Cages - Cages should have large amounts of floor space and lots of things to climb on, through and over. There are plenty of store bought cages to choose from but I would avoid any that are plastic and have areas where a hamster can grab hold with it’s teeth and chew to bits. Many people use glass aquariums with a tight fitting lid and other get very creative with home made bin cages.
Just make sure you check the cage often for holes and ‘escape’ routes! They Syrian hamster is a notorious escape artist!
Water bottles - hamsters need access to fresh water at all times. Try to find a way to place the bottle on the outside of the cage with the drinking spout inside through a hole of some sort as these little devils will chew their bottle too! If you can’t hand the bottle on the outside, try to hang it high enough so the hamster cannot reach any part but the drinking spout..
Bowl - heavy ceramic or even metal bowls that cannot be tipped over are fine. Again, hamsters like to chew plastic so avoid those if possible. Ingesting plastic bits can cause great harm.
Some like to scatter the food on the cage floor simulating the need to forage for their food. Just keep fresh fruits and veggies in a separate bowl you can monitor for rot and mold.
Bedding - All bedding should be UNSCENTED. Pine might smell lovely to you but its too strong a scent for the tiny hamster. Scented bedding can cause irritation to skin and lungs. Use a paper based bedding like CareFresh or Megazorb. Kiln dried Aspen shavings are good if you must use wood shavings.
Food - there are loads of commercially prepared available in all pet supplies. Lab blocks made for hamsters are also a good choice. Hamsters will also need a nice variety of treats of fruits, nuts and veggies from your kitchen. Check the hamster food safety chart to see what is safe to give your hamster.
Wheel - hamsters in the wild have been known to travel up to 8 miles per evening foraging for food and a mate. So getting a wheel is not only for your entertainment but to simulate his natural instinct to roam. The wheel should be large enough so that the hamster runs comfortably in it without his back arching at all. At least 8 inches across. Woden Wheel brand is an excellent choice and there are so many more to choose from. Avoid all wheels with rungs on the running surface, axels across the center and ‘side braces’ on the wheel walls where they enter. All of these pose dangers of broken limbs, hair getting caught in the axel and broken necks.
Hamster Exercise Balls - These are debatable in my opinion. Many people use these for their hamsters ‘out time’. This ball provides safety for your hamster so he can exercise in a safe area where there is no danger of him ‘rolling’ down stairs or behind furniture. Other options are pens (see dwarf hamster pens) but you will have to carefully supervise them in an open pen as they can and do escape! Never leave a loose hamster unsupervised and never let your hamster loose among other pets such as dogs or cats!
Houses - The sky and your imagination are your only limits when it comes to houses for your hamster! There are plenty of commercially made hamster homes but any home made house will do as well! Hamsters tend to chew everything to bits so if your hamster is a voracious chewer, you might want to avoid plastic stuff and use wood or cardboard instead. These are easily replaced and give your hamster its need to chew.
Toys - Syrian hamsters will amuse themselves for hours with the right toys! They love to climb and crawl through things and more. So again, you are only limited by your imagination here. Use safe toys as [again] they will chew them to bits! Ingesting plastic can cause great harm to your new friend.
Hamster “litterbox” - A very good way of keeping the cage fresher longer is to provide a small toilet with chinchilla sand or sterilized play sand for your hamster. Hamsters instinctively choose one place to toilet so it is not difficult to get them to use a “litterbox” There are many commercial made hamster size litter boxes available, or simply a plastic bowl or box the right size works very well.
Chew toys - All rodents need something to chew to keep their teeth worked down. There are many types of wooden chews you can buy- the bark bites, or natural apple twigs, are usually better received than the colored, fruit-flavored ones. Dog biscuits and hard bread are also good to provide for your hamster to help maintain his teeth.
* Keep in mind that any items that are chewable will be chewed so choosing your items carefully is a must. It has been known that some animals have had problems with plastic and ingesting the small chewed off bits. If you see your hamster or any other small caged animal chewing too aggressively and it concerns you, take the plastic out, especially the chewed off bits and either replace these things often or find wood or safer items like paper or cardboard to give them.
History
Amazingly enough there are records of the Syrian Hamster (or Golden Hamster as it was then known) that date right back to 1797! However at this time, the discovery was not presented as a new species but appears to have been accepted that the Syrian was the same as the Common European Hamster (at the time this was very common). This discovery was made in Syria in an area known as Aleppo, it appears that every stage of the Syrian hamsters history originates in Aleppo in various times.
George Robert Waterhouse presented the Syrian Hamster as a new species in 1849. From this date many different scientists have made to capture Syrian Hamsters and breed them for scientific experiments. After the first year of successful births, the hamsters were shipped around the world, they were smuggled into England in 1931 and given to someone in the Zoological Society of London.
