Caring For Hamsters
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Hamster Basics
Hamsters aren't for everyone. Let me just say that first, as a start. Hamsters should be watched with special attention when a young child is involved. Many parents choose to let their young children have hamsters because of their small size and small living arrangements. But, in reality, there are better pets for small children, such as guinea pigs. Hamsters can and will bite, but if socialized they can make very social and sweet pets. You must watch children with pet hamsters as they can bite, and the child can unintentionally hurt the hamster.
When thinking about getting a hamster, much less any pet, always do your research first.
And remember to ask yourself:
- Who will be feeding the pet?
- Who will be cleaning the pet's enclosure?
- Who will be playing with the pet?
- Where will the pet's cage go?
- Can you afford food, bedding, treats, and possibly upgrading the enclosure?
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Hamster Temperament
Hamsters can become very sweet balls of fur, if you take your time working with them. When you get your hamster home, leave him in his cage for at LEAST 24-48 hours, longer if you can. This time alone, allows the hamster to acclimate to his new surroundings, which include his bedding, food, accessories, and layout of the cage, as well as the smells, sounds, lighting, and people outside his new cage.
After a few days have pasted, try to figure out your new pets favorite foods, whether it be sunflowers, yogurt treats, raisons, or carrots. Open the cage door, and stick your hand in with the treat in front of him. Let him smell and grab at the treat, this shows him that you're not going to hurt him, but give him something yummy instead. Do this several times in a row, a few times a day, for several days. Eventually, the hamster will realize that you're definitely not going to hurt him, and that you may not be so bad after all.
Have your hand a the cage doors with the treat on your palm, and allow him to sniff at your hand, possibly nip and ‘taste' it. The hamster will reach onto your palm to grab the treat, and he'll probably quickly run off. Eventually you'll be able to remove your hand from the cage doors with the hamster still on it.
Eventually, your hamster will see or hear you and run to the doors of his cage (if he's even awake), wanting to be let out and socialized.
Always, watch young children with hamsters. I heard many a horror story with the child will drop the hamster, throw the hamster's ball with him inside, squeeze him, or worse. Plus, you don't want your child, or anyone else's bitten by a hamster, just as much as you don't want the child to hurt the hamster.
Hamster Diet
Hamsters need the commercial hamster/gerbil diets. For the most part anyone of them will do.
Provide your hamster with fresh veggies at least once a week- dark leafy greens, carrots, potatoes, and celery can be given to your hamster.
Fruits should be fed sparingly, as they tend to have high water content, which can give the hamster diarrhea.
Treats should not consist of more than 10% of the hamsters diet. Treats can include, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, other seeds, nuts, and dried fruits. Yogurt drops can be given to your hamster, but not in excess as the bacteria in the yogurt can cause diarrhea.
Never feed your hamster chocolate, caffeine, or alcohol.
Housing Hamsters
You can house your hamster in any one of the various hamster/ gerbil habitats made by Critter-Trail, SAM, or any other company. You can even house it in an old aquarium, no small than a 10 gallon tank, though.
Bedding for a hamster can include wood shavings, as long as it is NOT pine or cedar, as they both contain oils and aromas that can cause upper respiratory concerns. Aspen wood shavings is a great bedding to use. Carefresh, Total Comfort, and Soft Sorbent, are also good beddings to use.
Make sure to clean out the tank at least once a week. That means take everything out and put new bedding in the cage.
If you are able to potty train your hamster, you can go two weeks without emptying all the bedding, as long as you empty the hamster potty at least every other day.
Keep hamster cages out of drafty areas and away from direct sunlight.
You, also, want to make sure to keep other pets away from the hamster cage. If you can purchase a stand, or find a stand in your home to put the hamster's cage away from the dogs and cats in the house. This will, also, keep the hamster away from a young child's grasp and reach, as you should remember to only let younger children play with a pet hamster if you are able to supervise.
Hamster Behaviors
Hamsters are nocturnal, which means they are active mostly at night and sleep during the day. You can acclimate your hamster to your daily routines, making him more active earlier in the evening, but it won't be an overnight change.
Hamsters have pouches in their cheeks, so don't be alarmed if you walk by your hamster's cage and notice his cheeks are abnormally large. Because hamsters are burrowing creatures in the wild, they would take large mouthfuls of food from the surface into their burrows. Having these pouches, also, help wild hamsters move substrate around. So, in captivity, your hamster will still exhibit these behaviors of taking all his food from his food bowl, cramming it all into his cheeks, and hiding it in the corner or throughout his cage. He may, also, move bedding via his pouches, moving softer bedding to make a nest in the cage.
Syrian hamsters, also known as teddy bear hamsters are NOT social with other hamsters. They prefer to live solitary lives versus lives with other hamsters. In the wild, they did not live together, so even in captivity, they kept that trait. I have experienced having some hamsters tolerate each other and some hamsters not. I had three hamsters at one time, two females and a male, and when my females became pregnant, I separated them, leaving one female with the male. The male/female pairing worked off great as they never fought and always got along, but later on, when I tried putting the two females together, the one housed with the male would bully and chase the other female around. For the most part it is NEVER a good idea to house more than one Teddy bear hamster in a cage.
But, on the other hand, dwarf Siberian hamsters are more social with each other and can live in small groups.
Hamsters chew... It's a known fact by many. They have to chew in order to keep their teeth filled down to a reasonable length in order to eat their food. Because hamster's teeth constantly grow throughout their life, you need to provide them with chew sticks. Never give your hamster sticks that you've found outside because you never know what pesticides have been sprayed. Even if you do not use pesticides, the wind can carry over pesticides from your neighbor.
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- Cage Accessories and Toys for Hamsters
- Cheap Hamster Cages and Accessories
- Sick Hamster - Hamster Health - Common Hamster Illnesses
- Signs and Treatment of Common Cold in a Hamster
- Sick Hamster - Signs and Treatment of Abscess in Hamsters
- Signs and Treatment of Wet-tail
- Signs and Treatment of Fungal Infection
- Signs and Treatment of Allergies in Hamsters
- Signs and Treatment of Upper Respiratory Illness in Hamsters
- Signs and Treatment of Hamster Broken Bone
- Common Hamster Species
- Traveling with a Hamster
- How do Hamsters Communicate
- Tips for a Pregnant Hamster
- Train Your Hamster to Accept You - Holding Hamsters
- Train Your Hamster to Use a Litter Box - Potty Train a Hamster
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I just got a hamster on saturday but accidentally dropped it in a hamster ball so I think that it hates me now. Do you have any advice on how I could make it like me again? Plz Answer and this is also a great Hub thx for your time
Hey, I have just got a Syrian Hamster the store said she was 11weeks old and she is really sociable (in her cage) she takes treats from me and lets me stroke her but the second I try to pick her up she gets scared and bites. Have you any advice on how to help her get more used to me. As she will come up to my hand when I put in in her cage but just wont go on it or let me pick her up. I dont want to leave it too long for her to ever get used to me.
how do my panda bear hamster suppose to look when sleeping?
everyone loves a hamster! they're so easy to look after and never ask for much! just a shame they don't seem to last very long. very sad when they go to hamster heaven :(
Thanks for taking the time to get all of this together. Love the "cheeky" hammie!
After a few days have pasted, try to figure out your new pets favorite foods, whether it be sunflowers
When i was a kid we had a hamster and instead of spending his life in a cage he had a much more natural home... we unclipped the cage from it's "floor" and put it over a potplant instead so that the little guy could run around and play between the flowers. his wheel and food and a house filled with shavings was also in there and i think he really loved it!
