Choosing The Right Hamster For You And Your Family

Choosing The Right Hamster For You And Your Family
Submitted By: Adam King

Hamsters are loved as pets around the world by young and old alike. Their cute antics and playful nature make them a popular choice for a family pet. The average hamster lives anywhere from one to three years, so when considering a hamster as a pet for a child it is important to keep this in mind. Coping with the loss of a pet hamster can be a sad yet important life lesson for a young child, and in the meantime they can learn responsibility while they care for the daily needs of their pet hamster.

The two most common pet hamsters are the Syrian hamster and the Dwarf hamster. The Syrian hamster has been bred into many different types that go by several different names: Teddy Bear hamster, Golden hamster, and Fancy hamster to name a few. A fully grown Syrian hamster can reach about seven inches in length, with the females being just a touch larger than the males. The most important thing to remember about Syrian hamsters is that they’re extremely territorial, so you must only ever have one Syrian hamster per cage. They will fight to the death if housed with another Syrian hamster!

Dwarf hamsters are smaller, and most importantly, can share a cage with other Dwarf hamsters without fights breaking out. Dwarf hamsters are a popular choice as they tend to be quite tame and friendly as long as you handle them correctly.

When taking your hamster home it’s important to remember that hamsters are extremely susceptible to stress, so you want to make the journey to their new home as pleasant as possible. A pet store will typically give you a small cardboard box to carry your hamster home with, but if possible you should bring a larger container filled with hay and some hamster food.

You should buy and prepare your hamster cage before heading out to get your hamster so that when you return to your house his home is ready and waiting for him. Be sure to get the essentials such as bedding and nesting material, a food dish, a water bottle, and some toys. Having all of this prepared will drastically reduce the stress on your hamster.

If you choose a wire cage for your hamster make sure that the distance between the wires is no more than half a centimeter or else your hamster can squeeze right through!

The location of your hamster cage is just as important as the type of cage you choose. Hamsters are nocturnal creatures and so they sleep during the day. They’ll need some peace and quiet during daylight hours, so don’t put their cage next to a blaring TV set! Hamsters are also very susceptible to temperature changes, so keep them away from direct sunlight or drafts. And even though they’re in a cage, having a cat or dog tormenting them all day long will lead to a very stressed-out hamster. If you already have other pets please keep this in mind when deciding on a location for your hamster cage.

Hamsters are naturally quite clean creatures, but even so you’ll need to clean the cage about once a week. The hamster will need to be removed from the cage while you do this, so it’s a great opportunity for him to get some playtime in a hamster ball. Throw away all the old bedding material and replace it with fresh material. Use a light disinfectant as any strong smells left behind by your cleaning will upset your hamster, and make sure that the cage is completely dry before you put the new bedding material back in the cage.

Caring Guide For Hamster Babies

Caring Guide For Hamster Babies
Submitted By: Jalte Aimal

One can’t just take his eyes off hamster pups, as these tiny cute little creatures will sure have your attention. Baby hamster are born without any fur and are closely attached to their mother. Though you may have the desire to hold them, bare in mind that there is nothing you can do within two weeks period after delivery.

REMEMBER NOT TO TOUCH THE BABIES!! Your action might harm the babies and change its scent thus confuses the mother. She will think that they are not hers, abandon them and worst she might even eat the babies (it did happened to my hamsters). Not to cause any stress to the mother, avoid cleaning up the cage within this period. It is advisable to place the babies at the bottom of the cage as none of them had opened their eyes yet.

After this two weeks ‘vital’ period, you can hold them but only for a brief period as not to disturb or stress the mom or babies. You can also clean up the cage and place fresh beddings in most of it. Remove just the soiled parts in the nest area and put a good portion of the old bedding in it. Put the babies back in the nest after it is cleaned up followed by the mother.

