the reason why we dont get ceder or pine is because they are very toxic to hamsters. they produce toxic that is bad for the hamster respiratory system & will react with the hamster pee which is very acidic. the way they are processed is also bad...they undergo so many types of chemical process...anyway the best is aspen but the problem is its very very hard to find over here. plus it will be quite expensive too.

i think the 1 u saw is chipsi bedding that has apple scent frankly speaking chispi isnt the best bedding too but its quite affordable for people like me (student). chipsi bedding is made from softwood which is from fir & spruce they do produce oils & there is smell from it too (but its way way better than using pine bedding) which isnt that good for hamster respiratory. but its said to be safe for hamster & its quite soft too. i been using that bedding & so far its ok for my hamster. same goes for delikate brand too as they are made from softwood too. but the good thing about delikate is they do not have strong smell compare to chipsi which i assume is good for hamster. any scented bedding is bad for hamster respiratory. if u want to buy bedding get natural scent, avoid those apple scent, lime, lemon etc...

& of course the best brand will be breeder's celect or healthy pet. corn cob type of bedding is also very good but its hard to find & quite expensive. but if u can afford it then why not...its good to give your hamster the best stuff u can provide. oh btw shredded paper is also good for hamster as bedding but its too expensive. (u cant use newspaper as they have ink on it & it might be harmful for your hamster).

i stay at subang jaya. coming week will be busy...need to finish up two of my assignments during the raya break

This post has been edited by infernoaswen: Aug 27 2011, 01:32 AM

aspen and pine does come from different type of wood (tree)
pine are from softwood while aspen is from hardwood
actually all softwood are bad for hamsters.. cause all of them will produce toxic
however, pine and cedar produces the most toxic and it is extremely bad for them.
they may look similiar so do read the packaging.. if it doesnt say anything then don't buy it
(you wouldnt buy some food stuff that doesnt have ingredient list would you?)

most of the time, hamsters do well alone.
syrian is solitary
winter white and russian campbells may do in pair but they are not exactly very social animals
robos are social animals, can do well in groups

normally, a tank is recommended because it is easier to clean, its cheaper, you can buy your own accessories which you feel is best for your hamsters, and most importantly, you can find the right size for your hamsters
most cages are too small for syrians
the downside of tanks is that there isnt much room for air ventilation, so if your hamsters does not attempt to escape (my hamlet does) the you can dont cover the top
if your hamster attempts to escape, go buy the 1cm X 1cm mesh wire tops from diy shop and diy a cover so your hamsters can stay in while having ventilation

bedding.. if wood shaving, as usual.. no pine no cedar.. best if you can find aspen
i know kaytee has aspen beddings but it is very difficult to find kaytee nowadays
some hamster owners have recommended chipsi and delikate
chipsi bedding, although not pine or cedar, is from softwood.. so still got chemicals just less
(last time chipsi bedding states that theirs is from conifer woods but now just write softwood.. this is dodgy as pine is also from softwood.. we don't know which softwood they use.. so be careful and think properly)
as for delikate.. i read that in some forums, chipsi users have been going to delikate instead when they started writing softwood as the source of their shaving instead of conifers.. some continued and realize the quality dropped so shift to delikate and claims delikate is better
however, delikate does not state what wood it comes from at all... only states all natural bedding..
so kaytee aspen (beware kaytee has pine also.. so find the aspen one not pine one) would be good.. but chipsi and delikate.. you have to decide.. maybe buy both and mix to see which one is better for your hamster

you may also use carefresh or woody pet.
carefresh is rolls of newspaper while woody pet is wood pellets
benefits is very absorbant. no chemicals, no dust
but it is very expensive
dont ask me which i use.. cause i use shreded paper bedding (can digest, no chemicals)

one more thing you should think about is food
the better the food you give your hamster, the more likely it will be healthy and live longer
it is recommended for you to get either vitakraft or harry hamster
last time, prestige hamster nature had been recommended.
from my readings, the quality has dropped
some of the food turned mouldy and all
if you ask me.. alternate between vitakraft and harry hamster
10 days vitakraft.. 10 days harry hamster
(beware.. i heard that harry hamster pellet quite big for dwarfs)

they have given good tips u need to know...i just want to add some tips based on my experienced+knowledge from others...

my tips is how to choose good hamster...by good, i mean the hamster is tame, easy to handle, not easily scared, can get along with others and most important loves to play with u...

heres the tips:

IMPORTANT
-choose hamster with perfectly match incisor teeth(front teeth)...
-choose hamster without any signs of abnormalities(skin problems, abnormal movements(like alwas running in circles or running in one direction(clockwise or counterclockwise)), wet fur, etc.)
-dont choose hamster that likes to disturb other hamster...

