Purchasing a Hamster:
A bit of trivia: Every Pet hamster is descended from the same female wild golden hamster found with a litter of one dozen offspring in Syria in the 1930's.
Hamsters are a lot of fun and quite easy to maintain if you take care of them
correctly. When your hamster is tamed, he will enjoy nothing better than to be
loved and cared for by you.
Which Hamster to Choose When purchasing a hamster for
the very first time, you should learn as much as you can about them first. Get
information from books, friends who own hamsters and call a breeder and ask some
questions. Hamsters come in many different and varied breeds so try and purchase one that
is the best one for you and your entire household. The best ones usually come from
reputable pet stores or hamster breeders. The ideal age to get one anywhere from five to
eight weeks old. One hamster can be quite
content on his own if you keep it company for a reasonable amount of time each day. In
fact, they will love to be the center of attention around your household! |
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Supplies
A Cage
Paper bedding
Hamster mix
Water bottle
Earthenware dish
Hamster toys
Newspapers and wood shavings to line the floor
Hamsters must live
indoors!
Be sure his cage will be out reach from any other household pets.
The cage should be in a room that has a constant temperature, away from any drafts and direct sunlight.
There are all kinds of cages
you can choose from. However, as hamsters love to climb and move around, buy the biggest
cage you can afford.
Line the floor of the cage with newspapers with wood shavings on top to absorb the urine.
Clean the cage at least weekly, more often if the litter is damp.
Your hamster will keep one corner of his cage for toileting in and this area should be cleaned daily. Some folks put a glass jar on its side in this spot and find their hamster will use it for a toilet , keeping the cage clean and dry. If your hamster learns to do this, great! However, the jar should be cleaned and washed out every day.
When you clean the cage, you
are sure to fine some hidden food that the hamster has stored away. Take some out
but not all, as this would upset your hamster and he will search for it. Your hamster will
make his bed with the paper bedding material, so when cleaning out the cage, don't disturb
this area.
A heavy earthenware dish is the best thing for his food because he won't be able to knock
it over very well or chew it! A water bottle is best way to see to it that his water will
stay clean and fresh all day. Change the water each day.
A lot of cages have hamster wheels already in them, but if yours does not, make sure you
buy one because aside from the the fact that your new pet will love it, they provide an
excellent way for him to exercise. A clear plastic ball or see-saw is another way to let
him exercise safely.
Bringing Your
New Pet Home
When you bring your hamster home, if he is in a box, open it very slowly and carefully. He
will probably have dug down into the bedding to hide, so don't scare him if he just gives
you a little nip. Remember, he is very frightened.
As soon as he arrives home, put him inside of his cage and leave him alone for a couple of
days to settle in. Speak to him softly when you are giving him food, but for the
most part, he needs time to look around the cage, choosing a place for his nest, toiletry
and food storage.
Hamsters usually sleep during the day and become lively at night, so it's better to feed
them at night. Don't ever poke a hamster who is sleeping or you are sure to get bitten!
Getting Used To Each
Other
It will probably take a while for him to get used to being touched and held. After he has
gotten settled in, try to make friends with your hamster. Start by stroking him in
his cage and speaking to him softly so that he becomes accustomed to you and your voice.
He will soon become tame and quite affectionate if handled often enough but always
do this properly.
Handle him when you are sitting down so if he attempts to run or jump away he will not
fall too far and injure himself. Always have him facing you and scoop him up with
both hands. Let him go from one hand to the other and, if he tries to jump don't
ever squeeze him tightly. If you don't feel confident in picking him up and holding
him yet, wait a while until you do.
Grooming
Hamsters groom themselves on a regular basis and in doing so, keep themselves quite
clean! The longer-haired breeds can be brushed with an old, soft toothbrush to remove any
shavings.
Exercise
If you decide to let your hamster run loose around one room in your house, always keep an
eye on what he is doing because he can cause a lot of damage by chewing electrical wires
and furniture. Before you allow him out, be sure other household pets, which could hurt or
frighten him, are locked out of the room. Remember, hamsters are great escape
artists! Great at disappearing! So again, be sure you keep an eye on him carefully
when he is out of the cage and running around.
Don't let your hamster loose outside because he could be hurt very easily by other animals
or birds or eat the wrong plants which could harm him.
Hamster Talk
Teeth Chattering: This
indicates that a hamster is angry and he should be left alone as handling him could result
in your getting bitten!
Standing and staring: If your hamster stands on his hind legs and stares, something has
caught his attention and he is listening. A hamster's hearing is excellent and they
can hear sounds that we cannot.
Gnawing: A hamster's teeth grow continuously so they need to gnaw on wood, hard biscuits,
or the bars of the cage to stop them from from becoming overgrown.
Side rubbing: Hamsters will often rub their sides up against certain areas of their cage
in order to mark their territory.
Digging: It is perfectly natural for a hamster to dig and if you give them a box
filled up with sand and newspapers, they will be very happy!
As you can see from the above, owning a
hamster entails a great deal of responsibility as well as the fun but by following the
above advice, you will have a very well-behaved, happy hamster who is enjoyable to own and
who will repay any amount of trouble you have gone to many times over.
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