Hamsters Rule

A Story by Keizia

All about hammys!

*Hamsters - How to take care of them*

1. Look for the right hamster to buy. An ideal hamster is between 4 and 7 weeks old; hamsters are easier to tame when they're young. There are two types of hamster: the golden hamster and the Siberian or dwarf hamster. The golden hamster is available in a variety of colors and fur variations, while the smaller dwarf hamster comes in only a few colors. However, the big difference between the two is that dwarf hamsters do not tame well, while golden hamsters can become gentle, reliable pets.

2. When you bring home your hamster and supplies, place the cage in a location away from drafts, and out of direct sunlight. Pick a spot in the house where you will frequently visit your hamster.

3. Cover the cage floor with a 2 inch layer of bedding. Pine wood shavings are best, because they are absorbent and nontoxic.

4. Keep a filled, clean water bottle attached to the cage at a height where the spout is reachable by the hamster, but doesn't touch the bedding. if the bedding gets wet it can rot and cause your hamster to get sick. Wash and refill daily.

5. Provide plenty of chew toys. Hamsters love the cardboard tubes found inside rolls of toilet paper and paper towels. Attach hamster wood chews to the side of the cage.

6. Make a box for your hamster to sleep in. Cut a 2-inch doorway into a small, closed cardboard box. Place the box in a far corner of the cage. The hamster will fill the box with bedding and chewed-up pieces of cardboard from the toilet paper tubes and will use the box as a bedroom. He will not urinate in the box, so you can use it for many months before replacing it.

7. Feed your hamster a commercially prepared hamster-food mix once or twice a day. Supply a small amount of fresh fruits and vegetables year-round. When you introduce new foods, initially feed small portions so his system can get used to them.

8. Exercise your hamster by putting an exercise wheel in her cage. Let her exercise outside her cage inside a specially designed plastic hamster ball, available at pet stores. Close the doors to your bedroom, take her out of his cage, and let her run around in the hamster ball.

9. Wash your hamster's cage at least once a week. Remove the hamster to a safe location and dip the cage in water that has a few drops of household disinfectant added to it. Wipe out any debris, dry the inside and add clean bedding before replacing the hamster.

10. Remove any uneaten fruits and vegetables after two days. Fresh foods that turn moldy can make your hamster sick.

11. Don't bathe your hamster. Hamsters clean themselves. If you think your hamster smells bad, the odor is probably coming from dirty bedding. Clean the hamster cage more often.

12. Take your hamster with you or find someone to take care of him if you are going on vacation for more than three days

*Hamsters - Pro's and Con's*

A hamster is as good a pet for a child of any age as a dog is. A dog may be bigger but the treatment a dog and a hamster require is much the same.

Dogs need to be loved, cared for, fed and cleaned. They also require human contact on a daily basis. Okay, you don't need to take your hamster for a walk to the park and play fetch with it but you do need to train it enough to let it be able to run around in the yard a bit (supervised of course). Obviously, hamster need to be loved, cared for, fed and cleaned just like dogs do. Only difference is, a hamster is small and so is it's habitat. I guess that is a pro.

A con would have to be the actually cleaning. Although the enclosure in which it is kept may be small, you will need to give things like walls a good clean as well as changing its bedding etc. You must check its water and food bowls regularly because the last thing you want is for your child to check on the hamster a few days later and find it flat on its back, legs in the air. Hygiene is important (not just for the hamster's sake, but for the owner's too).

As long as you are willing to put in the type of effort that you would with any other pet, a hamster is just as ideal as a pet for a child as any other. The best thing about them is that they are little, not all too intimidating for a child and, well, they're cute!

One last tip I have for you is, as far as I know, female rodents are supposably more cleaner than the males (no offence guys). So, it's probably best that you invest in a female hamster rather than a male. You don't want the smell of male B.O radiating from the hamster enclosure, now do you?

*Hamsters - Teaching Tricks*

1.When you bring your hamster home, leave it alone for a couple of days so he/she can get comfortable with its new habitat. This will teach it that you won't push the hamster into something it doesn't want to do. Also, make sure that your hamster's food dish is filled when you put it in the cage. Don't leave the hamster in his ball (if you have one) too long, or he/she might go to the bathroom in the ball and it will go through the cracks!

