Hamster Care

Golden hamsters are among the most popular of all small animal pets. Clean, and fun, these desert clowns have won places in millions of American homes because they are easy to care for, inexpensive and loads of laughs. Hamsters look more like little bears than like rats or mice. Although most hamsters exhibit the characteristic golden coloration, be aware that hamsters, like dogs, come in more than one breed. Cinnamon, cream, blue, albino and semi-albino colors are all available, as well as animals with longer fur known as teddy bears.

Knowing the difference between male and female is essential. Hamsters can produce a litter of 5 every 28 days and begin reproducing a few weeks after birth. Male and female hamsters also have very different temperaments. While the males are mellow, the females definitely wear the pants. Females are more active and far more likely to bite. To tell them apart, look at them from above. The females will have rounded rear-ends. The males will have a little bump at the tail.

If you don't want to start breeding hamsters, keep them apart. Even if you do want to breed them, don't house them together because the aggressive female will attack the male when she is not yet ready to breed. If you keep the animals in adjacent cages, you will be able to determine when the female is ready to breed because it will stop trying to attack the male. Once they have bred, remove the male because he is a potential danger to babies.

Also, be aware of one of the oddities of this animal-they come alive at night. Don't situate a cage too near your own sleeping area or you will be driven crazy. The adorable little rodent is not so adorable when his squeaky exercise wheel revolves all night.

Hamsters will need some basic supplies: A water bottle, wire small-animal cage, some bedding, dried hamster food and a wire wheel for exercise. Other fun toys such as slides, tunnels or balls that they can enter and roll around in are also available.

Be sure to provide something for the animal to chew on such as soft wood sticks. The teeth of a hamster, like all rodents, grows throughout its life. Without a hard surface to whittle them down, the teeth will create real problems. That is why hamsters are constantly gnawing the bars of their cages. Provide something else for them to chew and reduce the noise.

Your new guest will be nervous. When you first take him home, try to keep him in a dark, quiet place. Always speak to him in gentle tones and avoid handling until he has acclimated to his new home in a couple of days. Start gaining his trust by feeding him sunflower seeds or hard pieces of corn through the bars of his cage. When you pick him up for the first time, move slowly. Grasp him by the fur at the scruff of the neck and then seat him in your hand. Continue hand feeding whenever you must handle him so that he associates you with good things.

Your hamster's diet will be primarily dry because he is a desert animal. Occasional feedings of fresh fruit and vegetables are fine, but don't overdo it because the extra water may upset his digestion. Expect to refill your hamster's water bottle daily and change his bedding weekly.

Hamsters do not like drafts and pneumonia is a leading cause of death among hamsters. But if your hamster is exposed to cold, make sure that he is actually dead. Hamsters can hibernate when temperatures drop, simulating death. So always try to warm up a hamster after a cold night before assuming that it has died. You may find that the apparently "dead" animal comes alive after an hour or so in a warmer place.

Hamsters are great escape artists. A hamster can squeeze through a hole the size of a dime. Should this happen to you, don't panic. They always show up after a day or two, usually near pipes where they can lick the small amount of water they need to survive. While it may be upsetting to imagine a rodent running free in your home, they are gentle and do not carry diseases dangerous to humans. In fact, your colds are very dangerous to him.

Hamsters alas, are not very long lived creatures. With the best of care, they are not likely to live much beyond two years--perhaps a relief when you consider the short attention-spans of their owners.

Sources:
www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/rabbit_horse_and_other_pet_care/how_to_care_for_hamsters.html
www.aspca.org/pet-care/small-pet-care/hamster-care.html

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