My 11 year old daughter wants a hamster, pros and cons please?

Question

We have 3 cats and a dog, and my husband says "yuck, stinky" when my daughter asks for one. She's a very responsible, caring girl who would take care of it very well. But I am concerned about our other pets.

Are there ways to make it less "stinky"?

What are some pros and cons to the different hamsters and cages that are out there?

I had gerbils and guinea pigs as a child, but not hamsters so I'm a little lost here!

Thank you for any advice in advance.

Answer 1

Overall, just think of them as a large gerbil since you have had experience with them.  Basically they are loveable, entertaining pets and low maintenance as long as their cage is kept clean.  The only precautionary advice I can give is be careful what you use for bedding as they will eat it and one we had developed gastro problems.  We took him to the vet but his bowels were impacted and he went to hamster heaven :-)

Answer 2

omg im 11 and i want a hamster 4 my bday in 4 days and my mom says yes and dad says maybe my bff has a hammy and hes the sweetest thing just make sure she cleans his cage and 4 baths u can get baby wips and just wipe him down and then he wont be stinky if the hammy bites its ok it will only bite like a couple time her hammy bite 3 time and now he doesnt so i would let her get 1

Answer 3

AWW!Let her get one!They are cute and entertaining.They do stink a little but not really if you clean the cage regularly!They will be fine with the other animals as long as the cage is kept up.You can buy pet bedding along with all the stuff needed for the hampster all at walmart.They have bedding that has scents in it now.So it smells really good while you dont smell the urine and poo!Hey I have an indoor rabbit that runs around the house but goes in his cage to do duties.And we have 2 dogs and 2 kids!So bring that up to your hubby!

Answer 4

Well the best kind of hammy to get is a robo hamster and that is because they rarely bite and they love to be in pairs. And the way to make it so they dont smell is once a week give it a dust bath I will give you links to what it looks like. And about the pets your daughter can keep the hamster in her room and to keep the door shut.

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.js...

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.js...

Answer 5

Please check your local shelter first, you would be surprised! Or petfinder.com

Hamsters are good for teaching responsibility and such. A good way for odor is use Carefresh, but not the colored type, that smells terrible. Clean it out every week and you shouldn't smell a thing!

Maybe consider a rat? They are super clean and friendly. They are smart so your daughter can train the rat to do things! They also don't bite if handled properly.

Answer 6

I've had 2 hamsters.  I fell in love with them I think you should let her get one.

I would say don't worry about the other pets because at the time we had my hamsters we had @ dogs and a guinea pig. The pig and hamster would play and the dogs would play with the pig and they were afraid of the hamster.  But if you are worried about it put the hamster in a place you know the animals can't get to it like behind closed doors in her room or something.

  

A way to make the cage less smelly is to put baking powder on the bottom of the cage before putting the fluff down that way the baking powder will soke up all nasty smells.  Also, they make liter boxes to put in the corner of the cage which you can train your hamster while it's still young to use it.

Cages:  I would not get a cage that has the bars b/c hamsters don't have vertebrates and if they get mad or are not in a comfortable environment they can escape through the bars or they will chew through them.  So, I saw get a plastic closed of cage.

Hope all this helps. Good luck! :)

Answer 7

I have 2 dogs and 3 cats, so don't worry about that lol

PRO's:

-They don't smell if you change their bedding 1 time each week

-Once socalized correctly, they are very loveable and friendly. You can let them clinb all over you, or on the floor even if you watch them carefully.

-They are adorable!

-It heightenes responsibility and confidence knowing that the animal is theirs.

CON's:

-Dwarf's, the most pupular breed among young kids, are not friendly towards other hamsters.

-They bite when you startle them, and their teeth are sharp enough to rip flesh.

-They can get illness like DryTail and Diebetes if cared for wrongly and die.

-They only live 2-3 years.

Dust make sure to never give a dwarf anything dust. But dustless cedar or sand; because the dust can kill them.

Answer 8

Well first off there are two different kinds of hamster's. Dwarfs and Syrains. I will tell you a little bit about each.

Syrain is the big hamster they are very loving and like companionship with humans.However they cannot be in the same cage with any hamster what so ever or they will fight until one is dead. These hamsters are better for first hamster owners. as they dont bite as much. Long and short hair are the different types. names like teddy and panda bear were made by shop owners to say they got new ones in.

Dwarf hamsters. These are the small cute guys but they are faster and bite more often however if they are played with everday.(like mine) they become great pals. And they can be in the same cage with other dwarf hamsters aslong as they come from the same litter and are the same s*x. There are many different types to these guys. Chinese,Winter whites,campbells(most common) and robo.

I will suggest this for a cage for a first time hamster owner if your just getting one. http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.js...

(this cage comes with about a weeks supply)

I would buy Aspen or carefresh bedding as the others are bad for there health.

Just buy whatever hamster food you want. Hamsters like little houses so you can buy them they look like

this.http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.js...

This is just basic tips and alot of people just find out what they like best when they buy them.

Also for your animals. can you have the hamster in a room that your cats and dog cant get into as they will most likley push the cage on the floor and then eat the hamster if they can get at it.

PS toliet paper tubes make great tunnels for your hamsters because its there natural instinct to make tunnels and dig.

