to get a hamster. are there any experts out there that could help me figure out before i buy one, which ones are the friendly ones. when they bite it burns quite a bit so i dont want a mean one. and which is more tempremental. male or female?
2007-01-22 13:08:17 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
There are five different species of hamsters commonly kept as pets. The largest is the Syrian hamster. Pet stores often come up with creative names to get more money for them. They will name them- Panda Bears, Teddy Bears, Black Bears, Honey Bears, Hershey Bears, Polar Bears, Goldens, etc.. Don't be fooled by the different names, they are all the same species. There is no difference in temperment just because they're different colors.
Then there are three dwarf species, Campbells Dwarf, Winter White Dwarf and Roborovski Dwarf. Any other name is incorrect. Many pet stores don't even know what they're selling. There are differences between each of the dwarf species.
Finally there is the Chinese hamster. Many people will call it a dwarf hamster but it's not. For some reason these get very still when being held.
Below is a link to the Pet Website. It describes in detail the different species. There is also a hamster forum where you can ask specific questions to hamster owners and experts.
I would also recommend you do an internet search for hamster breeders in your area. Hopefully there are some. Type "hamster breeders (state)" or "(state) hamster breeders" or "(state) hamstery". There are also lists of breeders on Hamsters Galore and the Internet Hamster Association of North America.
A breeder will be able to tell you about the species they breed and can help decide if it's the species for you. A breeder will not charge you more for one color over another. A reputable breeder will be a member of the Internet Hamster Association of North America.
-Janice
www.holmdenhillhaven.com
2007-01-25 10:56:01 · answer #1 · answered by radiocricket 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Panda Bear and Roborowski Dwarfs are all bred for their temperment. I have never been bitten by one of them. The dwarfs tend to be a bit more hyper and territorial, and they are often to hard to hold. I would suggest a Teddy Bear, Golden or Panda Bear.
Do you have a Petland around? We don't have tops on their cages so you can spend the time to see all the hamsters and find out which one is right for you.
2007-01-23 21:21:59 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The dwarf hamsters are extremely cute. I don't know that much about them...my friend had a lot of different dwarf hamsters, I know she had both male and female at one time or another, but neither sex seemed any more agressive than the other. But if you aren't sure about hamsters, guinea pigs are really cute too. I've got one, if you train them good enough they can be the sweetest creatures ever.
2007-01-22 13:17:00 · answer #3 · answered by Alex 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It all depends on the individual hamster and how well you tame it. You have to get a young one and treat it nice so it gets tame and learns to like you.
Teddy bear hamsters, black bear hamsters, and the regular brown and white ones (called Syrian I think) make great pets.
Remember that hamsters are solitary animals. They don't want roommates, some of them really don't like people and they really like to be alone.
Make sure you don't wake the hamster up suddenly, they bite when they are startled awake.
Consider a rat. They love people and are sort of like dogs in rat clothing.
Good luck
2007-01-22 13:42:21 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Have the people at the petstore handle the one you're interested in for a while.. watch how it reacts to him/her.. If it bites right away then tell them you want a different one. I got one that squealed at the petstore lady but didnt bite her. He hasnt bitten me once yet. Just make sure you tell them you want one that ISNT a biter. They'll understand. Some people dont mind training them out of it...some people dont want to deal with it. But even if you fall in love with one and it bites right away, theyre easily trained out of it. You just need to hold them a lot, and dont put them back when they bite you, because if you do they'll learn that once they start biting, you'll put them back, which is what they want. I dont think the male/female part really matters. generally male pets (of most species) are a little more laid back than females but I've had great male hamsters, and great females, so I dont really have a preference. if you get a biter you can always wear gloves until he learns not to bite.
If this is your first hamster, I wouldnt suggest a dwarf. Hamsters in general are small, and quick, and until they get used to you and want to be held, you gotta be fast because they'll run. Dwarf hamsters are smaller, and quicker, and always seem to be more fiesty. Id go for a teddy bear hamster or something that is a little bit bigger, but that's just me.
When youre training your new hamster, keep in mind that you're not scared of him but he's petrified of you, for all he knows you want to eat him for lunch, so patience is a big key. Pretty soon he'll learn that you're great and he'll be begging at the cage door every time you walk in the room, but that wont happen over night. Give him a while to settle in his cage, (couple hours, atleast, let him check everything out) ..Then go over and put your hand in the cage and talk to him gently. If he lets you take him out, great..if not, I wouldnt grab at him just yet, just let him get used to your scent and your voice. You could also try putting yogurt or peanut butter on your hand, as a treat for him that he cant just snatch and run off with..he'll have to sit there and eat it off of your hand, and he'll start to learn that maybe youre not so threatening after all (but dont get discouraged if he wont take treats from you right away)
After a while you'll have to insist that he let you hold him, but he'll probably try to run from you so when you grab him make sure you talk to him first so he knows youre coming (imagine someone grabbing you while you were in a deep sleep, you'd freak out, so would your hamster) and make sure you're gentle about it. keep trying to offer him treats in the mean time. They sell little books at pet stores and walmart that are called my first _____ (fill in the blank, they have them for birds, guinea pigs, rabbits, hamsters, etc) get one for hamsters. Even if its not your first, it'll be helpful for you. Do some research online. (this question was a good start). Get all the information you can, so you're prepared when you bring him home. Good luck with your little hammy!
2007-01-22 13:37:45 · answer #5 · answered by Dani 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Teddy bear and Panda bear hamsters are cuddly and very kind and gentle.
2007-01-22 13:51:54 · answer #6 · answered by Monica H 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
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2016-12-16 15:08:34 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
lol teddy bear hampsters are kewl. females are rowdyer but hampsters are generally borring so it doesnt really matter in the end:)
2007-01-22 13:13:41 · answer #8 · answered by lorneandtee 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