Is this mistreating a hamster?

Question

Have I been? I honestly don't mean to have done harm to him if I have been. Adopted him yesterday. He's fairly young, I'd say about 4 or 5 months maybe? I gave him a grape and a half (three halves) and a carrot or two. All in two days! Is that too much? I heard that if you give them too many, it'll hurt them. I mean will what I've already done hurt him in the long run?

Also, I didn't give him a whole lotta time to 'get used to me'. Is that bad? He hasn't bitten me. Another question: About how long does a healthy hamster survive? Just wondering...

And one last thing: What can cause them to be stressed? To get 'wet tail'?

I know I sound like a 10 yr old, but oh well. I'm concerned about him and want him to have a happy, healthy life.

Answer 1

Don't give your hamster to many treats at once. He is probably OK but in the future give him a small amount of fruit or vegetables once a week. Small amount. Too much wet food can give them stomach problems and diarrhea which can lead to a dirty cage.

If your hamster is friendly and likes your company then play with him. One of my hamsters likes to sit on my shoulder while I watch TV and the other one doesn't like to be held that much so it's up to the hamster.

Hamsters usually live for about 2yrs but some live longer with good care.

Hamsters get scared easily so loud noise and quick movements can startle them. Hamsters have poor eye sight so I call out my hamsters names when I go into the room so I don't surprise them. If you have other pets you should make sure that your hamsters are in a place that is extra safe. You might want to hamster proof your cage because they are notorious escape artist.

Wet tail is usually caused by poor care. Keep your hamsters home clean, feed him good quality hamster food and make sure he has plenty of fresh water and he should be fine.

Answer 2

no they usually store the remains in there cheek for awhile don't feed him like that any more though

Answer 3

With proper attention and care, hamsters can live up to five years.

Things You’ll Need:

hamster exercise ball

pine shavings or recycled paper bedding

hamster food

hamster exercise wheel

disinfectant

fresh fruit

wire cage, heavy-duty plastic rodent cage or aquarium with screen lid

small water bottle for rodents

fresh vegetables

Step2:When you bring home your hamster and supplies, place the cage in a location away from drafts, and out of direct sunlight. Pick a spot in the house where you will frequently visit your hamster.

Step3:Cover the cage floor with a 2 inch layer of bedding. Pine wood shavings are best, because they are absorbent and nontoxic.

Step4:Keep a filled, clean water bottle attached to the cage at a height where the spout is reachable by the hamster, but doesn't touch the bedding. if the bedding gets wet it can rot and cause your hamster to get sick. Wash and refill daily.

Step5:Provide plenty of chew toys. Hamsters love the cardboard tubes found inside rolls of toilet paper and paper towels. Attach hamster wood chews to the side of the cage.

Step6:Make a box for your hamster to sleep in. Cut a 2-inch doorway into a small, closed cardboard box. Place the box in a far corner of the cage. The hamster will fill the box with bedding and chewed-up pieces of cardboard from the toilet paper tubes and will use the box as a bedroom. He will not urinate in the box, so you can use it for many months before replacing it.

Step7:Feed your hamster a commercially prepared hamster-food mix once or twice a day. Supply a small amount of fresh fruits and vegetables year-round. When you introduce new foods, initially feed small portions so his system can get used to them.

Step8:Exercise your hamster by putting an exercise wheel in her cage. Let her exercise outside her cage inside a specially designed plastic hamster ball, available at pet stores. Close the doors to your bedroom, take her out of his cage, and let her run around in the hamster ball.

Step9:Wash your hamster's cage at least once a week. Remove the hamster to a safe location and dip the cage in water that has a few drops of household disinfectant added to it. Wipe out any debris, dry the inside and add clean bedding before replacing the hamster.

Step10:Remove any uneaten fruits and vegetables after two days. Fresh foods that turn moldy can make your hamster sick.

Step11:Don't bathe your hamster. Hamsters clean themselves. If you think your hamster smells bad, the odor is probably coming from dirty bedding. Clean the hamster cage more often.

Step12:Take your hamster with you or find someone to take care of him if you are going on vacation for more than three days.

i  highlighted this and copied it. hopeit helps. oh and over feeding can be DEADLY!!

Answer 4

carrots are fine, grapes not so much. handle him every day but don't over whelm him. just hold him for about 15 minutes  every day for the first week. after that you can handle him more often. if you don't handle him every day he will not know your scent and he might bite or get really stressed. also, i had a hamster who lived to be 3 1/2.

only one thing i have to warn you about. DO NOT USE PINE OR CEDAR SHAVINGS AS BEDDING! the oil in the wood shavings causes lung problems.

Answer 5

You gave him a whole carrot?!  lol

The grapes are fine, but 2 carrots is a bit much.  I'm pretty surprised that he finished it (did he?).

As for treats, try not to give them anything citrusy (their stomachs are really sensitive); things like oranges, not sure about grapes though.

What do you mean by a whole lotta time to get used to you?  Usually 24 hours to get them used to their new habitat is well and fine.

A healthy hamster survives 2-3 years (or average of 1000 days).

A lot of things can cause them to get stressed.  They're very neurotic animals since they are prey.  Put your hamster in a quiet room so he doesn't get disturbed when sleeping, don't wake him up when sleeping, give him toys every now and then (chew toys they like much).  they get bored really easily and they could start chewing on cages -- that means they're gettig antsy/stressed.  Also, do you have other pets that are bigger?  Like dogs or cats?  Try to keep them away from them as they will get stressed as well.  When you're cleaning your cage, try to "re-arrange" the "furniture" when you put it back together (litter box, wheel etc) so they have something "different" everytime around =).  If you can afford it, the bigger the cage/habitat, the better.

Answer 6

first of all I don't care what book that came from ^ NEVER EVER use pine shavings.  This and cedar will cause respatory infections due to the oils the beddings produce.  Always use aspen or carefresh, PLEASE.

if he is a dwarf hamster he cannot get wet tail.

if he is syrian he can and sometimes handeling them when they are adjusting to a new environment will stress them out to the point of developing the bacteria that causes wet tail.  If this happens you must seek vetrinary care, over the counter products will just mask the symptoms and make him appear to be better..when you stop using it, he will go back.

feeding him a lot of veggies n stuff when his stomach is not used to it will also cause a change in the bacterial deveolpment in his tummy.

if he is a dwarf, it's not a good idea to give him sweet things because they are prone to diabetes (russian dwarves particullarly).

You are not mistreating him =] you just might make a few mistakes that all, at least you are smart enough to ask questions!  =]

Answer 7

Dont worry you havent hurt him yet but if you keep feeding him that much then it could be a problem!!!

Dont feed that much give him a little each week!

Ok give your hamster 20 minutes a day to get used to you.

This is what I did I sat by the cage talking to my hamsters and put my hand inside strocked them. Then I felt they were used to me I picked them up. They live up to 2 years or maybe three. They can get sressed if you hold them to tight .  It good that worried for little hamtser. GOOD LUCK!!!!

Answer 8

Ok that is too much food just  for 2 days. And you have to wait for him to get used to his cage for at least one week after you have brought him home. Even tough he didn't bite you he still will be streessed out like that. And laastly they live up to 3years.