Hamsters as pets?

Question

I am wanting to get a hamster but I would like to know what hamster owners think about them: pros vs cons, which breed is best, male or female, cages, food, litter, EVERYTHING! I've had gerbils, rats, rabbits, and guinea pigs, is a hamster simular?

How much would you say it costs to have one each year?

Answer 1

There are five species of hamsters commonly kept as pets, Syrians (the largest), Campbells dwarves, Winter White dwarves, Roborovski dwarves and Chinese. I have seen them all available in the pet stores in my area. The Chinese hamsters are illegal to own in California.

I breed hamsters for show and with the hundreds of hamsters and thousands of pups I've had in the last few years I been bitten less than 5 times. I've been breeding Syrian hamsters up to this point but have just bought a pair of each of the dwarf species. I know that the Campbells dwarves you find in the pet stores can have significant temperment problems. I would suggest that you locate a breeder close to you if you decide to get one. Campbells and Winter Whites also run a high risk of developing diabetes. If you're looking for a hamster more to watch than to hold then I'd suggest the Roborovski dwarf. They are very cute and fun to watch, but being the smallest of the five species, they are fast and can be hard to hold onto. Roborovski's biting is unheard of.

As far as cons go, I'm biased. I think with five species you can find one that fits what you're looking for. If you want one to cuddle and sit in your hand for an hour, then get a Syrian. Males are a bit more laid back and females are more active.

As far as cages, I have found that the Sterlite plastic bins they sell at Walmart are perfect. Many of hamters don't need the top on it. If they do need the top because they climb out, I just cut a large rectangle in the middle of the lid with a utility knife. The bins are lightweight and easier to clean than any other cage. Get the taller bin so an exercise wheel can still fit in the cage. Make sure you get a chewproof water bottle or one with a chew guard as well. Any bedding but cedar shavings is okay to use. I've heard that pine is bad also but I've used it for years with no problems.

You can find commercially produced hamster food anywhere. I'd recommend the more expensive blends as they will have more variety. I feed my hamsters a lab block by Purina Mills called RMH 3000 and a seed/nut/grain blend I have mixed for me at the feed mill. I am buying for more than one hamster though so what I feed to mine would not be economically feasible for you to feed.

A hamster is their own species. I breed both hamsters and gerbils and I do prefer the hamsters. I have no experience with rats so I don't know how they compare. Gerbils are more active than hamsters.

Check out the Hamsters Galore message board, there's a pretty long list of breeders there. Also check out the Pet Website for photos and information on the different species. Syrian hamsters are solitary and can only be housed one per cage (even though the pet stores don't sell them this way).

Good Luck!
-Janice

Answer 2

I am a hamster owner and breeder. Hamster are nothing like guinea pigs or any animal for that matter, they have their own personality and their own ways. Thye sleep by day and play by night. They can carry an odor, just as any animal can. As for best breed, all of them will nip, or bite, if they are nto handled from real tiny. The younger you get them, the better. They need lots of exercise and play area. They are cheap to feed. Hamsters are happiest, living by themselves and not with another hamster. They will fight and kill each other unless you intend on breeding them, even then, one may be more aggresive than the other. When selecting a cage, you will want to make sure that it is sealed and enclosed. Their bodies are like mice, they can squeeze through any small opening that they can stick their head into. You can litter train a hamster if you see which side of the cage they are relieving themselves, you can put a hamster litter box in there and they will use it. I use fine shaved aspen bedding. It doesnt have the strong scent of cedar or pine, which is not fgood for their respatory. I but the hamster mix for their food at wal-mart for 2.97 a bag, and that last for 1 hamster for a very long time. Same way with the bedding. You can buy a compressed 5.0 cubic foot bag for 5.49 at wal-mart and that will last you a very long time. As for breeds, the best that I can say there, is that I do know the dwarfs are much more aggresive, so I would suggest to stay away from them if you intend on handling them. When selecting a hamster, I would try looking for a private breeder. The ones in the pet stores unbfortunately do not get handled, may be breed already if its a female, and they could also be sick, but not showing signs yet. They are usually kept all together and come from breeding farms where they do nothing with the animals but breed them. Buying one from a private breeder will give you the chance to talk to them about the animal, see it, see how it is raised already, and it will also be cheaper. Good luck and holla if I can help with any other questions about hamsters.

