Introduction

Hamsters are not “pocket pets", contrary to popular belief. Although they are quite small and are on the simpler side of caring for animals, they have lots of specific needs and can be quite expensive in the long run. They can live for up to 3 years, and aren’t recommended for young children. Hamsters are crepuscular, which means they are most active at dawn and dusk, and need their sleep during the day. So if you want a hamster, be prepared to play with them in either early morning or late at night.

 

SPECIES:

There are 5 species of domesticated hamster: Chinese, Roborovski, Campbells, Winter White, and the most common of them, the Syrian. You should look into each species carefully and see which would suit you and your household best.

Syrians, the biggest of the 5 species, and are known for their cuddly and loveable nature. They are usually great for first time hamster owners.

The 4 dwarf species are Roborovski, Campbells, Winter White and Chinese hamsters. Chinese hamsters have quite long tails that can reach up to 1 ½ inches! All of the other hamster species have 1/2 inch or smaller tails

The dwarf hamsters are usually more of “watch” pets, than “cuddle” pets, although depending upon the personality of each hamster, they can be just as cuddly as Syrian hamsters!

Syrian and Chinese hamsters are solitary species, which means that they cannot be housed together. If they are caged together, they will fight- often to the death. Although, all of the other dwarf species usually prefer to live in small groups of 2 or 4, as long as you have a large enough cage. But, even dwarf hamsters can fight with each other so you have to keep a watchful eye over them.

Hamsters of different species should not be housed together.

 

CAGE:

Hamsters need the floor space of their cage to be 365 sq. inches at MINIMUM, NOT including levels. And this goes for all of the species. Just because the dwarf species are smaller does not mean they need a smaller living space than a Syrian. A 1ft x 3ft cage could pass as a minimum sized cage, but 3ft x 3ft or bigger would be ideal. Remember, bigger is better for every species! Bin cages or aquariums are often recommended for hamsters. Bin cages can be easily built with a large bin (365sq in or larger- that comes with a lid) and drilling lots of small holes in the sides and lid for air circulation, and voila! A very cheap and large cage that allows your hamster to run and play with plenty of space. If you are to buy an aquarium, a 20 gallon long is a minimum, but a 40 gallon breeder or bigger would be great for your hamster. 

 

BEDDING:

Bedding is a critical part of a hamster cage. Hamsters are born burrowers, and need at minimum 2” of bedding in their cage at all times. Syrians prefer larger amounts, like 4”-5” so they can actually burrow down and make a nice sleeping area.

A list of GOOD bedding include: Kaytee Clean & Cozy (unscented) is my favorite, but there is also aspen and other soft paper based beddings (unscented).

NEVER buy the following beddings: Cedar shavings, pine shavings, dust based bedding, any kinds of scented bedding, bedding with baking powder in it, cotton bedding, or clay bedding. All of these beddings are harmful to your hamster. They can either cause repertory failure, harm your hamster’s nose and sense of smell (as hamster noses are VERY sensitive), or they can wrap around your hamsters’ limbs and cut off circulation/amputate their limbs.

 

WHEEL:

A wheel is also a critical part of a hamster’s life. Hamsters love to run, and can run up to 8 miles a night if provided a wheel. When shopping for a wheel, keep in mind the size of your hamster. A wheel that is too small will bend the hamsters’ back in a curve when they run, and can cause spinal problems. If the wheel is too small it can actually break the hamsters’ back if the hamster attempts to run on it for too long. So make sure when your hamster runs on his wheel that his back is as straight as possible.

The wheel must also NOT have a mesh or wire bottom. Your hamsters’ limbs can easily get caught in the holes, and if the hamster runs on the wheel it can give them bumblefoot. To read more about bumblefoot in hamsters go to: http://www.sawneeanimalclinic.com/downloads/bumblefoot_pododermatitis_in_rodents.pdf

Some GOOD wheels are as follows: Trixie Wheels, Wodent Wheels, Silent Spinners, and Comfort Wheels.

Wheels that are NOT suitable: Wheels with carpet, mesh or wire bottoms, or wheels with sharp edges.

 

CHEW TOYS:

Chew toys are a necessary part of a hamster’s environment. Hamsters’ teeth are always growing, and they need appealing things to chew on that will keep their teeth filed down. There are specially made chew toys for hamsters, such as whicker balls, apple sticks, loofa Cheezy Chews, etc. Hamsters also seem to love Whimzee chews that are meant for dogs, but are safe for them to gnaw on also. Chews to STAY AWAY FROM include: toys with strings, cotton, metal pieces, wood that could splinter, and toys that are colored with dye that is not animal safe.

 

HOUSE:

Hamsters love to curl up to sleep, so providing them with a hidey house is a great idea. A few good options would be igloo houses, hamster-safe wooden hides, a bend-a-bridge bent into a shelter shape, and also “strawberry”, “hippo”, and “lion” huts.

 

CAGE CLEANLINESS:

Depending on the size cage you have, your hamster’s bedding can be changed out with fresh new bedding every week, or every month. If the cage is 365sq in-499 sq in, the cage should be cleaned once a week or every two weeks. If your cage is larger than 500sq in, it can be changed every 3 weeks to a month. It is also optional to “spot clean” your hamster’s cage. This means cleaning out the bedding with pee spots every day so that is less work for you in the long run.

 

DIET:

A hamster’s diet should compose of mostly plain pellets, although they do need a variety of foods to balance out their daily diet. Hamster Hideout Forum has a fantastic topic on hamster nutrition, and recommends feeds that will help your hamsters get the nutrients that they need.

Fancy dried fruits and/or vegetables usually are not healthy for your hamster, and can cause obesity in your hamster if they are given too much. You should stick with giving your hamster about 1 Tablespoon of food a day, and only 1-2 small treats a day. Small pieces of organic fruits or vegetables can make a great addition to your hamster's meal.

 

TIME:

Hamsters do not require a large amount of time- usually only about 20 minutes a day, and 30 minutes on bedding change days. Daily, you have to make sure they have food, water, their bedding is clean, and they still have chew toys. You also should take the time to make sure your hamster is healthy, at least once a week (making sure their eyes and nose have no discharge, their bum is clean, and their body has no lumps or bumps).

 

HOME:

You should inform everyone in your home on proper hamster care so they do not hurt your hamster. Everyone should learn how to gently pet and hold a hamster, and what is ok and not ok to feed it. Children under the age of 9 usually do not make suitable hamster owners. Hamsters prefer people with calm & gentle personalities that are patient and kind.

 

To sum it all up, here is a checklist of things that you need:

• A proper sized cage

• A wheel of proper size and material

• Proper bedding

• A water bottle

• A food dish

• Hamster-safe chew toys

• A hidey house

• Proper food

• $$ for monthly bedding purchases

• The time and patience needed to own a hamster

• Extra $$ incase your hamster needs to go to the vet