Once the babies eyes are opened (which should occur on the 11-12 days, but some take less/more), they should figure out how the bottle works. In order for them to reach it easily, put it lower and in an area where they frequently go. If they haven’t figured out how to use the bottle and you are worried about them not drinking enough, you can give them pieces of cucumbers to prevent dehydration. Do not put water in a bowl to prevent them from falling in and drown or catch a cold.

At three weeks, you can separate the babies if you observe any fighting among them but if they seem immature, less developed and not quite independent enough to leave mom just yet, let them stay together until they are four weeks old. When they reach five weeks old, independent and have a healthy development, they can be placed in new homes and play in new surroundings and environment.

Must Have Cage Items For A Happy Hamster

Must Have Cage Items For A Happy Hamster
Submitted By: Adam King

No matter what kind of cage you choose for your hamster, be it a wire cage, plastic cage, or an aquarium, there are certain things that you must put in the cage in order to keep you hamster happy and stress free. Hamsters are extremely susceptible to stress so it’s important you do all you can to keep your hamster happy. Simple things like choosing the right kind of bedding and nesting material, adding a hamster wheel, and a few toys will make a huge difference to your hamster’s quality of life.

Bedding material serves two purposes: as a soft cushion for your hamster to walk on, but also to soak up urine. Hamsters love to burrow and dig so make sure you place at least two inches of material on the bottom of your hamster cage. The most common material used for bedding material is wood shavings, but it’s important that you NEVER use Cedar shavings. Cedar shavings contain a chemical that can cause serious illness in your hamster, so it’s best to avoid it altogether. Pine shavings are an option, but have been shown to cause allergic reactions in some hamsters. Your best bet is bedding material made from Aspen shavings or litter made from wood pulp. Also try to avoid any scented products – it may smell great to you but your hamster’s sensitive nose will not appreciate it.

You may think that simple cat litter would do, but the dust from the litter can cause respiratory issues for your hamster, and the tiny grains get caught in your hamster’s feet causing irritation. Hamsters spend the entire day sleeping, so they like things comfy. They’ll construct their nest out of whatever is available, including bedding material, but would prefer something a little softer. Shredded paper towel or bathroom tissue would be ideal, as long as it doesn’t have dye and is unscented.

Although you may be tempted to supply your hamster with cotton for his nest this should be avoided at all times. The cotton strands can get wrapped around the hamster’s limbs or neck, cutting off blood supply. Stick to bedding material or the shredded paper for nesting material.

Exercise wheels are a must have for your hamster cage. In the wild hamsters roam up to five miles every night in search of food, so whether they’re in a cage or out in the desert they’re going to feel the need to run! The most common hamster wheel that comes to mind is the wire frame wheel, with rungs laid across the length of the wheel. These can be very dangerous for your hamster, as a missed step can lead to the hamster putting his leg between the spokes while it’s turning, thereby breaking his leg. The ideal choice is a hamster wheel with a solid base and entry holes instead of spokes. This greatly reduces the chance of injury for your hamster.

Although you can place a food dish in your hamster cage, it really isn’t necessary. Hamsters love to forage for their food, so simply sprinkling their food throughout the bedding material in their cage will suit them just fine. In fact, if you do put food in a food dish they’re likely to simply remove it and store it elsewhere anyway! As for water bottles, any water bottle designed for small animals should do just fine as long as the spout has a ball bearing at the end and a screw on top.

Consider adding extra toys to the cage to enrich your hamster’s life, such as cardboard tubes, a wood gnaw, a sand box, a hamster house, etc. Your hamster will thank you for it!

Understanding Hamster Behavior

Understanding Hamster Behavior
Submitted By: Adam King

Watching your hamster frolic around his cage can provide you with hours of enjoyment, but what exactly is he up to? Is he just playing, or do his actions have some other meaning associated with them. Hamsters are complicated little creatures and understanding a little more about why they do the things they do can help you keep your hamster healthy and stress-free. It’s a well-known fact that reducing stress for a hamster is the best thing you can do to help your hamster live a long and healthy life.

