Interested in buying a hamster with lots of questions?

Question

I have owned many types of animals before but I have never owned a hamster. I would like to buy one but don't know where to begin. So if u have any knowledge on hamsters please help.

1) Which type of hamsters are the friendliest?

2) Would a ten gallon tank be a nice home for a hamster?

3) I think dwarf hamsters are cute... are they friendly?

4) What type of bedding do you use?

THANK YOU

Answer 1

i suggest the book hamsters for dummies. i have it and it gave me all the info i need- get it from your local library!!!!

1. syrians are USUALLY friendliest, but if you get a baby and tame it, any breed could be sweet.

2. i think a wire cage is more entertaining for a hammy because he climb up the sides and multple levels are also fun. plus, water bottles and stuff work better with wire cages.

3. dwarfs can be friendly if you get a young one, but since they are smaller they can be harder to hold.

3. i use carefresh. i like it and its good and healthy for hamsters.

Answer 2

Dwarf hamsters tend to bite a lot and take more time to train.

I've owned quite a few hamster (13 at once!) and the friendliest ones were always the teddy bear.

A ten gallon tank is plenty of room. I'd get 2 males unless you considering breeding but if your going to breed you mush remove the male before the baby's are born and put him in a sepret cage b/c he will try to eat the baby's and to mother will tr to eat him!

Fill the bottom with wood shaving. But be careful there seem to be studies that show pine shavings are not good for the health of our rodents. They can cause breathing problems, sore noses and poss-able liver damage. Go to a  local pet store and ask them to find one that is healthy for them.

Along with the shaving buy or make some bedding. There are many thing they will use including

-Ripped up tissue paper.

-Lint from you dryer.

-Small pieces of soft fabric.

-Small feathers.

Remember you hamster will make his own nest... so you can just but the bedding materials somewhere in the cage and he'll be to work in no time!

Some hamsters get a little skechie when you walk buy and to solve this train him just like you would for any other pet.

HAVE FUN! HAMSTERS ARE A BLAST!!!

Answer 3

I have an answer for numbers three and four number three they are friendly but only after a month.You know that they get stressed out when they change habitatas and it needs to know you.For number four you should use carefresh they evn give them in colors but that's not why they absorb my liguid not much dust too.Hope you enjoy him or her!

Answer 4

1. All hamster have the potential to be friendly, though dwarves have not been domesticated as long as syrian or "teddy bears" so if dwarves arent given enough attention they can still go wild

2. It would be an ok home but not the greatest, due to ventelation issues, you can also make your own cage, if you're handy, to suite your house[you know if you have space needs] and you can get creative :D just using a regular sterilite bin, I only use tanks when my dwarves have litters

3. I breed dwarves, syrians, chinese dwarves, etc and i also handle all of them daily so with the proper attention they can easily be tamed

4. never use pine or cedar, bad for the respitory tract,  i use the recycled paper one its alittle more expensive but hey it keeps my baby healthy

hope this helps, if you need more help message me

Answer 5

1. All hamsters are very friendly if you give them time to settle in and get used to you, I would suggest a Dwarf hamster, that was my first pet hamster and she or should I say he was very sweet.

2. Ten gallon tanks are fine :) My hamster and another shared a ten gallon tank  it fit all their necessity's and gave them plenty of space to grow and play!

3. As I said before dwarf hamsters are really friendly! mine wanted me to hold it the second I got her!

4. Defiantly use Carefresh!

Answer 6

I've found that any hamster, with work, can be friendly.  With that said, Syrians are easier to tame and more cuddly.

10 gallon tanks DO NOT make a good cage.  If you can get a S.A.M. cage.  Those cages have all the fun stuff with them, and are simple to clean and put together. I have 2 of those cages, one is a 2 level, and the other is a 4 level; THEY ARE NIFTY CAGES!  Hamsters can block their wheel and escape a tank, I've had that happen.  

Dwarf hamsters can be friendly, but tend to nip.  

Carefresh bedding would be the best, use it instead of shavings!

Answer 7

okay soo i can answer two of the 4 ?'s you have...  a 10 gallon tank is a good size...if you add on things for them to crawl around and play in...if you look at hamster cages at the pet store they have like 2 stories..so you might want to add or just buy a hamster cage you can get one for like 15 or 20 bucks.(in my opinion much cheaper then adding on to your tank)

also the bedding i'm not sure of the name but its like cardboard shavings they sell it at every petstore and when yuo buy your hamster its the bedding they have in the cage.....or you can use yesterdays news its recycled newspaper rolled up in little rolls that works just as well and its not as messy as the shaved cardboard stuff

Answer 8

go to this website  www.hamsterclub.com

Answer 9

I suggest that you buy some books on hamsters. That way you know you'll be getting info. from a book and not from a answerer that doesn't know what they're talking about.

The Animal Planet Hamsters is simple and you can understand it.

I also have the Hamster Handbook its got everything in there. You SHOULD RESEARCH!

Answer 10

1. Usually syrians are friendliest.

2. A ten gallon tank would be ok for a hamster

3. Dwarf hamsters are cute, some are friendly and some are mean. I own 2 dwarfs that are friendly.

4. I would say Aspen bedding.

Answer 11

1) The best type of hamsters are in my opinion Chinese. I have currently owned 4 of them and I also owned 3 Russian Dwarfs, and out of all 7 the Chinese hamster gets 1st place in Friendliest.

2) The cage will be the most expensive piece of equipment. The general rule is that you should choose the largest you can afford. A 10 gallon is a decent size, but if you can afford a larger tank/cage you should go for the larger one.

