does anyone know anything about hamsters?

Answer 1

they live 2-4 years. they're nocturnal. They need a wheel to run on at night. They never sit still in your hands for very long, no matter how tame they are. They'll always eventually find the door of their cage, and rattle it all night long because they want out.

They're little escape artists, gotta make sure their cage is secure. They need to be cleaned once a week. Their diet consists of mostly different kinds of seeds, but I always mix a bag of grainy cereal in with their food (they like the treat, and it makes it last longer) They also like yogurt drops, and fresh veggies and fruits. They need a cage thats atleast part wire. The all plastic ones arent ventilated well at all..plus they like the climbing room. They also love tubes to climb through.

You cannot put 2 hamsters in the same cage. If you put a male and a female together you'll have 40000 babies before you know it. If you put 2 of the same sex , they'll fight constantly as adults..No matter what anyone tells you. they prefer to live alone.

their eyesight isnt that great so its always a good idea to talk to them before you go to pick them up. if you surprise one while its sleeping you might get bit. But who can blame them. I bite too when people grab me while i'm sleeping.

They need things to chew on. they need a nice little hut/bed to sleep in. And they'll turn anything into a bed. Its a good idea to put toilet paper, gift basket paper, small pieces of cloth, etc, in their cage, they'll turn it into a big comfy bed.

They have HUGE cheeks. You'll notice that if you fill their food bowls up and leave for about an hour, and come back, the food bowl will be almost empty. But they dont eat it all. They store it in their cheeks and take it to their beds. (which is why the area they choose to sleep in needs to be cleaned a little more often, they store everything there and it gets stinky quicker than the rest of the cage)..Even though they store most of the food, you should still fill their food bowls up once a day, and make sure they always have water available. I used to have a hamster that went bald as she got older. I'd give her fruit loops and she'd stuff them in her cheeks and I could see them through her skin cus she had no fur to cover up her cheeks. .....it was actually kinda creepy.

They make great pets but you gotta be patient when you train them. talk to them, offer them treats, let them get used to your scent. try to hold them for atleast 20-30 minutes every day so they can get used to you. Even a hamster that bites can be trained out of it, it just takes a little longer. If one does bite you, dont freak out, and dont put it back. It'll learn that all it has to do is bite you to get you to put him back.

pet stores and stores like walmart sell these thin books called my first hamster (they have my first parakeet, my first guinea pig, my first rabbit, etc, the list goes on) its just a basic guide for your first pet. I'd suggest picking one up just so you have an idea of what you're getting into. Theyre pretty cheap, 3-6 dollars or so. Good luck!


Also--for the person who said dwarf hamsters tend to be a little meaner -I think they're probably right.. I dont know what they did to them but those little things are fiesty and everyone I know who had one didnt like it too much because they were kind of little jerks. Maybe they can be trained to be nice, it might just take longer..I dont know, Ive never had one..but I'd stick with a teddy bear hamster or something like that. Theyre bigger and sweeter

Answer 2

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. The Campbells and Winter Whites are having a significant problem with diabetes. It has been observed that 30-50% of the Campbells at the chain stores have tested positive for diabetes before being sold. The pet stores are not testing them but a few members of a hamster club are. Those are just the ones that have early onset diabetes as opposed to late onset. There is no way to detect that once they've left the store. Also many of the pet store dwarves have temperment issues. This is due to the way they are commercially bred. The Campbells and Winter Whites also have been hybridized by the commercial breeders. There can be several genetic consequences to this. If you're considering a dwarf then I strongly recommend a breeder.

Finally there is the Chinese hamster. Many people will call it a dwarf hamster but it's not. These have a more mouse-like appearance. They also have a 2 cm tail that's slightly prehensile.

Winter Whites, Roborovski and Chinese hamsters may be hard to find.

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
http://www.holmdenhillhaven.com

Answer 3

Make sure you know what your getting. Everyone is drawn to those cute little dwarf hamsters, but the majority of them that I've seen are mean... I have a panda bear hamster and its cute and its nice, I've had it for a while and I think it only bit us once or twice. another thing make sure you know whether your getting a male or a female especially if your planning on getting more hamsters. cause if you don't know and you have a male and a female in the cage together one day you'll go to pick your cute little hamster and there will be a bunch of babies hanging from its stomach... happened to a friend of mine.
I also had a black bear hamster but he got sick and died :( ... and I had gerbils... but gerbils are crazy. I like hamsters better.

Answer 4

A small Eurasian rodent of the subfamily Cricetinae, especially Mesocricetus auratus, having large cheek pouches and a short tail and often kept as a pet or used in laboratory research. They are small, cute and cuddly. Usually brown. Full of energy. Die in a few years.

Answer 5

They like lots of paper, They love to roll around in the hamster balls clear ones are the best then they don't have to work so hard to see out. They also like cardboard to chew on like soda packs. They are not kin on the idea of being held very much.

Answer 6

What do you need to know about hamsters? Know some. Can try to help.

Answer 7

They are cute but watch out for those teeth! They need clean bedding, plenty of water and fed correct food. The mother sometimes eats her babies. They also need toys for exercise. They like spinning wheels.

Answer 8

seems dani summed it all up we had 7 litters of them lol my daughter had alot of fun we sold them to pet shops and she loved it careful if you have a basement we did have a few die somehow they fell downstairs and drowned in the septic thing in a basement

Answer 9

i know alot about hamsters i have had soo many and they have lived happy heathy long lives my e-mail is [e-mail]

Answer 10

yes they live 2-3years usually, come in lots of co lors, solitary, need clean cage and fresh water. teddy bears are easy to handle and blackbears.