Hamsters

From wikipedia:

Hamsters are rodents belonging to the subfamily Cricetinae. The subfamily contains about 25 species, classified in six or seven genera.[1]
Hamsters are crepuscular or nocturnal animals which burrow underground in the daylight to avoid being caught by predators. Their diet includes a variety of foods, including dried food, berries, nuts, fresh fruits and vegetables. In the wild they feed primarily on seeds, fruits and greens, and will occasionally eat burrowing insects.[2] They have an elongated pouch on each side of their heads that extend to their shoulders, which they stuff full of food to be stored, brought back to the colony or to be eaten later.
Although the Golden Hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) was first described scientifically in 1839, it was not until 1930 that researchers were able to successfully breed and domesticate hamsters.[3] Pet Golden Hamsters are descended from hamsters first found and captured in Syria by zoologist Israel Aharoni.[4]
Hamster behavior can vary depending on their environment, genetics, and interaction with people. Because they are easy to breed in captivity, hamsters are often used as lab animals in more economically developed countries. Hamsters have also become established as popular small house pets[3]. Hamsters are sometimes accepted even in areas where other rodents are disliked, and their stereotypically solitary nature can reduce the risk of excessive litters developing in households.

Choosing a Hamster

When you're thinking of getting a hamster, keep these things in mind:

*Try to buy your hamster in the evening when it is more active. Earlier in the day, most of the hamsters will be asleep.

*It is important to choose a healthy hamster. So, remember:

*The hamster's body should be smooth and well-rounded.

*Its coat should be clean, particularly on the underside of its body. There should be no bare patches.

*Its ears should be clean on the inside, and if you're buying a young hamster, covered with hair on the outside.

*The hamster's eyes should be bright and clean.

*You will probably want to buy your hamster when it is between four and seven weeks old because hamsters are easier to tame when they're young.

*Male and female hamsters are equally good tempered and agreeable.

*You can keep two hamsters in one cage depending on what kind of hamster you want to get. Dzungarian Dwarf hamsters, short dwarf hamsters, and Russian hamsters are all supposed to be pretty social, so you can keep two of one of those kinds together. But it is best if they are litter mates, have been together since birth, and are of the same sex. All other kinds of hamsters need to be kept separately because hamsters are territorial.

*Ask the pet dealer what food the hamster has been eating, so you can give it the same. If you want to feed it something different, remember to change to other foods gradually.

*The pet store will give you a cardboard box to take your hamster home in. But if your ride home lasts more than two hours the hamster may gnaw its way out. So you can take along a small plastic box. It must close securely and have air holes. Add bedding and a small amountof food to the bottom.

Housing

*Before you bring your hammy home, wash its cage with a few drops of mild disinfectant and water. Rinse it out, and dry it well.

*Cover the cage floor with lots of bedding and nesting material. Bedding should be clean, dry, non-toxic, and absorbent. The most popular bedding choice is wood shavings. You need to avoid cedar shavings, since this smelly wood can be too intense for small rodents. Instead go for pine or aspen shavings. (These must be shavings that are produced specifically for the care of small animals.) Also do not use any cotton wool or fluffy bedding cotton material because it can be dangerous for a hamster if eaten. Nesting material can consist of hay, white paper, and cardboard. Put a little in the nesting box to encourage your hamster to make its nest there.

*Lastly, put some food in the cage and set up the water bottle. Add some wood chews, the exercise wheel, and maybe a toilet paper roll for your hamster to play in.

*When you get home, let your hamster settle into its cage as soon as possible. Your hammy may be nervous after the journey, so instead of picking it up to put it in the cage, place its carrying box open on the floor of the cage, and let it come out when it is ready.

*Though you would probably like to start the taming process immediately, you need to leave your hamster alone for the first couple of days (except to feed it, of course). Remember that changing homes was probably a stressful experience for it so it is best to let it explore its new cage.

*Make sure the cage isn't too close to a window that gets the hot afternoon sun, or by a radiator, or in a draft.

*The cage should obviously be out of the reach of cats if you have them. Although a cat probably couldn't get in, it could still frighten your hammy.

*You will have to clean out the cage once a week. After you've cleaned it out replace the food that your hamster stored that won't get moldy. Once a month, clean out the whole cage and wash everything with soapy water and a few drops of mild disinfectant. Rinse and dry well before adding new bedding.

Feeding

Hamsters like to eat seeds, grains and nuts, vegetables, and a little fruit.

*Feed your hamster once a day, in the late afternoon or evening. Give a small handful of hamster mix and a small handful of vegetables.

*If any is left uneaten, give less the next day. If all is eaten, try giving more, but first check to see if your hamster is hoarding in its cage.

*Give a good variety of foods, but introduce any new food gradually.

*You can buy hamster mix at a pet store,it is fortified so that it provides a hamster with a well-balanced diet of essential foods grains, seeds, and nuts.

