makeexcellent parents and the pair may produce a litter every three weeks or so,although this is unusual and every four to five weeks is more common. Thebabies are fully furred at two weeks of age and resemble miniature adults byabout three weeks.
It was believed that Roborovski's hamsters didn't breed until their secondspring, and many breeders report that theirs only breed at certain times of theyear - usually Spring and early Summer. This would suggest that they areresponding to increased day length. They also seem to suffer from"inbreeding depression" when colonies are left to breed for severalgenerations. "Outcross" pairs seem more fertile and seem to startbreeding at an earlier age, (on average), than those from several generationsof inbreeding. For this reason it is important that dedicated breederexhibitors maintain open bloodlines and exchange animals frequently to minimiseinbreeding depression and ensure the future of this delightful animal.
慍ute |
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Hamster Central Articles - The Winter White hamster
by SnuggleHam
[table] [tr] [td] During the 1960抯 the winter whites were used as lab animals in Czechoslovakia. Two pairs were brought to a lab in Germany and from there made their way into the pet market.
Winter white hamsters 擯hodopus Sungorus" are also know as the Siberian hamster or the Djungarian hamster. The winter white hamster is from eastern Kazakhstan and southwest Siberia. In the winter their coasts change from dark to white and will do the same in captivity provided that their cages are illuminated with natural light. Although some may not change completely white.
The Winter White Russian Hamster is the least common of the two species of Dwarf Russian Hamster kept as pets and is therefore rarely seen in pet shops. The Dwarf Winter White Russian is sometimes also known as the Siberian Hamster. Many pet shops will have Siberian hamsters but in most cases this is probably not the winter white but in fact a Campbell抯 hamster. To be certain of what you are getting you may want to seek out a breeder of winter whites. Another name used is Djungarian or Dzungarian in both the Campbell抯 and occasionally Winter Whites. The Djungarian inst a new special species of Dwarf, simply just another name.
The winter white hamster measures up to four inches (10cm) in length. During the summer they are a dark gray-brown with a light colored underbelly. They have a dark dorsal stripe as well as a black stripe on each side separating the dark gray top and light gray belly. As the days grow shorter the dark coat will be replaced with a white coat.
Breeding has brought in two new colors being the sapphire a blue-gray colored with a dark dorsal stripe the other being a peal white with a white body ticked with gray hairs and a darker head, neither of these colored hamster change their coast with the season.
Winter White Hamsters are sociable and will live with others of its own kind in single or mixed sex groups provided that hamsters are introduced at a young age. They make good pets although because of their small size they can be difficult for small children to handle. The Dwarf Winter White Russian Hamster can also be less tolerant of clumsy handling than the bigger Syrian Hamster but is generally nice natured.
Due to their size cages designed for mice, glass or plastic aquariums make more suitable cages. The average lifespan of the Dwarf Winter White Russian Hamster is 1 |
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Hamster Central Articles - The dwarf Campbell抯 Russian hamster
by SnuggleHam
[table] [tr] [td] The Dwarf Campbell抯 Russian hamster 擯hodophus campbelli擺/i] was named after W.C Campbell who discovered the rodent in Mongolia in 1902. It is found in central Asia, northern Russia, Mongolia and northern china.
They hamster arrived in Britain in 1964 as lab animals. From there they progressed into pets store in the early 1970抯 and shortly after to the United States.
The Campbell抯 Hamster is sometimes incorrectly labeled as the Siberian Hamster in pet shops. It is more common than the other species of Dwarf Russian Hamsters. The name Djungarian 搄ung-gair-rian |
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Hamster Central Articles - The Chinese Hamster
by SnuggleHam
[table] [tr] [td] The Chinese Hamster 揅ricetus griseus 揫/i] originates from Northern China and Mongolia and is not technically a Dwarf Hamster, but a member of the "mouse-like" hamster genus, and has a relatively long tail for a hamster.
The Chinese Hamster was first recorded in 1900 and they were later kept and used in laboratories and grew in the 1970s when the Russian Hamster was introduced to the pet market.