Behaviour
In the wild the Syrian hamster lives alone in burrows, which are situated a fair distance from any other burrows. As Syrians are extremely territorial should any other hamster try to enter the burrow they would have a fight on their hands (or should I say paws). Syrians like all other hamsters are nocturnal and wake at dusk to search for food, which is carried in expandable cheek pouches.
In captivity the solitary instinct prevails, and they will not normally tolerate a cage mate. However they do live together as babies, but as they mature their solitary instinct develops and they will not normally tolerate a cage mate once they reach approximately 6 – 10 weeks old. As they mature they will start to fight, at first these fights may not be serious but they will increase in severity and frequency. As the fights usually take place at night they often go unnoticed until it is too late and one or both are seriously injured or dead. Due to this the Syrians must be housed separately, rule is simply one cage = one hamster.
Syrians as Pets
Syrians are the most common type of hamster kept as pets. At around 6 – 7 inches in length fully grown they are quite chunky and relatively easy for children to handle under supervision. Supervision for children is a must as Syrians can be quite wriggly and tend to bite if you squeeze them too hard (not surprising as it hurts them). The average life-span is about 2 – 2 ½ years. Syrians are in most cases lovely little things with fabulous temperaments, you do get the occasional grumpy hamster but most when fully tame are sweet little things. Don’t expect them to sit quietly on your hands though, they love to explore and are off like a shot. None of mine ever really sat for a cuddle, although I did get the occasional cuddle if I was lucky. As Syrians are nocturnal and don’t usually wake up until about 11 PM I wouldn’t recommend them as children’s pets, in any case most children don’t have the patience required to play with a hamster.
Teddy bear, Black bear, Alien and European Black Bear Hamsters are all in fact Syrian Hamsters and are all solitary.
Firstly, you need to decide where to get your hamster. If you specifically want a young hamster the best place to go is a reputable breeder. Most hamster clubs have shows where breeders will sell their youngsters, if they don’t someone there will definitely be able to point you in the right direction. It may cost a little more, but good breeders work hard to all but eliminate hereditary diseases, such as diabetes (in dwarfs). The chances of you getting the same courtesy from a pet shop is slim to none (particularly with the larger chain stores). Going to the trouble and (possibly) expense of finding a good breeder is worth it.
My Star was diagnosed with skin cancer (which spread extremely rapidly) at only 3months old. She came from a pet shop and I very much doubt the breeder was ever made aware of her condition. The staff member I informed told me there had been no other complaints and therefore the breeder would not be made aware! If an illness is likely to be hereditary (or come from some sort of breeding problem) the breeder should always be told so they can take appropriate action.
Another great place to go is a rescue centre. There are several hamster rescues around the UK, if you don’t know of any near you, speak with your local vet or hamster club/association, they should be able to give you details of the nearest centres. There are hundreds of hamsters out there that need a second chance at a second home. As a first hamster they may not be the best idea as a great deal of patience is often required. A lot of rescue hamsters are labelled ‘biters’ simply because previous owners haven’t had the patience to tame them properly and rescues don’t have the time. With some tender loving care and patience the majority of these so-called biters become wonderful friends, no more vicious than a fly.
There are downsides to rescue hamster, you rarely know the hamsters age and therefore wont have any idea how long they may be with you. They may come to you with incurable illnesses, or a huge fear of humans (which can take a long time to even begin to reverse). But lets be honest so does a pet shop brought hamster. Adopting a rescued hamster is extremely rewarding, it’s a great thing to know you are their second (or more) chance at a forever home and watching them come out of their shell and learn to trust is incredible. I personally have yet to adopt (my next one will certainly be a rescue) but I know many people who have adopted and got to share their experience. Watching with them as the hamsters became less of a shy little thing and more of the mischievous beings they should be. It’s worth it.
When going to look at hamsters you should look out for unclean or overcrowded cages. The hamsters should be kept in single sex cages (Syrians should really be kept alone) and staff should be able to guarantee the sex, or you may find yourself with a pregnant female. Pet shop hamsters are generally around 5 to 6 weeks old, breeders and rescues will mostly have hamsters older than this. Hamsters younger than 5 weeks old should NOT be sold, if they are being offered at this age, its advisable to walk away. When the hamsters are awake they should ALL be bright eyed, alert and inquisitive. Ideally they shouldn’t be too nervous but in reality many are, particularly rescue hams. If any of them have runny or sticky eyes, runny nose, are sneezing, have a wet or dirty bottom, matted fur, appears lethargic or does not have a firm body then it’s a good idea to avoid this shop as these things indicate a sick hamster. If one hamster appears ill, the rest will be at risk of being ill as well. Moving a hamster to a new home is stressful enough without adding an existing illness to the stress, it all spells trouble and what could possibly be a lethal illness.
