Hamster help! again! sorry :(?

Question

i need to know everything about hamsters!

i am getting one soon and have not yet gotten a book!

websites are good...

need to know about eating habits,

and pros and cons!

i need to know everything!

i just want my future furry little buddy to be as happy as he can be :)

thanks for help on other questions!

and i need cage opinions!

Answer 1

hamsters are rather easy to look after they eat fresh fruit and veg but there are certain types of fruit and veg they eat depends what type of hamster you are getting but hamsters can live in plastic cages also wire cages and glass aquariums.syrian hamsters are solitary animals and like to be kept alone but russian dwarf hamsters and chinese hamsters like to be kept in same s*x pairs and small family groups unless you are breeding themthey dont smell that much and that is only a little bit they enjoy being handled and love exploring well i hope this helped and good luck with your new hamster but try to buy a proper book on hamsters!:)

Answer 2

Nichole pretty much got everything. ;)

Answer 3

I'd look through the book at the pet store, but I have one and rarely used it..  I didn't find it all that useful with the internet and all.  

Websites:

http://hamsterfantasyworld.tripod.com/

http://www.petwebsite.com/hamsters/routi...

http://www.angelfire.com/tn/allabouthams...

http://www.tiscali.co.uk/lifestyle/pets/...

http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/hamsters/...

Eating Habits:

Hamsters will generally eat out of their food bowl, provided you put food in there.

They will carry selected bits of food (usually seeds and nuggets if your food has those in it) in their cheeks and store them in a corner for later.

They will usually eat in evening or whenever they are given new or fresh food.

They will eat just about anything, so be careful what you put in their cage!

Too many fresh fruits or veggies will result in your hammy getting diarrhea.  

For treats, they like fresh fruits and veggies (apple slices, baby carrots, celery, etc), nuts and hamster treats (dry roasted, unsalted peanuts or whatever is labels a hamster treat in the store).

Too many hamster treats can result in your hamster getting health related problems due to being over weight such as respiratory problems.

PROS:

They are easy to care for.

They are cute.

They generally are pretty tame and gentle.

They're comforting and make good pets.

The don't get sick easily (unless you neglect to care for them properly).

Toys and other needed things can be found around the house (toilet paper tubes, paper towel tubes, unscented tissue for nesting material, etc)

CONS:

Their cage needs to be cleaned every week, regardless of whether it smells or not to avoid them getting ill.

They don't live very long (only 2-4 years).

When they bite, it hurts like crazy.

When their cage smells, it SMELLS.

They will put anything in their mouth or try to eat anything.

Everything:

They need exercise;  

A plastic wheel will smell up easily and will be hard to rid of that smell.  It'll make the cleanest of cages smell.  Get a wire or mesh wheel, they will not pee in it or chew on it.

Get an exercise ball.  After they're done with it, soak in it some COLD soap water to get rid of the smell-- over night is best.  Hamsters should not be left unattended in the ball, should not be allowed to become trapped in direct sunlight, or trapped on a heating//AC vent.  They should not be in their ball for more than thirty minutes at a time.

They need to chew;

Give them something wooden to keep their teeth down or else you'll need to have them filed by a vet so they can eat again.  You can buy them a little house or wooden toys are pet shops generally cheap.

They will chew on anything.  Be careful while you're holding them as they may nibble on you or your chothing!!

They frighten fairly easily;

If they are nibbling on you, don't jerk away.  This will scare them.  Simply move your fingers out of the way if it is unnerving.  Do this slowly and quietly to avoid scaring them.

  Hold them closely to your body.

When getting them out, they will typically run no matter what.  Get them out quickly to minimize the time they have to run around their cage away from your hand and having that "I'm being hunted!" feeling.  

Bonding;

A hamster needs to be held daily to ensure that it will grow to love you.  This will get it used to being out of its cage and being handled.

Failing to hold  them regularly enough may lead to them biting and generally becoming rather mean.

CAGES!!

Unless you are getting a dwarf hamster, DO NOT get a critter trail cage.  Critter trail cages are too TINY for anything other than small mice and dwarf hamsters even though they claim to be big enough for regular hamsters.  The tubes are not big enough for regular hamsters and they may get stuck in them.  If upside down, this may result in death.  If right side up, it may result in dehydration.  Either may cause a panic attack.  In the end, your hamster may simply refuse to use the tubes as it may just be too scared of going down them and get stuck at the top of the cage.  Also, hamsters may chew out of plastic cages.

Wire cages tend to be fairly nice, but dangerous.  They're probably by far the easiest to clean (plastic cages being the HARDEST by far).  Hamsters like the wires and will probably try climbing them.  While this is cute, they could hurt themselves from falling.  Also, they learn how to open the cage doors fairly easily, so you'll have to make your own lock to ensure that they don't get out.

I recommend a glass aquarium.  They are in the middle, when it comes to cleaning, but they cannot escape as easily unless you have things piled up.  They are less of a health hazard and most hamsters do not require as much room or fancy levels as other cages.  They only need room for a wheel, food, water, nesting area, potty corner, and general roaming.  I've had just about every cage out there and I was always happiest with the classic glass.

If you have any questions, feel free to email me!  I took care of many, many hamsters from all sorts of backgrounds.  I have had hamsters, gerbils, mice, chinchillas, etc.  I am fairly educated in most rodents, so if you have any questions about a particular hamster, I may be able to help!  (:

Answer 4

Well, you cant know everything but, there is this book that I have for my hamster that really helps me. It is called: Hamsters. Its like a thick magazine. You can get it at Petsmat.

Also, Here is a link ( ) to some ebay auctions with lots of inexpencive hamster books. Finally, here is a link to a complete hamster care guide.

Answer 5

Somesites that might help you learn about their housing, bedding, entertainment , taking care of them and such and such

http://www.animalhealthcare.ca/contents/...

http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/hamsters/...

http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/rabbit...

http://www.petwebsite.com/hamsters/hamst...

Best site (little reading)

http://www.spca.bc.ca/kids/animalcare/ha...

http://www.myhammie.com/

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Hamster-Food...

About hamster diet's plz read to keep your hammie healthy

http://www.hamsterhideout.com/feeding.ht...

http://www.hamsterific.com/Nutrition.cfm

http://www.petwebsite.com/hamsters/hamst...

Answer 6

Just wanted to say that everything Nicole said was really good

EXCEPT the bit about getting a metal wire wheel...

when they're running in it, if they lose their footing , their leg will get trapped in the gap and it will break, hammies are very fragile....

This is why most the ones you see in pet shops are plastic because it happened too often, and they are also easier to clean... xxxx have fun with ur new hammy xxxx