# Hamster Care?



## teeneythebetta (Apr 29, 2012)

I can't get a hamster for a few years at least, but I want to learn a lot about their care because it will be handy in the future and also I find stuff like this interesting...

I particularly like dwarf hamsters, but I like them all really, I've heard they're prone to diabetes... I would like to adopt a hamster when the time comes where I can have one...

I've also heard a 360 square inch cage is the minimum... And Oxbow is a good brand of food...

Any additional true information appreciated... I need to know basics and any extra if you know :3


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

Syrian (AKA fancy for short hairs and teddy bear for lond hairs)- Largest, Calm, Easy to Handle

Chinese Dwarf- Hyper, Small, Varies in difficulty to Handle
Roborovskii Dwarf- Hyper, Smallest, VERY hard to handle, NOT for beginners 
Campbell's Russian Dwarf (AKA Siberian Hamster)- Active, Small, Easy to Handle, Can be nippy
Winter White Russian Dwarf (AKA Siberian Hamster)- Clam, Small Easy to Handle


I posted this to another thread, so I'll just copy and paste. 

Hamsters are a lot of work. lol 
Cage - Try and get a cage from a good quality brand, such as Habitrail, Imac or Critter Universe.  Keep in mind with habitrail cages that the tubes are tricky for dwarves to get up as they have no ridged on their feet. If you have a tubey cage make sure the tubes are flat. A tank is a good idea for a cage too. 
Food - Once again get a good quality, well known seed mix like Hazel (or Harry in the UK) Hamster, or Ecotrition. Another option is lab blocks, they are healthier, but most hamster don't take to them. Good lab block brands are All Living Things, Mazuri, and Oxbow. Avoid food that have lots of corn, sunflower seeds and fruit as they are just fillers. They always need water. Make sure it is bottled. 
Treats - Completely optional.
Fruits + Veg - Feed 2x a week for dwarves. Carrots are great. 
Bedding - Avoid pine and cedar. Use aspen or paper based beddings. Paper based bedding are softer and look nicer but don't mask the smeel of urine and feces as well as aspen.
Toys - You NEED a wheel. You also need somwhere for them to hide and feel safe. Everything else is optional. 
Chews - Make sure your hamster has lots of things to chew on like loofa and wood. 
Clean Cages 1x a week. 
Keeping 2 dwarves together - Dwarves can be kept together, but make sure they are in same-sex groups to avoid babies. Keeping hamsters together is always running the risk of fights, so make sure you have a spare cage incase you need to seperate them. If you are keeping 2 together make sure you have 2 of everything, 2 wheels, 2 hides, 2 food bowls, 2 chews.

They are completely different in personality. 

My Syrian was the most cuddly, tame, hamster I have ever seen. His favourite thing to do was to fall asleep in my arms. He was just chilled out.

My Dwarf is very hyper, and much more fun to watch. She is awake in the day much more, poops a lot less. She lets me pick her up and she will sit on my lap and have a back rub. 

I like them both for different reasons. Syrians are more inter-active, and draves are much more fun to watch, plus they poop less as they are much smaller. I have heard of dwarves being nippier than Syrians. There are four different kinds of dwarves, the campbells russian (most common, it's what I own), winter white russian (similar to campbells, less common, similar tempermant to syrians), chinese dwarf (very similar to mice), roborovskii (very hyper, and almost impossible to tame). Dwarves can be kept in groups, but expect fights to break out.

You just have to be patient with them and give them their peace ( ie. not bother them every two minutes).


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## teeneythebetta (Apr 29, 2012)

Wow thanks do much!
I was also wondering- can you use fleece rather than bedding? Or could I use mostly fleece an just a small section of bedding?


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## TheCrabbyTabby (Jul 7, 2012)

Just wanted to add, Syrian hamster should NOT be kept in a habitrial or Crittertrail. They should be kept in a glass tank NO SMALLER than a 20L or a large bin cage.


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

teeneythebetta said:


> Wow thanks do much!
> I was also wondering- can you use fleece rather than bedding? Or could I use mostly fleece an just a small section of bedding?


They would eat the fleece. Your better off with just some aspen shavings or, Carefresh or Kaytee Clean and Cozy.



TheCrabbyTabby said:


> Just wanted to add, Syrian hamster should NOT be kept in a habitrial or Crittertrail. They should be kept in a glass tank NO SMALLER than a 20L or a large bin cage.


 The misconception with habitrails is that you can buy one cage. You are supposed to buy 2+ main areas, and a ton of tube extensions. THEN they are fine. 20L would be pretty small, for a syrian or a a pair of dwarves I'd say a 20 gallon is the minimum.


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## teeneythebetta (Apr 29, 2012)

they would eat it O___o thats weird. I was wondering since i see guinea pigs with fleece... Okay thanks so much


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## TheCrabbyTabby (Jul 7, 2012)

Yeah, hamster will get the fleece stuck in their teeth, cheek pouches and get their little arms and legs all tangled up in it and possible cut off the circulation. They can and will ingest it and it causes all sorts of bowel problems, usually a blockage, and that can't always be fixed.


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

Just out of curiosity, why do you want to get a hamster?


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

Hamsters are awesome! I highly reccomend them.


