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This site is last modified on 09/01/2003 |
[breed] [amount] [needs] [food] [health] [holding] [looking after] [babies] Hamsters belong to a group of animals called rodents which include guinea pigs, mice, gerbils, chincillas, porcupines and rats. They have teeth that grow throughout their lives. There are four common breeds of hamsters namely Roborovskis, Winter Whites, Campbells and Syrians. The first 3 types are smaller and are called dwarf hamsters while the Syrians are golden hamsters. Hamsters sleep during day and are active at night. They carry food in their cheek pouches and store this food somewhere to eat later. Hamsters move very fast and may not like to be touched. But if you played with it was young, it will let you hold it. They only bite when they are scared or when they are not held properly, so you have to make sure you don't let them fall or squeezed too tightly. Hamsters can live up to 2 to 4 years, so make sure you are able to take care of them for that period of time and please DO NOT abandon them halfway. [behaviour] [amount] [needs] [food] [health] [holding] [looking after] [babies] All types require almost the same love and care from their owners. There are many colours except the Roborovski which has only one colour [sandy brown]. Smaller hamsters are very active and more fun to look at. [behaviour] [breed] [needs] [food] [health] [holding] [looking after] [babies] Different breeds of hamsters do not get along. Syrian hamsters prefer to live alone in a cage and will fight with any hamsters that come to live with them. However, dwarf hamsters can get along better with their same breed, but there may be some exception as well. If two or more hamsters are living together, provide plenty of hiding places and toys and constantly check for any wounds. [behaviour] [breed] [amount] [food] [health] [holding] [looking after] [babies] Hamsters spend their entire lives in cages so make sure to make them as comfortable and as fun as possible. Newspaper, sawdust and sand are not good beddings while wood shavings and aspen are the best.
[behaviour] [breed] [amount] [needs] [health] [holding] [looking after] [babies] Hamsters, like us humans, need to maintain a balanced diet, so do not feed them only one kind of food. They are omnivores which eat any food containing meat or plant matter.
[behaviour] [breed] [amount] [needs] [food] [holding] [looking after] [babies] If your hamster is sick, you need to take them to an animal doctor, known as a veterinarian. A veterinarian will be able to answer all your questions about your hamster. [behaviour] [breed] [amount] [needs] [food] [health] [looking after] [babies] Young hamsters are more jumpy and difficult to hold, so you have to pick them up carefully by cupping them gently and slowly, and not scaring them, as they might bite. Hold the hamsters over the cage in case it jumps suddenly, it would not be injured. Hamsters hardly stay still, but as they grow older, they may slow down and be easier to hold. [behaviour] [breed] [amount] [needs] [food] [health] [holding] [babies] Their bedding needs to be changed weekly and the cage can be washed with water and vinegar to remove stains. You may feed them once a day and the hamsters will store the food in its cheeks or collect it in a corner. Water need to supplied all the time through a water bottle. Hamsters clean themselves with their saliva and paws and you do not really need to bathe them. [behaviour] [breed] [amount] [needs] [food] [health] [holding] [looking after] You should not let your hamsters breed as they can get pregnant when they are 6 weeks old and can have up to 20 babies at a time. It is difficult to find good new homes for all hamster babies. Hamster mothers may eat their young if the babies are sick or when she is disturbed and think she is in danger. So DO NOT touch the babies as this affects the scent of them.
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