Hamsters make wonderful little pets that can live up to 4 years. Here's some info to help you decide if a hamster is right for you!
Before Buying--
One or a pair? One is a lot easier to keep as hamsters are solitary animals. Males and females come together only to mate, and the female only spends a few weeks with her offspring. Encounters between hamsters (especially ones that don't know each other) can result in violent fights. I only recommend a pair if you are going to breed. I have, however, owned two hamsters (that I kept in the same cage) while they got a long most of the time, they did fight to the point of serious injury.
Male or female? Some say that males become hand tame quicker than females, but each hamster is different. Pick the hamster that appeals to you. **Beware that if you purchase a female that she could already be pregnant!**
Different kinds and colors: Golden hamsters are the best representatives of the hamster family. They vary in color from the wild gold, cream, brown, gray, or piebald (white with any of the colors, including black, spotting it). Goldens are about 6 inches in length. There's also a long-haired variety of the golden. Three are also some called teddy hamsters. They can be long- or short-haired, but have silky, plush-like fur. They are somewhat smaller than the golden. There are also dwarf hamsters that range in size from 3 ½ to 4 ½ inches. Because of their small size (and being relatively new to domestication) I don't recommend getting them for children.
Purchasing tips: A healthy hamster has a smooth, shiny coat, a clean anus, clear eyes without any discharge, and a dry nose. It should be lively, unless it has just awoke from sleep. Don't buy a hamster with diarrhea as it can be a sign of a contagious bacterial or viral disease.
Basic Needs--
Cage: Use either a wire hamster cage or an aquarium. The benefits of a wire cage are air circulation (in an aquarium ammonia levels can rise and irritate the hamster's respiratory tract); a built in jungle gym (the hamster will climb horizontal bars); and it's easier to clean (aquariums can be very heavy and cumbersome to move). Should you choose a wire cage please be sure the wires are close together! And if you should choose the aquarium (which allows you to see your pet better) please be sure to get a wire mesh top so your pet will not escape. Now...what to put in the cage: only use PINE bedding as cedar bedding can irritate the respiratory tract. When you purchase a food dish, get a heavy earthenware dish so that it can not be easily tipped and so your pet can not chew on it. A water bottle is the best way to dispense water as it can not be tipped or contaminated.
Food: You can purchase a commercial diet that consists of grains and seeds at a pet store. Feed your hamster a varied diet and make sure food and water are available at all times. Greens and succulent foods are a must. Your hamster will enjoy foods such as dandelion greens, clover, alfalfa, fruit of all kinds, veggies such as carrots, potatoes, celery and lettuce. Live food such as mealworms (which are available at pet stores) can be offered. Protein foods (meat, cottage cheese--lowfat, and yogurt--including the fruit kind) are also important, but need only be fed in small quantities. Twigs or branches from beech trees, maple, willows, hazelnut bushes or fruit trees can be used for gnawing (which is extremely important so your hamster wears down it's teeth). **Poisonous foods include: raw beans, sprouting potato buds and green parts of potatoes and tomatoes, fool's parsley, hemlock, aburnum, and canned or frozen veggies.
Toys: Natural twigs to satisfy the need for gnawing. Wooden ladders for your hamster to climb (unless you have a wire cage that has horizontal bars). **DO NOT USE THINGS MADE OUT OF PLASTIC** Now a warning on exercise wheels--hamsters can become addicted to them...so as long as the cage is large enough and there are enough toys in the cage I suggest not getting a wheel. If your pet becomes addicted and you try to take the wheel away it can leave your pet aggressive or depressed. Other toys include small kleenex boxes or cardboard tubes.
Training--
Acclimation period: Make sure the cage is all set up before you bring home your hamster. It needs peace and quiet to sleep during the day. The ideal temperature is 68-72 degrees F. They easily catch colds from drafts so keep the cage off of the floors and away from windows. Also keep the cage out of direct sunlight. It takes about a week for a hamster to get used to it's new home. Change only the food and the water in this time period. During the acclimation period your pet will explore it new cage, mark its territory, and build a nest. The best time to play with your hamster is in the evening when it is becoming active.
Taming: The first step in taming you pet is to stick your hand in it's cage to let it sniff you (it could take up to 3 or 4 days for the animal to approach you). The second step is holding out a piece of food in your hand. Let your hamster eat the food out of your hand...don't let go or it'll run away and eat the food. The third step is while you're hand-feeding your hamster pet it with your free hand.
Things to watch out for while your pet is out of it's cage: Your hamster can be squashed by someone shutting a door or by someone accidentally stepping on it. They chew on anything they can get ahold of (books, floorboards, electrical cords). Also beware of other aggressive pets.
Interaction with other pets and children: Don't let your hamster around your other pets. Most dogs and cats could stalk and kill your little fuzzy, so it's just best to keep them separated. As for children...hamsters can make wonderful pets for kids if they're treated properly.
Health--
Signs of a sick hamster: The eyes are inflamed, and the fur around the eye is sticky. The coat is disheveled and dull. The anal region is smeared with fecal matter. The sides of the body are caved in. The nose is damp. The behavior of your little pet is disinterested and apathetic. If your hamster shows any of these signs, please get it to a vet.
Cleaning the cage: Hamsters are clean animals. They set up a special place to urinate and defecate, and groom themselves frequently. The better and more often you clean out the cage the less it will smell. Daily: clean out the bathroom spot with an old spoon or a trowel. weekly: wash all accessories (toys, food dish, water bottle) with warm water. twice a week: change all the bedding. once a month: replace the sleeping nest (leave a bit of the old nest), and wash the bottom of the cage. **Don't use any detergent when cleaning.**
Sex determination: In the male the distance between the anus and the sexual opening is noticeably larger than in the female. Males also have a more pointed rear end. In the mature male the testicles on either side of the anus are clearly visible.
Breeding: Breeding age is important, the female should be at least 2 months old (for dwarfs 4 months). Females that have babies too young often don't have enough milk for them and often tend to eat their young. The male should be at least a month older than the female. **If you decide to breed, put the female in the male's cage for mating. If you do it the other way around the female could be really aggressive and injure the male. If your female is pregnant her behavior will change greatly as she will hoard more and work on her nest more. Make plenty of nesting material available; be calm and gentle with the mother; don't let strangers near her; avoid loud noises; feed a diet rich in vitamins and proteins; change the bedding one more time 2 days before the due date. **Don't touch the nest!!** Then leave the female alone except to feed her. Gestation lasts 16-18 days in Goldens, and in Dwarfs 19-22 days. The litter size of Goldens is usually 6-10 babies, and in Dwarfs it's 5-6 babies. Birth usually takes place at night. Development of the young--day of the birth: hairless and eyes closed; second day on: first pigment formation, body skin turns dark; tenth day on: eyes are open; fourteenth day on: first independent venture out of the nest, plays with siblings; 21st day on: complete independence.
Now in my own opinion I don't recommend breeding for the average pet owner. There are just too many animals out there looking for homes already.
For more information please check out my pet resource page!
last updated 2001
A big thanks goes out to KityKat for making the background, and to Kevin and Jennifer Long for the use of the picture of Chippy.
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