Good information! I had hamsters as a child, but found that rats were much better pets. Thanks for sharing.
Wettail-death, may also be cause by feeding hamsters lettuce. I had hundreds of hamsters a few years back and they could have about anything but lettuce. Many of them bit the crap out of me too! I never had male in with babies, I read they would eat them, so I may have missed a great experience. You cannot touch the newborns I know because that will make the mother eat them. That happened with my very first hamster and her first baby. It was falling out of the cage and as I handed it back to her she cobbled it down like a little gummy bear. Then when I put my finger up to the cage to scold her she bit clear through the end of my finger! I made a lot of money with hamsters though and bred some real beauties.
What a wonderful hub. I used to raise fancy rats and I loved them. This is such a wonderfully written hub that covers a great deal of the basics of caring for smaller animals. Congratulations on hub of the day... very well deserved.
Nice hub - it reminded me of my sons Fancy Rat - They are similar and cared for much in the same manner.
Voted up and interesting
This is a very useful hub! I used to have 12 hamsters. I bought a female one for my dad. The next day, my dad brought a male home to give it the the female as her husband. They got along so well, but they started to multiply. The male helped the female care for the litters. He would wrap his huge body over the wife and the little ones as they sleep. He was the best dad hamster ever. However, it was hard to keep a lot of hamsters in a single cage (some of them did not get along), so we had to buy a few more cages.
I used to have a wire cage for my hamster. They loved climbing on it. One morning, we found a poor hamster hanging upside down on the cage. Her foot was stuck between the bars. I had no idea how long she got stuck. It was quite traumatic for her. She was limping when we put her on the floor. Luckily, she recovered. I realized that it's really important to always keep an eye on them.
This hub brings a lot of memories. I miss my hamsters. They were sweet. Some of them used to sleep on my palm while letting me massage their back. There were also a few times when a hamster peed on my palm LOL. Voted up and useful.
What a comprehensive Hub! I love having hamsters. They are so resilient - they would escape from their cage sometimes and I would find them later totally fine, having gotten into the cat food and stored it away in their cheeks.
Great hub and thanks for sharing
take care
Eiddwen.
useful article, thanks for sharing :)
what does it mean when a hamsters eyes are shut walking around at 7 weeks old?
I'm gonna get a hamster tomorrow at the pet store and I really hope I get a Russian Dwarf. They're so cute!!!! Thanks for helping me learn how to take care of him or her, it's gonna be alot easier to satisfy him now 8-) I'm gonna use this site alot more now that I know I'm getting one. I'm so glad there's some good info here, unlike all the other sites I've looked at
I needed information about hamsters because yesterday I got a female hamster.Thank you because I found this artical very infomational.Thank you and happy school year!
Hi Whitney i want to ask u something about hamsters my mom is scared from them but my dad isn't and I barely want a Teddy bear hamster so can u help me convince my mom to get me one I am10
My hamster is hardly eating or drinking!!!! I keep checking the water bottle to see if he is, but it is hardly changing!!!
Is he ok??? I'm really worried.
hey i have a syrian hamster and it just had babies one baby died because she bit it and we got it out right away and now it's been 10 days and the cage smelled real bad nd their was molded fresh vegtables everywhere in the cage so we didn't touch the babies we put gloves on and used a spoon but then when we put them all back in the cage the mom went crazy started dragging them around nd was digging everywhere like if she was loking for something and then when i went to put the food back in their she tried to bite me is this normal?
pamela its his male parts if he is a dwarf hamsters then you should probably get a female so then he would be more active
Pamela, I don't think that's his bottom. Those are most likely his testicles, they stick out when male hamsters get older and are less active. :)
I might be getting a hamster from my friend in 2 days. Well, I was wondering would it do any thing to the hamster if she gave it to me. Like would it get sick of being in a different home, a different smell, or maybe different food. I just do not want it to get sick or die. So please answer me when tou get back on.
very useful website!
Can someone help my female hamster was playing with the male now there both laying in separate corners resting but my female keeps squeaking is she ok? I know lots about hamsters and she's my forth but she won't stop squeaking now and she never usually does
Hi
Can you give me some advice
because I am going on holiday during summer
what should I do for my hamsters? :(
If he scratched his face and it is bleeding, even slightly,put on a human antibiotic and let him do the rest. If it continues bleeding after 2 days at the same rate, take him to the vet immediateley. If it is a small scratch that is not bleeding, he willl lick himself clean, so you do not have to worry about it.
dont feed your hamster potatoes its bad for them
My daughter got a hamster for her birthday in May of 2009. Just in the last couple days we noticed that his bottom is swollen when he wakes up. He has fresh water and food. Is this a sign that he is dying or could it be his male parts? he is the only hamster we have.
My hamster (less than 6 months old) broke her leg mysteriously. She is so loved, especially by my daughter. It's been a week now - we had removed her wheel, all climbing tubes, and chewing block in an effort to reduce her leg use. She eats, drinks, acts interested when she hears/sees us, and is still trying to climb on things. Anyway - here it is a week later and do we picked her up to see how her leg is healing. There is now a big black growth of sorts around the obvious broken bone (did not break the skin). Her foot is still at an obviously odd angle. You're gonna tell me to take her to the vet, aren't you. My vet is great, just super expensive... But he kept our cancerous lab alive much longer than anticipated. Anyway, we are worried about our little hamster now...
A paper-based bedding is fine. More than likely it will need to be changed more than once a week.
Can i use paper shavings as bedding? And if u can/do would i need to clean it more often because it has cat litter-like qualities?
Pine is toxic. Stick with aspen, carefresh, etc. Did he bite or nibble?
also when my hamster was on my hand, he once went to my finger and bit me and im not sure why, i washed my hands before handling him, now im afraid to put him on my hands again
would pine bedding be ok for my hamster? I've heard it's not safe, but I didn't know until I've already bought it, so do you think my hamster will be fine.. temporarily?
wat do i do if my hamster is too fat? is there a special diet?
When should I start taming my hamster??I brought him home yesterday and he seemed quite friendly.We played together yesterday night and he hasn't showed any signs of distress.Some websites gave advice on taming the hamster as soon as possibler and some advised on waiting for a few days
I really want a pet hamster for christmas but mum won't let me have one can you give me some tips so then hopefully can become an expert!And wil get one.
by the way i want a teddy hamster!
i am getting a hamster tomorrow yayyyyy
I have a 1 1/2 year old hamster and the last two times I cleaned his cage I've found maggots. I clean his cage every 10 days like I do for all my rodents(I also have a rat and mouse), but for some reason it's only the hamster's that's had maggots. Over the last 5 days he's stopped eating, and when he does eat it's only a little bit(like he'll nibble on it then just curl up, which is odd because he usually just stuffs food in his cheeks until they're twice his size). He's deathly skinny dispite his size and he hasn't been running on his wheel at all. When he gets up he stumbles and sometimes falls over, and even when he sits still he wobbles. He's been really cold so I put cotton in his little house for him to curl up in but it doesn't seem to be working. Today I've had him out a lot, like in my pocket trying to keep him warm but my hands are so cold it really doesn't help if I hold him. Right now he's between my theighs and under my laptop and that's keeping him nice and warm but I can't do this all the time. I really wanna take him to the vet but I don't have any money because my cat and horse have recently visited and left me broke. I'm 15 and don't have a job and my parents refuse to pay for a rodent to go to the vet. Is there anything I can do for the little guy?
A two level cage would definitely add to more enrichment for him. It will definitely cut out the boredom. Also, the wood chews are vital to help keep the teeth filed down.
