Hamsters

HAMSTERS AS PETS
Origin :- hamsters belong to the rodent group of mammals. They are named after the Latin word rodere, meaning to gnaw.
The golden or Syrian hamster is the most commonly kept, but smaller dwarf hamsters have recently been introduced into this country. They do however have slightly different requirements.
The Syrian hamster has a life span of about 2 years, dwarfs 18 months to 2 years.
Syrian hamsters are solitary creatures whereas dwarfs can be kept in pairs or more.
Hamsters are clean animals and easily affordable, minimum requirements are, a suitable cage, sawdust, bedding and food.
Choosing :- look for a hamster that is clean and well cared for. Dwarfs can be kept in single sex pairs to keep each other company, (from the same litter). Syrians can only be kept singly and it doesn’t really matter whether you choose a male or female. There are many colour variations, so it is personal choice which colour you choose. There are also longhaired Syrians, but they need regular grooming, you can use a toothbrush for this.
Housing :- There are many different types of cages from the standard wire cages with plastic bases to the more space age all plastic units, or you may use a glass aquarium. Buy the largest cage you can afford or units that you can extend. The bottom of the cage should be lined with sawdust or shavings. The hamster will choose a corner to use as a toilet, which should be cleaned every day or two and the whole cage cleaned out at least once a week. You should also provide some nesting material for the hamster to sleep in.
Hamsters need plenty of exercise, so buy a cage with a wheel or buy a wheel separately to fit yourself. As hamsters are gnawing animals you should provide wooden blocks or treats, they also enjoy chewing the cardboard tube from inside a toilet roll. Place the cage somewhere warm and away from draughts. Do not keep the cage in direct sun.
Dwarf hamsters need cages with narrow bars, as they can almost flatten themselves and escape from a standard hamster cage. You can also use all plastic cages or aquariums. Make sure dwarf hamsters can reach the water bottle, as they can dehydrate quite quickly.
Feeding :- feed your hamster mixed grain food daily, you can also feed small amounts of fruit and vegetables but not more than once or twice a week. As hamsters store their food check the cage to make sure any stored food hasn’t gone off.
There should always be a fresh supply of water, a bottle is best for this.
Taming :- when you first get your hamster home place it in the cage and leave it for a day or so it can get used to it’s new surroundings, just provide food and water and talk to it. Hamsters are short sighted, so they get used to you by sound and smell. You must be patient, place your hand inside the cage and offer it a titbit while talking to it. A hamster should be picked up in cupped hands. You can place it on the floor if you have no other pets and watch that it doesn’t crawl into small spaces or chew on furniture or electric cables.
Hamsters should be handled regularly to keep them happy and they should be given lots of different things to keep them active.
Health :- to keep a hamster healthy, it should have a clean dry cage. Do not put water in a bowl as it will be spilled or become contaminated with sawdust. Do not leave uneaten fruit or vegetables in the cage. You can tell if something is wrong with your hamster by the way it behaves. You can monitor the amount of food it eats and water it drinks.
Most hamsters will die of old age, signs to look for - not as active, sleeping more, getting thin and boney and loosing fur.
To keep your hamster happy, give it lots of attention and provide it with toys to keep it entertained.