# Chinese dwarf hamster care?



## aqua001

So, I saw these dwarf hamsters at the petstore and I would like to know how to care for them and later on get some. I understand this might not be cheap which is why I'm not buying on impulse and doing I'm doing my research first. (*sigh* I learned that the hard way) So, I would just like to know how to generally care for them. Do they need to go to the vet? What are some common diseases that they get and how do I treat it? I heard that they require a special kind of bedding that cannot be made of pine. What kind of bedding would this be? What is the best food I can get for he/she? Do they like to live together or would they rather live alone? Will they mate easily if I get a boy and girl? You get the idea, right? So just post anything you think I would need to know.

Thanks!!

P.S. I would've posted this on a hamster forum but I couldn't find one. If you guys know of one, could you tell me? Thanks!!


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## aqua001

Anybody?


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## Tyler

Well, I owned about four of the dwarf hamsters, and a couple of the regular hamsters. Dwarf hamsters live with other hamsters, while the regular hamsters won't, kind of like bettas. My dwarf hamsters lived in pairs and where fine. They are very small animals and don't need to go to the vet. I don't know about diseases, because in all of my 6 hamsters or so, none of them ever got a disease. They all just died of old age. Which is about 2-3 years. They will eat a prepared food mix of nuts, seeds, and such that you can from your LPS. For a treat you could also buy them yogurt drops to feed the little guys. The bedding they need is easily found at petstores, no need to worry about that. Just set up a hamster cage with wood chips, a few toys, a house like structure you can put the bedding in. Hamsters are mainly nocturnal, although you can take them out to play with them, during the day. I honestly have no clue about breeding sorry. Although I do not think they would breed that simply. http://www.wikihow.com/Breed-Hamsters Here is a linnk on how to breed dwarf hamsters.


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## Tyler

All in all hamsters are a pretty low maintenance and rewarding pet to own.


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## Aus

Omg. This is the cutest thing I have ever seen.


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## PaintingPintos

www.hamsterhideout.com

The best hamster forum there is, and also relatively easy to find.
There are TONS of care sheets, and usually around 100 users online at any given time, so if you ask a question you'll get a good answer very quickly.
The people there know what they're talking about.


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## TheCrabbyTabby

I wouldn't go to Hamster Hideout. While the info is good there, the mods and admins are a tad, shall we say, biased sometimes. It got so bad there that I was kicked out for no apparent reason other than defending another member, a friend of mine, from another overly aggressive know it all member who was bashing everyone, especially my friend. They never did anything to get rid of the bashing member but banned both me and my friend.

Go to www.HamsterCentral.com instead. Its way more friendly and the mods and admins there are not nearly as bad.


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## TheCrabbyTabby

Tyler said:


> All in all hamsters are a pretty low maintenance and rewarding pet to own.


That statement is so very wrong. Hamsters are very misunderstood and often mistreated due to severe misconception. It is very rewarding to own a hamster, but they require a lot more care than the pet store would leave you to believe.


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## MaisyDawgThirteen

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.

I hope I helped!!


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## aqua001

Ok, I am planning on getting all of this for my future dwarfs but if I've missed something (which I feel as if I have but don't know what) just tell me. Also, if you suggest a better brand/item for anything, just tell me because I want the best things for my hammies. These items are all from the petsmart website. So:

Housing: Top fin 10 gallon glass aquarium(what lid do you suggest I get and where?)
Beddingremeir pet scent-free aspen bedding(can someone tell me how much bedding this will be? will it be enough to cover ten gallons and have some left over? I am asking this because the bedding is around 13 dollars while the other one I saw were only 5 or 6 dollars.) 
Foodurina garden recipe hamster and gerbil diet and for a treat: Kaytee Timothy biscuits crunchy small animal treats
Accessories:Super pet funnels value pack, Oasis 4oz. bell bottle value pack (should I get a bigger/smaller size?),Stoneware feeding dish, super pet comfort wheels(what side is best?), super pet natural tree trunk hideout toy for small animals and finally the super pet mini igloo. Do you think I should get two balls for them to run around in?

I just thought up of 2 other questions: how much should I feed them? and I heard that you can give them branches from an apple or cherry tree to chew on. Just freeze it for 72 hours. is this true? I have both trees in my yard so I figured I could literally have a life-time supply of chew sticks right at my house.


