Pets411care Basic Hamster Care

PETS411CARE Basic Hamster Care
Love your hamster with proper care.

A pet hamster is a comment. It is very important to take real good care of your hamster.Hamsters are great pets to have. They do require a lot of care. Hamsters live up to three years. There are different species of hamsters that come in many different colors. Baby hamsters are called pups. There are short hair and long hair hamsters. Hamsters are apart of the rodent family.

Always remember that your veterinarian is your best source of information on your animal’s health care.

FOOD AND WATER:

Hamsters need proper food and fresh water daily.

Your hamster will need fresh clean water everyday. It is also very important to wash the water bowl or water bottle out because bacteria and algae can grow in a water bowl or bottle. Bacteria and algae can lead to health problems which can lead to a huge medical bill. Just by taking the time and providing your hamster with a clean bowl or bottle of fresh water you will help keep him or her healthy. Water is the most important thing in any animal’s life. Use distilled water if you are unsure of the bacteria or chlorine levels in your tap water.

You can get a water bottle from the pet store. If you use a bowl you will need to clean it everyday because they do go to the bathroom in the water.

Hamsters eat anything from meats, vegetables, fruit, to nuts. Carrots are good treat to give your hamster because hard foods help their teeth. Hamsters love hard bowled eggs. Watermelon rinds are high in nutrition, so they make great treats on hot days. Put fresh grass in the cage everyday and take the old grass out.
Pet stores carry hamster food with nutritional pellets.

Treats need to be limited- hamsters can die at a young age from obesity. It is a good idea to keep their food portions small.

Day old food that was not eaten should be removed from the cage to prevent any illness.

Don’t feed:
Orange or anything citrus
Nothing with mold on it.
They do not eat cheese.
No peanut butter it is every bad for them.
No chocolate
No milk

HOUSING AND BEDDING:

You will need a good size cage because hamsters can grow up to 18 inches.
Hamsters do better in wire cages. Aquariums don’t provide proper ventilation, so your hamsters will be more susceptible to illness. You will find that you will need to clean the aquarium more frequently too.
You will need a 3/4 inch x 3/4 inch wire mesh cage. A cage about 3x3 feet the least or bigger, bigger the cage the better, 16 gauge mesh (galvanized steel mesh).

Nest Box
A nest box should be provided, store-bought or home made. A cardboard box makes a good nest box, although they chew them up and urinate on them. So you will need to replace cardboard boxes often. Cardboard boxes are great to keep your hamster busy as he or she shreds it to pieces.
Hamsters love hanging pouches for sleeping in.
Big coffee cans and baskets work great. Some people use clay pots.
Some pet stores carry real nice nesting homes for hamsters.

They will need bedding. They love to shred paper. You can put grass or rose petals which help the cage to smell nice.
Cloth can be used for bedding like an old T-shirt.
Letting your hamster tear the bedding up gives them something to do. They know just how they like their bedding to be.

Hamsters get sick very easily from a dirty cage. Their cage needs to be cleaned every week. Hamsters themselves are generally quite clean, and you will see them cleaning themselves on a regular basis.

Do not put pine and cedar in your hamster’s cage. They cause heath problems for the hamsters.

HOLDING AND HANDLING:

Don’t grab your hamster by the middle of their waist cup both hands under your hamster to pick him or her up. Hamsters do not have long tails like other rodents.

VETERINARIAN AND HEALTH:

One of the first things you should do when you first get a hamster is set a veterinarian appointment and give the hamster a complete check-up.

Talk to your veterinarian about nutrition.

Your hamster should get regular veterinarian check-ups just like any other pet.

If your pet is showing any signs of distress or you suspect your pet is seriously ill, CONTACT YOUR VETERINARIAN immediately.

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PLAY TIME AND TOYS:

Hamsters are so intelligent that they need something to stimulate their mind or something to play with. To keep your hamster mentally healthy you need to get them toys. They need stuff to chew and to climb on.

Ropes are a great toy for the cage. Having a rope tied from one end of the cage to the other gives your hamster something to climb on.
The same toys sold for a parrot are great for a hamster.

To keep your mouse fit you will need an exercise wheel. Wheels come in different sizes, and plastic or metal.

TRAINING

You should take your hamster out everyday and hold him or her. At first your hamster will pee and poop on you because it’s scared, but after some time has gone by your hamster will learn that you are not going to hurt it. Then you will really be able to enjoy the interaction you have with your hamster. Hamsters can learn to come when they are called and they do learn tricks. By working with your hamsters you are providing them with mental stimulation that is very important to your hamster’s mental health.

Once your hamster is trained you then can let him or her out of the cage for a little bit of exploring time. You will need to keep watch over them while they romp around- there are several things that a hamster could get into around your home that is dangerous, so please keep an eye on them.You should limit the area that they can explore.

Some people set up a whole room just for their hamsters to play in. They cover the plugs and any holes, since hamsters can get through just about any hole. They will even make their hamsters a jungle gym.

Don’t ever hit your hamster. Learn to be patient with your hamster.

The training does not happen overnight it takes time.

COMPAIONSHIP:

You will need more then one hamster.
Hamsters are social animals so you should buy two or more hamsters of the same sex to live together. Males get along with other males they where raised with or their brothers. So buy the males young and at the same time. Females get long even if they were not raised together.

BEFORE GETTING YOUR HAMSTER
Make sure you have everything on the list.

SHOPPING LIST:
Water
Water bottle
Food
Food bowl
Wire cage (a very big one)
Nesting box or can (their little house)
Hanging pouch
Nesting material
Rope and toys
Another hamster to be their friend
Treats
Get the hamsters checked out by a veterinarian

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ONE LAST TIP…
The whole family should help in the care of a hamster.

There are many great books that give more detail on the proper care of hamsters. This web page only gives the basic on hamster care. You will need a book on hamsters that provides more detail information. Click Here!

Do you have some hamster tips or stories to share? Just fill out the form below.

Hamster Tips or Stories
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