I want a...?

Question

....HAMSTER!!!!! but my mom wont let me!!! if u have a hamster or if u know about them, could u tell me how2 care 4 them....so i can prove my mom wrong!!! Ant tips????

Answer 1

You first should decide what breed of hamster you want. I've bred BlackBear hamsters and they are really cool. Teddy bear hamster are really mellow. Personally I don't reccomend getting a wire cage because they chew on the bars and it is dangerous. All you really need is:
-A 10 gallon aquarium
-hamster food
-water bottle
-wheel
-some sort of tunnel(papertowel roll is fine)
As long as you play with it every day, a hamster is a really cool pet. When you go to the pet store, be sure to ask them if you can hold your hamster before you buy it. This way you can get a sense of it's personality.


Housing-
There are three main types of commercial hamster housing available: wire cages, plastic cages, and aquariums. A wire cage with horizontal bars 1/2 to 3/4 inches apart works well for Syrian hamsters, as hamsters like to climb and will use the walls for climbing. Avoid the kind with a grate in the bottom as these are just more difficult to clean and uncomfortable for the hamsters.

Aquariums are also acceptable, especially for dwarf and Chinese hamsters. They are fairy easy to clean, but have less air circulation and ventilation, and do not offer the opportunity to climb on the walls. A secure cover must be used to prevent hamster escapes and other pets from accessing the hamsters.

Modular plastic hamster habitats (the type with multiple tunnels and chambers) are nice for providing exercise and entertainment, but can be challenge to ventilate adequately and clean well. In addition, many golden hamsters get too large for the tunnels, although dwarf hamsters have no difficulties. Also keep in mind that hamsters can chew through plastic so if there are any edges or ridges they can start chewing, they could easily escape.

Bedding
Most owners use wood shavings to line the cage, but avoid cedar shavings - aspen or other hardwood shaving are the preferred choice as even pine shavings may emit irritating aromatic oils. Other bedding options are available (see "Top Ten Alternatives to Cedar and Pine." The bedding should be changed weekly, but most hamsters use an area of the cage for a toilet and this area can be cleaned more frequently to help keep the cage clean. Hamsters like to burrow, so provide a good depth of shavings for them to dig in.

The placement of the cage in the home should also be carefully considered. Since hamsters are nocturnal, their setting should be fairly quiet during the day. However, they shouldn't be so far out of the way that they do not have opportunities for social interaction in the evening when they are active. The cage should be away from direct sunlight or heat sources, and also free from drafts, and should be raised of the floor on a shelf or table.

Furnishings
A nesting box should be provided, which can be store bought or as simple as a cardboard box (which will have to be replaced regularly). Provide soft such as strips of facial tissue or soft paper towels The nest material should be cleaned out only every month or two as needed (more frequent changes may be too disruptive to the hamster). However, regular checks and removal of any stored food materials is recommended.

Hamsters need the opportunity to chew, burrow, and get exercise. Almost all hamsters will use a hamster wheel enthusiastically (a solid surface is easier on their feet). Also provide some tunnels or tubes (paper towel or toilet paper), fresh branches (willow, or fruit wood; pesticide free), small cardboard boxes, and blocks of wood etc. for climbing and gnawing.

For water, a water bottle with a dispenser is preferred as it can't tip and keeps the water clean. A shallow food bowl of ceramic or porcelain is the best choice as they are difficult to tip and easy to clean.

Answer 2

My mother was always the same way- dead against any kind of rodents. She did not want them escaping and chewing up out wiring and burning the house down. (Your mother may have similar fears) Then I found an incredibly escape-proof cage- and now I have one.
Hamsters are not very hard to keep at all, and they are very fun to hold or watch. Syrians are more people friendly, but you can only keep one in a cage, because they fight with other hamsters. They need an exercise wheel, and a 'cave', and things to chew (toilet paper tubes, fruit tree branches, hamster chew blocks) and they need a rodent water bottle. Bedding (synthetic or wood shavings but not cedar) must be 'freshened' (feces removed) daily and changed weekly. They are not as messy or smelly as mice, in my experience.
Ask your mother why she objects to having a hamster- does she fear that it will escape? Get a good cage, such as a glass tank or an old-fashioned one. Does she hate/fear rodents? Hamsters are almost tailless, and some people find them more appealing in appearance than mice or rats or gerbils. Does she expect a smell? Clean cage frequently.
Good luck!

Answer 3

Hampsters are relatively easy to care for. It is important that they always have clean bedding. When I had them I would change the bedding one to two times a week. They also tend to pick one area of there home to use as a latrine. This area needs to be cleaned out every day. An exercise wheel in the tank is a must. Fresh food and water everyday is also a must. You can also give them little treat like lettuce and carrots etc, but not too much because they can get the runs.
If you want to tame and keep it tame, you should play with him for awhile everyday. They are loads of fun to play with and one of my favorite things was to put mine in a hamster ball and let him run all over the house.
If you have cats, make sure they cannot get into the tank or your hampster will not last long.
They are cute and fun pets, and easy to care for first pets.
Don't push your mom too hard though because it is not worth getting in trouble over. If she says no, it is no.

Peace and luck

Answer 4

You can never prove moms wrong....It's impossible. If your mom says its OK though, you could have a friend lend you a hamster to SHOW your mom you can care for a hamster.
If your mom still won't let you get a hamster after a week or so with the friends hamster, you probably won't be getting a hammy. Hammys are the easiest, cheapest pets out there besides bugs and they need little attention.(I left my hammy alone for one day and a half to go to St. Louis and he was fine.)

Answer 5

Yeah, hamsters are great, except when they get really ill. I once new someone who had a hamster that got really ill, started smelling real bad, and passed a horrible illness onto the whole family. They eventually put it in a plastic bag until it stopped breathing. The heath authorities then took it away and burnt for heath and safety reasons.

Apart from that, they're great.

Answer 6

I have a hamster. I've had him about 3 years. He's so good, and easy to take care of and clean. They're very cheap, you can spend $10 a month on them and they'll still be happy. They're the most low maintenance animal you can get.

Answer 7

ask your mom to take you to the library... to check out a book on the care and feeding of Hamsters.... You won't prove her wrong, (Mom's just say NO sometimes...) but you CAN show her that you are willing to LEARN what it takes to care for one BEFORE you actually get to get one.... and after reading it... you may not WANT one so much. they are cute as can be, but take a little more care than sticking food in the bowl every day.

Answer 8

When I was smaller I had a hamster. He was pretty easy to take care of. All I had to do was feed him and put him in his little ball for excersize. And that's all I did. But I think my mom had to clean the cage, but the most important thing is to be careful not to drop him/her!

Answer 9

if your mom says no, no means no

do research, (ie, google, your library) if you show her you know how to take care of one, maybe you can change her mind

Answer 10

they smell and the death is a SSSSSSUUUURRPIIIISSSEEE