Once you have found a breeder, shop or rescue that is up to par, ask if you can handle the hamster of your choice. If this is not allowed, you will not have a chance to properly assess the health and how tame it is and so it is best to avoid this place. If they do allow you to handle it, allow the hamster to come to you, if you reach for it you could scare it. Most hamsters will be right at the front of the tank in a place most likely to get attention, they are extremely curious and will often come straight over. If the hamster is asleep, its better to come back later when its awake (less risk of being bitten), however if this isn’t possible be very gentle when waking it up but don’t actually touch it. If your not gentle or you do touch it there is a good chance of getting a bite for your troubles, simply because you frightened it (although having said that grumpy hamsters do get a little nippy on occasion). Allow the hamster to sniff your hand (keeping your hand flat is a good idea as its harder for the hamster to bite) and if they don’t jump away too much every time you move gently stroke its back. If you and the hamster are comfortable with it, pick the little one up so you can check for injuries and check health. Be careful to make sure you don’t hold it too high as it may jump. I would suggest only holding the ham for a short time, as they quickly decide they want to explore and can easily become a handful, having an escapee in a shop is not a good thing. Besides which if they start running off its easy to scare them a little while your trying to hold on to them.
Please remember that most hamsters, especially those from pet shops will be quite nervous and probably wont like to be picked up, in this case if they allow you to, stroke them gently and check for lumps or injuries at the same time. Try to remember that to a hamster your hand is huge and very scary, until they know through experience that your hand wont hurt them they are likely to be nervous and easily frightened. If you don’t think you have the patience to tame a nervous hamster your better off looking for a friendlier little one. Nervous hamsters can take anything from a few weeks to a few months to tame you simply have to be patient and take things slowly at the hamsters pace. Having said all that, I can almost guarantee you will know which little one is meant for you as soon as you see it. It’s said that it’s the hamster that picks the owner, not the other way round (and it’s the only way to explain why all mine have been mental).
Once you’ve decided which little one is coming home with you, if you haven’t already done so, go home (without the hamster) and set the cage up, arranging to pick up the hamster later on. If your cage is already set up and ready to go you can bring your little one straight home.
If possible bring a section of the actual cage with you; putting the little one straight into its new home will help remove some of the stress. If it’s not possible I recommend investing in a carry case (this is a good thing to do anyway in case of vet trips etc.). Most pet shops will supply thin card carry cases, which hamsters chew their way out of in approximately 10 minutes (5 if your unlucky), so taking your own escape proof carry case is recommended. If the case is clear, for this first ever trip place the case into something (not covering air holes) so it’s dark inside; this helps reduce stress. Inside the carry case should be some bedding, a ‘hidey-hole’ toy and a small amount of food. If you have a long journey make sure you take a water bottle with you or at least some watery food (such as cucumber) that you can offer. You’re all set, pop the hamster inside, firmly close the door/lid and head for home. As for transport for yourself, it’s fine to get the bus, however unless you’re lucky and get a nice quiet bus it may frighten your hamster. .
I took my Star home on the bus, unfortunately it was a rickety old bus that juddered and was very loud and she was rather frightened when we got home. She settled down though after a while in her new cage. Once you get home, don’t delay! Get your new little one straight into the cage and then leave it alone as much as possible. Watching it is OK but be careful, if you seem to be frightening it go away. Remember this is a massive change, not just a whole new (usually much bigger) home to explore but also a horrible journey to get there. This change is very stressful for them and can lead to wet tail, so try to keep stress to an absolute minimum.
The only hamsters that should ever need attention in the grooming department are longhaired hamsters, as their fur drags along the ground and get matted up with floor covering. A daily brushing with an old (clean) toothbrush should get rid of the tangles. Big tangles can sometimes be untangled with a small comb, if not they can be cut out.
You should take great care not to hurt your hamster when grooming particularly when dealing with big tangles. If you have to cut a tangle out, it’s advisable to ask someone to hold your ham. If they are wriggling too much leave it and come back later, if you’re not careful it’s easy to cut skin instead of fur.
The simplest and most effective way of working a daily grooming into your schedule is to incorporate it into a play session. Many people find that while the hamster is very wriggly and eager to explore the first few times, once they get settled into the routine they will sit happily while you groom them, and run off later.
Bathing
NEVER bathe you hamster without specific instructions from a vet to do just this. Bathing removes protective oils from the coat and can leave them susceptible to illness. If it’s ever needed, follow the vet’s directions exactly.
If you must bath them, place a small towel in the dryer beforehand to warm it up a little. This will help dry your little one off quicker and keep them warm. The hamster should be able to stand with its head above water very easily and they should be able to get themselves to dry land. Make sure the water is warm to touch (remember a hamsters skin will be more sensitive than your own) and try to keep any time-spent wet a short as possible. When you remove your little one from the water wrap it up (not tightly) in the warm towel keeping its head free and rub gently to remove the water from the fur. It’s a good idea to keep it wrapped up (if possible) in a warm dry towel for a short while to ensure it’s completely dry.
