Caring for your pet > Hamsters

Caring for Hamsters

Hamsters

Facts

  • Life Span: 1-3 years
  • Average Weight: 3-5 ounces
  • Female: Sow
  • Male: Boar
  • Young: Pups
  • Sexual Maturity: Male 6-8 weeks Female 4 weeks
  • Diet: Omnivorous

Hamsters 101

The most common pet hamster is the six-inch Syrian, also known as the golden hamster or teddy bear hamster. Dwarf species such as the Siberian, Roborovsky’s Djungarian, and Chinese are smaller than Syrians, at about two to three inches.

Although they are cute and popular with parents, hamsters have some special requirements that must be met in order for them to be happy and healthy. Because they are nocturnal creatures, their playtime does not fit well with a young child’s schedule. Also, hamsters can nip their owners if they are awakened during the day. Because of these issues, hamsters of any species are not appropriate pets for families with small children.

Environment

Syrian hamsters are solitary and must live alone on a cage. Dwarf hamsters, on the other hand, are social and like to live in pairs. Do not house male and female hamsters together, since rodents breed quickly — and often — with large litters.

Keep your Syrian hamster in a wire cage or a ten-gallon aquarium with a wire-mesh top. Dwarf hamsters can be kept in a cage made for mice. The enclosure should be placed away from direct sunlight and drafts, and lined with safe CareFRESH bedding. Do not use pine or cedar chips. Aromatic oils in pine and cedar bedding have been shown to have adverse health effects on small pets.

Because they love exercise, hamsters need a running wheel. They also like to hide, crawl and sleep inside enclosed spaces, so put a small box with an entrance hole, a small flower pot and tubes (cardboard tubes from paper towels and toilet paper will do fine) in the cage. Hamsters also love to nest using small pieces of paper towel or napkin.

Diet

A hamster will stuff its cheeks with just about anything, but he needs to eat a balanced diet to thrive. Commercial hamster foods, available at pet supply stores, should come in the form of Alfalfa based pellet mixes that contain seeds (note that high amounts of sunflower seeds can cause obesity or nutritional deficiencies, so they should be avoided), grains such as oats and barley, and corn. Because hamsters are omnivores, the ideal diet should contain at least 16-17 percent protein. Diets with much higher amounts of protein will be rejected by most hamsters and may lead to selective feeding and imbalanced nutrition. 

Every two to three days you can supplement your hamster’s diet with small amounts of fresh foods, including dandelion greens, nuts, carrots, lettuce, spinach and cauliflower. With the exception of dwarf hamsters, your pet can also be fed small bits of apples.  Never give hamsters rhubarb, chocolate or candy, or raw kidney beans, onions or potato.

Fresh clean water should be available through a water bottle with a drinking tube attached to the side of the cage at all times.

Care & Handling

Remove droppings, uneaten food and soiled bedding every day. Every week, clean the cage and replace all the bedding.

Hamsters love to gnaw, so put unpainted, untreated pieces of wood, dog biscuits or safe chew toys in the cage. This is crucial for keeping their teeth in good condition.

Before you handle your hamster, he may need a little time to get used to you. Start by feeding him treats. Once you’ve earned his trust, you can gently and securely pick him up. Hold him for a short time at first, and then gradually increase your time with him.

After that, you can let him out of the cage for supervised exercise every day in a small, secured area so your pet can’t get stuck behind furniture or chew on electrical wires.

Health & Veterinary Care

If you think your hamster is sick, seek medical attention immediately. Common symptoms include dull-looking eyes, matted fur, weight loss, shaking, runny nose and diarrhea. Also note that hamsters are susceptible to respiratory problems, especially the common cold, which they can catch from their human caregivers. And look carefully for signs of “wet tail,” a very serious intestinal disease of young hamsters. The main symptom is very fluid diarrhea.