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Dwarf/Russian
Hamster Minisite |
Hamster Tips & Facts Adult
hamsters can grow up to 18cm in length with females being slightly larger
than the males. Adults are fiercely territorial and should be housed individually
due to the frequent and fierce fighting with other hamsters. Housing your hamster There are many houses
available on the market; we recommend either a large glass or plastic tank
with a secure ventilated lid, or a wire cage. The well known tunnel systems
are not recommended as fatter or pregnant hamsters can sometimes get stuck in
the tubes and this cage type is also difficult to access for cleaning. Experience has taught us
that wire cages are best for Syrians, if you are
going to get one with bars then we suggest you try and get black bars as they
are easier to see your pet through than white bars. Although the tank
style cages are popular due to their ease of cleaning and the inability of
even the most determined hamster to kick sawdust out of it, Syrians like
having bars to climb and barred cages act as a good way of keeping them
fit. Please buy the biggest
cage you can afford as hamsters love to run around, however three tier cages
can be dangerous if the hamster falls. You should
always aim to house your hamster in a quiet and dimly lighted area of the
house. The cage should also be situated away from other pets such as cats and
dogs. Hamsters will thrive satisfactorily in temperatures ranging from
50 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit, very cold temperatures may send hamsters into
hibernation. If this happens gently warm them in your hands to wake them.
Avoid drafts, excess humidity and drastic changes in temperature, such as in
an air-conditioned room, bathroom or laundry room, as they can contribute to
respiratory problems and do not situate the cage (or tank especially) near a
window where the sun can shine on it all day or in a conservatory as this can
cause heatstroke. Getting an
exercise wheel for the cage is essential and cannot be over emphasised, hamsters
are naturally active and will run many miles a night given the opportunity,
we currently use the silent spinner range as seen in the picture above right
as they are a big improvement on the noisy hamster wheels of old. An
exercise ball for use outside the cage is also a good investment as it gives
the opportunity for additional exercise and stimulation for the animal, and
is a good safe source of entertainment for youngsters and adults alike. A lot of cheap second hand hamster
cages/accessories can be found for sale at Why not search for that silent hamster wheel you
have wanted for ages??? Feeding your hamster There are many foods
available on the market for hamsters, we recommend Hamster Health by Pascoes. This is not the easiest food to get hold of
however we know it can be obtained from Makro, Countrywide Farmers, Surrey
Pet Supplies, The Vital Group (www.vital-group.co.uk) www.k9capers.com
www.ukpetstop.com . As we find more stockists we will update
the website. As a guide one bag of
this tends to last one of our hamsters a year.
As this is a non
selective food it means your pet gets a balanced diet and is not able to
leave the fibrous grass pellet element that most hamsters try to avoid but is
needed for an efficient digestive system. If you want to give your
hamster a treat there are many options available to buy in the shops, or they
will love you just as much if not more if you give them a bit of fresh salad
or carrot, (see here for our list of what they can and
can’t eat) although make sure you do not give them too much as this can
give them diarrhoea. Syrian Hamsters – Lifespan and illness Hamsters live for anything between
1.5 and 3 years. With regular handling they are very friendly and
inquisitive, each with its own unique personality. They are rarely ill except
when very old and ready to leave us but there are one or two illnesses you should
be especially vigilant for: Wet tail
- this is very dangerous, it is severe diarrhoea accompanied by a wet rear
end and ulceration of the bowels. It is imperative you seek veterinary advice
if you suspect wet tail as it is fatal if not treated. Even with treatment
many hamsters do not survive and it can be better to have it put to sleep
rather than see it suffer. Colds
- hamsters can catch human colds so try and avoid close contact if you have
one. Blocked scent glands –
hamsters have a scent gland on either hip, often mistaken for a scab by first
time owners. These scent glands are used to mark territory and attract mates
and can get more prominent when hamsters are on heat. In general it is best
to treat these like you would a mole on your own skin; check them every time
you play with your hamster and if they become blocked, swollen, weepy or
change drastically in appearance see a vet. Tyzzer's disease – this
is a disease carried by wild mice. The hamster rapidly deteriorates and dies. Do
not store your hamster products (or hamster!) in places like sheds or
garages. Mice can contaminate food, cages, shavings and bedding, even before
you buy these products so make sure you but from a reputable and clean pet
shop. Abscesses – These are soft pus filled
swellings, often caused by bites, scrapes or foreign bodies getting under the
skin. If your hamster has an abscess, clip the fur around the wound and bathe
the animal daily in a lukewarm salt solution (one teaspoon of salt to one
pint of water) making sure you keep the head out the water. Keep the fur
short until the pus has drained away and the skin flattens again. If you are
not confident about doing this or if there are no signs of improvement after
two or three days see your vet as antibiotics may be required to treat a
bacterial infection or it may be something more serious such as cancer. Overgrown teeth – hamster’s teeth, like
other rodents, grow constantly and need to be worn down by gnawing. Make sure
you provide your hamster with something to gnaw, hard dog biscuits are ideal.
If your hamster stops eating or is not eating as much check its teeth to make
sure they are not overgrown or misaligned. The picture below shows overgrown
teeth, this much overgrowth needs to be treated by a vet under anaesthetic,
other wise teeth clipping is simple to do at home and your vet can show you
how to do this. |
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Hair loss – hair loss can have
many causes including skin infections, mites and stress. If your hamster is
losing hair see your vet for diagnosis and treatment as soon as possible. |
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Breeding Hamsters This
is certainly not something to do without giving it serious thought, pregnant
hamsters can give birth to litters of up to 22 hamsters although the average
size of litter is around 11 babies.
Hamsters can become pregnant at just 8 weeks old and have the shortest
pregnancy of any mammal at just 16 days.
We would not advise breeding hamsters until they are at least 12
weeks, because although it is possible earlier it may well lead to problems
during the pregnancy, often resulting in mother and babies being very ill or
dying. If you are still interested in
breeding hamsters then take a look at the
pdf we have compiled Separating hamsters It
is particularly important with Syrian hamsters that you do not keep them in pairs
of the opposite sex, apart from having lots of unexpected and often unwanted
babies they will also display a tendancy to fight with each other, to find
out how to identify the different sex hamsters click here to see our simple guide. If
there is something that you want to know about hamsters that has not been
covered on this page, why not try our frequently asked
questions? You may find that someone has already asked your question. |
