your pet hamster
Last update: December 17, 1997.
(This page may be printed out.)
 
[Choosing a Hamster] [Two's a Crowd] [Home Sweet Home] [Playground] [Food and Drink] [Ill Health] [Note]

Hamsters are cute little creatures which will give you endless fun if cared for properly.

Choosing a hamster
If you never had a pet before, a hamster is a good way to start. It is gentle, good-tempered and easy to tame if handled properly. If you want your hamster to be a good companion, it is best to choose one that is young------five to eight weeks old. It will only live for two to three years, so be sure to give it lots of love and attention. Pick one which is healthy: plump, with soft, glossy fur and look out for any signs of sores, pimples, or dampness under the tail. Any of these could be signs of illness.

Two's a Crowd
Unlike gerbils or guinea pigs, hamsters are happiest on their lonesome. If you want to have two hamsters, you will need to keep them in separate cages, or else they will fight. Hamsters do not make friends with other animals either.
They are noctural creatures spending most of the daylight hours asleep. If you want to play with them in the evening, you can train them little by little to wake up early.

Home Sweet Home
A hamster's cage should be at least 75cm times 40cm times 40cm------and clean. Its natural home is in the wild so the cage should allow it to indulge in its natural burrowing instinct.
The right sort of bedding is essential for the hamster. It should be deep enough for the hamster to tunnel in, so a thick layer of peat is ideal. Cotton wool should not be used as it can cause a blockage in your hamster's stomach if it is eaten. You can buy bedding made from vegetable matter------this is harmless for your hamster if it decides to chew on it a little.
Make sure you remove the droppings and stale food everyday. The whole cage should be cleaned out once a week. A clean cage will help to keep your hamster healthy.
The right temperate is very important for your hamster. Keep the cage well away from direct sunlight and out of draughts.

Playground
A hamster needs lots of exercise to keep fit and healthy. A solid exercise wheel, attached to the wall of its cage, works almost like an exercise bike for the hamster.
Ramps are also a good idea so that it can climb up and down, and bars are also popular. Try to give your hamster variety in its exercise routine and make sure the material is safe and secure. Remember, hamster playtime is when the rest of the family is sound asleep. If anything goes wrong, it won't be rescued until the morning.
If you take them out of the cage, stay close to the ground or over a flat surface. Hamsters move very quickly and a fall could cause serious injuries. Above all, do not disturb a sleeping hamster. It may get a shock. If a hamster has started hibernating it may be curled in a ball and look like it's fast asleep. Wake it up gently by warming it in cupped hands or raising the temperature of the room.

Food and Drink
Hamsters are mostly herbivores (plant eaters). They live on seeds, grains and nuts, but they also eat whole meal bread, puppy meal or porridge oats. A hard-boiled egg, a slice of cheese, flakes of fish and small pieces of cooked meat will provide protein for your hamster.
They are great hoarders------they fill up their cheek pouches with food and carry it off to eat later. Hamsters should never be fed with sweets or chocolates as these will block up their cheek pouches and cause pain. Also make sure your hamster eats its meat or cheese on the same day. It will have a sore tummy if it saves it until it rots. For their greens, give your hamster lettuce.
Although the hamster is a desert animal, it needs plenty of water. Fit a water bottle with a steel nozzle inside the cage. This is easily obtainable from a pet shop. It should be filled with fresh water everyday.

Ill Health
You will know your hamster is ill if it refuses food, sits dejected in a corner, has a runny nose or suffers from diarrhoea. Also, its fur may go dull or it may start getting bare patches if it is scratching because of mites. It you are worried, take your hamster to a veterinary surgeon.

 
Note: You should always be certain you can give your hamster the time and effort it needs. The SPCA Singapore have a lot of books available in the junior library to enlighten you on the responsibilities.
Or simply send a stamped self-addressed envelope to the SPCA, 31 Mount Vernon Road, Singapore 368054 for the SPCA's hamster leaflet.
 
 

© All Rights Reserved, 1997. No part of Pets SPCA House should be reproduced in any form without the prior permission of the webmaster, Nerissa Chen. Site information courtesy of Animal Chatter and the SPCA Singapore.