less important
-its is better to buy/adopt hamster from a home breeder than from the pet shop...usually pet shop dont give enough attentions to the hamster they own because they have too many types of pet to take care of...also, usually the pet shop hamster age is 1 or 2 months plus...its is easier for owner and hamster to bond if hamster is still young(3weeks is the youngest)...
-do not choose hamster that always grooming itself...hamsters groom theirself because of 2 reasons...1st to clean theirself and 2nd to relief stress...there is possibility that the hamster that always grooming itself is easily stressed out...
-choose hamster that not running away or hard to catch with your hands...thats mean that the hamster is easily scared or do not thrust human...it has high possibilities that the hamster will not let u hold them with your hands even u already bond with them...
-do not choose skinny hamsters(if u like chubby2 hamster like me )...hamsters are skinny because either they sick, or has small appetite...young fat/chubby hamster will grow even more fater/chubbier


add if u got more...

ok..thanks you guys very much...i will make note of it...im going to get one i this few weeks...hehe...juz plan to have someone experience to go with me, so that i can learn more from u guys...hehe...

can anyone tell me why syrian must be place in a tank instead of the normal hamster cages..coz i was telling my aunt since she wants a syrian hamster and i advice her to use the tank instead of the normal hamster cage..i told her the size of the tank is not relevant for a syrian..her excuse was tat she bought a lot of connecting tubes to add to another cage to make it bigger..so i need a solid answer.

as you may see...syrian are big so in short they need a big tank n wider area to roam around simple as that...small cages might stress them out n keep on grooming themself which will cost fur to drop or lose fur frm what i knw..as u knw syrian need a big wheel 8" at least...and that big...i dont knw if an 8" wheel can put at a normal cage coz its pretty big u knw...but if ur aunt already buy all the stuff tubes etc that nothing we can do...

im sure infernoaswen,Dream and norrudin can give u better advice

thank you so much for the info

this is the one i currently used... can you tell me what type is this..

as mark said its not the type that matters...its the size. its very easy to get a 2ft tank rather than finding a 2ft cage. until today i never see a 2ft cage yet unless u plan to get those for guinea pig but wouldnt recommend that coz its short & cover holes are big, the hamster can easily jump out of it & escape. i m using a 8" wheel & the wheel itself is very big (the height) in my tank. if your aunty cage is 2ft then its ok....tubes dosent really give extra space for the hamster but its good to have them as additional...they will usually eat in the tubes & sleep in there sometimes...

its fine to use a cage around 1.5ft too...no harm...just that 2ft is recommended....you wouldnt like to stay in a house that fits 1 person only do u?

i never saw that bedding before so i m not so sure what type of wood they use. they never write on the packet ah? its hard to say but if they didnt write then most probably they are made from pine...try to feel the texture...if it feels rough & looks like the shavings made by living world then most likely its pine...

first of all..
if she wants connecting tubes
yes it can be big but she might need like two ovo pads to fit stuff of syrian hamsters
im not even sure if an ovo pad can fit an 8" wheel for syrians

connecting tubes may be combine to extend to a large home..
but then cause its connected by tubes... the space may not fit all of the syrian hamster stuff
if you make the house super big.. but the nest box is in one end.. the toilet in the next end
your hamster must travel far..
but you cannot put near also.. because not enough space.. must extend thru tubes

connecting tubes cages has the least ventilation and is difficult to find your hamster
at least tanks we can leave the top open (if your hamster doesnt try to escape)
those fully connecting tube ones only have dotted holes here and there for air

if your aunt is getting the half connecting half cage one
it has metal.. hamster will bite it to grind teeth which will be noisy
but most important is that.. the paint will come off and the bar will rust
but your hamster will still bite the rust and might get lead poisoning

they can hide in the tube and you will have less bonding time with them

tube cages are also the hardest to clean
you need to remove all the connections to clean.. then put it back again
syrian hamster.. that is not potty trained have the smelliest pee btw.. due to their acidic pee
(but syrian easy to potty train.. so if possible please do potty train them)

owh.. and syrian hamsters are bigger than other hamsters
i read at some foreign website that the owner reported their syrian hamster getting stuck in the tubes
of course overseas, there are many better diets for hamsters.. so their hamsters might be chubbier than ours
but still the possibility is there

---

Added on August 27, 2011, 6:26 pmwhat ever brand that is
even if its not pine also
try not to repurchase..
its scented
bad for hamsters respiration

This post has been edited by *dReaM FaNtaSy*: Aug 27 2011, 06:26 PM

oh i missed out the part "to add to another cage to make it bigger".....

anyway dream already explain everything in detail

thanks everyone..i will try futher explain to her..she has the habbitrail safari cages..she plan to reuse them..which i dun reccomend her using it

My hamster's eye is popping out. I'm really panicking as today is a Sunday, wonder if there's any open vets?

I suspect glaucoma. Or could be resulted from something entered his eye. If I can't find a vet, what do I do? I read to wet his eyeball with a saline solution. What type ok for hamster?

i suspect that too

from hamsterific:
GLAUCOMA: Seen in Campbells Dwarfs more frequently than the other species. It is thought to be inherited and hamsters with Glaucoma should not be used for breeding purposes. It appears as though the eye globe is swollen, which increases pressure on the eye. If the eye prolapses, removal can be considered.

http://hamsterhideout.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=2016

please try to contact dr yeoh:
Yeoh Veterinary Clinic & Surgery
126 Jalan SS 24/2, 47301 Petaling Jaya 03-7804 8684 ‎

http://maps.google.com.my/maps/place?oe=ut...138801857597861

^ Thx. I tried calling but no answer. I'll try tomorrow.