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## McLiz

I would go with Care Fresh bedding. It is a little more but a million times better for your hamster. The plus is that its absorbent and will last between cleanings. Kaytee blends are generally good. =D


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## McLiz

I own a teddy bear hamster myself and had another teddy bear Zorro a few years ago. I would suggest Care Fresh Bedding for your hammy bc it is better for their health. The plus is that it is absorbent so it lasts between cage cleanings. Aquarium tanks and covers are good but I prefer to use regular cages bc there is better air circulation and it allows them to climb and swing around. All the other accessories are pretty good. 

You will find that with foods and treats it can be trail and error but you will usually be on the safe side with going with seeds and corn over the grains. Remember treats are important bc it adds to their diet and it can be fun to play with. Regular food mix in a bowl once a day is good. They are hoarders so they will take all the food from the bowl and probably burrow it somewhere under their bedding. Branches from the apple tree are a good way for them to exercise their chewing needs. Keep in mind chewing is all they do so make sure they have plenty to chew on. I would recommend 
8-in-1-Ecotrition-Snak-Shak-Hamster-Gerbil-Rat-And-Mouse-Treat-Stuffers, Kaytee Forti-Diet Healthy Bits Hamster and Gerbil Treat, Kaytee Healthy Toppings for Small Animals
and Vitakraft Mini-Pop Small Animal Treats (mini corn cobs-absolute fav for my hammy)

Good luck ^_^


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## Olympia

Just wanna say I'm jealous! I've wanted a hammie FOREVER.
I told my dad I'd sell the 90 gallon aquarium if I could have a hammie, but apparently he'd rather spend hundreds on a giant tank with giant fish than get me one teeny tiny rodent- because they stink. :|
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## aqua001

Olympia, my dad is the same way but I've been asking for a tear and he finally said yes. I did a little happy dance.


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## Olympia

Lucky.. I had mice and a rabbit in the past but never went over well.
But now he can see that I take excellent care of all these fish, still doesn't think I'm responsible enough to keep a hamster cage clean.


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## MaisyDawgThirteen

Tell him if you get a single dwarf, and clean it once a week it won't smell.


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## Olympia

MaisyDawgThirteen said:


> Tell him if you get a single dwarf, and clean it once a week it won't smell.


Oh I've tried. I've begged and begged. I told them I'd keep it in my room, nope. I'm stuck with fish.

Honestly, I WOULD sneak one in (I snuck my betta in and now I've got 6 tanks- parents just gotta see it's not that bad).. but we have a snake. Don't wanna make my dad mad. :shock:


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## TheCrabbyTabby

Hamsters don't stink. Saying that they do is plain ignorance. Hamsters are a very clean rodent. They clean themselves meticulously and keep their living areas very clean as well. 

If cleaned on a regular basis, they surly won't stink at all. Only a negligent, lazy owner will have a cage that stinks.


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## MaisyDawgThirteen

Olympia said:


> Oh I've tried. I've begged and begged. I told them I'd keep it in my room, nope. I'm stuck with fish.
> 
> Honestly, I WOULD sneak one in (I snuck my betta in and now I've got 6 tanks- parents just gotta see it's not that bad).. but we have a snake. Don't wanna make my dad mad. :shock:


 You could try and sneak in an ovo set-up, if you had a syrian. If you had a dwarf it would be hard to sneak in as they need the tubes to be horizontal not vertical


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## TheCrabbyTabby

Actually, and not to be the annoying know it all here, but a Habitrial Ovo is way too small for a syrian (teddy bear) hamster. The tubes are too small and the whole set up is just plain cramped for them. 

The absolute minimum sized cage a syrian should be housed in is that with a 30 inch by 16 inch floor base, though bigger is obviously better. I have my syrian in a 29 gallon tank. Yes, I know its a little smaller than what I recommended but its what I had on hand and its way better than cramming a poor syrian hamster into a ten gallon tank, or worse, a store bought hamster cage. 

