General Pet Hamster Care
Pet hamster care is both simple, and easy. They make especially good pets for children as they are usually quite docile once they get to know you, and are low maintenance. The cute Teddy Bear hamsters at the pet store may win your heart, but its the low maintenance part that seals the deal. If you are a parent, then you know when you buy your child a pet, it will likely turn into your responsibility even if your young one promised to do all the work!
Before you decide to get a hamster, there is something I should warn you about. Hamsters are nocturnal, which means they are most active at night. If you are a light sleeper, then a hamster may not be the pet for you. Don't let this minor aspect of pet hamster care scare you off. The noise really isn't that bad! Honest :)
Basic RequirementsCageYou can use the standard wire cage with a plastic base or simply a ten gallon tank with a wire mesh top will suffice. Some take it a step further and buy a hamster cage with all the fun looking tunnels. All of these would work just fine, but you might keep in mind it can be time consuming to clean some of the fancy tunnel cage setups.BeddingThe types of bedding I would recommend would be shredded paper or aspen shaving. The key is to find a bedding that is absorbent. When I say shredded paper, I mean the stuff you find at the pet store specifically made for pet hamster care. You will know it when you see it. There is usually a really cute picture of a rodent on the front.I would not recommend using paper from the paper shredder. This can be way too dusty and cause some respiratory problems. It is a good idea to stay away from any substrate that is strong in odor as well. For example, pine tree shavings would smell too strongly and could cause some respiratory distress.
HidesAn often neglected, and arguably important part of pet hamster care is the hide. A hide is just an area the hamster can retreat to and "hide". It is nice for them to have somewhere they can feel safe and sleep during the day. It should reduce stress. Being exposed in the open oftentimes means becoming a meal in the wild. Domestic animals still have "wild" instincts that affect their behavior.
Sand BathHamsters use sand to clean their fur so it's a good idea to put a sand bath in the cage so it can do what it would naturally do in the wild. A happy pet hamster is a clean hamster! I would recommend buying special hamster specific sand that can be found at the pet store. If you were to get sand from your backyard, it could have harmful parasites or bacteria in it.ExerciseYou can have a number of toys which will help keep the hamster stimulated and also encourage exercise. There are many types of toys ranging from blocks, to ramps, and everything inbetween. These are not critical, but are a good idea.It is important to have hamster wheel, especially for a spoiled hamster that eats really well. They don't have to go out searching for food like they would in the wild, so they need some way to shed some weight. Lack of exercise can lead to one very overweight hamster. Another popular exercise medium is the hamster ball. Proper hamster pet care does not require it, but it sure is fun watching them run around the house. Make sure you put them down in a safe area where they can't hurt themselves. I'm pretty sure a hamster wouldn't enjoy bumping along down a lengthy flight of stairs, or being pawed around by the family cat. Try to keep an eye on them! :) FoodMost people generally use just the basic hamster food sold at most pet stores, but it can be a good idea to add some fruit and vegetables into the diet every once in awhile. Twice a week if possible would do just fine. For example, Some hamsters seem to be very fond of carrots and lettuce. I've even heard of them indulging themselves in a little bit of hard boiled egg as a special treat.I would not reccomend feeding Iceberg lettuce to your hamster, because it is mostly all water with very little nutritional value. Fruit you should avoid specifically are cherries as they can cause stomach upsets. It is best that you consult your veterinarian if you are unsure if a fruit or vegetable you have selected is safe. Please, never feed your hamster chocolate. It tastes good to us, but it is very bad for them! WaterWater should be supplied in a water bottle as it won't get tipped over and this will prevent the hamster from pooping in its drinking water. It is vital that water is always readily available. It is the most basic principle of pet hamster care, or any other pet care for that matter. Water is life!CleaningMake sure you pick up the hamster poop daily if possible. A clean environment is essential to pet hamster care. It would be good to do a thorough cage cleaning once a month to get rid of any bacteria that might be building up.You can mix a very dilute concentration of bleach with water in a spray bottle to clean the cage.
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