TTDI and Damansara Heights Vets are all closed. I went to Ikano, they don't have vets anymore. But the lady there advice me to put some Eye Mo on his eye.

She said it's 'busuk' already. Might have to a) go for surgery, or b) rid of the eye. Probably caused by constipation also. If there's too much pressure in the hammie body, it could cause something like this.

For now, I place him in his carrier (small but clean), put some tissue and shredded paper. Drop so Eye MO on his eye and monitor him. He's still active and restless (due to new environment?).

Btw, he is a syrian about 8 months old only.

ya if they cant get rid of something from their body
their eyes may go
constipation or something stuck in their cheek pouch also
thats why cedar and pine bedding is super bad.
cannot digest can cause digestion problems.. can cut their cheek pouch get stuck there

hope your hammie will be fine

btw try

hands and paws
C-G-17, Ground Floor, Blok C,
Jln Pju 1/45,
Aman Suria,
47301 Petaling Jaya,
Selangor Tel: 03-7804 6539

and you can try:
Dr Vellayan

10, Jalan L2, Phase 6A
Taman Melawati
53100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 013-6246 918
Tel/Fax: 03-4108 5530

(dr vellayan might be able to help as he is on call vet.. but please bring a male friend together when you go visit)

Wow, new thread ady! The picture for the new thread's so cute! xD

Btw, anyone here have any experience of transporting hamster from west msia to sarawak? Thanks!

I mix harry hamster food with leftover kua chi i fed my hamster last time.

I have a problem!Hope you guys can help me.

Okay, gold and white are sisters. I bought them from breeder. About 3 weeks ago , they keep on fighting , white is the dominant one so i put my male hamster with white , and isolate gold into my male hamster cage.
White at first didnt like chip , my male hamster but she never fight , just squeek. Now she very close with chip and i think she's pregnant and may give birth in a few days( I saw them have -wink wink-2 weeks ago )
And now, white hates gold. She will bite gold whenever she smells her. Gold ear and butt had bleed.. So i never mix them again. And ever since i separate white and gold , gold has been... acting very strange.

She will squeek for no apparent reason as if scolding somebody.
I put fresh bathing sand for her everyday , but she's still so dirty!
My chip and white dont have bathing sand but they are so.... white and soft and clean! ( actually i take turn for them. One day they get bathing sand and gold dont get , next day vise versa but i been leaving it on gold's cage this few days )

Any ideas why this happen?

---

Added on August 28, 2011, 6:11 pmdr vellayan is good . recommended doctor... but he failed to save my guinea pig last time . I dont blame him, i asked him for advice on the phone. he's really nice.


And crap! My vet friend , gave me a big hamster cage and 2 big pack of chipsi bedding! I gave the classic one to my boyfriend coz he wanna keep my roborovski , so i took the apple scented one for my 3 winter whites... Shud i stop using it?

This post has been edited by ix3Rukia: Aug 28 2011, 06:11 PM

u worry scented bedding will harm your hammies?..
if u use chipsy scented bedding, u shouldnt be worry...i have used apple scented chipsy bedding for 1 and half month...i used it in the tank where the my WW babies live...all of them seem fine...and they live happily and healty...

i added those recommended vets in the first page. let me know if there is any other recommended vets out there which treats hamsters. i will update the list then

its not recommended to use scented bedding but if u bought already nvm u can use it...if the scent is too strong u can try to leave the bedding open in air for few hours first...let the scent to come out first but most likely the scent will still be there...i used strawberry bedding scent before when i didnt know scented bedding is not recommended. My hamster is still alive & is still healthy till today


btw who breed mealworm before? how big is the beetle? my mealworm still no beetle how long does it take for the mealworm to change to beetle?

Update:

I went to the vet in TTDI. Dr Clement I think. Service charge at RM30. He sum it up as a dead eyeball. I'll have to use eye drops Alcon (RM8.90) on my hammie as his tear duct is already not functioning.

It's not infectious. Could be his eye got poked by his cage/water dispenser/bedding etc.

His advice is too keep the eye clean and moist as to lessen the dry pain. In 5 days or so, if the eye drops on its own, I should be thankful. If not, surgery which will cost me RM200++.

Currently using tissue+paper bedding instead of wood shaving. He is still active but spend time a lot on resting also. How do I cheer him up? I don't wanna let him run around the house like he usually does. His eyes him rubbing into stuff. *faint*


Kiiro and his dead eye, eating bread.

p/s: He said not to use Eye Mo as it contains chemical. Aiyah~

This post has been edited by Kitsune_Yuiyean: Aug 29 2011, 03:04 PM