The Chinese Hamster has a slender mouse-like body, which is approximately 10-12cm in length with males being larger than females. The natural color is dark brown over the back with dark stripe along the spine and an off-white belly although there are other varieties. The average lifespan of the Chinese Hamster is 2 |
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There are a few things you have to know and dobefore purchasing a Roborovski dwarf hamster. It doesn't hurt to read somethingabout Roborovskis first. You'll be spending 2-4 years with this bundle of furso hasty decisions are not advisable (not with any pet for that matter). Alsoyou could be able to identify certain illnesses early. Though dwarf hamstersrarely get sick, when they do, they are often almost impossible to treat.
Hamsters are nocturnal creatures so when you want tochoose your hamster, it's best to do so in the evening, when it's wide-awake.
It should be noted that Roborovskis are not suitablefor young children, because they're so quick and tiny.
A few things to look for when choosing a hamster:
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What type of Hamster?
It'simportant to choose a hamster that is suitable for you. If you want a hamsterthat is small, you want more than one and it can live in groups with it's ownkind then a Dwarf Hamster is what you're looking for. If you're looking to buyjust the one hamster then the best choice is a syrian hamster since this typeof hamster is solitary and must be kept on their own. A Syrian hamsteris ideal for children or first time hamster owners because they're larger thanDwarfs and much easier to handle.
Choosing your Hamster
One thing you have to think about whenpicking a hamster is age. Hamster live very short lives, around 1-2 years onaverage. Sometimes maybe 3 years. So you need to pick a young hamster if youwant to make the most to their time with you. From 5 weeks old is the idealage. Hamsters before this age are too young and shouldn't even be available tobuy. A younger hamster is also much easier to tame rather than a older one.
When looking at the hamsters ask tohandle them so you can also get a feel for one you like and also check it over.You should check the hamster for the following:
- Bottom area should be clean not wet.
- Eyes should be bright and clean.
- No scars on the body.
- Fur should not be thinning or bald.
- Ears must be intact not torn.
If the hamster has any of these thendon't buy it!
Travelling home with your hamster
Many pet shops will provide a cardboardbox to take your hamster home. These are not really suitable because thehamster can easily chew it's way out. It's best to spend a little money on aplastic carry case. These are also useful for if you ever need to take yourhamster to the vet.
Avoid going anywhere else afterpurchasing your hamster. Go straight home to avoid making the hamster stressed. |
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FAQ- Frequently Asked Questions
How long do hamsters live?
Syrians usually live onaverage two years, some have been known to live three or four years. Dwarfsusually live around one and half years and Roborovski usually around threeyears.
What type of hamster should I get?
Really, this is up toyou, depending on your experience. If you are a total beginner a Syrian is mostcertainly recommended. Syrians Hamsters are very hardy hamsters so they aremore suitable for beginners and younger children. On the other hand, some dwarfhamsters are fast and hard to handle.
Russian Campbell hamsters are sociableand it is recommended they live in a large cage with the same sex species inwhich to keep him or her happy. In some cases though, hamsters may become territorialand fight. It is not absolutely vital that they are kept in pairs or groups itis just a friend to keep a hamster happy. Winter white are very much the sameas Russian campbells.
Roborosvki hamster are small and fast.They are not recommended for beginners at all. A beginner would expect to beable to pick up his hamster and play and cuddle it. Roborosvki hamsters arevery fast, very hard to catch and indeed, they are very hard to handle. Somaybe not the best type of hamster for a beginner. They are also sociable anddo well in pairs of groups of the same sex.
Chinese hamsters are not usually found to be as sociable asother dwarf species. They are very small, and can be very fast. Not reallyrecommended for a beginner卋ut do well with beginners, but still they are fastand hard to catch sometimes.
Can syrian hamsters live together?
No. Syrian hamsters aresolitary hamsters that means they like to live alone. Housing adult Syrianstogether can lead lead to serious fighting and sometimes death. The onlycompanion a Syrian hamster needs is a human friend to play with him everyday.
Can I bath my hamster?
No a hamster shouldnever be cleaned with water. Hamster are very fragile and can easily becomeill. You can however give your hamster a dish of chinchilla sand in which theycan roll around in and help clean their fur. Make sure it is sand and not dust,dust is too fine for a hamster.
My hamster escaped? Help?