2. Get them use to the sound of your voice by reading a book or singing a song to them. This will let them feel comfortable and secure when they hear your voice.

3. Put a sunflower seed or a hamster treat in your hand and then lay it flat in the cage. Wait patiently for your hamster to climb on your hand and then take the treat, do this for about an hour. Your hamster, however, might grab your finger instead and bite it. Now this time, when the hamster climbs on your palm, slowly lift him out of the cage and stroke his/her fur. This teaches him that you love him/her and he/she can trust you. Eventually he will climb on your hand and will be waiting for you to pick him/her up.

4. Teach your hamster some tricks. This will not only give you a bond, but it will make your hamster respond to you better.

Start simply with "stand". Hold a treat over his head and wait for him to stand on two legs. Say "stand" over and over. He will get on two feet and take the treat. After a while when you say "stand," he/she will do it on it's own. Don't forget to reward him or her!

5.You can do the same thing with other tricks like "paw," only put the treat in front so he will put a paw forward to get it.

6. For "turn" or "roll over," put the treat on his back side so he will turn around to get it. Then do the same thing as "stand". Say it and repeat it. Don't use treats until after the trick has been performed and now you have a trained hamster.

7. Train him about what not to do. If he or she chews on something he/she not supposed to, respond with a firm "No". Whenever your hamster does what you ask, give him/her a reward! Try not to make the reward a treat all the time because too many treats is a bad thing.

8. If you want to be a good owner, then get a box a little bigger than the size of a sticky note then fill it with sand. Have your bedding be level with the box so he will be able to climb onto it, Then, the hamster will be able to dig and will love you for it.

9. Teach it how to jump. Put a treat up above the hamster and go up with the treat when she is standing say jump again and again

10. Try giving the hamster a carrot as a treat. Most hamsters like carrots. Do not give carrots to your hamster often, but only once in a while. Your hamster will appreciate a new treat. Hamsters also like plain Cheerios, but do not feed your hamster Honey Nut Cheerios. It contains enough sugar to make you hamster sick or even dead.

-Tips-

Spend time with your hamster every day.

Be consistent in your training.

Always reward your furry friend! Hamsters love it when you give them sunflower seeds, fresh fruits and vegetables as treats for being good.

Keep the same voice tone when training.

Use the same commands so your hamster will respond better.

Use your hamster's name when talking to him/her.

Vary the treats you give your hamster and how much - to keep them interested!

Hamsters base some of their memory and trust on smell; so if you wish, you can put a small article of your used clothing in the cage with them to familiarize them with your scent.

Take good care of your hamster. Give them lots of love so they will be happy

-Warnings-

Be patient. Hamsters are loving animals and they are trying to listen really hard. Shouting will only make your hamster nervous.

Never shout, turn on music at full blast or put a hamster near a TV since hamsters are sensitive to loud sounds and could even become deaf.

Hamsters are sensitive to strong smells.

Hamsters can bite hard. Be prepared to see some blood on your fingers.

On the first, day leave the hamster alone. It will have a hard time adjusting to your house and won't be able to be trained.

Go easy on green vegetables as treats - if you give them too much they could get diarrhea.

*Supervising your hamster outside it's cage*

1. Let your hamster out of the cage, don't place it on a high source. Often the hamster will be scared and it's first instinct is to run and jump off and go to it's cage.

2. Make sure any exposed outlets are not in use, as your hamster chews on them and may be electrocuted!

3. Make sure everyone in the household knows that your hamster is out of it's cage, otherwise they may open doors or step on the helpless thing.

4. Closed doors do not help; hamsters always have a way of getting underneath doors. Also plug the bottom of doors with a blanket or pillows.

5. Hamsters often move quicker than you can catch up with them. Having them in a hamster ball limits their movement and makes it more fun for them!

6. Clean their cage while they are running around, make sure that you have someone else supervising them.

7.Be sure to not let them near anything on the floor that could not be replaced easily, such as Oriental Rugs.

8. Keep all other pets outside or in another room. Dogs or cats might think that hamsters offer a tasty treat!

9. Don't let them chew on metal, it may be toxic.

10. If you have any clothes on the floor, be sure to pick them up unless you want holes in them!

11. DO NOT let it go close to dark and small tunnels and places. It will want to go inside and it could be lost forever and it will suffocate, starve, and die.

