General Information
-You must prepare yourself for the simple fact that hamster don't live very long. You can become very attached to your new little friends. With this in mind buy a young hamster. Also young hamsters are easier to tame and get accustomed to you.
-Do you have other pets in your home? Cats and dogs may think your new hamster is a new meal for them. You will need to take extra precautions to avoid a gruesome situation.
-Buying a hamster may not cost very much, but the supplies needed to care for your hamster can cut deep into your pockets. Bedding, cage, food, accessories and possible veterinary bills you will need to take into consideration.
-Knowing the sex of your hamster is important. Make sure the pet supplier knows how to determine the sex of your hamster. If you want to house more than one hamster and you get a male and female you will end up with several more in about two weeks.
-Do you have fur allergies? If you do there is options for you. You will want to get a short haired hamster, not a long haired one. When holding your hamster you will want to wear gloves, and when it's time to clean the cage you will want to ask someone to clean it for you.
-There are several breeds of hamsters, each with different benefits. If you want a hamster to hold and play with you will want a Syrian hamster. If you want a hamster just to watch play in its cage you will want a
Roborovski hamster, though these are very small and fast, if they escape they will be hard to catch. If you would like to house more than one hamster you will want to look into getting a Campbell's Dwarf hamster. When buying a hamster be sure to explain to the seller exactly what you are looking for in a hamster, so that they may better help you to your perfect pet.
-When your buying your hamster, make sure you go shopping during the evening time when hamster are more active. You will want to get a feel for its personality. You're going to want a hamster that's outgoing, energetic, and inquisitive.
-You will want to check the physical signs of the hamster. Make sure its eye are clear and bright. Make sure it doesn't have a runny nose and make sure it's fur isn't matted. Hamsters are very clean mammals and if you see any of these signs, there is sure to be something wrong with them.
-You must prepare yourself for the simple fact that hamster don't live very long. You can become very attached to your new little friends. With this in mind buy a young hamster. Also young hamsters are easier to tame and get accustomed to you.
-Do you have other pets in your home? Cats and dogs may think your new hamster is a new meal for them. You will need to take extra precautions to avoid a gruesome situation.
-Buying a hamster may not cost very much, but the supplies needed to care for your hamster can cut deep into your pockets. Bedding, cage, food, accessories and possible veterinary bills you will need to take into consideration.
-Knowing the sex of your hamster is important. Make sure the pet supplier knows how to determine the sex of your hamster. If you want to house more than one hamster and you get a male and female you will end up with several more in about two weeks.
-Do you have fur allergies? If you do there is options for you. You will want to get a short haired hamster, not a long haired one. When holding your hamster you will want to wear gloves, and when it's time to clean the cage you will want to ask someone to clean it for you.
-There are several breeds of hamsters, each with different benefits. If you want a hamster to hold and play with you will want a Syrian hamster. If you want a hamster just to watch play in its cage you will want a
Roborovski hamster, though these are very small and fast, if they escape they will be hard to catch. If you would like to house more than one hamster you will want to look into getting a Campbell's Dwarf hamster. When buying a hamster be sure to explain to the seller exactly what you are looking for in a hamster, so that they may better help you to your perfect pet.
-When your buying your hamster, make sure you go shopping during the evening time when hamster are more active. You will want to get a feel for its personality. You're going to want a hamster that's outgoing, energetic, and inquisitive.
-You will want to check the physical signs of the hamster. Make sure its eye are clear and bright. Make sure it doesn't have a runny nose and make sure it's fur isn't matted. Hamsters are very clean mammals and if you see any of these signs, there is sure to be something wrong with them.
Preparations
Before purchasing your hamster, you will need to have it's home and accessories ready.
Cage:
You will need a cage. There are three main types of cages: wire cages, aquariums (glass or plastic), and cages that are a mix of wire bars and plastic panels. For Syrian hamsters, any of these three are suitable; for dwarf hamsters an aquarium is more fitting, as they can slip through the bars of wire cages. Plastic cages are often chewed and destroyed fast by the hamsters. If you want a pretty, multi-colored cage and don't mind them destroying and possibly escaping from their home, then a plastic cage is for you.
The average cage size is 38 x 25 x 23 cm (15 x 10 x 9 in), this tends to be much too small for Syrian hamsters, which grow to be around 20 cm (7 in). The bigger the cage, the better. The ideal size would be 60 x 40 x 30 cm (24 x 16 x 12 in). This allows your hamster to have plenty of room to exercise and move around. A cage can never be too big, but they can be too small.
Bedding:
There are several types of bedding that you can use for your cage.
The best bedding is shredded toilet paper or paper towels, or a type of soft bedding (like Carefresh), or aspen bedding. All three are practically harmless. Some types of bedding can be hazardous to your hamster. Any fluffy bedding, such as cotton, can kill your hamster.If you use wood shavings, avoid cedar. It releases aromatic oils into the cage that can be fatal to your hamster. Pine isn't a wonderful choice but it's better than cedar so if those are your only choices, pick pine.
Equipment & Accessories:
There is a wide variety of equipment and accessories you can buy for your hamster. They range from things that are necessary to things that are not needed.
Exercise Wheel:
Your hamster will need an exercise wheel. Solid wheels are recommended. Wire wheels are suitable if the space between the wire is small enough so that your hamsters feet cannot pass through the holes. Try to buy a wheel that is advertised as "silent" for your sake and your hamsters sake. Hamsters enjoy going through tubes. They also enjoy climbing up ladders.