*Both root and green vegetables should be given, always raw and washed well. Some vegetables that are good for your hammy are:

broccoli
turnips
carrots
chicory
spinach
cauliflower (outside leaves and stalk)
parsley
*cabbage
*Brussels sprouts
*lettuce (not iceberg lettuce)
* = small amounts only

*To make sure your hamster gets the vitamins it needs, you can buy vitamin drops for small animals at the pet store.

*Never leave your hamster without fresh water to drink.

*You can feed pieces of apple, pear, grape, and tomato, all in small amounts only. But remember that fruit decays quickly, so check that none is left uneaten in the cage for more than a day. Also remove any uneaten vegetables that your hamster stored so that they do not become moldy.

*If you are going on vacation for more than three days, you can take your hamster with you, or arrange for a friend to feed it. For a shorter time, it's ok to leave enough food in the cage to last until you get back. Don't forget to fill up the water bottle.

Handling

Before you handle your hamster you will need to tame it. Do not put it off, because it will be easier while your hamster is still young.
Talk to your hamster while you're taming it. It will get to know your voice.

Hamsters bite only when they are frightened. If your hamster does nip your finger, it is best to put it back in its cage and leave it alone a couple of hours so that it can calm down.

You should be able to tame your hamster in about three weeks if you follow this method. Do not rush it, or you may have to start all over again.

1. First watch your hammy for a few days to find out when it is awake and active the best time to start taming. Note its favorite foods so you can use them to overcome its fear. Now start putting food straight on the cage floor, so your hamster gets used to your hand and learns that it brings food. After a few days, leave your hand there while the hamster eats.

2. When your hamster is confident enough to eat beside your hand, put the food in the palm of your hand. It may a while before the hamster will eat from your hand without fear. When it does, you can stroke it gently with one finger along its back. Never stroke its head.

3. Next, get your hamster used to being picked up. When it is eating from your hand, cup the other hand over it, and lift it gently a little way off the ground for a few moments at a time. After a few more days, if your hammy seems happy being lifted up, you can take it right out of the cage in your cupped hands.

4. Play with it near the ground so that if you drop it or it jumps out of your hands, it doesn't have a long way to fall. Let it run from one hand to the other. Soon it will be confident enough to run along your arm.

A Lost Hammy!

Don't lose hope yet! Here are some different techniques I've heard of to use if your hamster gets lost--

*Try putting food in the cage and leave it with a door/hole open near where you think the hamster is hiding. During the night the hungry hammy might return to its cage.

*Spread some sunflower seeds in each room, counting the number you leave in each room, and then shut all the doors. (Do this at night before you go to bed) The next morning you will easily be able to tell which room your hamster is in, so this will hopefully narrow down your search. Once you know which room your hamster is in, make sure you keep that door closed. You can then use of the previously mentioned methods to recapture your hamster.

*Make a ramp with a piece of wood up to a bucket in which you have put some food. Then, make a little trail of food on the floor, up the piece of wood, and finally put enough food in the bucket so your hamster will jump on in, when he/she discover this treasure. But make sure the bucket is tall enough so your hamster can't climb out the side and escape again. Or maybe you could put butter on the sides of the bucket like suggested in the next tactic.

Health

I've received some emails concerning the question of whether or not you should bathe your hamster. The answer to this question is no. Hamsters supposedly do not have any offensive body smells because they clean themselves. If anything will start to smell it'll be its cage. So just make sure you clean out the cage at least once a week. If, for some reason, you really feel that your hamster needs some help cleaning, you can use a soft toothbrush and some lukewarm water to do this. But make sure you don't drench the hamster because then it could become sick.

Symptoms,possible cause and what to do

Sneezing, sore eyes, and runny nose - This may be an allergy, maybe to some nesting material, air freshener, or spray polish. But it also could be a cold, so keep your hamster warm, and if it's no better the next day, take it to the vet.

Fur around tail is dirty, and possibly wet - Your hamster has diarrhea, which could have been caused by eating something that did not agree with it. But this could also be the first sign of a serious illness called wet tail, so take your hamster to the vet at once.

Bare patches in the fur - This may just be old age, or the hamster may have rubbed against something and worn the fur away. But if it is scratching the bare batches, they could be caused by mites. The vet will give you something to clear them up.

Refusal to eat, a swollen cheek, and runny eyes - Your hamster has something stuck in its cheek pouch. Take it to the vet.

After a fall, or being handled too much, the hamster lies quite still, as if dead - It is in a state of shock, though it may not be seriously hurt. If you leave it in a quiet, warm place, it should recover in an hour or two. If not, take it to the vet.

Cuts,the hamster has cut itself on something sharp - Add a drop of antiseptic to warm water (boiled and allowed to cool), and bathe the cut gently. If it gets red and inflamed, take your hamster to the vet.