hamsters!!!!?

Question

the pet shop i bought my hamsters told me that i should not put any water in its cage coz they can take the water they need from the vegetable i should put for them to eat.... is that true???

i have two hamsters one male and one female is it ok or should i get another two for them to have company with the same sex??

if i put for them too much food will they over eat and die or will they eat only what they need??

Answer 1

Oh man, I don't know who told you this, but they should be fired.

Of course your hamster needs water. Either provide a heavy bowl with water or a hamster water bottle quickly before you have 2 dead hamsters.

It is not okay to get more hamsters, hamsters are territorial and should only be put together whilst breeding. Since you have a male and a female, your female will probably be pregnant if not now, then shortly. you will need to remove the male quickly before he begins attacking the female and eating the babies.

Hamsters will not over eat. they eat when they are hungry

Please email me if you have mroe questions, as you don't seem to have done your research

Answer 2

Your hamster needs water. I suggest a water bottle over a bowl. Hamsters like to be alone! I wouldn't put them in the same cage unless you plan on breeding them. The only hamsters like really like to be kept together are the dwarf hamsters. I would also suggest you buy a book on hamsters and learn more about them! As for food. I would keep a bowl of food in the cage at all times. They will eat when they want to.

Answer 3

I don't know much about hampsters, but if you have a male and a female in the same cage, your going to have more hamsters in there before you know it, get them both the same sex and you will have to talk to someone else about the feeding but I would think that they would need water at all times just like any other living thing get one of those hamster water bottles that attaches to the side of the cage.

Answer 4

What awful person told you this?!

Yes of course hamsters need water. They are desert animals so they do take less water than some, but it should be present at all times. Also, since fresh vegetables are rare in the desert, they should not be given to hamsters really more than once a week. They are a treat food.

Chalice

Answer 5

My kids have 2 hamsters also, they each have a water bottle..I have never heard of not giving them any water. I have 2 males they are in seperate cages & do just fine. I also keep their food full all the time & they will only eat what they want to. I will also put a few leafs of lettuce in their cages also, only will chew sticks to keep their teeth ground down.

Answer 6

Give them water. Fresh veggies can rot, and can give them diarrhea if they eat too much. Fresh veggies are to be an occasional small treat.

Hamsters are solitary animals. One per cage is best. Otherwise the females will beat up the males and also fight with each other. (Female hamsters are tough!)

They do not over eat. What they do is gather up all the food and bury it, eating as they need to... They love to gather up the food and carry it off to their hiding spot.

Answer 7

I suppose Twinkle is a rather lovable identify, and "tinkle" is the toilet euphemism, no longer Twinkle! Have a laugh along with your hamster, and keep in mind to do your study to deliver it the great care viable.

Answer 8

Don't put your male and female in together, they can breed and fight.

Also, you MUST provide fresh drinking water.

Answer 9

I have NEVER heard of not giving a hamster water.

I have had many, many hamsters.

Good quality food and fresh, clean water must be readily available at all times. Water is most easily made available and kept free from contamination by providing it in one or more water bottles equipped with 'sipper' tubes. Make certain the ends of the tubes are positioned low enough to allow all residents within the enclosure (especially juvenile hamsters over 1 week old) easy access to them. Also make certain that very young hamsters are strong enough to obtain water from these sipper tubes.

Bedding must be clean, nontoxic, absorbent, relatively dust-free and easy to replace. Shredded paper, wood shavings, and processed corn cob are preferred bedding materials. Cotton or shredded tissue paper (Kleenex) is suitable nesting material.

Pet hamsters are usually housed singly. Sexually mature females must not be housed together because of their inevitable aggressiveness toward each other. Breeding females are larger than males and tend to be aggressive toward them. For this reason, males must be removed from the enclosure after breeding has been completed.

The exact nutritional requirements of the hamster are not known. In the wild, they are omnivorous, feeding on plants, seeds, fruits and insects. Pet hamsters are best fed commercial rat or mouse diets containing at least 16% crude protein. These foods are usually available as dry blocks or pellets. These commercial diets can be supplemented with small amounts of dry, sugar-free breakfast cereals, whole wheat bread, uncooked pasta, cooked chicken, tuna fish, cheese, fresh fruits and vegetables. The last 2 items must be thoroughly washed to avoid exposing pet hamsters to pesticide residues and possible bacterial contamination.

Breeding Considerations
The sex of adult hamsters is easy to determine. Males have very large, prominent testicles. In fact, owners unaccustomed to seeing them are often astonished at these anatomic peculiarities.
Male golden hamsters should be first bred when they are 14 weeks old. Females should be first bred when they are 10 weeks old. As the time of copulation approaches, thin, stringy, cobweb-like mucus exits the female's vulva. The female is then placed into the male's cage about one hour before dark The pair must then be carefully observed for mating activity and/or fighting, Females can be very aggressive to males in this situation and can harm them. The male should be removed at once if there is fighting. Because fighting is so likely, aggressive males are best hand-mated. In these situations, they are better able to defend themselves and "hold their ground." The male should be removed after mating.

Pregnancy lasts only 15 1/2-16 days. Before delivery, the female becomes restless and usually discharges a small amount of blood from her vulva. Litters usually range from 5 to 10 pups. The ups are born hairless, with ears and eyes closed. They do, however, have their front teeth (the incisors) at birth.

Female hamsters with young must be provided with abundant nesting and bedding materials, and plenty of food and water. They must not be disturbed in any way. The young should not be touched or handled until they are at least 7 days old, the nest should not be disturbed, and the cage should not be cleaned during this period. Failure to heed these cautions (especially with females nursing their first litters) most often results in cannibalism of the young,

Observant owners may note an interesting maternal rearing activity, especially if the female with young is excited or disturbed. She will stuff pups into her cheek pouches and deposit them into the nest a short time later when she believes the danger has passed. Occasionally, pups suffocate as a result of this activity, especially during lengthy periods of disturbance.

Young hamsters usually begin eating solid food at 10 days of age but are usually weaned at about 3 weeks of age. Solid, pelleted food must be soaked to soften it and be placed on or near floor level of the enclosure for easy access by the weanlings. As mentioned above, sipper tubes must be positioned low enough so that the smallest pups can reach them. Some pups will not be strong enough to extract water from sipper tubes, so owners must be vigilant for this potential problem and provide an alternative water source for them.

Trauma
Hamsters are easily injured. They are frequently dropped while being handled (especially by children), or after they bite. Pet hamsters allowed "free in of the house" (even for very short periods) are often stepped on or kicked and seriously injured or killed.
Hamsters are frequently injured while inside an "exercise ball." This is a clear plastic sphere that is propelled along the floor by the action of the hamster running inside it. Injuries occur when a person accidentally kicks the ball or when it falls down a flight stairs. Hamsters often perish when they are forgotten and left in these devices without food and water.

In spite of the clever design and obvious benefits this device, hamster owners must continually supervise its use. Parents must be made aware by their children that it is in use. Above all, hamsters shouldn't be forgotten while inside these devices.

Trauma may result in broken bones and/or serious internal injuries or death. A fall of over just a foot or more may result in a broken back, for which there is practical treatment

Injured hamsters should be immediately examined by a veterinarian. Broken bones are very difficult to manage. Often an appliance (splint, etc.) to mobilize the broken bone will not be applied because of the sometimes greater problems they impose on the broken limb. The veterinarian will determine the best course of action in each situation.

Please go to http://www.ahc.umn.edu/rar/MNAALAS/Hamsters.html and read all about caring for hamsters.