Which type of hamster should I get my daughter?

Question

My 8 year old daughter wants a hamster. I have done a little research as to the care of hamsters but I'm not really getting clear answers. I plan on teaching her and making sure she is ready before giving her the hamster. We love animals and definitely want to be prepared. Which species would be best for her? Is there a difference in temperament between the females and males? I am basically looking for the most docile and kid friendly hamster for her to enjoy and learn a bit of responsibility.

Thanks for your answers!

Answer 1

i think the female hamsters are the nicest ones

i have 3 dwarf hamsters and 2 are girls

they don't bite or anything , unless you stick your finger in their cage

i think the best thing would be to go to petco and just kind of hold the hamsters and pick the friendliest one

and no worries, taking care of them is fairly easy(:

Answer 2

i like teddy hamsters. we had them growing up in elementary school.  Teddy Bear Hamsters belong to the group of Gold Hamsters, and they stand out by their characteristic coloration and long hair. They are 5-7 inches long, and females become reproductive upon reaching 6 weeks old. Teddy bear hamsters can get on well with their masters and other members of their families. It takes a while for a hamster to get accustomed to a new place or a new person.

Answer 3

rodents don't make good kid friendly pets despite popular belief...I would suggest a rat, since they are more social animals if you are going to go with a rodent.

Answer 4

I really think hamsters are great pets and easy to care for! I got my first hamster around age 8 and have been raising them ever since! Out of all my animals (more than 12) my hamsters are the easiest to care for... but also very fun. I have had many Teddy Bear Hamsters (long-haired Syrians) they are the calmest. Dwarf hamsters tend to be a bit more squirmy. I would suggest the Syrians. You should look around they have many different coat patterns... eg. Panda Bear, Teddy Bear, Black Bear. (very cute) I don't really find a difference between the sexes. Male or female Syrians are both really docile.

You should look around for a breeder on the internet. Or if that doesn't work look for ads on the internet... eg. www.kijiji.com You can find many babies for sale (mostly unintentional breeding).

One major mistake made with hamsters is that after they are brought home people immediately start bonding with them. You should let him get used to his new surroundings before attempting to pet him. I let my hamster come to me ... I slowly offered him treats and pet him very gently. One day (3 and a half weeks) he just crawled into my hands. This means that they trust you and then you can start bonding with it. Don't rush anything (biggest mistake) that can lead to some behaviour problems. If you take it slow they can become very good pets. I have had my hamster for 3 years and it has never shown any kind of aggression. Whenever you give him any treats he is very careful not to nip your finger. Now whenever I come near his cage he wakes up and comes to the door of his cage... he wants to play!

Another big mistake is to give a hamster a wheel and think that is going to amuse them. Well, they need a lot more stimulation to prevent them from chewing on the bars of their cage. My hamster love those plastic tubes (he ahs at least 40 all linked together) Usually they won't go in through the tubes unless there is a reason to go through them (eg. another cage or bubble filled with food.) Now my hamster knows them like the back of his hand and treats them as his personal tunnels (as they are natural burrowers.) They also love anything you can build for them out of old tissue boxes or toilet paper rolls. I made my hamster a mini castle. Lol. (LOVES IT) Children love making their hamster something and then watching them explore it and play with it. I used to and still do.

Another plus about the hamster is that they are nocturnal so they don't need as much one on one time as a cat or rabbit. Play with them after school and soon they will be waiting for you at the cage door to come out! But if you can't seem to give them play time you can skip a day or 2 and they still will be happy.

If you have any more questions about hamsters or taming them feel free to e-mail me. :)

Have a good time with your hamster!

Any hamsters being sold in  pet stores ending in "bear" (eg. Teddy Bear, Panda Bear) are all Syrian hamsters. (golden hamsters) There is no difference except for the fur.

Tip: give your hamster a tissue... He will rip it to pieces and use it as a duvet.

Also, I found a great site all about hamsters:

www.hamsterific.com    and

www.geocities.com/spoiledhamsters

Look for a family-run pet store to get your hamster.

Hope this helps :)

Answer 5

There are only two main species; syrians and dwarfs. Syrians are bigger, and often slower and easier to hold. Dwarfs are as big as mice, and often very timid and scaredy, thus more of an effort to handle and a bit more likely to respond in biting since they are more excitable.

But both of these can make excellent children's pets. A dwarf hamster was one of my first pets, and I learned for to handle it shortly after recieving it. A syrian is probably better for a first pet though, they realyl do have a calm demeanor.

Difference between males and females is not very vivid. Female syrians tend to grow a bit larger than males, and this makes them a bit calmer. But honestly, the male/female differences are only stereotypes. Each hamster will have its own personality, regardless of its s*x. So it is a gamble either way.

Edit: The first best place to buy any animal is from a reputable breeder that does not sell to pet stores at all, and does not breed a ton of animals at one time. Try looking through your local classifieds, or even online like on craigslist.com. There are also often people with accidental litters which give them out for free. And please also try to look for a shelter to adopt a hamster from. They will be a lot healthier than in pet stores, and you could save its life.

Answer 6

pet stores like petsmart i recommend pets plus. get any type but ask about them all and choose based on behavior and size mine is brown black and white and tan. [Max/Herman] he is sweet but wash your hands before and after you pet them

Answer 7

well i would not get a hamster i would get a Guinea pig because they are muck larger and impossible to 'loose' in the house and can be taken out side on a leash to eat Grass you can give them baths and cut there nails if desired and if you ask me they smell a lot less than a hamster

hope i helped

Answer 8

I grew up having a couple of female short-haired golden hamsters.  They were the sweetest- I was never bitten by either one of them.  This was many years ago, and since then my youngest brother has had a couple himself.  He orginally had a panda hamster (bought from Petsmart), I don't know if you've seen or heard about them, but they are larger like a golden.  He was the meanest little guy, and I swear he was growling at us on that Christmas morning.  He was horrible so we exchanged him for a little dwarf hamster (female) who seemed nice enough at first.  But within a week (and she was handled frequently by all of us in the family), she started biting.  So, I'd consider a golden, as I've had the best experience with them.   Of course, I got my hamsters at a local petstore (there was no Petsmart and Petco)when I was younger, that may have something to do with their temperments as well.

***Add:  If you were trying to avoid going to a pet store in acquiring your hamster, I'd try a rescue organization nearby.  Petfinder.com is a great place to find unwanted pets, just search under the small & furry and input your zip code.  Usually, when I've checked petfinder, I come across more guinea pigs, rats, and mice than hamsters though.  But still, you never know what you may find.  And if that doesn't work out, I'd still recommend a pet store, but I'd try to find one that isn't a chain (that has hundreds of other animals to care for).  The smaller the better, just to make sure that they are being handled the way they should.