Firstly close all doorsin your house then place a pile of food in each room and check regular to seeif any has gone missing. If you notice any gone you'll know the hamster is inthat room. Check everywhere, hamsters can get into the smallest spaces. Youcould also setup a bucket trap, place a bucket in a room and inside put somefood and bedding inside. Put some books up to the top of the bucket like astaircase. Hopefully the hamster will climb up the books smell the food in thebucket and jump inside.
Can Syrians and dwarfs live together?
No Syrians are solitarymeaning they like to live alone. Also mixing different species of hamstersisn't a good idea, they wouldn't live like that in the wild.
OMG! My hamster is eating it's own poop?
Don't worry that isperfectly normal. Hamsters don't always absorb all the nutrition in food theyeat first time around so to get all the nutrition they need they will eat theirown poop.
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Why does my hamster sleep most of the day?
Hamsters are nocturnalmeaning that they like to sleep during the day and wake up in the evening or night.
My hamsters wheel squeeks, is there something I can do to stop it?
Yes, you can rub alittle vegetable oil on the axel where the wheel spins. You will have to dothis regular as it will eventually wear away.
What are the different types of hamster?
There are 5 types thatare kept as pets: Syrian, Campbell's, Winter White, Roborovski and Chinese.There are lots more but these types aren't kept as pets.
How often should I feed and water my hamster?
Food and water should bechanged daily. Any uneaten food should be thrown away.
Do I need to clean my hamster?
Hamsters don't need tobe cleaned, they can clean themselves with their paws. You can help them thoughby providing a dish of chinchilla sand.
Is Pine/Cedar a good bedding?
No Pine and Cedar shouldnever be used as a hamster bedding. They both contain something that isharmful. The best choice is either Aspenor Carefresh.
What is the best nesting material?
Plain unscented toiletpaper, hamsters just love to shred this. it is also completely safe if yourhamster swallows any. You should avoid the following: fluffy bedding, cottonwool and newspaper.
Do I need to trim my hamsters nails?
Yes, if they start tocurl under. It is not recommended that you clip your hamsters claws yourself, avet will do a fine job of completing this task. When you take your hamster tohave his claws cut, ask the vet to show you how it's done. But then if youstill don't feel confident doing it then don't because you could catch a quickor cut a toe off, which can be very painful for a hamster.
How old is my hamster?
There is no possible wayto tell the age of a hamster. If your hamster is lively, his coat is very neat,he's not bald or anything he will be quite young. But remember, when buyingyour hamster/s ask how old they are, so you will always know.
What do I feed my hamster?
In your local pet shop,you should be able to buy a dry hamster mix, that will be a fine diet for yourhamster as long as there isn't too many sunflower seeds in it. Too manysunflower seeds may cause your hamster to become overweight. A list of fruitand vegetables that can be eaten is listed here.
Why are my hamsters teeth so long?
Your hamsters teeth areso long because they have not been clipped by a vet. It is a simple procedurethe vet will do, he will scruff your hamster and simply cut his teeth withsmall animal clippers, this MUST be done if you feel your hamsters teeth aretoo long, If it is not done, it will prevent a hamster from eating and he willstarve, and could even die. You can help keep a hamsters teeth short byproviding hard chews such as dog biscuits.
Can my Black Bear Hamster and Teddy Bear Hamster live together?
No, Black Bear's andTeddybear's are a nicknames pet stores sometimes give to Syrian Hamsters.Syrian hamster are solitary, meaning that they like to live alone and don'tlike the company of another hamster. Caging them together can lead to seriousfighting or even death!
How often should I handle my hamster?
They should be handledat least daily, for at least 10 minutes. Especially dwarfs because if nothandled regular they will become untame again.
Why does my hamster seemto sleep all the time?
Hamsters are nocturnal,meaning they like to sleep during the day. Hamsters will sleep most of the dayand will usually wake up for a couple of hours during the evening.
How often can I give my hamster fruits and veggies?
Fruits and Vegetablescan be feed once or twice a week in small quantities. Too much can lead todiarrhea or wet tail in Syrians.
My hamster has wet tail, what do I do?
