what are some common things that people forget regarding hamster care?

Question

I have a hamster and it's kinda new for me, I don't want to forget anything that could be fatal especially.

Answer 1

Hamsters love insects, buy them some meal worms as treats. They will also take dust baths, you can buy special sand at pet stores and put it in empty margarine containers.

Answer 2

many of the things suggested here are good. never use cedar or pine bedding - only caregresh and/or apsen. the oils can cause them to have skin irritation or breathing problems. make sure th a cage is big enough - if its an aquarium it needs to be at least 30 inches long and have a wheel and other items for climbing. if its a cage they are never this long so u can buy 2 and connect them with tubes. if they chew on the bars for more than 30 seconds they are bored and want a bigger cage or out. u can buy them a hamster ball and let them run til they stop sometimes 2 hrs. make sure to put tape on the lid cause they often pop open. do not feed them citrus or lettuce. do not disturb them when they are sleeping which stresses them. too much stress can cause them to die. careful when holding them as a fall is often fatal. best to sit on a couch or floor when holding them. one hamster per cage if yours is a syrian- they are loners and territorial. u wont forget to clean the cage because im hoping u will be looking inside it daily and u will see when there is a corner that is getting too wet. u can scoop out that corner and just add more there instead of cleaning the entire cage so often. when u do clean the entire cage - no bleach but vinegar & baking soda work well. rinse very well when done. email me anytime if u have more questions.

Answer 3

Remember to clean the cage regularly and get rid of all the old food. It can stay hidden in the cage and mold, if feeding fresh fruits and vegetables and that can be harmful to the hamster. Make certain that is has fresh water daily. You can get holders that will hold water for days but it gets stale and don't you like fresh water to drink? The hamster is the same way. Always shut the cage up good and tight. They can get out of a hole the size of a dime and then they can be very very hard to find. Good luck

Answer 4

Remember to clean the cage regularly and get rid of all the old food. It can stay hidden in the cage and mold, if feeding fresh fruits and vegetables and that can be harmful to the hamster. Make certain that is has fresh water daily. You can get holders that will hold water for days but it gets stale and don't you like fresh water to drink? The hamster is the same way. Always shut the cage up good and tight. They can get out of a hole the size of a dime and then they can be very very hard to find. Good luck

Answer 5

Don't forget to clean it's cage Once a Week!! Write it down some were if you tend to forget things!! Like on the Fridge were you will see it everyday!! People forget to clean there cage because it's easy for time to go by so fast and you just forget!! If you don't clean it Once a week the hamster can get sick and it will die .! The cage gets wet and they can get WET TAIL which is deadly!! To prevent this you have to clean the cage Once a WEEK!! keep the cage dry, Don't let the Water Bottle drip inside the cage either!! Get one that does not drip!!! Don't put him near a draft were cool air will hit him either and don't put his cage in a window were the sun shines on him, that can get him to hot and he'll die! Don't get him wet! Good Luck !

Answer 6

Hamsters are generally pretty easy to take care of, I'm sure you'll do fine.
Here's a basic list of stuff you should have (other than cage):
-Water bottle
-Food Bowl
-A house/den/hidey home
-A wheel with a solid base or at least a mesh one. Bars are not safe.

Other toys you could use:
-some bird toys are good for small animals (ask at the store)
-toys made for small animals
-Cardboard tubes
-Cardboard boxes (cut holes in them for entering and exiting, but make sure there's plenty of them)

Clean the cage once a week or so, make sure he always has fresh food and water. I would invest in a "bottle brush" and scrub out his water bottle once a week or more too. Bottles and bowls are perfect breeding grounds for bacteria. Feed some fresh veggies occaisionally but not too much, too often. Make sure to remove them after about 4-5 hours to prevent them rotting or getting gross.

That's about it really :D

Answer 7

most of the answers that you got look pretty good. but heres one that I saw happen and was tragic. a person that I knew in school got a hamster and bought a nice big habbitrail for it and all the accesories for it,he then placed the new home on the dresser in front of the window . when he came back home to see his new pet he discoverd a baked hamster ,this type of habitat when placed in direct sunlight is just like leaving a pet in a locked car ,the temeratures climb like an oven keep that in mind when you place his home.

Answer 8

Don't forget to change the bedding about once a week. Also, if you have a tap water filter, use the filtered water. If not, buy a gallon of distilled water at your local grocery store (it's cheap).

That way, they're not drinking chlorine and flouride and such that we are used to.

Good luck!

Answer 9

Don't get him a friend. Hamsters fight! Also, handle him a lot to keep him sweet and tame or else they get nippy. If your house gets really cold, he may hibernate. He may look like he's dead, but he's not! Here is a good website: www.hamsters.co.uk/

Answer 10

Never, ever, ever use cedar bedding. I know it smells really nice, but the oil in it can cause severe respiratory problems for small animals. I am getting very sick of seeing it in the small animal aisle at WalMart.
Cedar works great for outside dogs, to keep them flea-free. And it doesn't make them sick.