Never attempt to use a hair dryer or other drying appliance to dry your hamster off. Add lots more warm bedding for the nest so your little one can keep warm. Make sure the cage is placed in a warm room and is well out of any drafts. After bathing the hamster is extremely vulnerable to colds so extra care should be taken.
If you are worried about having to do this, speak to your vet, there may be another way the treatment can be given. If not they will be able to give you pointers on how to go about it.
~ by Joan A Walker ©
Where to put the Cage
Regardless of what type of cage you get, you need to place it somewhere that is off the floor and out of reach of small children and other pets. Make sure its not going to be in direct sunlight or in a draft and finally it needs to be kept in a room of a fairly constant temperature, that isn’t cold. Try not to keep it too near to a radiator as it could get too hot. If you have pets which can climb its best to ensure the cage will be kept in a room those pets (particularly cats) cannot go into.
It may seem like a brilliant idea to keep a hamster in the room you sleep in, but unless you sleep like the dead you can expect several sleepless nights. A hamsters’ favourite pastime is usually chewing bars (or for some, plastic). When they aren’t chewing bars, they’re throwing things around or running on what can be very noisy wheels. After a few sleepless nights even digging in their bedding is unbearable. They make a remarkable amount of noise for such a tiny creature and I have many sleepless nights in my past to prove it. It’s a much better idea to keep them in another room.
Setting up the Cage
Whether you cage is new or used you should always give it a thorough clean it before putting a hamster in it for the first time. The same goes for the toys, if you have new wooden toys, don’t worry about it, however old wooden toys should be thrown away. Its especially important with used cages to remove the previous occupants smell and to ensure there are no germs, which could harm your little one.
With an unused cage I recommend giving the whole cage a good wash in disinfectant, then rinsing well. Dry it off or leave it to air dry and set it up, ready for your new ham. You can do the same with used cages, however I recommend giving them a good scrub to remove old smells, which can be stressful for a newcomer. If you are cleaning the cage after the occupant has suffered with a contagious illness such as wet tail you should give the cage, toys etc a good scrub to remove surface dirt then leave it to air dry. Once everything is dry spray with disinfectant until wet and leave to air-dry again (preferably outside where oxygen and sunlight can do their bit). Rinse well several times while rubbing gently with a clean cloth to remove any harmful chemicals and leave to air dry again. Some disinfectants say there is no need to rinse, however better safe than sorry.
Now that you have the cage nice and clean, if there is any assembly required put the cage together then follow these simple steps:
- If you have a dish of sand or anything that you want to be partially buried place these in the base of the cage.
- Fill the base with bedding (remember no Cedar or Pine), making sure it is deep enough for your hamster to dig in. I usually made it about an inch deep, which also helped protect them from any falls.
- Fill the sand dish and potty (if you have them) with Chinchilla Sand. The deep the better, especially in the sand dish.
- Put all other toys into the cage wherever you like, (they will be moved to more pleasing positions by the occupant later on) don’t forget to add the wheel.
- If you have a little house or igloo, fill this with bedding and place this in the cage as well. I always scattered some bits of bedding around for my little ones to collect up. Don’t be surprised if the bed moves (with or without the house – A few years ago a friends hamster decided to move his bed by getting inside his igloo and walking it across the cage, bedding and all), hamsters will move their beds, if they are too hot/cold or in a draft.
- Put some food in the food bowl and scatter some bits of food around the cage.
- Completely assemble the cage and pop it in its place. Fill the water bottle and add a few drops of vitamins (if you chose to use it). Vitamin supplements are not necessary however, I found them to be very useful especially when my guys were ill. Putting it in the water is the best way of getting it into them. Fix the bottle to the cage in a place the hamster can easily reach it. Run your finger across the tip to check it is delivering water, if not give it a squeeze, dry the end and try again. If you find the bottle is dripping, shake the bottle above a sink, then dry the end. This usually helps to stop the drip, if it doesn’t work, place a small plate or something similar under the bottle to catch the drips, don’t forget to empty it regularly.
- All that’s left is to add the hamster.
You can follow the previous steps for a weekly/fortnightly clean, however you only need to give it a quick wipe over with disinfectant. Weekly cleans where you completely remove old bedding is not strictly necessary. Provided you keep up with daily cleans and the cage does not appear to need a more thorough cleaning, a full clean need only be done once or twice a month. However if your hamster is ill, it’s a good idea to give the cage a good clean as they are getting better, to help prevent the illness re-occurring. Remember if it’s a serious illness such as wet tail, you need to give the cage a very thorough clean as described earlier.
Daily cleaning just requires food and water changes and a spot clean. When spot cleaning remove soiled bedding and replace with clean, paying particular attention to toilet areas. I recommend daily cleaning to keep the cage clean and free from bad smells.
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