Answer 3

I think gerbils are better than hamsters, but hamsters are definitely 2nd best if you want to own a rodent. It's best to get a male in my experience. I've had about 12 hamsters and 2 or 3 have been girls. The girls aren't as friendly as the males. I used a crittertrail cage, it had 2 stories and a wheel in it, my hamster adored it. I just use regular cedar woodchips, because that's what has worked for me, but I'm sure there's much better stuff out there if you have the money. I buy Kaytee food or however you spell it. Hamsters aren't picky. They're good to have for children because they require very little care, and anytime you want to play with them... there they are. My hamster died about a month and a half ago, but he lived about 4 years and he never even tried to bite me, so he was a very very great pet, and in the 4 years I had him I never once felt like he was too much work. There's really no con to owning a hamster. Cages can be a little pricey, but that's the worst thing and you only have to buy one once. I spoiled my hamster though, so I probably spent about $200 on cages, upgrading them and stuff. Try to buy him a big plastic ball so that he can run around outside his cage, my hamster loved that.

Don't handle the hamster in the first 24 hours you have it, because it can stress it out and cause it to get wet tail. Wet tail is like diarrhea and it kills them. After that make sure you do handle the moften to socialize them. It's best to get a young one because older ones will take longer to get used to you, and may never come around totally to trust you. Do NOT get a russian dwarf hamster... the very small ones. They're really mean. I had a syrian hamster, and I've had teddy bear hamsters. The nicest ones I've had have been syrian hamsters, so that's the breed I advise.

Answer 4

Hamsters can be fun... I'd compare them more with a rat or gerbil than with a pig or bunny though.

As long as you clean the cage out regularly, they don't smell. Finding a friendly one can be a challenge though. I never had a problem down in California, but once I moved to Washington, it was YEARS before I found a nice one! They were all just MEAN! If you get a baby, handle it DAILY. If you get an older one... be sure to handle it in the store to make sure it's not totally afraid of being handled.

I personally prefer males... of all the numerous hamsters I've had, the males were always more friendly. I prefer the teddy bear ones (long haired) over the goldens... goldens were always less friendly in my experience. I've heard the dwarfs are VERY difficult to tame and VERY prone to bite.

Cage... I prefer wire cages that take tubes/tunnels. We have a CritterTrail3 and just connected a S.A.M. plastic cage to it... which gives Nibbles much more room. The wire cages are a MUST if you live where it gets hot. I had many a hamster die of heat in plastic cages (we didn't have AC).

Any other questions... feel free to email me. :)

Answer 5

Hamsters can be fun pets, but sometimes they can be trouble-makers. If anything, they're escape artists. They'll usually try to find a way to get out of whatever you plan to put them into, and sometimes, they'll manage a way out. Hamsters also don't have too lengthy of a lifespan in comparison to other animals. The average should live for a couple years. A hamster should require just as much attention as the rest of the pets you said you had. I'm not quite sure what breed is the best, but I think the caramel brown colored hamsters are the coolest.

Answer 6

pretty much the same as the ones you've had. cadge has to be cleaned at least once a week(not just changing the bedding, you have to actually wash the thing in a bath tub(after dumping out the bedding)). i find doing this is easier if you let the hamster run around in the ball while you clean the cadge don't wake them up if they are sleeping because its bad for them and they get mad, never put two in the same cadge, make sure they get exercise in a ball for at least 20 minutes, several times a week.

if it gets out, close all the doors in your house and go into each one individually and thoroughly check it to see if they are in it. if not, place a carrot or a treat in the middle of the room and after you check all the other rooms and place treats in them, come back to see if the hamster has eaten any of it.

if you find it in a room, close the door and walk it into a corner and GENTLY pick it up. never drop it or squeeze it



they are really fun and you should'nt have a problem if you have sucsessfully owned all of the pets you say you have.

hope this helps!

Answer 7

There are some similar traits between them. Full size hamsters are not social with others. They live by themselves for their 1-5 years of life. Males I find live a little longer but are sometimes more territorial. Females are fine however when they go into season(heat) it smells. It lasts for about a week every two weeks. I find for the bedding that pine is nice if you mix it with some fine shredded paper. About 50/50 mix. good luck

Answer 8

get a pair of rats. hamsters may be cute (rats are cute as well) but they sleep all the time, they tend to be really grouchy if you wake them up, they bite (you are more likely to be bitten by a hamster than a rat), and most hamsters tolerate being held while rats actually want to be with you owner of 5 male rats, tamaki 3 years 1 month old bailey 1 year 3 months old beezley 1 year 3 months old gizmo 1 year 3 months old dylan 1 year 3 months old none of them have ever bitten me

Answer 9

Hamsters r sooo cool! i have 1 and they r so sweet and kind. i think females r better and more playful. a russian dwarf hamster is the best thing to great 4 a first time hamster owner

Answer 10

Hamsters seem 2 nip abit more then other pets like rats gerbils etc..! but if looked after they make just as gd pets!