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The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.
- This topic has 83sd replies, 10 voices, and was last updated 9 years, 2 months ago by
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What sort of information? Diet, living arrangments, food,? I haven’t had a hamster for a while, but I can try and tell you some basics:
First off, generally hamsters can’t live together because they will either fight, or breed QUICKLY.
IMO you need (from what I remember):
You’d need a large roomy cage with lots of hidey-houses, tunnels and toys.
A good quality diet with fresh fruits/veggies/greens.
Hamsters teeth grow constantly, so things for him/her to chew.
Exercise time,
Vet care.Hope that halped some…I’m not exactly sure what you were specifically asking for…!
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Rats, JR! You’re onto me! Yes…we stopped by the pet store before grocery shopping….aaaaand, yeah. We an adorable “fancy hammy”. I have never had a hamster in my life. We got him a cage that has expansion ability and a bag of hamster feed. We also got an exercise ball.
So I need to know everything! Lol. What can be shared supply wise with bunnies? Best bedding? What fruit/veg? Habits? Are they as mouthy as bunnies? What about handling?
Haha that should do for now.
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Congrats BM! I love hammies!
First, do you know the species of your ham? The five domestic species of hamster are Syrians, Roboroski dwarf, Campbell’s Russian dwarf, Campbell’s Winter White dwarf, and Chinese. Many rescues and pet stores give different names to Syrian hamsters, such as teddy bear hamsters and panda bear hamsters, but they are all Syrians. It is very important to know what species your ham is, because different species require very different care. For example, Russian hamsters and hybrids are diabetes prone, while Syrians are prone to “wet tail.” Because there are only different species of hamsters, and not breeds, the only mix possible is Winter White/Russian, because of the similarities between these dwarf species. My guess is you have yourself a Syrian. If you post a picture, I could help you. And mostly, I just want to see a picture!Hamsters need a cage with a minimum floorspace of 360 square inches, although this is still very small, especially for a more active hamster. The most suitable hamster cages are those not meant for hamsters. Many people use a large storage bin with holes drilled in the side for ventilation, while some use large rabbit cages with meshed sides. Hamsters can escape through gaps as small as 1cm, so it is important you use a suitable cage. Aquariums make great, nice looking cages. A 20 gallon long tank is the minimum. I use an ikea detolf glass cabinet with the shelves removed, it is a cheap, large and nice looking cage. Many hamsters like to climb, so I suggest you provide an area with climbing toys such as hammocks and ropes, if your hamster is not a chewer. Levels are great too, but do not add to the overall floorspace. If you have a larger cage, it is best to clean it only once or twice a month because cleaning a hamster’s cage too often can actually lower their immune system.
Many beddings unsafe for rabbits are unsafe for hamsters, such as pine, cedar and cat litter. The best substrate is a paper based substrate such as carefresh. Hamsters love to burrow, so you should provide around 6-8 inches of substrate in at least part of the cage. Hamsters also need a nesting material so they can make their bed, the most common nesting material on the market is called “cotton” or “fluffy” bedding which is VERY unsafe because it can get tangled around limbs and cut off circulation. It also is indigestible and can lead to fatal blockages. The best nesting material is plain unscented toilet paper, it is digestible, safe and warm.
Hamsters, being natural scavengers/forages, need a variety of foods in their diet, and should not be fed on a pellet-only diet. The best way to feed a hamster is with a seed mix, a few pellets, plus fresh vegetables. A good seed mix will have high protein, a good amount of fiber, and a small, but not too small amount of fat. I personally free Stevie on Vitacraft hamster food, which has good percentages, but some other good seed mixes include carefresh complete menu (add sunflower seeds) or Hazel Hamster (Harry Hamster in the UK). As far as pellets, Stevi gets a few Oxbow pellets daily, but some other good pellet brands are Mazuri and Science Selective. Fresh foods are important in a hamsters diet. Most hamsters should be fed veggies 1-2 times a week, unless they have been eating veggies from a very young age, and then veggies can be fed alternating days. Hamsters can eat most veggies that bunnies can eat, with the exception of tomatoes. Lettuce and other leafy greens are great, but just like bunnies they shouldn’t eat onions, garlic, etc. You can also give them other healthy foods, such as a bit of boiled or scrambled egg, a bit of plain boiled chicken or turkey (no beef or pork), a bit of mild cheddar cheese, or whole wheat bread, pasta, or rice. They also can eat yogurt, nuts, fruit (except for diabetes prone species) and oats. These things are very healthy in moderation. Hamsters can eat a lot of foods. If you are in the bird section of a pet store, mealworms and millet are a winner in our house. Mostly, the key is variety.