Tanks are just fine as a cage for hamsters, ventilation is not a problem with them as long as one regularly cleans it out, with spot cleans in between times. I clean ever 1 to 2 weeks and have no problem with ventilation. The absolute minimum tank size a hamster of any kind should be kept in is a 20L. Remember, floor space is everything. 10 gallons should only be used for betta fish, and not hamsters, its way to tiny for a hamster, even a dwarf, as they are extremely active and need more space. Especially a pair. 

A dwarf might be fine in a store bought cage with extra additions but they are very active and like to run around a lot, so the larger the better is obviously the case here. Also, get two of everything in their cage, if keeping a pair, and an extra cage/tank so you can separate them if they begin to fight. 

Something I've noticed that hasn't been mentioned here is diabetes. Dwarfs, like Winter Whites and Chinese hamsters are highly prone to that so a diet low in sugar as possible is an absolute must. I highly recommend feeding Hazel Hamster food as its the best out there. Don't feed them any fruits, berries and make sure to absolutely minimize the amount of carrots you feed them. Also, go and buy diabetes test strips to test the dwarf's urine for diabetes so you know if they might already have it and can adjust their diet accordingly. 

Also, don't ever use a wire mesh wheel. Use a solid plastic wheel and make sure that its at least 6 inches big in diameter. The smaller wheels aren't useful to any animal and should not be sold IMO.

NEVER EVER EVER keep a female with a male unless you are an experienced hamster breeder, know absolutely 100% about every genetic and behavioral trait a hamster could possibly get and know 100% that your dwarfs aren't hybrids, which coming from a pet store, they most likely are. In which case, being from a pet store, they should be housed separately. NEVER EVER EVER breed pet store hamsters because you have absolutely no clue about their genetic history and their lineage. 

I highly recommend keeping a same sex pair.


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## McLiz

TheCrabbyTabby said:


> Actually, and not to be the annoying know it all here, but a Habitrial Ovo is way too small for a syrian (teddy bear) hamster. The tubes are too small and the whole set up is just plain cramped for them....



:thumbsup: i concur...the tubes are the worst choice for hamsters


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## Olympia

Hahahahahhahahahahahahha oh lordie what did I get myself into. 
Anywho, I was allergic to my mice.
Also, after my sulpher explosion I think fish tanks smell awful. Plus the snake... Just has that odor. All pets smell bad to me. Even pet rocks.. Ugh they have that mineral-y smell. o.o
Also, I have a hypersensitive nose. >_<
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## MaisyDawgThirteen

The misconception with ovos is that you can just buy one of them. lol They are meant to be huge fun set-ups with lots of tubes.  As long as it's big enough it'd be fine for a syrian.


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## PaintingPintos

TheCrabbyTabby said:


> I wouldn't go to Hamster Hideout. While the info is good there, the mods and admins are a tad, shall we say, biased sometimes. It got so bad there that I was kicked out for no apparent reason other than defending another member, a friend of mine, from another overly aggressive know it all member who was bashing everyone, especially my friend. They never did anything to get rid of the bashing member but banned both me and my friend.
> 
> Go to www.HamsterCentral.com instead. Its way more friendly and the mods and admins there are not nearly as bad.


I agree that you should keep your nose to yourself if you don't want to get in fights!!!! lol, I was usually a silent member other than commenting that someone had a cute hamster or a really nice cage. Once I suggested that since voles are such naturally tame animals and have the same basic care as hamsters, live up to 5 years, don't smell 1/2 as much as hamsters, and can live in groups, they'd make pretty cool pets....I suggested that once day if someone's cat brought home a vole they should keep it for a few weeks to see how good of a pet it would be....Try to rehab it, maybe keep it. I thought that a vole is a better pet than a hamster and most people replied telling me to shut my mouth that "WE ALREADY HAVE ENOUGH ANIMALS ON THE MARKET AND THERE IS NO NEED TO TAKE MORE OUT OF THE WILD DO YOU KNOW HOW CRUELLY OTHER ANIMALS WERE DOMESTICATED?" they totally flew off the wall and started getting really angry at me....then they started yelling at me telling me how every single rodent they've ever touched had a million mites and fleas and rabies and everything on God's green earth that can kill you....then they started telling me that it would die of stress, undernourishment, etc. They wouldn't listen to me when I showed them a link of how someone kept a vole as a pet and others copied them, and they found out what foods they ate, how to care for them, etc, and one vole, when caught as an adult, lived for 4 years....a lot longer than a hamster. Also people's voles LOOOOOVED to snuggle, they would curl up on their necks and sleep, they would follow their owners around, generally be really tame. They were semi-tame from the moment they got them, too. And since they live peacefully in groups you could have like 10 in one cage xD
I don't see why people were so angry....it's a freaking rodent and I don't see how it could be harmful to just attempt to become friends with a wild animal. GEEEZ.
So yeah, if you don't want to be pushed down, don't say -anything- like that xD Other than that it's a really good website! Hehehe.
I had to rant.


