FAQ
- Frequently Asked Questions
How
long do hamsters live?
Syrians
usually live on average two years, some have been known to live
three or four years. Dwarfs usually live around one and half years
and Roborovski usually around three years.
What
type of hamster should I get?
Really,
this is up to you, depending on your experience. If you are a total
beginner a Syrian is most certainly recommended. Syrians Hamsters
are very hardy hamsters so they are more suitable for beginners
and younger children. On the other hand, some dwarf hamsters are
fast and hard to handle.
Russian Campbell hamsters
are sociable and it is recommended they live in a large cage with
the same sex species in which to keep him or her happy. In some
cases though, hamsters may become territorial and fight. It is not
absolutely vital that they are kept in pairs or groups it is just
a friend to keep a hamster happy. Winter white are very much the
same as Russian campbells.
Roborosvki hamster are
small and fast. They are not recommended for beginners at all. A
beginner would expect to be able to pick up his hamster and play
and cuddle it. Roborosvki hamsters are very fast, very hard to catch
and indeed, they are very hard to handle. So maybe not the best
type of hamster for a beginner. They are also sociable and do well
in pairs of groups of the same sex.
Chinese hamsters are not usually found to be as
sociable as other dwarf species. They are very small, and can be
very fast. Not really recommended for a beginner
but do well
with beginners, but still they are fast and hard to catch sometimes.
Can
syrian hamsters live together?
No. Syrian hamsters
are solitary hamsters that means they like to live alone. Housing
adult Syrians together can lead lead to serious fighting and sometimes
death. The only companion a Syrian hamster needs is a human friend
to play with him everyday.
Can
I bath my hamster?
No a hamster should
never be cleaned with water. Hamster are very fragile and can easily
become ill. You can however give your hamster a dish of chinchilla
sand in which they can roll around in and help clean their fur.
Make sure it is sand and not dust, dust is too fine for a hamster.
My
hamster escaped? Help?
Firstly close
all doors in your house then place a pile of food in each room and
check regular to see if any has gone missing. If you notice any
gone you'll know the hamster is in that room. Check everywhere,
hamsters can get into the smallest spaces. You could also setup
a bucket trap, place a bucket in a room and inside put some food
and bedding inside. Put some books up to the top of the bucket like
a staircase. Hopefully the hamster will climb up the books smell
the food in the bucket and jump inside.
Can
Syrians and dwarfs live together?
No Syrians are solitary
meaning they like to live alone. Also mixing different species of
hamsters isn't a good idea, they wouldn't live like that in the
wild.
OMG!
My hamster is eating it's own poop?
Don't worry
that is perfectly normal. Hamsters don't always absorb all the nutrition
in food they eat first time around so to get all the nutrition they
need they will eat their own poop.
How
do I tame my hamster?
See this
page for info on how to tame your hamster.
Why
does my hamster sleep most of the day?
Hamsters are
nocturnal meaning that they like to sleep during the day and wake
up in the evening or night.
My
hamsters wheel squeeks, is there something I can do to stop it?
Yes, you can rub a
little vegetable oil on the axel where the wheel spins. You will
have to do this regular as it will eventually wear away.
What
are the different types of hamster?
There are 5
types that are kept as pets: Syrian, Campbell's, Winter White, Roborovski
and Chinese. There are lots more but these types aren't kept as
pets.
How
often should I feed and water my hamster?
Food and water
should be changed daily. Any uneaten food should be thrown away.
Do
I need to clean my hamster?
Hamsters don't
need to be cleaned, they can clean themselves with their paws. You
can help them though by providing a dish of chinchilla sand.
Is
Pine/Cedar a good bedding?
No Pine and
Cedar should never be used as a hamster bedding. They both contain
something that is harmful. The best choice is either Aspen or Carefresh.
What
is the best nesting material?
Plain unscented
toilet paper, hamsters just love to shred this. it is also completely
safe if your hamster swallows any. You should avoid the following:
fluffy bedding, cotton wool and newspaper.
Do
I need to trim my hamsters nails?
Yes, if they start
to curl under. It is not recommended that you clip your hamsters
claws yourself, a vet will do a fine job of completing this task.
When you take your hamster to have his claws cut, ask the vet to
show you how it's done. But then if you still don't feel confident
doing it then don't because you could catch a quick or cut a toe
off, which can be very painful for a hamster.
How
old is my hamster?
There is no possible
way to tell the age of a hamster. If your hamster is lively, his
coat is very neat, he's not bald or anything he will be quite young.
But remember, when buying your hamster/s ask how old they are, so
you will always know.
What
do I feed my hamster?
In your local pet shop,
you should be able to buy a dry hamster mix, that will be a fine
diet for your hamster as long as there isn't too many sunflower
seeds in it. Too many sunflower seeds may cause your hamster to
become overweight. A list of fruit and vegetables that can be eaten
is listed here.
Why
are my hamsters teeth so long?
Your hamsters teeth
are so long because they have not been clipped by a vet. It is a
simple procedure the vet will do, he will scruff your hamster and
simply cut his teeth with small animal clippers, this MUST be done
if you feel your hamsters teeth are too long, If it is not done,
it will prevent a hamster from eating and he will starve, and could
even die. You can help keep a hamsters teeth short by providing
hard chews such as dog biscuits.
Can
my Black Bear Hamster and Teddy Bear Hamster live together?
No, Black Bear's and
Teddybear's are a nicknames pet stores sometimes give to Syrian
Hamsters. Syrian hamster are solitary, meaning that they like to
live alone and don't like the company of another hamster. Caging
them together can lead to serious fighting or even death!
How
often should I handle my hamster?
They should be handled
at least daily, for at least 10 minutes. Especially dwarfs because
if not handled regular they will become untame again.
Why
does my hamster seem to sleep all the time?
Hamsters are
nocturnal, meaning they like to sleep during the day. Hamsters will
sleep most of the day and will usually wake up for a couple of hours
during the evening.
How
often can I give my hamster fruits and veggies?
Fruits and
Vegetables can be feed once or twice a week in small quantities.
Too much can lead to diarrhea or wet tail in Syrians.
My
hamster has wet tail, what do I do?
You need to get your
hamster to a vet asap. There they will prescribe a medicine that
will cure the disease. Some pet stores will sell a product called
Dri-tail, which they say will cure it but in actual fact it won't.
This medicine isn't strong enough and will just cover the symptoms.
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