(If the hamsters wheel is loud replace it with a silent spinner(just ask a petstore worker if they have one)(Look for a water bottle that uses a ball to stop the water so it doesnt soak your bedding)

PSS i just read in the costumers review that the water bottle leaked for somebody in this cage so purchase a new one.

Its called wet tail not dry tail/ Dry tail is a medicine for wet tail so read up on wet tail.

Answer 9

pro's= their cute and fun

con's= their stupid

Answer 10

Hamsters are not "stinky" themselfs, it is just the buildup of urine in the cage that causes a bad smell. You should wash the hamsters cage at least 1 time a week, some people say 2 though.

There are basicly 2 groups of pet hamsters, Syrians and Dwarfs. The syrian hamsters are often labled as Teddy Bears, Panda Bears, Golden, Black bears..... ect. They are all the same type though, Syrians, but different colors. Syrian hamsters are the best for children becasue of their larger size. They are also less likley to bite, and if they do escape they can be found pretty easy. (I would watch out for that though just incase your dog or cats want a little snack though =])  They also HAVE to live alone. Syrians will fight until one is dead. The other group is the dwarf hamsters. Dwarf hamsters inclue the dwarf hamsters, roboski hamsters, chineese hamsters, winter white hamsters, and a few others. The dwarf species love to live together, but make sure thy are in groups of 2 or more of the same s*x pair. They are very cute, but they are more likley to bite and are very hard to hold. They can also escape very very easily if not in the proper cage.  Roboski hamsters are VERY fast, almost impossible to catch.

In my opinion, get a Syrian hamster. It doesn't matter male or female, although I have heard that some people say that females are more active. Oh yeah another point, hamsters are nocturnal so make sure that you gat a very quiet wheel and chew sticks. No pine beding, only aspen bedding. Carefresh is the best in my opinion.

As far as cages go, the bared cages are best. They alow great ventilation, unlike glass aquariums. Aquariums are best if you plan to get a breed of dwarf hamster, but make sure you have a screened top. Aquariums tend to be more stinky though since it traps in all of the smell.

Barred cages are best for Syrians, but make sure that the bars ar no bigger then 1 inch spaced out. 1/2 inch is even better. Hamsters are escape artists and can squeeze through anything. Cages with all of those fancy tubes are available, but Syrians can get stuck in them more easily and some can chew their way out. A basic, sturdy bar cage is the best in my opinion. ( my cage is 13"x24" ) make sure that you don't buy a cage with grid floors becasue they will get very hurt on those.

If you have had guinea pigs, you should be able to help out a lot with hamsters! Basicly I recomend getting a SYRIAN HAMSTER, and a BAR CAGE. =]

hope I helped!!

(sorry for any spelling mistakes, spell check is not working)

Answer 11

they are nocturnal animals, so she needs to understand that they aren't happy in the middle of the day but will play at nite while she sleeps.  they tend to eat their young and often themselves.  reduce these problems, but keeping the pet outdoors in an area with lotsa protection from weather & predators.

Answer 12

Just one thing,

Make sure shes ready to see it die,

i nkow sounds harsh, but im 12 and my hammys have just been eaten alive inside out by earwigs, on my hand!

So make sure your both ready for what diseases cthat hammys can get!

And i cried. They dont really smell if you clean them out once every 2 week, not too often because they spend loads of time making a nest for it to be destroyed.

They are loyal companians and make lovely pets, they are cuddly as well.

But if your not keen on biting things then get a bunny!

Look after them well

Gd Luck x

Answer 13

Well, getting a wire cage will definitely make the cage stink less. Aquarium cages, or any closed in cages, trap the smell and it will not be good. The ammonia from their urine could also hurt their little lungs. You want to find one with a reasonably deep litter pan because they may kick the bedding out.  

Of course, whenever someone that age wants a pet you have to be willing to care for it if she should ever lose interest as kids sometimes do. If she's as caring as you say, you may not have to worry about that, but even so you should be prepared for it.

I've always been partial to Syrian hamsters, as I've just always found them more friendly than dwarfs. That's not always the case, but usually. Syrians are also known as the "bear" hamsters. Teddy bear, honey bear, black bear, etc.

Here's a good site with lots of info!

http://www.hamsterhideout.com/allabthams...

Answer 14

Hamsters don't stink unless you don't clean their cage.  They are very easy to care for.  They only need their cages cleaned once or twice a week,  they don't need bathes,  and eat very little.  I would suggest getting a Syrian (teddy bear)  They are the biggest and easiest to tame.  They rarely bite and a alot slower than the breeds of Dwarfs.  Wire cages get lots of ventilation but they will chew on the bars which is not only annoying but dangerous for them.  Aquariums offer less ventilation and are heavy but they are roomy and you can customize them with whatever toys you like.  I personally think those plastic cages with the tubes are way too small for any hamster.  Then their are bin cages.  you can make these any size you want they are light weight and easy to clean..

Answer 15

They are stinky and require to have their cages cleaned out quite often.  Isn't a dog and 3 cats enough?  The cats might go after the hamster and try to eat it.  No definitely not, I would not want to buy a hamster if I had 3 cats and a dog.