Guide to Keeping Hamsters

Hamsters are entertaining pets that make wonderful first pets for kids if you know what they need to stay healthy and content.The size and temperament of the many breeds and kinds of hamsters vary so do your research.

Although some may live longer, hamsters typically only live up to two years.

Fun Facts AboutHamsters

• Hamsters are members of the Cricetidae family and there are 24 different kinds. The most common pet breeds are Syrian, Russian Dwarf Campbell, and Roborovski.
• Not all hamsters are gregarious; Syrian hamster adults typically live alone in their burrows in the wild. Some species, like the Russian dwarf, naturally coexist in communities.
• Hamsters are nocturnal creatures with huge eyes, a retina predominated by rods, which is the area of the eye capable of focusing in dim light.
• Hamsters are nocturnal creatures with huge eyes, a retina predominated by rods, which is the area of the eye capable of focusing in dim light.
• Hamsters love to explore and rely on their whiskers to detect objects in their surroundings.
• The incisors of hamsters have a \”self-sharpening\” system that causes them to grind against each other while they munch, wearing the teeth down. Hamster teeth never stop growing.
• Not all hamsters are gregarious; Syrian hamster adults typically live alone in their burrows in the wild. Some species, like the Russian dwarf, naturally coexist in communities.

See the Ham House Hamster House, HERE

Knowing what your hamster needs

In this collection of helpful hamster guides, you can learn everything you need to know about caring for hamsters as pets. See below:

1. Environment

Hamsters require a home that is cozy, dry, airtight, clean, and quiet so they can sleep without being disturbed. Be sure to

Every night, the lights turn off around the same time.

The sensitivity of hamsters to high-frequency sounds is well recognized.

This can be stressful because we cannot hear it (such as ultrasonography).

Keep your hamster away from appliances like televisions, computers, vacuum cleaners, and sources of running water that produce ultrasound in the home.

As hamsters can readily escape from badly built cages, your hamster\’s cage should be safe from dangers (such sharp metal or spaces they could get stuck in) and secure. Hamsters require a lot of space, particularly if they are active at night.

Housekeeping

Maintain a clean cage for your hamster, fill it with dry bedding and nesting materials, and try not to disturb it too much because that might be unpleasant.

When cleaning out your hamster\’s cage, always transfer back a small amount of old, clean nesting material, especially if you have a group of hamsters living together. Hamsters communicate using smells, so don\’t allow your hamster\’s litter or bedding to become damp or very odorous. When cleaning up the cage, remove or replace any items that have been contaminated with feces (poo), and avoid moving the litter because both feces and pee on the litter carry odors that may cause fighting.

Holiday season

Make sure your pets are taken care of while you are away by a trustworthy, responsible person.

Give the caretaker all the information they require to take care of your hamster(s), keep them in their comfortable cage, and provide the caretaker with their regular food.

DIET

Feeding Time

Hamsters enjoy storing food in a personal pantry, which is frequently in their nest box. They frequently retreat from their food with inflated cheeks and carry food in their cheek pouches, which are sizable pockets inside the cheeks.

Your hamster requires a nutritious, well-balanced food. You have two options for feeding your hamster: either commercial hamster food, which is particularly made to give all the vitamins and minerals your hamster needs to keep healthy and happy, or a variety of seeds, grains, nuts, washed fruit, and vegetables.

Put the food on a flat dish or immediately on the cage floor, but don\’t be shocked if your hamster flips it over and moves the contents to his or her pantry!

Watch your hamsters\’ intake of food and liquids. Take your hamster to the vet right immediately if they begin to eat less food than normal, have damp droppings, or have filthy hindquarters.

Give wet or powdered food only on a veterinarian\’s recommendation, such as in the case of a tooth issue. To prevent the food from turning mouldy, it\’s crucial to remove all remnants of the ill hamster\’s wet food and provide fresh food at least twice a day.

Behaviour

Your hamster will sleep and rest during the day, but at night, he or she will be quite active, so you must provide lots of area for them to play.

It\’s crucial to prevent hamsters from being disturbed while they sleep, so try to keep them in a room where the lights aren\’t left on until late at night.

Give your hamster a thick layer of bedding or litter to dig and burrow in since hamsters are excellent diggers in the wild and create deep, dark, underground burrows.

PLAY PERIOD

Make sure your hamster has plenty of area to run around and appropriate toys, including small boxes and tubes, like the inner cores of toilet paper rolls, and wooden chew blocks.

Your hamster has to constantly have a ton of different toys to play with, even though a nice running wheel can offer additional possibilities for exercise. Hamsters like wheels with a big diameter since they tend to run with their backs hunched, which is uncomfortable and can cause back issues. Therefore, get the biggest wheel or running \”disc\” you can.

A robust, axle-free wheel that is positioned near to the cage wall will prevent your hamster\’s feet or legs from getting caught in it.

Once you feel confident handling your hamster(s), you should allow them to spend time outside of their cage but you should never leave them outside unsupervised or overnight. Even if you believe your cat or dog and your hamster are close friends, never leave them unattended if you have another pet. Cats and dogs are natural predators of small animals and may intentionally or unintentionally scare, hurt, or even kill your hamster.

To prevent your hamsters from getting into mischief by wandering too far and putting themselves in danger, keep a tight check on them at all times.

Water Check

Your hamster\’s water bottle should feature a valveless sipper tube since, due to their weak suction, hamsters can have trouble sucking water from a conventional \”ball-valve\” sipper tube.

Your hamster will find the sipper much easier to use if it has a relatively small diameter or has been constructed with a pinch in the segment. For young, elderly, or unwell animals, this may be especially crucial.

Make sure to change your hamster\’s water at least once each day and inspect the water bottle everyday for leaks and/or obstructions.

To prevent contamination, you should also schedule frequent time to properly clean the bottle and nozzle.