Toys are also very important, because hamsters are usually up at night, early morning or evening when you may not be able to play with them. A wheel is a must-have. Syrians and Chinese hamsters need a 8-12 inch wheel, while dwarves should use a 6-8 inch wheel. You do not want their back to arch. I recommend silent spinners or Wodent wheels. Most toys sold in pet stores are suitable for dwarf hamsters, but Syrians usually need rat-sized items. Hamsters have ever-growing teeth, so it is nessesary to provide a variety of chews. Dog treats and chews are great, Stevi loves the Greenies toothbrush chews. It is a good idea to take your hamster out for at least 15 minutes a day and let them out. I do not recommend you use hamster balls for any length of time, although they are perfectly fine when used in moderation. I let Stevi run around in my closed hallway.Taming is a process that you will need to go through when you first get your hamster to bond with them. The most popular method of taming involves sitting in your bathtub with your hamster. You should feed them healthy treats, and repeat this 1-2 times a day until your hamster is comfortable with you holding and petting them. Here is a link to a video describing taming in greater detail. http://youtu.be/_qwxJLw7l24
Sorry for blubbering on, ha ha ha! I will stop here…. We need piccies of your boy!
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I just typed that and THEN realized you posted. Yes, a “Fancy hamster” is just a name people give to Syrians so they can sell them for more money.
Some hamsters are nocturnal, but some prefer to be diurnal which means they are up at dawn and dusk. He will develop his own consistent sleeping schedule when he is all settled in. -
Posted By LongEaredLions on 1/16/2015 4:11 PM
I just typed that and THEN realized you posted. Yes, a “Fancy hamster” is just a name people give to Syrians so they can sell them for more money.
Some hamsters are nocturnal, but some prefer to be diurnal which means they are up at dawn and dusk. He will develop his own consistent sleeping schedule when he is all settled in.that’s true, a previous hamster of mine totally turned his sleeping pattern about so he could play with my bunny, the two of them were always up all day and asleep at night. they used to follow each other about it really was very sweet. Freddie (my current hamster) doesn’t seem to like Bramble, maybe he just doesn’t know what he is or something but Bramble will try to play with Freddie and he is just not interested at all and rolls away in his ball. Freddie is completely nocturnal, or he would be if we would let him but sometimes we have to wake him up to clean his cage or something like that, if we let him I am pretty sure he would only wake up for food and nothing else.
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Oh my gosh! Those plastic balls they run around in! SO COOL.
I was never allowed a pet that was similar to a rodent (my mum’s afraid of them) so I’ve never had a hamster, but I’ve always wanted one, just so I could put it in a ball and it could run around
I just, it’s cute, and it’s so funny! It’s just running around ya house, you’re sitting there and it casually rolls on by… I cant even. It’s too much. I’m getting excited just thinking about it.
Sorry I didn’t have anything to add to this other than my love for those ball things.
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While there is lots of contoversy about the balls, they are completely safe, as long as they are big enough. Many people do about whether the hamster likes it, but what I think is as long as you don’t keep them in there more than a few minutes it’s perfectly fine.
He’s adorable! And yes, he is a Syrian. -
Posted By BrunosMama on 1/16/2015 6:14 PM
Haha Tessie! Me also! I’ve always wanted a hammy in a ball. But now I don’t know.
If its not safe.
They’re quite safe. My hammy just looked super dizzy after going down the basement stairs, which is pretty much the biggest danger. It can get messy though if the pee inside it.
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Yay! Tonight we managed to convince Elvis to go from his cage to his ball, so we wouldnt have to grab around for him. Then he went from his ball to my husbands arms and climbed around, then plopped back in his ball. It was cute! I have to admit, I’m nervous holding him since I’ve dropped a hamster and he got away. But my husband is great with him.
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Well, we had our first hamster escape last night. I was laying on the couch when the bunnies started freaking out and they cats were racing around the room. When I flipped on the lamp, one cat was peering under the footstool. Sure enough, there was Elvis looking rather confused! Apparently when I set his cage in the room for the night, the lid came loose. I’m grateful for the cats watchful eye, but am also glad all they did was follow him!
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Are hamster eyes sensitive to light? Elvis always has a squinty sleepy look during the day.
Heard a terrible commotion coming from his cage earlier. Turns out he was chewing the bars on his cage and got his nose wedged. I was so shocked out how loud such a little guy is. He’s fine, though.
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