i just got a black bear hamster.im tring to find some information on it. does anyone have any suggestions.?

Question

help me and my hamster please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 1

There are five species of hamsters commonly kept as pets. Only two of them have the same gestational time. The five species are: Syrian, Campbells Russian Dwarf, Winter White Russian Dwarf, Roborovski Dwarf and Chinese. A Syrian hamster is what pet stores always incorrectly sell as "Teddy Bears", "Black Bears", "Calicos", "Panda Bears", etc.. The pet stores create these "fancy" names to sell them for more money but they are all the same kind of hamster. Much like a chocolate lab, black lab and yellow lab are all the same. Or a blonde haired girl is the same as a brunette. Hamsters are the only species that I am aware of that has this problem. It is so exaggerated that most people think a "Teddy Bear" hamster is a different species than a "Black Bear" hamster. Saying that a black bear nips less than a golden just isn't true. It's the individual personalities of the hamster that are different, and those have nothing to do with the color or length of their fur.

The basics are pretty simple and you can that in any hamster book, just go to the library and you'll find a ton. I love the book Hamsterlopaedia by Chris and Peter Logsdail and Kate Hovers. It is very informative though I am a show breeder and purchased it for chapters pertaining to show and found it lacking in that area.

The articles on the California Hamster Association website are also excellent. They are written by other expert breeders.
http://www.geocities.com/calhamassoc/Newsletter.html

Here's a great new idea for cages, many breeders, including myself, are now using these:
http://www.geocities.com/calhamassoc/FeatureBin.html

Many people also create playgrounds for their hamsters out of children's kiddie pools. There is an article about that on the first link above.

Avoid the Hamsteriffic website. There is much misinformation on it.

One more good website is The Pet Website ( http://www.petwebsite.com/hamsters.asp ). It has photos of all the different species of hamsters commonly kept as pets and the most of the different colors and patterns they come in. It also has a forum with other hamster enthusiasts.

If you want above and beyond tips that you won't find in any book, I'll be happy to share some of mine. First, during the winter months they should received additional heat unless your house is reasonably warm. Syrian hamsters can hibernate at only 60 degrees. A hibernating hamster looks like a dead hamster, they're fooled several expert breeders, including myself. I use a space heater to warm the room their in but you could put a heating pad under one half of their cage (never under the whole cage, they need to be able to move off of it if they get too hot). I heat my hamster rooms to 72-74 degress.

Give them some variety in their diets. Anything healthy for you is healthy for them. Make sure that a few hours after you give them some foods you take out the uneaten parts so they go bad. One thing I love to give my hamsters is a bit of peanut butter and honey smeared into the bottom of a baby food jar (though you could use a larger jar). They get so messy it's funny. You can use the jar to give them yogurt or cottage cheese. They love scrambled eggs and cucumbers. The list goes on and on. I've never tried a peanut butter smeared pine cone but I bet they'd have fun with that too.

Give them plenty of cardboard tubes and boxes to chew up and explore. I have access to the thick tubes used for 36" paper rolls. I then saw them down to six 6" tubes that I can give the hamsters. It takes them longer to get through those. Just contact an engineering, surveying or archtecture company near you and see if they will give you their tubes (they usually just throw them away).

Syrian hamsters live about 1.5-2.5 years with the average being 2 years. I have heard many people say that they've had hamsters live until 3 years of age. Some claim to have had a hamster live until 5 years but I'm pretty suspect of that. I think it more likely of a "bait and switch" to prevent tears when a beloved pet dies. With a hamster that is from lines that have been selectively bred and with a high quality diet, I would expect the hamster to easily live beyond the 2 year average.

Toilet training a Syrian hamster is a bit of a misconception. By nature, a hamster will urinate in one or more corners of the cage. The "toilets" that are sold for hamsters take advantage of this natural instinct. A hamster will only urinate in certain places but will defecate anywhere. If your hoping for perfect toilet training, you will never get it. All hamsters will defecate in their nests as will. While we may view this a being completely replusive, it's fine for the hamster. You may also have a problem with toilet training if your hamster is one that has a personal preferance to urinate in more than one corner. Some of mine use only one corner, while some of mine use all three with their nest being in the fourth corner.

One more tip: the best nesting material you can give your hamster is unscented tissues or toilet paper torn into strips. It's cheap, safe, warm and very disposable.

-Janice
http://www.holmdenhillhaven.com

Answer 2

The care of black bears is pretty much the same as for any other breed of hamster. They do tend to be a little less nippy and a little more friendly. Make sure they have fresh food and water everyday. Treats are fine, but keep fresh fruits and veges to a minimum, as too much can cause diarrhea. Provide plenty of chew toys( sticks) and clean their cage regularly. Use aspen shavings, no pine or cedar. Handle it on a regular basis so it knows you. Just be sure to always hold it over something soft, like a bed, as any hamster can suddenly jump from your hands and they can be badly injured, or even die from a fall. They enjoy a bit of timothy hay, the fiber is good for them. Watch for signs of illness such as diarrhea or sticky eyes. Keep the hamster by itself. They are solitary and do not need, nor want "a friend".

Answer 3

Black bear hamsters make wonderful pets because they bite less frequently than the teddy bear, dwarf and other short haired hamsters. The fur is naturally shiny and no special care is required. Use small pine or aspen shavings, a quality hamster diet, and feed fresh fruits and vegetables. Hamster feces should remain solid. The only drawback to owning more than one of this hamster is that they are cannibalistic to each other and if you breed them, they also tend to eat their young. This is one of the reasons they are more expensive. Not as many are available.

Answer 4

well the best for a hamster is if it is played with a lot and feed it fruits and veggies + give it fresh water each day

Answer 5

u got a hmaster and u dont know anything about htem? get hamster book at a book store and read it all over..thats what i did BEFORE i got a hamster

Answer 6

strange most hamsters have a coat of fur on i never seen one completely bear ...sorry lol

Answer 7

I just have to run faster that old best friend.

Answer 8

i would go to the vet or animart or any pace that sells animles r go to www.google.com, www.dictionary.com