Just shop around to find a cage that you're comfortable with. My favorite is a 2 story wire cage that has a full top level, so when my hamster would climb and hang, there wasn't very far for her to fall and serious get hurt.
He has a salt thing in there, but no wood chews, no. I'll go buy some next time I'm out!
Other than his wheel there's no toys. I'm thinking of investing in a larger cage so he can have more stuff in there.
What are your thoughts on cages with two levels? That would provide more room, and I've thought about them, but I'm scared he'd hurt himself somehow. My friend had a hamster that died from falling when he was hanging upside-down from the second level...
Do you offer wood chews? That would definitely be something that you could do. He could be chewing on the bars to get attention. Do you have enrichment and toys in the cage?
Hey there!
I have a quick question, and I hope you respond. I feel like the most despicable person on the PLANET right now.
My long-haired hamster Frodo likes to chew the bars of his cage; I suppose to help shorten his teeth? I've had him for two months roughly (I'm 17) and he's been in great health thus far. No wet-tail, no nothing! He's very friendly; he likes to climb on me when I bring him out, and he and I can sit there with him on my shoulder for some time when he's out too. I love him to bits and pieces.
Tonight he was chewing on the cage bar, and I reached around to offer him a piece of celery instead. He FREAKED out, jumped back, and started squealing and licking at his teeth. He kept licking at them for a while, and he's stopped now, but I'm HORRIFIED that he might be hurt or something.
I've tried to look at his teeth, and I see no blood, but I can't actually look at the full teeth themselves. He's eaten a piece of celery and a little fruit-piece that comes with a bag of mixed food I give him as snacks. But I don't know if he's actually okay and I'm just overreacting or if he's hurt.
He's making a sort of... Clicking-ish sound when he eats, and I can't recall if he does that usually or not (my memory is awful when I panic.) And when he licks at his teeth (I THINK he's licking at them?) he makes a bit of the same noise then.
I think I just scared him (God, I HOPE he was just startled) because I saw a bit of urine on the side-edge of the bottom box part of his cage afterwards.
Is there any advice you can give me? Can hamsters even hurt their teeth? I'm so worried that he might be injured in some way because I spooked him and I feel AWFUL.
D:
I've just gotten a new hamster and my sister accidentally shut the front gates on his paws, it made a squeaking sound but now looks fine. should i be worried?
i have got a new hamster and how shall i make him come on my hand he takes food from my hand and eats it but when i put my cage in hand he sniffs and runs away and i have holded him few time taken him out of cage but he just wants to run away :( he is 6 weeks old
You should get xrays to see if the legs or hips are broke, or if he's just paralized.
Hi im hoping you can give me advice, 2 days ago i put my hamster in his ball. And i beleive he must of been kicked by accident. When i put him in his cage i noticed he was dragging both of his back legs. Today i was caressing him feeling so bad for him, i noticed his tail bone is out of place. He is eating and drinking water, but i hate to see the little guy drag his legs. I will take him to the vet, but im afraid they will just try to put him to sleep, or tell me they cant do anything because of his size.im not sure what to do because im so attached to him. But i dont want him to be in agony.Any advice?? Besides taking him to the vet... Thank you.
Hey I am getting a hamster soon because now I can look after one
Wettail is severe diarrhea caused by stress. It can be contagious from what I've heard, although I've never experienced it being contagious. Yes, it is fatal.
Erika, that is not the definition of wettail and that is not what happens.
I have 4 hamsters also 7 babys when caring for a hamster watch out for something called Wet Tail this happenes when a hamster gose to the bathroom n the sleep in the pee it gose in there butt n the die so you may wanna get meds for wet tail :) :)
I would try to get it off. You may want to try a lukewarm moist washrag to gently wipe off the bedding.
on two sides of my hamster there is a small bundle of bedding on it's fur. and when he cleans himself he can't take the bedding off, and he doesn't seem like he minds it, but where ever he goes there's two clumps of bedding on each side of him! I can't pull it off, it pulls his fur. will he be ok with it stuck on his fur. is there anything I can do?
Hi, I really want to adopt a hamster but my mom thinks that they are smelly
and that one small dog is enough pets for our family. What do you think I should do? P.S. I am 11 years old.
I'm getting my 1st hamster towmorrowand this was very helpful thanks!!
It may take time to get used to the new cage. Just make sure the ladders aren't too steep.
we got his cage today with the levels and the ladders, but my hamster won't use the ladders to go down from it's level, it just jumps off, sometimes from the very top level, and he doesn't seem hurt, but it's scaring me, do u think my hamster knows what he's doing, is getting hurt?
Just put plenty of solid things to walk on, and taking out the wire bottom would be a good idea.
ohh, well everything in the cage is wire, I can take off the bottom, because it has a plastic tray underneath it, but other than that, the two other levels are wired.
Are the floors plastic or wire? Too much wire under the toes can cause bumble foot. Try adding plenty of solid things in the cage to stand and lay on. Also make sure that the bottom of the enclosure doesn't have any wires, but the bedding.
thanks, but im actully getting the all things living three level hamster home, instead.. do you think all the bars as the flooring ok for my hamsters feet?
It may take a few days of adjustment, but the hamster should be fine. When changing the enclosure, try to keep it in the same area, and reduce handling for a day or so.
hi, right now I have an aqurium for my hamster, and I want to swich over to a crittertrail x cage, but will it stess my hamster out??
Just leave it alone for a few days to see if the hamster's body can heal it. You've done the initially cleaning which is good, just wait and see what happens. Watch for signs of infection. If you seen any signs of infection, you'll want to see a vet, otherwise, you should be fine as is.
I have 2 dwarf hamsters that were bought together from the same store so they were already socialized. However, at home they do get territorial and squabble. Nothing serious kinds like kids tell them to stop and they do. The other day though one got injured on the back of his ear so i clean ed him up and put him in a separate cage. Tonight I noticed there was a blood clot where the injury was under the scab. Its not bleeding now or getting bigger it is just there. Hes eating, drinking and acting and playing normally. If there isn't anything worse that happens should I take him to be seen by a vet or just keep cleaning it like I am? And again he's playing fine running around on his wheel and climbing like always.
I love my hamster to bits I named him after david cameron!
my hamsters name is cameron.Dont worry by the way hamsters are really easy to take care of.
from cecily
Hi i'm really nervous about getting a hamster because i have never had a pet by myself before. My parents say i can either get a hamster or a fish. I really love hamsters but after reading about them they look a bit to hard for me. I've never had a hamster or even had a friend who had one so i have no mass on them and that makes me really nervous!!! My room is pretty small so i can't have a very big cage but i was thinking of getting a tall one. Is that possible? What breed of hamster do you think would be best for a beginner? Is there any good tips you could give me?
Love From Lucy
11
my hamster has a black spot on it's head.. I don't know what it's is, it looks like her fur is dirty but it can't be, because there's nothing black in the cage that could have done it, what can it be??
Alrighty thanks for all the help!!
not necessarily, but it's highly likely in pet store hamsters.
she's new and still adjusting. give her some time.
Ok my last question, I just got my hamster yesterday and she's 6 weeks old. She has been running on her wheel but she hasn't touched her food yet or her water. Is that normal, also everytime I walk by, or she hears a loud(ish) noice, she either freezes or she goes in this tunnel and hides, will this behavior be normal for the first few days?
so basically all hamsters will get it?
Wettail is a common health issue with hamsters. They generally only get it once, sort of like chicken pox, but they HAVE to be treated. You can offer the dritail drops via syringe as a preventative for the first few weeks after bringing the hamster home.