Hamster House or Sleeping Box:
Your hamster will also need a house. You can make a homemade house out of a variety of things or you can buy one from a pet store. It should not be too small or too big, or your hamster may not decide to use it. The entrance should be big enough for your hamster to pass, but small enough to make the house feel enclosed and sheltered.
Food and Water Dish:
Your hamster will need a food dish and a water bowl or water bottle if your cage does not come with one. In fact hamsters do not need a food bowl, it is far more interesting for them to search and dig in the bedding to find food.
Salk Lick:
A salt lick is essential for your hamster. Because it's food is not high in salt, a hamster will need a salt lick to suffice the normal level of salt in its body. Even though you may not see your hamster using it, it's always good to have one there just in case.
Gnaw Stick/Log:
A hamster's teeth grow constantly throughout their entire life. Any small section of a thick branch (or a large section of a thin branch) will do. Generally, hamsters prefer branches from fruit trees, but any branch will do the job with these exceptions: Cedar branches-the scent will irritate your hamsters nose, and Evergreen branches-the sap from them is hazardous to your hamster.
Food:
Your hamsters dry food, or staple diet, can be bought in any pet store. It should be kept in a sealable bag or container for it to remain fresh. If food is left out in the open, it can become contaminated or stale. All food should NOT be kept close to the hamsters cage, as this can be very frustrating to a hamster who can't reach it. Your hamster can also have a wide variety of fresh food and vegetables.
Do not feed your hamster Almonds, Apple Seeds, Cabbage, Citrus fruits (lemon, orange, tangerine, grapefruit, etc.), Eggplant, Garlic, Kidney or red beans, Mushrooms, Onion, Pickles, Potato, Rhubarb, and Tomatoes, also Do not feed your hamster Junk food designed for humans (chocolate, chips, etc.)
Cage:
You will need a cage. There are three main types of cages: wire cages, aquariums (glass or plastic), and cages that are a mix of wire bars and plastic panels. For Syrian hamsters, any of these three are suitable; for dwarf hamsters an aquarium is more fitting, as they can slip through the bars of wire cages. Plastic cages are often chewed and destroyed fast by the hamsters. If you want a pretty, multi-colored cage and don't mind them destroying and possibly escaping from their home, then a plastic cage is for you.
The average cage size is 38 x 25 x 23 cm (15 x 10 x 9 in), this tends to be much too small for Syrian hamsters, which grow to be around 20 cm (7 in). The bigger the cage, the better. The ideal size would be 60 x 40 x 30 cm (24 x 16 x 12 in). This allows your hamster to have plenty of room to exercise and move around. A cage can never be too big, but they can be too small.
Bedding:
There are several types of bedding that you can use for your cage.
The best bedding is shredded toilet paper or paper towels, or a type of soft bedding (like Carefresh), or aspen bedding. All three are practically harmless. Some types of bedding can be hazardous to your hamster. Any fluffy bedding, such as cotton, can kill your hamster.If you use wood shavings, avoid cedar. It releases aromatic oils into the cage that can be fatal to your hamster. Pine isn't a wonderful choice but it's better than cedar so if those are your only choices, pick pine.
Equipment & Accessories:
There is a wide variety of equipment and accessories you can buy for your hamster. They range from things that are necessary to things that are not needed.
Exercise Wheel:
Your hamster will need an exercise wheel. Solid wheels are recommended. Wire wheels are suitable if the space between the wire is small enough so that your hamsters feet cannot pass through the holes. Try to buy a wheel that is advertised as "silent" for your sake and your hamsters sake. Hamsters enjoy going through tubes. They also enjoy climbing up ladders.
Hamster House or Sleeping Box:
Your hamster will also need a house. You can make a homemade house out of a variety of things or you can buy one from a pet store. It should not be too small or too big, or your hamster may not decide to use it. The entrance should be big enough for your hamster to pass, but small enough to make the house feel enclosed and sheltered.
Food and Water Dish:
Your hamster will need a food dish and a water bowl or water bottle if your cage does not come with one. In fact hamsters do not need a food bowl, it is far more interesting for them to search and dig in the bedding to find food.
Salk Lick:
A salt lick is essential for your hamster. Because it's food is not high in salt, a hamster will need a salt lick to suffice the normal level of salt in its body. Even though you may not see your hamster using it, it's always good to have one there just in case.
Gnaw Stick/Log:
A hamster's teeth grow constantly throughout their entire life. Any small section of a thick branch (or a large section of a thin branch) will do. Generally, hamsters prefer branches from fruit trees, but any branch will do the job with these exceptions: Cedar branches-the scent will irritate your hamsters nose, and Evergreen branches-the sap from them is hazardous to your hamster.
Food:
Your hamsters dry food, or staple diet, can be bought in any pet store. It should be kept in a sealable bag or container for it to remain fresh. If food is left out in the open, it can become contaminated or stale. All food should NOT be kept close to the hamsters cage, as this can be very frustrating to a hamster who can't reach it. Your hamster can also have a wide variety of fresh food and vegetables.
Do not feed your hamster Almonds, Apple Seeds, Cabbage, Citrus fruits (lemon, orange, tangerine, grapefruit, etc.), Eggplant, Garlic, Kidney or red beans, Mushrooms, Onion, Pickles, Potato, Rhubarb, and Tomatoes, also Do not feed your hamster Junk food designed for humans (chocolate, chips, etc.)
There is a lot to learn before buying a hamster. This section will give you helpful information and tips before you buy your new friend.
Hamster Information in Bits
Hamster Bits
Buying a Hamster
There are several things to consider when buying a hamster. Here are some of the ones you should know.
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