You need to get yourhamster to a vet asap. There they will prescribe a medicine that will cure thedisease. Some pet stores will sell a product called Dri-tail, which they saywill cure it but in actual fact it won't. This medicine isn't strong enough andwill just cover the symptoms. |
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TO BOWL OR NOT TO BOWL
Toss it on the floor of the cage or put it in a bowl? Becausehamsters are known hoarders, many are of the opinion that their food might aswell be put on the cage floor because that's what they will do with it anyway.Quite the contrary, if accustomed to having their food in a dish, hamsters viewthat as their "stash" and don't feel the urge to hoard it becausethere is a continuous supply. Granted, mothers take some to the nest for thelittle ones and there are those that put some in their nest to snack on inbetween naps during the day.
Bear in mind however that dishes provide cleaner food inaddition to the ability for you to monitor your hamster's eating habits. Itonly takes a glance at a dish to determine whether or not he/she is eating.(With the grain spread all over the floor of the cage there's no way of knowingfor sure whether or not any substance has been taken.) The unused portion ofgrain should be dumped daily and replaced with fresh grain. (Don't discard theused grain instead save it and feed it to the wild birds, chipmunks, squirrels,etc. - they will savor every bite.)
A BALANCED HAMSTER DIET
A balanced diet provides all the ingredients to maintain ahamster in good health and condition. Some foods require the addition of otherfood items so the body can utilize them effectively.
The primary items of a balanced diet are:
- Proteins
- Carbohydrates and Fats
- Vitamins
- Minerals
- Water
Proteins: Necessary for growth andtissue-building and are especially important for young stock and pregnantmothers. Good sources of protein are barley, beans, corn, nuts, oats, peas andwheat.
Carbohydrates and Fats: Provide energy andwarmth; but if fed in excess are stored in the body as fat, which can causebreeding problems and ill health. Carbohydrates are found in sugar, yeast,potato and milk. Both carbohydrates and fat are found in barley, corn, oats andwheat.
Vitamins: Only small amounts of vitamins arerequired; but they are essential to your hamster's good health. Lack ofvitamins can create several health problems.
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Water: Of course. Water bottles are preferredover dishes because the dishes are easily upset, flipped over and fouled.
HEALTHY DIET = HEALTHY HAMSTER
Although they are domesticated and will eat most anythingput before them, hamsters are still a product of their wild cousins. Theirpreferred lifestyle, instincts, metabolism and nutritional requirements remainthe same as their ancestors. Since wild hamsters are desert dwellers, theirbasic diets would, in nature, consist of grains found in nearby fields,vegetables available in the local farmer's garden, insects and wild grasses.Domestic hamsters will thrive on the same diet their wild counterparts foragefor. A good balanced daily diet consisting of the following will provide all thenutrients a healthy hamster needs: sunflower seeds, corn, oats, barley, wheat,rabbit or alfalfa pellets, cat treats or dog biscuits and dehydratedvegetables.
Many of the prepackaged hamster mixes available at pet shopscontain the basics. Or, some feed and grain stores already have a custom mixavailable or will assist with the formulation of a balanced mix. Mixedbirdseeds for budgies and canaries are an excellent addition. (Besidesproviding extra protein, gnawing on the cat and dog biscuits help keep theteeth trimmed.) Small amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables can be given twoor three times a week.
When all the basic nutritional requirements are provided daily,a hamster will select the grains and/or seeds needed to maintain their goodhealth. If a record is maintained of what is left in the food dish on a dailybasis, it will reveal that the choice of grains eaten will vary (this will beparticularly evident in pregnant and nursing females).
Hamsters enjoy an occasional tidbit just as much as any animal;but care should be exercised in selecting treats. Chose treats that provideadditional nutrition to their regular diet such as fresh vegetables and fruits.
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So, the bottom line? Diet can be a major contributing factor intheir dispositions towards you and other hamsters. If you spoil that hamsterwith love and proper care including a properly balanced diet and they'll behappy, healthy and lovable. |
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okay... aku ada pertanyaan... nak tau pendapat korang...
raya ni sure korang akan balik kampung and bercuti.... ambik masa mungkin dalam 3 hari atau lebih....
Apa perancangan korang pada hamster2 ngkorang? bawak sekali balik kampung atau tinggal kan je kat rumah....
aku plak masih belum decide... mungkin tinggal mungkin bawak balik kampung sekali... ntah.... |
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Post time 10-10-2007 02:17 AM