Does wettail occur once the hamster is stressed, once. Or does the hamster need to be stressed out often?
I'm getting my hamster today, but I'm afraid of her getting sick or getting a disease. Is it likely that the hamster WILL get a disease. Do most hamsters get problems?
Thanks!!
The hamster will chew up the box. It is safe, but you'll need to replace it. It won't take long for the hamster to chew it up.
Oh and I have another question, can I use a tissue box for my hamster to use? Like, is it safe?
Ok, thanks so much! :)
I wouldn't let the temperature get too hot in your room. Room temperature is fine. Most houses are around 75F or so.
Hi I'm just about to get a hamster and it's going to stay in my room. I wanted to know what the highest room temperture a hamster can withstand. Because my room is the second floor and I'm sure if it would be safe for the hamster.
I have two hamsters that were in the same cage and started to fight so I recently separated them before any damage was done to either of them. Now that they are in different cages, they both sometimes act weird and maybe mre skittish they also sleep alot more. They are only a little over a month old. Also, my one hamster(butterscotch)keeps sneezing and rubbing its nose until it starts to turn red. he also seems to be scratching more and i looked at his fur and skin and saw no bugs. Please Help, I'm worried.
if my male dwarf hamster is dragging his bckside what does it mean
Sometimes hamsters take a while to tame. Just work with him. Start with your hand in the enclosure and letting the hamster come up to you. The more you try to force a relationship with the hamster, the further away he will go.
Dwarf hamsters are fine with other dwarf hamsters. It's the teddy bear hamsters that are quite territorial and do not co-habitate with others well.
Do you hve any tips on taming a robo dwarf hamster?I Got it two weeks ago at petsmart and he has a crittertrail starter habitat with a chew proof water bottle. (I had to get a new one couse he couldnt reach the one that came with the cage)he also gets along well with my bros hammy.
the hamster is pretty old. I'm not sure what exactly is wrong with yous. I would consider a vet. He could have scracthed his face on something in the cage, which could have caused the swelling.
Hi, my hamster cant open his eyes and he looks swollen. I also notice his skin looks red around his face. We have had him about 1 1/2 years. But I am not sure how old he is b/c we adopted him from a pet store where someone just left a cage full of hamsters.
some hamsters will do that
hi is it normal for a hamster to bite his cage bars?
from 10 year old natasha
quite surprised an inch was cut off as hamster's tails aren't an inch long to begin with. I would take the hamster to a vet. otherwise, just keep it clean and avoid infection.
Hey. I am a teacher and a co-worker has a hamster. Today I was looking at it and playing with it but when I put him back in his cage I accidently shut his tail in the door. We didn't notice until later when his tail was bleeding. It took a good inch off his tail. The tail bone is poking out and it is still bleeding. I feel horrible! What should I do?
Try a mid-point. No drafts. No direct heating, sun, etc. Just a midway point.
Yea the 10 gallon is pretty small for her and Ive been looking at more suitable, well ventilated cages for her. What about the climate? Ive been trying to find info on whether to keep her in the warmest place or the coolest place, but Ive been unsuccessful. What do you recommend?
the bedding isn't going to affect the behaviors, especially considering you were using a safe bedding to begin with. The wheel is necessary, which is the only main difference that the hamster is seeing. In a 10 gallon aquarium, there's not much you can add in terms of entertainment. The only thing I'd recommend is a 10 gallon cage topper that will add more room for the hamster. aquariums really aren't suited for hamsters or anything other than fish and reptiles.
Hi Whitney,
My 9 year old daughter got a hamster about two weeks ago. The first bedding we used was aspen. Today we went from aspen (same color as her food) to soft paper (darker) bedding, and added a wheel. I can already tell the difference in her behavior. She has been on that wheel non stop lol which has to be a good thing. Also, she is in a 10 gallon tank that contains the wheel, water bottle and food bowl. What other small toy would you recommend for her to enjoy, but also have plenty of room to run around? My two story apt is not very well insulated, so with it being winter, where should I keep her? Its really warm up stairs and almost always fairly cool downstairs? Right now I have her downstairs. How do I know when shes pottied or if she has diarrhea? Oh and one more thing. Her food has little sticks in it, so are those considered chew sticks or do they need to be purchased separately? Thank you for any information you can provide.
See above for over the counter methods.
hey loovvveee ur web and i hav a hamster dat has wet tail, he is dying and i need help from u!!!!!!!!!! i hav no access to a vet so please help!!!!!!!!!!
If i remember carefully it's more like weeks than months. I think it's about 4-6 weeks old, which I guess could be about 1 to 1-1/2 months old.
how many months before a female hamster became pregnant after it was born?
Amy/David, that is possible. I just think that the hamster is new and being a hamster. It takes time to socialize hamsters, which is why they're really not the best pets for small kids. They can be very nippy and most do take a while to socialize and tame. Just be slow because if you traumatize him, he'll remember.
Stine, Since more than one leg is swelling, you may want to consider a vet. Maybe the hamster got them caught on the bars of the cage.
Hi Whitney,
My hamster has a swollen, red back leg and higher up on his leg it looks black and has a bump on it. He has been holding it up for a while, walking on three legs. I thought it might be broken but now it looks like the other back leg is also swelling. I don't know what to do.
Hi Whitney,
Thanks 4 getting back to me again. Yes, on your other page, "Hamster Health" I found the hibernation info. Anyway, we moved him into our bedroom where it is almost pitch black, and he comes out now, but as soon as he see's one of us he runs and hides. Is he just not a sociable hamster? He was much more friendlier the 1st 2 days we had him. Strange?
I never talked about hibernation. They naturally sleep during the day. You won't see much activity from a pet hamster expect in the evening, morning, and night times. You're just seeing normal signs of a new hamster in a new home.
Thank you so very much for replying so quickly. He is eating and drinking at sometime during the night (or day) and we checked him for wettail, and he is dry as a bone. I took away his little hide out today and all his tubes so he didn't have anywhere to run and hide to see what he would do. (I wanted to see if he would just sit there and be lethargic or try to run and hide.) Well, he took off like a bat outta hell! After a while he actually climbed out of the cage and into my hand. He's still not sure about humans. I noticed he's more comfortable with me than my hubby. He does like to nibble at his fingers. (Although my hubby dropped him about a foot into his cage.) =/ MEN!!! So, I think he's in that hibernation thing you talked about maybe?? What do you think? Thanks again for your help hun!!
Hamsters are nocturnal, so you won't see much movement during the day. The first few days the hamster was adjusting. If he is eating or drinking then he should be fine, if you don't notice food missing, you've got a problem on your hands. Consider a vet if he's not eating. Check him for signs of wettail, as this is another concern.
Hi Whitney,
Thank you so much for having this wonderful site! I have a few concerns about our hamster Georgie. We bought him about a week ago, and the first 2 days he was quite active. However, after that, he has NOT come out of his little house to do anything! We desperately try to lure him out with treats and thankfully his house has his removable food bowl on top so we can see him. He has taken his fluff and bedding and blocked his doorway. He doesn't want to be picked up anymore, idk if he's even coming out to drink. I do know that he isn't coming out to chew on his wood stick, or lick his salt thing, or even play on his wheel anymore. He goes to the bathroom where he is in his little house. He is a shorthair hamster. The petstore said he was about 10 weeks old. He is not in direct sunlight. As a matter of fact the blinds are kept shut for him. Idk what else to do for him. We had to clean out his bedding in his house, and he ran up the tube, and stayed right smack in the middle of it and went to sleep with his head down. Please help? Thank you so very much.
