Hamsters
Hamsters make marvellous and fun pets, but never be fooled into thinking they are an easy option. You need to be willing to spend time with your pet, socialising and getting to know them. This usually means at least half an hour each day giving your furry friend your undivided attention. Of course it’s also important to know when to back off. You wouldn’t like it if someone was trying to play with you while you were sleeping, and neither does your hamster!
If you do decide to bring a hmaster into you family the first week is very imporatnt. Like any new friendship, it takes time to get to know someone and feel comfortable with them. That said, wait a while to handle your hamster or pick them up. After a few days of giving them food and water, they’ll start to trust you! If you handle them as soon as you get home it is posisble that this will stress them out and as with humans, stress can lead to illness.
There are 24 species of hamsters. The most common are the Syrian/Golden hamster(aka teddy bear), Chinese hamster, Campbells/dwarf hamster, Djungarian/winter white Russian dwarf hamster, and the Roborovski hamster. The dwarf hamsters have a size of 2-4" and the Syrian is about 6". Hamsters live an average of 2-3 yrs. They are nocturnal meaning they will sleep most of the day and be active at night. Not all hamsters can be housed together. Syrian hamsters, are very territorial and prefer to live alone. Most dwarf hamsters are social and like to have a friend.
When considering purchasing a hamster, one of the main items to think about is the cage. The recommended minimum for hamsters is; dwarf - 18"x12"x12" and Syrian - 24"x15"x15". Bigger is always better. Make sure that there is good ventilation. A hamsters cage should be cleaned at least once a week, with spot cleaning the potty area daily. When it comes to bedding, it is recommended to use a recycled paper product. Here at Pets Unlimited, we recommend Kaytee Clean and Cozy. Avoid the following products; cedar - it contains toxic chemicals, sawdust or pine - can cause irritation of the eyes and respiratory tract, corncob - has a tendency to mold and cause intesstinal obstruction if ingested.
Hamster's teeth are constantly growing so chew toys will be needed. Here at Pets Unlimited we have several options for chew toys like wood, twigs, etc. Another option to help dull down the teeth is hay. Hamsters will chew or use hay as a nesting material. Another use for chew toys is to help keep yor hamster from getting bored! Hamster will play and chew to their hearts content. It is a good idea to switch out toys each week so your hamster doesnt get use to the same ones. This also gives you time to clean the toys!
Hamsters need lots of exercise so there should be a wheel provided in the cage. The wheel should be big enough that the hamster's back does not arch. Another option is a exercise ball such as the Kaytee Run-About-Ball. This will allow you to take your hamster from its enclouser for exercise and not get lost throught your house! However a ball should not be used for more than 20 mins per day.
There are a variety of commercial foods available. Here at Pets Unlimited, we offer Kaytee and Oxbow products as well as a few others. Hamsters can also eat fruits and vegetables as long as it is as a treat and sparingly. Some of those are carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, pear, peach, banana, squash, cucumber, berries, apples(minus the skin and seeds), spinach. Avoid fruits and vegetables with a high water content like iceburg lettuce and watermelon.
Unfortunately and like all animals, hamsters can get sick. In the wild hamsters are prey for larger animals so they will hide their illness in a effort to not be targeted by larger animals. Some signs to look for in captivity are
Loss of appetite
Smaller poop pellets, or none at all
Sitting still with no movement at all
Eyes not bright and alert when awake
Unknown discharge around the nose or eyes
Aggression when not normally aggressive
Bald patches
Change in movements
Change in posture such as hunching
Change in breathing
Limb chewing
Change to drinking habits
Should your hamster show any of these signs, dont panic, however it is very important to seek veterinary support.
One final thing with regard to health: If your home is very cold for some reason, and your hamster appears to be unconscious, then it’s worth placing the cage somewhere warm to see if the change has any effect. Hamsters can go into hibernation if it’s cold and you may find that’s what has happened. If that is the case then your hamster should awaken once they are in a warm environment.