If you see your hamster creeping along the floor of his cage, your hamster is nervous about something, usually something outside of his cage. Do you have a cat nearby, or is there a lot of commotion that could be startling your hamster? Keep an eye out for things that could be causing your hamster stress. If things get worse and your hamster gets frightened he may put his ears forward and puff his cheeks up. This is a classic sign of fright, and may be quickly followed by an emptying of his cheek pouches if he was carrying any food in them. At this point he’s not happy about the situation at all and is getting ready to run.

If you ever attempt to handle your hamster and you notice that his ears are back then you’d better remove your hand quickly as he’s feeling very aggressive and is likely to bite. Another warning sign if you ever go to handle your hamster is if you see him lying on his back with his teeth bare – you may think this a sign of submission but it’s actually another sign that your hamster is frightened and he will bite you in this state if you attempt to pick him up.

Some of the more pleasant signs to look for in your hamster are burrowing and grooming. If you spot your hamster burrowing (which is very likely) it just means that he’s looking for stray bits of food lying amongst his bedding material that he may have missed before. They’ll spend a great deal of time doing this so it’s an easy one to spot. If you catch your hamster grooming or stretching then you are looking at a particularly content and happy hamster!

If you have particularly good hearing you may occasionally catch your hamster making squeaking noises. Consider yourself lucky, as the average hamster squeak lasts only a fraction of a second, and the vast majority of hamster vocalization takes place in a frequency range that is completely undetectable by humans.

A more noticeable noise is teeth chattering – this is a sign that your hamster is unsettled, and is seen most often when a hamster is introduced to a cage that already has a hamster in it. Watch for the warning signs of potential combat between the two hamsters.

Hamsters use various scent glands on their bodies to mark their territory by rubbing the glands up against the sides of the cage. If there’s a spot in the cage they wish to mark but can’t get to with their glands they’ll scratch their scent glands with their rear feet and then walk around the area they wish to claim as theirs. When males and females in the same cage are ready to mate they’ll both reduce their markings, giving each other the signal that it’s okay for the other to approach.

You may occasionally catch your hamster chewing at the bars of his cage. Although he may look like he’s trying to chew his way to freedom he’s actually keeping his every-growing teeth at a reasonable length. If he didn’t continue to keep his teeth ground down they’d cause serious dental problems and illness. Just make sure the bars on the cage aren’t rusty!

Fascinating Syrian Hamster Facts

Fascinating Syrian Hamster Facts
Submitted By: Adam King

Although there are several types of hamsters occurring in the wild, only five are commonly kept as household pets. And though there are several differences between the breeds that make them each unique, there are traits common to all hamsters, regardless of type. Chief among these traits is lifespan – the average hamster has a lifespan of roughly 1000 days, or just a little under three years, with male hamsters living on average just a bit longer than females.

All hamsters have cheek pouches which they use to carry food, or in cases of danger, their young. Also common among all hamsters is the presence of scent glands, although the location of these glands differs depending on the type of hamster.

All hamsters reach breeding age in roughly 6-8 weeks, with a very short pregnancy lasting only 15 days. The size of the litter averages about 6-8 pups. As you may already know, hamsters are very susceptible to stress, with new mothers being particularly so. If this occurs it’s not unusual for the new mother to eat her newborn pups, so it’s important to keep stress to an absolute minimum for new hamster mothers.

One of the most common pet hamster breeds, the Syrian hamster is also commonly known as the Teddy Bear hamster, Fancy hamster, and the Golden hamster, among others. Syrian hamsters grow to a full size of about 7 inches in length, with the females usually a bit longer than the males.

If you buy a Syrian from the pet store you may see several young Syrian hamsters kept in the same cage – this is very misleading as Syrian hamsters are extremely territorial and will fight to the death with any other hamster they are caged with. The only reason the Syrian hamsters you see in pet stores aren’t fighting when you buy them is that they don’t develop their territorial nature until about age 6 weeks. After that the rule is one Syrian hamster per cage!