-Tips-

Put some fun things outside of the cage, because then your hamster will look forward to coming out of the cage, and it will be hand-tame because it will know that you will be taking it outside.

Maybe put a teeter-totter or merry-go-round in your room. Hamsters love those!

Remember hamsters love wood so don't leave any wooden toys of yours out!!!

*Hamsters- Biting*

1. Stop a hamster from biting by washing your hands thoroughly before you handle it. Hamsters have relatively poor eyesight, and if you handle a hamster immediately after eating, your pet may confuse your finger with a tasty treat.

2. Avoid handling or picking up your pet hamster while it is sleeping. Remember that hamsters are nocturnal animals, and they will instinctively try to bite you if you disturb them during the day when they are trying to sleep. Try setting a little food in your pet hamster's cage first to see if that arouses its interest, and then pet it gently on its back before lifting it out of the cage.

3. Use a thick pair of gloves to protect yourself while you handle a hamster that is biting you frequently. By allowing the hamster to bite repeatedly without consequence, it will begin to calm down and stop biting as it gets used to being handled. Eventually, the biting behavior while cease once the hamster starts to trust you.

4. Continue to pet and stroke your hamster on its back even as it is biting you. Some hamsters are simply more nervous than others, and it may take a bit of patience on your part to reinforce the bond between you and your pet.

5. Call your pet hamster by its name before you handle it in order to stop the biting behavior. Hamsters can be trained to respond to their names, and if you call out your pet's name before picking it up, it won't be as surprised or annoyed when you put your hand into the cage.

6. Handle your hamster gently at all times. A hamster might bite if it feels it is in danger, especially if you squeeze it or pick it up too quickly. Hamsters are used to being close to the ground and might act alarmed if you're constantly walking around with it in your hands or on your shoulder.

*Hamsters- Feeding*

~Feeding Hamsters - Basics~

The basis of a hamster's diet should be a good quality store-bought food designed specifically for hamsters. Should you choose a pelleted diet or a diet based on a loose seed mix?

~Pelleted Diets~

Pelleted foods offer a completely balanced diet, and for this reason I generally recommend pelleted diets. As explained below, a hamster can be picky iwth loose mixes resulting in an imbalanced diet. However, pelleted diets are a bit monotonous and some hamsters will refuse them. A pelleted mix can be supplemented with a variety of other items, as long as the pelleted food makes up the bulk of the diet to ensure well-balanced nutrition.

~Loose Mix/Seed Diets~

It is important to pick a loose mix diet that contains a variety of foods such as grains and dried vegetables along with some seeds -- and some loose mixed foods also contained a balanced pellet food as part of the mix. As mentioned previously, the biggest problem with loose mixes is that hamsters can pick and choose their favorite bits, which could result in a dietary imbalance. When feeding a loose mix, make sure your hamster empties the food bowl before adding more as this is the best way to make sure your hamster does not just eat his or her favorite parts.

~My recommendation: try to get your hamster to eat a pelleted diet, and supplement it with a vareity of other foods such as human foods. If you like, you can even sprinkle a bit of a loose mix diet in with the pellets to add a bit of variety.

~Fresh Foods and Treats~

You can feed your hamster a variety of human foods, as long as you stick to healthy human foods and limit the treats to no more than about 10 percent of the diet. Skip the the junk food and stick to healthy things like whole grains and fresh vegetables and fruits (in moderation, or diarrhea may result). Store-bought treats such as yogurt drops and honey/seed sticks are generally sugary, and I recommend avoiding them.

~Note: since dwarf hamsters are somewhat prone to diabetes, it is prudent to avoid much sugar in their diet, so avoid fruits as treats for dwarf hamsters.

~Some suggested fruits and vegetables:

apples (no seeds!)

bananas

blueberries

broccoli

carrots

cauliflower

cucumber

dandelions greens

grapes

kale

peas

potato (cooked)

romaine lettuce

spinach

straewberries

sweet potato

squash

~Other treats:

hay

whole grain bread or toast

whole wheat pasta (cooked)

brown rice (cooked)

whole grain cereal (no sugary cereal)

meal worms

crickets or

small pieces of cooked chicken

bit of hard boiled eggs

nuts (no almonds; unsalted)

unsalted peanuts

pumpkin seeds

lentils

sunflower seeds

plain air popped popcorn (no butter or salt!)