Hey! this info was great! I never woned my own pet and my mom finally agreed with me and is letting get a hamstern in a month. thanks for the info and I will continue research! :)
I'm sorry to hear that. You did try.
well i dont think she's going to make it now because she doesnt even open her eyes and she couldnt even walk back to her own bed so i think its the end for her :'(
Baytril really isn't my choice of treatment. I prefer an actual wet-tail treatment such as dritail or another option. As I've mentioned it's an option, but I've seen it take much longer than dri-tail to work.
yes we went to the vets the first time and he gave her two jabs , then we went again and we had a different vet and she gave her one jab and baytril to take home for 5 days and then make another appointment so i've made another one for tomorrow but there doesnt seem to be any change in the way she looks or the way she's acting so im really worried.
If you're going on holiday in three weeks, then you have plenty of time. Plus didn't the hamster start the meds over 5 days ago?
well the vet said to give it for about five days and then make another appointment for a check up , but we're going on holiday in about 3 weeks so thats why im asking youu
Marlene that's a pretty big vet bill for a hamster so old. Hopefully he'll live longer than normal to make up for that large of a bill. I wish him luck.
Monika, it depends on the extent of how bad the wettail was when started administering the meds. At least a few weeks. The vet should have been able to give you a time frame for hte medicine.
ok , well how long do you think it will take ?
Thanks, Whitney. You were right, we shouldn't have gone to the vet. My 12 yr old daughter was inconsolable, though. Vet dx-broken leg, blood clot, leg amputated. $350!!! I wouldn't have done it, but my husband was the one to go the vet with my daughter, and he's a pushover. Live and learn.
It isn't going to cure all at once. It takes time to get the antibiotic in the body and start healing. Generally baytril takes longer than dri-tail from what I've seen. Just keep administering the medicine.
ok , i've found a way to give the medicince to my hamster and she's taking it now but the thing is she still has a wet tail which i dont quite understand ?
Monika you need to give it to the hamster as prescribed whether it likes it or not. If you don't stick with the treatmetn properly, the hamster probably won't make it through. If she does it'll take longer than it should and wettail just isn't an illness to play with.
Marlene, the hamster is just rather old. It could be a broken leg, but a vet would need to check that out. At 2+ years old that's nearly ancient for a hamster. Personally, I wouldn't get a vet, just make the rest of the life as comfortable as possible. If you want to consult a vet that's not going to hurt, but the hamster is really old. A vet may be able to get an antibiotic or something.
Hello. My daughter has a 2+ year old sweet little hamster. He has always been active and healthy. Last night, we had him out in his ball and I noticed that he wasn't running much. I opened the ball to take him out, and he limped out of the ball and across the floor. I picked him up thinking something was stuck on his foot, only to see that the leg which he was holding up, the back right leg, looked black. He doesn't seem to be in any pain. He is an "only" hamster. He lives in a big 3 story cage, with wire sides, but a plastic bottom. He doesn't climb the sides of his cage, and has always enjoyed his wheel. We are wondering what to do. We may take him to the vet tomorrow if he seems the same tonight when he wakes up. Could this be a sign of a broken leg? An infection? He is eating and drinking normally. Any advice?
yes i've been to the vets and we have to give her 0.2 ml of baytril and she said to mix it with something like ribena so it tastes nicer but she doesnt want to drink it and we have to give it to her twice a day and she havent had it yet so am i aloud to give her 0.4 ml at once if i dont give her any now or just give it to her once and then give her one in the morning next day and one in the evening ?
I've never heard of baytril being given as a shot but a regular dosage daily for about a week or so.
One of the jabs i think was called baytril and the other one was an antibiotic but im not totally sure, i've made an appointment to the vets for tomorrow again anyway so see what he says.
What sort of jabs? Jabs of what if it's a shot?
No, it's not normal for the tail to be wet period. I would really try to order a wettail medicine. She does not sound like she's doing well.
I just noticed that my hamsters tail is wet again is it normal for her tail to get wet after her being treated by a vet on friday ? she's also sleeping all day and when i come up to her she doesnt want to come out at all until its very late which is something i dont understand and today she was also grinding her teeth and she hardly even moved but about an hour maybe less later she was keen to come out again . why is this?
the vet havent prescribed anything he just gave her 2 jabs and said to give her arrow root biscuits so i dont really know
Most pet stores no matter where you live should have dri-tail or some other kind of treatment for wettail. Hopefully the vet has prescribed somethign that will work. I've never heard of arrow root biscuits.
i've been to the vets today and she had 2 jabs and the vet said to get arrow root biscuits as well so im gonna get them later on today but how will i know when she's better and not ill no more ?
yes i have looked at that page and you said there that dri-tail is something good to treat it with but i've looked on pets at home which is a shop with animals on the internet and nothing come up i live i wales so i dont know if they sell something like that , i have a vets appointment today at 20 to 3 so do you think i should ask for dri-tail when im seeing him?
Monika I already provided you the link to my page about we tail in hamsters. It will provide you all the information that you need. I provided it 6 days ago.
I have noticed a cople of hours ago that my hamster has got a wet tail and i know that it's probably wet tail illness , do i need to go to the vets or can i just treat her myself without going to see a vet? write back as soon as possible this is and emergency
Wettail is fatal, and it requires dri-tail which is over-the-counter or baytril prescribed from a vet. I'm sorry that your hamster didn't make it through. Not all vets are informed about other animals than dogs and cats. If the vet that you took the hamster too was a dog and cat vet and doesn't regularly see exotic pets, to include hamsters, then he probably wasn't informed on proper procedure.
See more information about wettail here: http://hubpages.com/_furryanimals/hub/Hamsters_Wit
Hello it's me again i wanted to ask u a question , we had a different boy hamster at the same time as we had mine and my brothers hamster got runny poo which we then found out was called wet tail so we went down to the vets with him and the vet said that he should be fine and he gave him a jab just incase and then the next day after we cam back from school he was just sitting there breathing slower every hour and we didnt know what was happening because he was supose to have got better and about 9 o'clock he died , we were devasted because we completely didnt understand how that could happen after a visit to the vets and him telling us that he'll be fine , would u be able to tell me how he died
at least a few days.
ok so when it comes back home how long shall i leave it for so it gets use to my smell and its house again?
Hamsters need a wheel. Even with a ball, the hamster needs a wheel within the cage. I didn't say avoid, but minimize handling. Minimize anything that will cause stress. Stick the hamster in a quiet place and keep most activities of feeding and such the same. I'd say for the first week leave the hamster be to adjust to the surroundings.
well i have a hamster ball for my hamter and thats what she's usually in but because u said to avoide handling it i was thinking of getting a hamster wheel so she wouldnt have to be handled at all , would you be able to give me some advice so i can tell the carer to avoide us much stress for the hamster as possible
A hamster wheel is necessary even regularly on a regular basis. You can't stimulate them at night, which is most important. Handling and stress will probably be hamster specific.
ok thank you very much for the advice , so even if the hamster is usually out twice or more a day if someone else is looking after it maybe let it out once every 3 days ? i was also thinking of getting a hamster wheel so she wouldn't have to go out so much when she stays over my mothers friends house ? i'm actually going on holiday for 3 weeks but my mam and dad are coming back a week early so they will take her back home and look after her , shes use to my parents especially my dad so i think she'll be fine with them for the week
It shouldn't be a problem letting someone else look after the hamster. You can't leave it alone for 2 weeks worth of time, so it's somethign to consider finding a sitter.