Here’s a story from Tammy Crum, a well-respected hamster breeder:

“A previous partner of mine used a shelving system to store the hamster, with Syrians on top. They were in a fish tank and somehow got out landed in a tank with Roborovskis. Needless to say that by the time he discovered the missing culprit all the Robs were dead.”

Given their large size, Syrian hamsters are more easily held for longer periods of time than dwarf hamsters as they tend not to tire as easily. Another interesting fact about Syrian hamsters is that, even though they have the nickname Golden hamster, they come in over 40 different color types. This is achieved through today’s advanced breeding techniques, allowing for a range of color and fur length.

Most Syrian hamsters, like all other hamster breeds, do not require any grooming on your part. The only exception to this is the Long Haired Syrian hamster. In this case a simple toothbrush can be used to remove any bedding material that may be caught up in his fur.

Must Have Cage Items For A Happy Hamster

Must Have Cage Items For A Happy Hamster
Submitted By: Adam King

No matter what kind of cage you choose for your hamster, be it a wire cage, plastic cage, or an aquarium, there are certain things that you must put in the cage in order to keep you hamster happy and stress free. Hamsters are extremely susceptible to stress so it’s important you do all you can to keep your hamster happy. Simple things like choosing the right kind of bedding and nesting material, adding a hamster wheel, and a few toys will make a huge difference to your hamster’s quality of life.

Bedding material serves two purposes: as a soft cushion for your hamster to walk on, but also to soak up urine. Hamsters love to burrow and dig so make sure you place at least two inches of material on the bottom of your hamster cage. The most common material used for bedding material is wood shavings, but it’s important that you NEVER use Cedar shavings. Cedar shavings contain a chemical that can cause serious illness in your hamster, so it’s best to avoid it altogether. Pine shavings are an option, but have been shown to cause allergic reactions in some hamsters. Your best bet is bedding material made from Aspen shavings or litter made from wood pulp. Also try to avoid any scented products – it may smell great to you but your hamster’s sensitive nose will not appreciate it.

You may think that simple cat litter would do, but the dust from the litter can cause respiratory issues for your hamster, and the tiny grains get caught in your hamster’s feet causing irritation. Hamsters spend the entire day sleeping, so they like things comfy. They’ll construct their nest out of whatever is available, including bedding material, but would prefer something a little softer. Shredded paper towel or bathroom tissue would be ideal, as long as it doesn’t have dye and is unscented.

Although you may be tempted to supply your hamster with cotton for his nest this should be avoided at all times. The cotton strands can get wrapped around the hamster’s limbs or neck, cutting off blood supply. Stick to bedding material or the shredded paper for nesting material.

Exercise wheels are a must have for your hamster cage. In the wild hamsters roam up to five miles every night in search of food, so whether they’re in a cage or out in the desert they’re going to feel the need to run! The most common hamster wheel that comes to mind is the wire frame wheel, with rungs laid across the length of the wheel. These can be very dangerous for your hamster, as a missed step can lead to the hamster putting his leg between the spokes while it’s turning, thereby breaking his leg. The ideal choice is a hamster wheel with a solid base and entry holes instead of spokes. This greatly reduces the chance of injury for your hamster.

Although you can place a food dish in your hamster cage, it really isn’t necessary. Hamsters love to forage for their food, so simply sprinkling their food throughout the bedding material in their cage will suit them just fine. In fact, if you do put food in a food dish they’re likely to simply remove it and store it elsewhere anyway! As for water bottles, any water bottle designed for small animals should do just fine as long as the spout has a ball bearing at the end and a screw on top.

Consider adding extra toys to the cage to enrich your hamster’s life, such as cardboard tubes, a wood gnaw, a sand box, a hamster house, etc. Your hamster will thank you for it!