3) Yes, dwarf hamsters are friendly at certain times, but like most hamsters if you startle them, wake them up from a deep sleep or try to take them out while grooming or eating they will bite you. Other than that, then yes they are quite friendly. When they are young. As they get older (from my experience) they will get cranky. Very cranky. So beware. PS: They are also prone to diabetes, so don't feed them any foods with too many carbs, or sugars!!

4) I use Odor control bedding. You can get it at walmart for only about $4.00 and they come in colors!!! But if you want like pink or purple of yellow or like blue you will have to pay $7.00. But do not, I repeat do not buy pine or cedar bedding. They have fumes in the bedding that could give them respiratory problems.

YOUR WELCOME

Answer 12

1) Syrian hamsters or teddy bear hamsters-are the most common type kept as pets. These should be kept one to a cage (they will fight if kept together). . they will be really friendly if you will get them in a young age, and if they will be tamed properly.

2)Aquariums are also acceptable, especially for dwarf and Chinese hamsters.Modular plastic hamster habitats (the type with multiple tunnels and chambers) are nice for providing exercise and entertainment, but can be challenge to ventilate adequately and clean well.In addition, many golden hamsters get too large for the tunnels, although dwarf hamsters have no difficulties. Also keep in mind that hamsters can chew through plastic so if there are any edges or ridges they can start chewing, they could easily escape.

3. yep they are very cute!(Campbell's and winter white Russian hamsters, Roborovski hamsters)are more social and are probably better kept with others of the same species, but they should be introduced at a young age. Dwarfs, when not kept hand-tame, will become wild.

Dwarfs tend to be more active than Syrians, but that activity level varies from hamster to hamster.

4)Most owners use wood shavings to line the cage, but avoid cedar shavings - aspen or other hardwood shaving are the preferred choice as even pine shavings may emit irritating aromatic oils. Other bedding options are available (see "Top Ten Alternatives to Cedar and Pine." The bedding should be changed weekly, but most hamsters use an area of the cage for a toilet and this area can be cleaned more frequently to help keep the cage clean. Hamsters like to burrow, so provide a good depth of shavings for them to dig in.

P.S.A nesting box should be provided, which can be store bought or as simple as a cardboard box (which will have to be replaced regularly). Provide soft such as strips of facial tissue or soft paper towels The nest material should be cleaned out only every month or two as needed (more frequent changes may be too disruptive to the hamster). However, regular checks and removal of any stored food materials is recommended.

ENJOY!

Answer 13

Almost all hamsters are friendly

It's too small. I have a 20 gallon tank and a tank topper

I have no clue, but many peole have them, So I don't think someone would get a mean hamster.

Right now, some cedar wood from the Feedstore.

Answer 14

Kudos on thinking of getting a new pet! Well since your a first timer I would consider geting a syrian hamster. Just because they are usually more tame, and when you do tame them they stay tame unlike dwarfs. Dwarfs are faster and often do tend to nip more than syrians. As for a long hair or a short hair. Long Hairs dont require much more care. Just if they get something stuck in their fur then you can clean it out with a soft bristled toothbrush. They are gorgeous though. (:

A ten gallon tank would be perfect. But you need to consider that when your hamster grows the ten gallon tank might get to small. Also, ammonia builds up faster in a ten gallon tank then a wire cage. Also, tanks can sometimes be hard to lift. But i have a little syrian in a tank and it is pretty simple so far.

Dwarf Hamsters are adorable but I would not recommend them to first timers. They are quick and usually like to be housed together, unlike syrians. Its more in there nature to nip and if neglected for a while they can become not tame anymore.

I would also  like to recommend Nutriphase for food. Its full of healthy ingrediants that your hamster will love!

I use carefresh bedding. its allo natural and good for your hamster, if you get Carefresh Ultra then that is super absobant. Just make sure not to buy pine or cedar bedding as it can cause upper resporitory infections.

Good Luck! ^^

Answer 15

1. Syrains. This means teddybears, black bears ect. Dwarves tend be harder to handle excpecailly if you have never had a hamster before check this site out for more information on Syrians. http://www.freewebs.com/happyhamsterhelp...

2. I would suggest going with a bin cage or critter trail or S.A.M. cage. The bin cage is good because you get a big cage with out the big cage price. If you prefere a more traditional cage i suggest the S.A.M. and Critter Trail because they can be big or small depending on your price range but the best part is that you can expand it easily.

3. Dwarves can be friendly, but often bite more often and are just harder to handle due to there fast and speeddy nature

4. I use wood chips, though many people do not agree with me. I think that the hamsters enjoy the wood chips better. They love burrowing in it and it helps keep them warm and cozier in the winter. Also it is cheaper so you can afford to put more in the cage.

Answer 16

I agree about the teddybear (syrian) being the friendliest. Tanks are not the best idea. They "sweat" too much. Aspen bedding is best if you want wood chips. Dwarf hamsters are friendly if handled gently and often.

To the child who calls herself "Buy a Hamster Book People". You seem to be a rude and immature little know-it-all. The people on this site are getting very good answers. And they are on here to research. As for you, "Buy a Hamster Book People", I suggest you buy a book called "How to win friends and influence people".

Answer 17

Hi, I personally prefer the teddy bear hamster, if based on looks. But the dwarf is also generally friendly. With a dwarf once you "hand" tame it,  you must keep handling it. Otherwise, it can become wild again. Tanks can be used, but can cause condensation inside (that can cause pneumonia- very deadly for a hamster), it would have less temperature control making it hot inside for hamster, and less air circulation, making smells worse. I use the plastic/wire mix cages with tubes for exploration. Aspen chips are excellent for your hamsters they are cheap and safe for ingestion. Pine and cedar have oils that are dangerous and they can irritate your hamsters skin. Also NEVER bathe your hamster or let it swim. Hamsters clean themselves and when wet they can catch pneumonia VERY easily and die.