Hamsters usually love peanut butter, but it must be fed carefully (as with any other sticky food) because it can get stuck in their cheek pouches and cause severe problems. A very thin layer on a piece of wood is okay as an occasional treat, but peanut butter must be given with caution.

What to Avoid

apple seeds

raw beans

raw potatoes

almonds

citrus fruit

garlic

onions

rhubarb leaves or raw rhubarb

chocolate

any sugary or salty foods

any junk food

*Hamsters- Cleaning*

~Cleaning out your cage

1.Remove your hamster from the cage. Take your hamster out of the dirty cage and put him in another clean, dry area such as a hamster ball or a familiar enclosed space where he can reside until you have finished cleaning his cage.

2. Prepare your cleaning supplies. Fill a sink or bucket with hot water. If need be, use a mild soap such as unscented dish soap and grab a sponge or old toothbrush to scrub the cage with.

3. Dispose of soiled bedding. Dispose of the old bedding by dumping it in a paper or plastic bag, or directly into the trash can.

4. Clean the cage accessories. Remove all non-porous accessories such as any metal or plastic water bottles, wheels, plastic tubes, or food dishes and place them in the hot water. Use a cleaning utensil such as a sponge or old toothbrush to clean all parts of the accessories, especially the inside of any water bottles. If there are tough urine stains or odors they may need to soak for a while. Once they are clean rinse all accessories thoroughly in clean, hot water and either towel or air dry them.

5. Clean the cage itself. Disassemble the cage. If possible, immerse all parts of the cage in the hot water and let them soak. If not possible, fill it with the water or scrub it to the best of your abilities with a cleaning utensil such as a sponge or old toothbrush. Pay special attention to any wire walls, screens, or corners were bacteria may lurk. If there are tough urine stains or odors you may need to let the affected areas soak in the water for a while. You can also sprinkle baking powder over the affected areas to absorb odors. After cleaning the cage thoroughly, rinse in clean, hot water and either towel or air dry the cage.

6. Replace the bedding. Line the bottom of the cage with fresh new bedding. Use about a half an inch of bedding to ensure that your hamster has enough room to burrow and nest. You can also place torn pieces of toilet paper, or paper towel in the cage for your hamster to nest in.

7. Reassemble the cage and accessories. Put the cage and accessories back together and place the accessories back in the cage in their desired place. Refill the water bottle and food dish with fresh food and water and replace any soiled chew toys with new ones.

8. Ensure all accessories are working properly. Check that everything is in working order. For example, make sure that the wheel turns without obstruction and that the water bottle doesn't leak. If the wheel has a problem squeaking, lightly grease each axle with a drop of pet-friendly oil such as vegetable, olive, or food-grade mineral oil applied to a cotton swab.

9. Place your hamster back in its cage. After placing your hamster back in its cage, it may become overwhelmed with its new, clean environment and may need to 'check things out'. It is best to leave your hamster alone for an hour or so upon returning it back to its cage.

~ Cleaning your Hamster

Hamsters themselves do not require baths; in the wild, they bathe themselves in sand. I have tried to introduce my hamsters to chinchilla bath sand, but they do not seem to like it. It is important, if you have a teddybear (longhair hamster) that you brush his hair with a soft bristled brush.

FAQ's

*How can I stop my hamster's wheel from making noise at night?

*Do not take the wheel out, hamster are nocturnal and they need there exercise, removing it at night is a bad idea. Take the wheel you have in now, out and buy a separate metal wheel they are like 5 dollars or so. at first it might squeal so put some oil on it and its good to go (or even just olive oil)

*Can I give my hamster a bath?

*No, because it removes natural oils from their fur

*What kind of toys should I give my hamster?

*You should have chew toys to keep his teeth in order. Seeing as your hamster will be in a cage, you should get it a wheel to excercise (see above). Tunnels can be fun too.

* I have to go away on a trip. Can I leave my hamster with lots of food and water?

*You CAN but it is a terrible idea. Get a hamster sitter, or else take him with you :)