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## teeneythebetta (Apr 29, 2012)

finnfinnfriend said:


> Just out of curiosity, why do you want to get a hamster?


They're adorable! And I love animals, I've never been allowed to get a small animal like that, I've always wanted one!


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## Pitluvs (Jun 22, 2011)

I believe a base of 360 sq inches is a minimum. I'd never use a Habitrail for a Syrian hamster, multiple cages or not lol We have a bin cage, equivalent to a 30g.

Here's a neat little post I remembered reading and it put it into perspective for me... credit to Sonic Ham of hamsterhideout.com




> HH's-- 360 square inches
> Syrian's:
> 
> 
> ...


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## Pitluvs (Jun 22, 2011)

Oh and why woudln't someone want something as cute as this??? This is my Jazzy, blind with a mass on her back and 2.5 yrs old


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## teeneythebetta (Apr 29, 2012)

Awwwww now I want one even more!
I hate that I have to wait until I can have my own house; own job, etc.
Poo. Lol so cute


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## TheCrabbyTabby (Jul 7, 2012)

Hey, as long as we're sharing pictures of our ham-babies, I'll get in on it. Here is my lovely Holly. She was an early Christmas gift to myself. :mrgreen:


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## registereduser (Jul 30, 2010)

I had a hamster as a teen and he got some wood shaving in his eye and it got infected. That's when we started to learn how bad wood shavings are for hamsters.

We also had a pair that mated and had babies. The mother killed and ate the babies and that was the end of hamsters for me :shock:

Of course there was no internet then so I had no idea why she did that. Probably too small of a cage or improper nutrition :-(


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## TheCrabbyTabby (Jul 7, 2012)

Oh wow. 

Anything can make the mom eat the babies, even being in a room that's to active and noisy.


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

teeneythebetta said:


> They're adorable! And I love animals, I've never been allowed to get a small animal like that, I've always wanted one!


Oh that's cool . Hamsters make good little pets :3


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

registereduser said:


> I had a hamster as a teen and he got some wood shaving in his eye and it got infected. That's when we started to learn how bad wood shavings are for hamsters.
> 
> We also had a pair that mated and had babies. The mother killed and ate the babies and that was the end of hamsters for me :shock:
> 
> Of course there was no internet then so I had no idea why she did that. Probably too small of a cage or improper nutrition :-(


 I'm sorry.  They usually eat their babies when they are stressed and think their babies are in danger?


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## LadyVictorian (Nov 23, 2011)

One, never use the crittertrails. Rodents can easily escape from them AND THEY ARE DEATH TRAPS. They have horrid ventilation and so many places they can chew through the plastic, slip through the bars and strangle themselves. I have known people who's hamsters have died in them and I am appalled they are still sold after the long lists of fatalities they cause. Go with min a 20 gal tank with a lid you can snap shut and a mesh lid. I would say paper bedding is the best because it has less dust and dust can irritate their sensitive little lungs. Also a block food like Oxbow is best. I feed oxbow to my rats and have looked at the hamster blend which my mice use to eat. If properly feed you shouldn't need to worry about obesity and keep sunflower seeds down to a low. Corn isn't too good for them either and hay is not approved to be honest. They can't properly digest it. Fresh veggies and fruits are good, they need fresh food in their diets. And NEVER give hamsters peanut butter, it can get stuck in their check pouches and then you have trouble. My friends got an infection from that. Also try to keep them alone, a lot of people make the mistake of keeping them together and unless you are an expert on hamsters it's never a good idea, especially first timers. A single hamster with plenty of attention will be just happy as can be. Chews are crucial, they need them because they are chewers. Also try to find an exotic animal vet who knows about hamsters. Like most other rodents they are susceptible to URI which are often times fatal. You want to know you also have a vet in case of emergencies. Avoid wheels that are mesh or bars. They can get their feet caught in them and I have seen feet ripped clean off from those things. My friend chinchilla lost a foot in a mesh wheel. Clean water is a must, change the water every day with fresher water and clean it out weekly so nothing starts growing in it. Baby bottle cleaners are your best friends. Hamsters and any rodent are also a big investment. Though they do not live long they can cost a pretty penny. Toys will have to be replaced often from damage but when all is done and said I can't say their is a better pet than a rodent. They are tiny but have such BIG personalities it's hard to think such a small creature could be so full of love and magic. The more you socialize them and play with them the more excited they are to be with you. I also know people who have leash trained hamsters but do not trust the hamster leashes, they are actually a bit dangerous. If your hamster is on the larger side a ferret harness however can be modified and is safer but it has to be a vest harness not a harness like a dog harness.


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## teeneythebetta (Apr 29, 2012)

Wow thank you for the info!!
Someone on youtube with a hamster channel highly reccomends a wheel called the "wodent wheel" it is like one of the safest wheels and endorsed by the ASPCA.


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## LadyVictorian (Nov 23, 2011)

Another great wheel is a saucer though keep it away from walls in case the ham ham goes too fast and flies off. You don't want it crashing into a wall. Saucers are actually better for their backs. I had to use them because my old mice from the shelter had what is called wheel tail where her spine was bending from being in a small wheel and her tail curled over the top of her back and laid on her shoulder. On the saucer her back straightened out again but i just never trusted a wheel with her bad back.


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