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## TheCrabbyTabby

MaisyDawgThirteen said:


> The misconception with ovos is that you can just buy one of them. lol They are meant to be huge fun set-ups with lots of tubes.  As long as it's big enough it'd be fine for a syrian.


Actually, they aren't suitable for a syrian no matter how many of them you buy. You'd be better off with a bin cage or a large tank, say 30 gallons minimum.


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## kfryman

I wanted a hamster super bad and my mom was like no and I was like PLEASE!, still don't have a hammie lol. Probably better unless get a job or something. I have a 20 gallon long too, I wish I could do something with the 20 gallon, but no space...


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## KukaaKatchou

I have 2 Winter White hamsters. They are a dwarf variety. One is natural coloring and the other is a pearl coat. I have a Habitrail mini (for mice) linked up to an Ovo globe (that you can put the paper mazes in.) Two males will get along much better than 2 females (as I found out). My two little guys love the stuff that comes with the Habitrail mini and fit well in the tubes and connecters. They have 2 wheels, a ceramic cheese to hide in, an all natural wood platform thingie to run around and climb, little "bedrooms" connected to the ends of the cages. For bedding I like the paper bedding from Carefresh. I named them Cappuccino and Latte. They are very curious and friendly - much friendlier off the bat than my previous syrian hamsters.


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## MaisyDawgThirteen

TheCrabbyTabby said:


> Actually, they aren't suitable for a syrian no matter how many of them you buy. You'd be better off with a bin cage or a large tank, say 30 gallons minimum.


 Hamsters naturally need to burrow, and the tubes help them be able to do that.


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## Olympia

GAH THOSE ARE SO CUTE!!!

Looks like we're in the same boat, kfry!
I even told my dad, let's put a hamster in the 90 gallon! NOPE. In the 90 I'd probably want a whole colony of dwarf hamsters, hehe.


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## MaisyDawgThirteen

KukaaKatchou said:


> I have 2 Winter White hamsters. They are a dwarf variety. One is natural coloring and the other is a pearl coat. I have a Habitrail mini (for mice) linked up to an Ovo globe (that you can put the paper mazes in.) Two males will get along much better than 2 females (as I found out). My two little guys love the stuff that comes with the Habitrail mini and fit well in the tubes and connecters. They have 2 wheels, a ceramic cheese to hide in, an all natural wood platform thingie to run around and climb, little "bedrooms" connected to the ends of the cages. For bedding I like the paper bedding from Carefresh. I named them Cappuccino and Latte. They are very curious and friendly - much friendlier off the bat than my previous syrian hamsters.


 Your white WW looks exactly like my Campbell's but mine has red eyes.


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## McLiz

Here are some pics of the setup I have for my teddy bear hamster Yin









She creates her own burrow with the bedding...there is actually a hideout under all that


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## PaintingPintos

McLiz said:


> Here are some pics of the setup I have for my teddy bear hamster Yin
> 
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> 
> She creates her own burrow with the bedding...there is actually a hideout under all that


CUUUTE! He is such a sweetie (well he looks it, lol)... The only criticism I have (I always criticize) is that the platforms are wire. If he walks on the wire too much he'll get bumblefoot (very sore, blistery and messed up feet) so I'd stuff lots of bedding in the holes, or tape cardboard over it. 

Beautiful little guy though!!


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## McLiz

Thanks ^_^ and I had a feeling it would be uncomfortable for her when I first got the cage so I place some bedding on the different levels. She has a peanut hideout where she stuffed most of it and the rest she'll bring down to make the bottom like a giant cave. I haven't notice and abnormalities in her feet yet but I'll keep an eye out. 
Her last cage was a little different. I got the larger one so she would have more room for her climbing.


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