It can be stressful, so make sure that the sitter knows everything he needs to know, and make sure to minimize handling.
it's me again i've wrote to u about going on holiday and all that can u please write back on here quickly please i need to know because this is really important
No they're not the exact same.
is a siberian hamster the same thing as the dwarf white winter russian hamter?
thanks
just regular, non-scented soap should be fine.
when i scrub there cage with soap and water should i use a speical kind of soap or what
thank you whitney05 i havent seen them pushing any more so i guess they just had to adjust or something anyway thanks again
sk8trgirl as long as they get along fine and are not bullying and picking on each other, they should be fine. Just provide enough food and make sure the water bottle is full.
Thanks for the advice. I am very pleased that you offer this website it is very helpful :)
thank and you sooo much i also have one other question and i cant find a website that will answer it :can i leave my hamsters alone for 2 days and 2 nights then come back and them be fine please answer my question im despret
hamster granny:im not an expert but you might want to try "refreshing" the cage every morning and still clean it really good every week or at lest thats what i do and mine doesnt stink at all
sk8tagirl if they're not bullying each other and fighting then there's nothing to worry about.
hamster granny, the cage and accessories should be cleaned weekly when the bedding is changed. If the cage isn't cleaned then just a change of bedding isn't going to make any smell go away. Also yes, a different bedding will probably change the absorbency. I prefer aspen shavings. Try soap and water, yes.
My daughter cleans the hamster cage weekly and puts in fresh bedding but it still seems to develope a smell pretty quickly. Is there a particular type of bedding that can be used that will help to absorb and hide the smell?Can soap and water or some type of cleaning product be used on the cage and running wheel to help minimize the odor with out harming the hamster?
hi whitney05 im a ten year old girl and got 2 female robo dwarf hamsters yesterday i have a small little hut and every time they get in together they start to push each other out what do i do also is it to early to pet them (will i get bitten)p.s.i have a5 year old sis who is crazy about them and wont leave them alone is that all right
It's not automatic. It will take adjustment, but for the first few days the hamster should be left alone to adust. If you over stimulate too soon and too fast, you'll greatly increase risk of wet-tail.
If you leave a hamster alone for a few days after bringing him home, will he eventually come out to play with you?
okay thanks i looked up how to choose a healthy hamster
I have not. But when working for petco, many of the hamsters had wettail, so if that's the route you go, then make sure that you do your best at choosing a healthy hamster.
i didnt mean buy one online i meant have you ever got a hamster from pet co.
Kaldon88 if you can find a hamster at a rescue then by all means rescue.you can go to petco and purchase a hamster, but not on the website
lynn, if you make sure that he has water and enough food, he should be fine for a weekend trip.
How long can I leave my hamster alone ? I don't have anyone to watch him and I like to go out of town for a 2 or 3-day w/e every so often. Also - for longer trips, where can I board him ?
Thanks !
so my birthday is may 28 and i think there getting me a hamster. if they don't ill have to buy my own birthday gift. oh and do you go on petco.com. would they have hamsters darwf hampsters and thanks a lot.
so far i've earned 45.00 dollars over 9 weeks and one more week and then i get my hamster. now should i go to an animal shelter or a common pet store. and if there are any people you know that are really close to new hampshier please let me know and i need to know if a dawrf hamster is good i want a baby male brown darwf hampster thanks a lot your awesome
thanks i think I'm going to go to PET CO
A breeder, but it's not the most common place although it is the best place. Try a pet store, but just make sure that there aren't any signs of wettail or other illnesses.
oh thanks one more question where is the best place to get a hamster
Wettail is diarrhes that can be fatal. There's a link at the top with more information.
hay just a question what actually is wet tail and my mom said yes and im not going to baby sit one my mom belives in me
She's probably drinking while you sleep, as they are nocturnal. Just watch out for wettail, as that's the most common illness of new hamsters. Watch for any changes in behavior or diet, even slight changes.
P.S. I forgot to mention that she doesn't really seem to drink water though. Idk if she does it while I'm away or something I think I've only seen her drink water like 3 times so far and I've had her for 8 days now is that normal?If it's not then is there something I can do?
Hi. I recently got a hamster. It's a short haired hamster. My boyfriend gave her to me for my birthday. She seems to be doing fine rightnow. She eats and she plays and she grooms herself. I was just wondering though if there's anything I should watch out for?She seems happy but you say that hamsters don't show any symptoms of illness until it's too late so should I be looking out for anything?I got her about a week ago. I love her so much already and I just want her to be happy. So if you could give me any advice on anything it would be helpful. Hope to hear from you soon. Thanks :D
It's possible that is a good idea, except by moving the hamster around, y0ou're creating un-necessary stress which can cause the hamster to develope wettail
hey its me i wanted your opinon on this. i was wondering should i hamster sit for my friends hamster and see if its a good pet for me. i really want one luv ya thanks your web page is amazing
hey im 10 and your info is helping me convince my parents to let me get a hampster i loved the pictures ive done reserch and i now a lot get back to me and wish me luck the earliest i can get one if i can is 2-3 weeks thanks you helped a lot
Just socialize it and work with it, starting slowly with no distractions.
im going to get a hamster but i am scared of him getting fisty and bitting me wat should i do?
Sounds like upper respiratory. I'm not sure about the blood, though. Typically changes in eating habits and breathing will be your key factors. Just remember hamsters generally don't show signs of illness until the end.
My 8 month old hamster just died. We noticed it breathing different, So I moved it to a diff spot and that there were no dropings and he had a messed up but and by mouth area. I go tthe dri-tail but he would not drink it. I monitered the food. he barely ate. I kept changing the bedding to clean and he just kept getting weaker. I changed bedding last night as I noticed green stuff in it and by its tail with blood. I cleaned him up with plain water and put him in new bedding. Saw he was week so I took wheel out and put a little food and more fresh water in his cage. He passed this after noon with a big blood clot on his rear and blood on his paws and mouth. I cant figure if something else was wrong with him and I didn't know. Can you help me figure it out? I have 2 more adult hampsters in another room and want to make sure they dont get sick. Or what to look for.
I'm sorry for your loss. The cause of the death more than likely depends on the age of the hamster. Typically they stop running from time to time. When you were away, he could have been taking a break. I'm not really sure what to tell you. I'm sorry.
Hi, my hamster died yesterday while I went to the carnival -it totally ruined my day-, but I realized something. Yesterday, my hamster was running wildly every minute. Ever since I gave him food before I went to breakfast at IHOP, and 2 am went I went to bed, he was STILL running. Then I went to the carnival the next day, and when I came back to play with my hamster, he wouldn't come out of his 'house'. I got SO worried, so I nervously picked up the shlter. He was laying down with his eyes closed, and he wouldn't wake up when I picked him up. So that's when I realized that he might of had a heart attack or a stroke. Would you please tell me what went wrong? Thank you~!
~ Nami Kohodo
I'm not sure. He could have chewed his leg, causing the wound to decompose as it did. If you were housing the hamster solo, that's about the only thing that could have happened. If you had noticed the issue sooner, you could have pulled out the maggots, cleaned the wound, and healed it.
hey whitney, its so nice to know someone that knows alot about hamsters.
i have a concern by the way, i had syrian hamsters that died with there right leg so swollen and is actually black, they stinked. They were still alive for a couple of days and they already have the awful smell, and they had a wound of some sort near the swollen black leg, and they had worms coming out of the wound. My main concern is i really dont know how they got it or what was it, and im just concern for my future hamsters...
Thanks for the advice! By the way, your website helped a lot for me to know more facts about hamsters!
well thanks a lot if i have any more problems i will ask you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
it could be an infected cut. I'm not sure.
well we did but it looks the same inside she squeals very loud when we did do so i think it hurts her
It could be a cut in his gumline, that may be infected. It could be a tumor. I'm not sure. I would consult a vet, if you can. Try to look an see in the hamsters mouth, if you can. Pull back the cheek.
