Hamster care
Hamsters have always had a special place in my heart. When my kids suddenly went with the Hamtaro craze (a Japanese children's hamster show), I thought that perhaps I'd better start up a section on these interesting little pocket pets that have captured the hearts of many. We will first run through some general information about hamsters and then go through the nitty gritty of hamster care.
What are hamsters?
Hamsters are mammals that fall into the class of rodents ie same family group as mice,
rats. Rodent actually means "to gnaw" in Latin - so you can have a pretty good idea
what hamsters are inclined to do. Rodents (hamsters included) all have incisor teeth
which grow throughout their lives (unlike ours) so in order to keep their incisor teeth in
check, they gnaw on things to grind them down. The word 'Hamster' actually originates
from a similar German word 'Hamstern' which literally means 'to hoard' - if you've seen
hamsters and how they eat, you will notice that they have very prominent cheek
pouches in which they will hoard their food - very handy in the desert conditions when
they will run around, find food, and store them in their cheek pouches as they move
along and then bring them back to their burrows to store and savour at a later time.
Where do hamster usually live in the wild?
Hamsters originally live in semi-desert conditions and so they are nocturnal by nature (ie they sleep in the day time and forage at night time when it's cooler in the desert). Hamsters like rabbits and most desert dwelling mammals live in burrows (it's much cooler to live underground when the heat is scorching in the daytime). Like a lot of nocturnal creatures, hamsters haven't got great eyesight - they don't really utilize it at night, they rely mainly on their sense of smell and hearing to detect danger or find food. Bear this nocturnal habit in mind when you decide whether or not to place your hamster cage in the bedroom, if you are a light sleeper, chances are you will be kept up by the squeaking of the exercise wheel all night!
How long do hamsters live for??
This is the sad part, hamsters by and large have very short life spans, 3 years is about the maximum for hamsters but most of them expire at 2 years of age.
What are the different types of hamsters available?
There are actually a great variety of hamsters available worldwide but only 5 are really kept as pets to any degree. The different breeds of hamsters available as pets are :
- the Syrian or Golden Hamsters. As their name implies, Syrian hamsters originated from Syria. And whilst they are also called 'golden hamsters' there is a great deal more variety in color than just the gold. They are very territorial and most hamster breeders would suggest that you keep just one Syrian hamster on its own - as they start to get very aggressive towards each other from 8 weeks of age. The Syrian hamster is by far the most commonly kept hamsters as pets.
- Chinese hamsters - these hamsters originate from China and Mongolia. At first glance, these hamsters look more mouse like than other hamsters. They are a rarity in the hamster world and are reputed to be hard to breed. Chinese hamsters are rather flighty things and are experienced climbers. These hamsters (unlike the Syrian hamsters) are usually kept in aquariums or solid plastic cages because they are the Houdinis of the hamster world and can squeeze through bars that are too wide and do have the tendency of getting stuck sometimes (traumatic for the hamster and the owner alike). Generally not recommended for beginners, and is really a hamster reserved for enthusiasts. Usually sold as pairs of the same sex.
- Roborovski dwarf hamsters - these hamsters have their origins from Central Asia and Northern Russia. These little mites are probably the smallest in the dwarf pet hamsters category. Certainly if you put one beside a Syrian, they would look almost mouse like. Because of their smallness and their 'quickness' they aren't recommended for beginners as they require confident handling. Aside from that, they are very sociable creatures and are sold as pairs of the same sex from pet stores (that's of course if the pet stores have sexed them correctly!). Barred cages are generally not advisable for any dwarf hamsters as the cages are built with their bigger cousins in mind - so they will squeeze out or worse still, get stuck between the bars in escape attempts.
- White Russian (Siberian) dwarf hamsters - originally from South west Siberia, these aren't commonly seen in your run of the mill petstores. These little darlings have their names because they have the startling ability to turn white as winter comes. Recommended for experienced hamster handlers only. They are sold in pairs of the same sex and is generally good tempered. As for all dwarf hamsters, barred cages are not the recommended home for them and aquariums or plastic cages are the better alternative.
- Campbell's Russian dwarf hamsters - this hamster originates from Northern Russia, Central Asia. Their tendency to nip does mean that they aren't suitable for children or inexperienced hamster handlers.
Thinking of breeding hamsters?
I'd really advise you to think long and hard before you start to go into the breeding business for hamsters. They are prolific breeders and they can have up to 20 in one litter (although it's usually between 5 and 10 but I believe the record is 26!). So unless you are prepared to find homes for them or send them off to your local petstore, don't do it! But if you are really serious about breeding hamsters, then read more in my breeding hamsters page.
Other hamster items
Other hamster items
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