The “Hamster Rat” So how did a desert rodent – detested and despised by farmers – transform its reputation into a cute, cuddly and positively loveable pocket pet (so named because these guys can literally fit in your pocket!) I’m glad you asked. Let’s go back in time to the 19th century – specifically 1829. … Read more
Hamster eyes. Just looking at your pet Hamster can tell you quite a bit about its characteristics. First, look at those large soulful eyes. Gorgeous, aren’t they? While the eyes may be the mirror of the soul, in the case of the Hamster, it’s the mirror of the hours they keep. You can tell merely … Read more
Introduction to Dwarf Hamsters So what kind of dwarf hamster do you want? Yes, we know you want a small one. That’s pretty much a given. What we mean is, what species of dwarf hamster do you prefer, Chinese? Striped? Perhaps even a Campbell’s Russian hamster? Yes, all those names are very international sounding. Surprisingly, … Read more
THE GOLDEN The Golden, or Syrian, is the hamster most commonly kept as a pet. When most people talk about hamsters, it is usually the Golden they are thinking about. As you may have guessed, Golden hamsters are gold in colour on their backs with a white belly. However, once these animals became popular, people … Read more
Teeth Hamsters belong to the rodent family. They have very sharp large incisors that grow continually throughout their lives. As a result they need to “file” them down by gnawing on something hard. If the incisors become too long the hamster will find it difficult to close its mouth or chew properly. They should therefore … Read more
Learning with hamsters Hamsters are an ideal pet for teaching and learning about a variety of subjects. They are suited for both the traditional classroom and for the homeschooling family. Because of their small size, clean habits, quiet natures and minimal care needs, they are perfect for almost any educational situation. First you must choose … Read more
Introduction to keeping more than one hamster When you first get a hamster, you often just start with one and might want to add more. This might be possible, depending on the breed of hamster you have. It is best to get littermates and raise them together. This will not completely eliminate fights and territorial … Read more
How Well do Hamsters See, Hear and Smell? Recognizing that hamsters have a different range of senses to humans will help you understand your hamster better. Some of the limitations or amplitude of your hamster’s senses will affect their behaviour, and if you know this, you will not be puzzled or frustrated by your pet’s … Read more
Hamsters have to eat their own poop to survive. As you probably already know, hamsters do things a lot differently from humans. They sleep during the day. They have babies quickly. They use their tongues to bathe. They run in wheels – for hours and hours. They are most active at night. Coprophagy Small animals … Read more
Understanding and responding appropriately to your hamster’s body language will help you be more sensitive to the moods of your pet and will also help you have a more enjoyable friendship with him. Recognizing certain signs in body language can also aid in the taming process of your hamster. You do not want to continue … Read more
Buying a hamster
There are several possible options when it comes to buying your hamster. Your choice might be determined by the species and type of hamster you want, or depend on what is available in your area.
Hamsters are an ideal pet for teaching and learning about a variety of subjects. They are suited for both the traditional classroom and for the homeschooling family. Because of their small size, clean habits, quiet natures and minimal care needs, they are perfect for almost any educational situation. First you must choose what type of … Read more
Introduction to Hamster coat colours Any breed of small animal kept in captivity will, over time, develop variations in color. In the wild, individual animals born with a different color from the norm are often more noticeable to predators and, hence, do not usually live long enough to breed; therefore, extreme color variations in wild … Read more
Most hamsters die in their sleep. Usually this occurs due to old age or because of an underlying, undiagnosed condition. However, some hamsters grow older and then begin to suffer from health issues that are not able to be cured or controlled. Although it is not pleasant to think about, sometimes the best thing is … Read more
Sexing your hamster is only necessary if you are breeding your hamsters or you have more than one hamster and you wish to prevent breeding. No significant difference has been found in sexes as far as temperament or the ability to be a good pet, so if you are choosing a hamster that will be … Read more
Hamsters need to have special considerations when brought into a home that has existing pets or when new pets are brought into a hamster’s home. Their small size and lack of natural defenses make them easy prey for a larger pet, such as a cat or dog. We have all heard the odd news story … Read more
Ideally you will choose a veterinarian before you even bring your pet home, but that is not always an option. At the very least, choose a veterinarian for your hamster before your pet becomes ill. Hamsters do not need annual checkups and vaccinations like other pets do (which is one of the benefits of owning … Read more