Sometimes, but i am not as much worried about that any more.What i mean by that is about a little more than a week ago my hamsters lip started lifting up so we thought well it maybe it will get better so we waited a couple of days and it looked the same.Then,today i looked at it and it has some kind of growth on the right excactly on her lip.Since this is my first hamster me,my mom,and my dad are very worried about it.Do you know what it is and how we can deal with it?
That is good. Just make sure that it doesn't get too warm, and that you keep a close eye on the signs of illness as hamsters can be pretty good at hiding the worse symptoms until its too late.
Alright. Well, my mom suggested that her cage ws too cold, and I moved it down to a warmer place... and that helped A LOT!
It could be respiratory infection. Keep a very watchful eye out for that because it can be fatal in some cases. I wouldn't assume she's allergic.
Hi! I just got a Panda Hamster yesterday, and she's been sneezing quite often. I'm not so sure what to do! One thing is for sure, that she's not sick because she eyes are not dull, and she does not have a runny nose. I'm pretty sure she is allergic to something?
When is the hamster squealing? All the time, or just some of the time?
A little less than a month ago i got a hamster from my aunts friend and it started squealing a week or more after i got it.Does that mean its hurt?
I'm not sure what you mean by squealing. When getting a new hamster, you need to leave it alone for a few days because it can stress out the hamster and wettail can start again.
I got a hamster but it died of wet tail a couple of weeks ago. i got a new 1 2day but it has started squealing already!!!! is tht normal?!?
thanks for the advice!
I'm sorry to hear about that.
thank you for getting back to me my hamster had a stroke he was in agony for days so i put him out of his misery did i do the right thing i couldnt watch him in agony
You must be doing a good job with your hamster, since he's 3 years old. I'm just not sure how he's flipping all over the cage if he can't walk. I really don't know what to tell you since he can't really flip if he can't walk.. More details, and I'll try, but at 3 yrs old, you should just try to make him comfortable.
please could you tel me wots up with my albino hamster as he fliping all over his cage and cant walk he is 3 years old i think he might be slowly dieing and he as no ballance thank you
You basically have two typesof hamsters- syrian and dwarf (although there are different species of dwarf). Syrian hamsters are solitary and dwarfs can live in pairs. It will be up to you, both have pros and cons. Personally, i like the syrian hamsters but, I'm not a big hamster fan. Syrian is a teddy bear hamster, and no matter what they're called they are all the same. IE panda hamster, golden hamster, tortishell hamster, etc are all syrian hamsters.
Check out these cages:
http://hubpages.com/_animals/hub/Cheap-Hamster-Cag
10 gallon tanks are ok but you have to worry about ammonia building up.
Hey, I have been thinking about getting a hamster for awhile now. My cousin just got one for his birthday and the entire family absolutly loves it. I'm homeschooled and up at night alot of times and am deffinately able to care for it, clean its cage, feed it, ect. when ever it needs it. I have been reading alot about hamsters and doing alot of research. I was just wondering now what kind of hamster do you think would be best? And also I have a 10gal. tank but I was thinking that a cage would be better? Thanks for all the information about the hamsters too I think that it will really be helpful.
Yes a little too early. You need to put them back together. Also make sure that you take out the males at 5 weeks (if i remember), and leave the females in with mom for a little longer.
i took my babys away from the mom at 3 weeks is that ok
try a wheel.
My hamster is too fat, what am I going to make it fit???
i'm not sure what that is. you may want to consult a vet if the hamster is altering its sleep, eating, and drinking pattern.
hi whitney05. ive had a siberian hamster for almost a year now but her back on top of her tail has the bald area like she lost fur there and i really dont know whats going on could it be cancer because that happened to one of my friends hammies please help ... and thanks??
hampsters are great!
I'm sorry for your loss. I doubt that he choked, as hamsters are really good about packing their mouth. It sounds like upper respiratory infection that could have been treated. I'm not sure about the butt dragging, but that could have been attributed to wettail, which is also treatable.
I had a hamster whose hair was really long, I cut it and accidentally made it squeak then i Realized that I had cut him (minor) but still concerned and started crying at my stupidity. While I was taking a shower my little sister dunked the hamster in a freezer filled with ice and he was soaking wet and shivering. I got pissed off but there was nothing i could do...I noticed for about a week he kept wheezing (coughing? sneezing? hiccoping?) and i wasn't sure if that was normal. His butt was very red too and he sometimes slept at night. The next morning he escaped his cage and was very hyper trying to run away with food in his cheeks. he seemed fine finally and went to sleep. I later found him dead with his mouth wide open and litter in his mouth and his eyes wide open while laying on his stomach with his arms and legs stretched as if he had been dragging his body in pain? Is there any way that he could've choked? was it the cut? the cold water? did he suffer before he died?
i am soo devastated and haven't stopped crying in 2 days
We seperated the boys from girls. We are letting the Mom in and out with the girls. We only had 2 boys, the rest were girls. We read somewhere where the Mom would get tired of the babies. I think that may be happening sometimes so we let her have her own time alone in "her" cage. She seems to like snuggling up during the day sleeping with them but early in the day and at night, they seem to get on her nerves. How do we know that she has "shrunk up"? A couple of the babies still try to nurse but Mom pushes them away and kind of bites them. They are all eating well, not sure about drinking from the water thing so we give them a little cucumbers and lettuce about every other day, plus have a little lid of water in each cage but it soon fills up with the litter.
We found a home for one of the girls and both boys already. Still looking for homes for the other girls. Thanks for listening and your input. We like your dog in your picture. We have a Shephard/Chow mix named Coco. We have had him about 8 years. He is funny. He is afraid of the hamsters. :-)
That's good. You need to make sure to separate the male and female babies at 3 weeks old. YOu can leave the females in with mom until she shrinks up, but definitely take out the boys.
Just an update. All hamsters are doing really good. Most have their eyes open (except the little runt, as we call it). We have a fence around the cage and when we open the cage, the Mom comes out and raises up. We dont pick her up but we lean over the little fence and pet her and snuggle with her. She seems to like that. One of the babies came down the tube and was running around the cage. The mom didnt seem to mind. We pet it a little bit and the mom seen us but didnt do anything. We gave them some fresh fruit and veggies and she carried it up to the ball to the rest of the babies and then came back and got the one. Its funny to see her carry them up the tube backwards. The runt of the bunch we call curious george cause it is constantly wondering off and falling down the tube which bends a couple of times down. It runs around in the cage some and evenutally Mom comes and gets it. My Mom had like 4 or 5 hamsters when she was growing up and she said whenever we do anything to the mom hamster, the cage, the babies, or even put food in the cage, we needed to leave them alone for a while so the Mom will trust us to be in and out of the cage and it would give the Mom hamster time to settle down after us being in her space. :-)
I want to say that you took my words out of context, as that's a sign of wettail. Leave the hamsters alone. Put them in separate cages; you got them yesterday, so you haven't seen fighting, because you haven't given them enough time. You said on the other page that you have two males; you NEED to separate them. The fighting will come in due time. After you put them in separate cages, leave them alone for at least 2 days, as by harassing them right after changing their environment, will increase wettail risks, as it's a solely stress related illness. Hamsters generally have dark eyes, but albino hamsters will have red eyes. Male hamsters have a definite bulge, whereas females do not. Although, some male hamsters develope late. Female hamsters have less of a gap between their holes, so to speak. The signs of pregnancy basically include weight gain. You really need to separate your hamsters, since you're not 100% of whether they're truly both males; plus because you purchased them both as males, you're increasing territorial concerns, which will increase fighting and possible death of one of the hamsters. You really should have done more research before you got the hamsters. Socialize in terms of hamsters mean, that you leave them alone for the first few days after you've brought them home; then open the cage door and offer a treat; keep doing this for a while; advance to opening your plam and putting the treat on your hand and letting the hamster climb into your hand; then move to picking up the hamster. This will take weeks, which is why hamsters really aren't the best pet for younger children. They are bad biters and slow to socialize.
Please don't write in all caps, as that's the only form of yelling. Also, please do not demand answers as soon as you post the comment. I will answer all questions as soon as I see the question, and sometimes it will take me more than 2 hours to notice.
and what does sociallize mean to hamsters? PS PLS REPLY
UM HI WHITNEY05 you said that tedybear hamsters shoudnt be in 1 cage right but my 2 teddybear hamsters are in 1 cage. and oh yeah i need help! you said that a sign of sickness of a hamster is when he is hudling in one corner my hamster is like that (oh yeah i just got them yesterday) what should i do (second question)2 do hamsters have different eye collors for example my hamster has red eyes is that normal (third question)3 how do i know if its a female (fourth question)4 how do i know if pregnant what are the signs?????????????????? P.S PLSSSS PLSSS ANSWER I DESPRETLLY NEED THIS (and oh yeah im only 11 years old and my name is Ramon)
how do i know if my hamster is dying? or sick
You really should have left them alone, and let the mother take care of the bedding and babies. I know what you're talking about and it's really not recommended for hamster babies just born.
Hi Whitney05 - we are using Soft-Sorbent. The pet store recommended it. It says "Earth-friendly, colorfast bedding and litter for all small animals" IT says it is made from wood fibers that are not suitable for paper production. Rather than be discarded, the fiber is converted into a soft, highly absorbent form tht provides a great environment for small animals. It is fragrance free without pine or cedar aromatic oils. So I guess it is just a paper product. The Mom had the babies in the top round wheel of her cage. It was stinking so bad it was smelling up the house. The babies are 10 days old. We opened the cage door and Mom came out and we were giving her some food - still not touching her. My Mom opened the ball, poured the babies on a paper plate, put in some new litter, put the babies back in and when the mom hamster went back up, she was all in a tizzy but seems to have settled down just fine. I hope she doesnt kill any of them. We wore double plastic gloves when touching things and putting them back in the ball. There was 9 of them. They were all trying to run off the plate but didnt have their eyes open much. Some of them may have had them open.
You can use the toile paper. It's not going to hurt. I'm not sure what bedding you are using, but if it's carefresh or something similar, you'll probably want to remove it, as it can suffocate the babies. Definitely leave the mother alone, and separate the males at 3 weeks.
We got a new teddy bear hampster two weeks ago. Very friendly female. Two days ago, we woke to find babies. Mom and babies are all doing well. Mom is very protective but still seems to want to socialize with us although we are leaving her alone. While we were putting in food, she crawled out the door of her cage and started trying to pull up carpet. I assume for additional bedding. We saw a site that said cut up toilet tissue was good for extra bedding. We already use new the soft paper type bedding. We put it in there. She loves it. Was this a good idea?
Treat the hamster as normal. Give it extra nutrients such as carrots, apples, and other veggies and fruits. Has the female been with a male? If not it could just be a fat hamster.
im baby sitting my friends hamster and i think she might be pregnat! what do i do ?
The price is going to vary. The best thing to do is call around pet stores.
Hey my mom doesnt like cats or dogs.so she said i will look into the pricing of a hamster.do you no how much it would be around ??????
Thanks
Skate1497
AWWWWWW! the last picture has a slide on it!! i can imagine a hamster sliding down it. it'd be so cute! i REAALY want a hamster but im alergic to dogs and cats. im losing my alergies to dogs tho =). i going try to convince my dad to get me a hamster. so im looking up the most i can about hamsters and the cost. wish me luck!
You need to check the laws and regulations in your state. Some states do not allow hedgehogs as pets.
thank you for getting back to me so soon. But with what you said I have I think I want a hedgehog not a hamster.Do you now anything on them?
Max, hamsters are great pets. But they take a good deal of socialization and can be very nippy at first. It's not a good idea to house them in aquariums unless you change the cage out twice a week. There is little ventalition and the urine can build up creating fumes that you don't want you hamster to breath in. Yes, it is a housing option, but it is only good if you change the litter and clean the cage twice a week.
Is a hamster right for my family? I'm ten years old, I have a sister who is 8,a mom and a dad and two dogs but they will never get even close to the hamster. The hamster would stay in my room in a fish tank with every thing he needs.He will get lots of love and I will spend lots of time with him. PS. I love your site and you have helped me learn a lot thank you.
i`m ten nd i am getting a hamster. i did alot of reserch to make sure i was ready for one and i am getting mine today!!
I would need more information than that to determine whether one was a girl. You can easily tell male and female hamsters appart. Males have very visible balls.
i have two hamsters but one of them is smelling the back part and there always together is one a girl or something?
You can pick up on your normal chores and help around the house more without you mom telling you to. Keep you house clean, chip in on the dishes, maybe sweep or vaccuum. If you currently have a pet, such as a dog, try feeding the dog its dinner, walking it, cleaning after its potty breaks. Take more responsibility around the house, and let you mom see that you can be responsible in taking care of a hamster.
You may, also, want to do all the research you can. Tell you mom everything you know about caring for hamster. Include- common health concerns, caging, diet, behaviors, etc.
my mom is thinking about letting me have one of my friends hamsters babys who is offering it to me for free and with this site i can prove to her that i can take care of a hamster all by my self with out her reminding me
Every thing is okay! We took him to the vet. He said he just ate too much carrots. I'm so glad he did'nt choke, I was really scared.
You should go to the vet as soon as possible. I really don't know what's wrong with him.
My hamster is throwing up!!! what should I do?
Lily: Good luck with your hamster. Remember to let it sit and get adjusted for at least 1-2 days minimum. The longer the better, but not too long. Clean the cage at least once a week, and the smell will be at a minimum.
Thanks alot!I am getting a hamster today!And some of the stuff you put up there willl help me with my hamster!Love the pictures!Oh and even though I am 10 I am going to take care of it!!(My mom is afraid of it Lol!)Well thanks for the info!
I bought 2 of those cages 1 for my teddy bear hamster and 1 for my dwarf hamster. I had to buy a brand new cage for my teddy bear hamster because she chewed off the bars and kept escaping. The cage was full of weak spots! Thanks to her. I had to get a glass cage! lol But the dwarf hamster could'nt bite the bars off , luckily!
I actually had to buy that last cage for a 6 week ok chinchilla because he was too small for my chinchilla cages. Ha. But when I got my hamster she fit nicely in it.
I have that cage on yhe last picture!
This is an absolutely great post. I think this is the most information that I've seen in one post. Great Job! I like the pictures that you've provided to as it really shows off what you're talking about.
Thanks guys. I hope it helps someone who's looking at getting a hamster. Especially, if it's a parent researching for their child, as we all know, most parents end up taking care of their children's pets.
I agree. Thanks for taking the time to get all of this together. Love the "cheeky" hammie! And I also hope people read this before they get a hamster.
Great photos. And useful. I hope a lot of people read this before getting a hamster.
Chandracamp 6 days ago
my hampster is white and loves to cuddle and sleep in my hand and also is calm