Feb 27 2007, 08:35 PM, updated 19y ago
Old thread http://forum.lowyat.net/topic/348425
A hamster is a rodent belonging to the subfamily Cricetinae. There are 5 types of hamsters, mainly the Syrian, Winter white dwarf, Russian campbell dwarf, Chinese hamsters and Roborovski hamsters.
SPECIES:
Syrians (Mesocricetus auratus)
They are the best known species in the pet industry. Syrians are also known as Golden Hamsters. Syrians are known as fancy hamsters of all the hamster species since they come in many colour varieties and also coat varieties... some can have long fur and some short fur, which we normally call Long Hairs and Short Hairs... also there is a fur type known as Rex.
The most important rule about Syrians is that they are SOLITARY... never house 2 together. If breeding, there is a way where you must put the female into the male's cage only when the female is on heat. It is very risky and dangerous to house 2 syrians together at any time since they are very well known to fight till death. So if you treasure the life of your hamster, never put 2 syrians together.
Syrians are large and comfortable to hold. They do make suitable pets for children but under adult supervision.
Campbell's Hamster (Phodopus campbelli)
Campbells are probably the most popular of all dwarf hamsters since they come in many colour varieties that makes them attractive. The look similar to Winter White hamsters but they are actually different subspecies. So never mixbreed them.
Campbells are dwarfs... well, small hamsters. Please do not be fooled by petshops telling you mini hamsters and giving you a weird price. Anyway, they come in different colour and patterns but to breed, one must understand that hamsters that have any white spots or markings must never be bred together coz it can produce eyeless or teethless hamsters that die later... so if you were to breed, please read up.
These dwarfs may not be suitable for young children due to some dwarfs are bitey... and because of their small size, it would be harder for children to handle. Campbells are not aggressive biters, it is just that sometimes they will bite when you make them angry or startle them from their sleep.
Winter White Hamster (Phodopus sungorus)
WW are hamsters that can change their coat colour when we minimise their daylight. Their coats will change from their normal colours to a white coat but with their dorsal stripe and side arches visible. WW come in 3 colours, which are Agouti, Sapphire and Pearl. The Pearl do not change their coat colour at all, they remain in their white coat colour for life.
WW are different from Campbells, their eyes are bigger, fur is thicker, body is more bullet shape and their ears are less conspicious. It is easy to see the difference if a Campbell and WW were side by side.
WWs are nicer to handle for they have better temperments than Campbells. WW rarely change into their winter coats in captivity, so do not force your hamster to starve and stay in a cold room... this depends on the hamster whether it wants to change or not.
Roborovski Hamster (Phodopus roborovskii)
Robos are the smallest species of hamster. Adult Robos are only 2 inches in lenght. Unlike the other dwarfs, Robos do not have a dorsal stripe and they have slightly longer legs. Easy to identify from the size and also its sandy colour and white belly.
Yes, the smallest and also the fastest, this species is very well known for being very fast and active. So they are not very handle friendly since they are likely to jump or run off your palm. Many are really attracted by the facial markings, they appear to have "eyebrows".
Robos enjoy sand baths and a wheel. Due to their small size, one would need to purchase a glass/plastic tank to house them or purchase cages with small bars like the Habitrail Mini...
Chinese Hamster (Cricetulus griseus)
The Chinese hamster is known for their mousy looks. Yes, they were discovered in China long ago. Many people would say Chinese hamsters are hard to breed in captivity and are difficult to raise. Fighting problems occur so it is best to house them seperately. The Chinese hamster is also referred to as a "mouse-like" hamster because of its short nose, thin body, stocky legs and longer tail.
They do make great pets if they are bred by a proper breeder and have been handled often when young.
VERY IMPORTANT!!!!
- Most hamsters do very well alone. Roborovski hamsters can be kept in small groups and best if single sexed but Syrians, Campbells, Winter Whites and Chinese hamsters are best kept on their own. They are always happier that way.
- Never breed hamsters if you do not have the space. Hamsters can reproduce every 20 days or so.
- Hamster fights are never fun to watch.
- Always remember to have food and water available. Never give too much fresh foods.
- The bigger the cage or tank, the more comfortable for the hamster.
- Syrians need wheels that are about 8 inches in diameter.
- NEVER keep different species in 1 cage or tank together... BIG big trouble there, may have some injuries, deaths... and possibility of mixbreeding Campbells with WW... bad idea.
- Hamsters do not have human emotion, they do not feel Love or have emotional feelings like humans. So there really is no reason to breed them unless you have a purpose as a true hamster breeder.
- Hamsters can get sick easily if given too much fresh foods like fruits and vegetables.
Anything to add in the 1st page, just PM me.
Added on February 26, 2007, 1:56 amPictures of the different hamster species with some example of a few colour varieties.
Thank you to Reanne and |sorcerer| for their chinese hamsters and roborovski pictures.
One way to hold a hamster if it bites or to look at it's genital area clearly. Never do this for long since it is a bit uncomfortable for the hamster. Only for a short period.
______________________________________________________________________________
Useful links (credit to Acey)
- Hamsterific: http://www.hamsterific.com/hamsters.html
- My Free Hamster: http://www.myfreehamster.com
- Future Pets: http://futurepet.com/cgi-bin/search.exe?BP=1&RCAT=600.
- Hamster Hideout: http://www.hamsterhideout.com/
- Wodent Wheels: http://www.transoniq.com/
- Kare's Hamster Info: http://www.karelma.com/english/animals/hamsters.html
- Pet Education: www.peteducation.com
(credit to suicidalxbliss)
Lowyat.net Siggy (free to use, a big thank you to Hao
):
Added on February 26, 2007, 9:25 pmA Basic Guide
* Hamsters are very active creatures so they do need their excercise. Naturally energetic, hamster love to run so it is best to provide a good solid wheel for them. Makre sure it is a solid wheel and not those mesh wheels since those gaps can cause injuries. Syrians should have 8 inch diameter wheels while dwarfs can have smaller ones.
* Hamsters are nocturnal, meaning they are mostly active at night. During the day, they would need some peace and quiet to sleep so it is highly recommended to place the cage or tank away from direct sunlight and provide them with a hide such as a clay flower pot or aroma burner or any solid looking hamster houses available at petshops.
* Hamsters need a layer of quality bedding in their tanks. You can always get the wood shaving variety but you would need to change the bedding often. Recommended brands would be Chipsi Classic, Chipsi Super, Delikate and Kaytee. Avoid using other brands for pine and cedar wood can cause breathing problems later in life due to the phenol oils produced by the wood. One can also use corncob bedding, wood pellets like Woody Pet or Careline wood cat litter or recycled paper bedding/litter like CareFresh or Breeder's Select/Celect.
* Hamsters love to nibble on hay and also build nest in their hide box for comfort. So providing a bit of hay is good. Any hay is suitable, as long it is fresh looking(greenish). Avoid stale hay(brownish).
* Hamsters should have a good amount of food in their food bowls. You do not need to worry about hamsters not finishing their food for they will hoard away old food to eat later. Make sure fresh foods are cleaned out of the cage or tank after 24 hours.
- Good source of fiber would be broccoli, spinach, sawi(choy sum), kangkung and water cress. Do feed fresh foods in moderation since too much can cause wet tail sickness and indigestion. A small piece of vegie or fruit is enough for 1 day.
- Sweet potato and normal potato can be given but only give cooked potatos.
- Sweet fruits and carrots can be given in small quantities every few days.
- Hard boiled eggs, scrambled eggs, cooked chicken and cooked fish can be fed.
* Have a good quality bottle for water at hand. Cheap bottles tend to leak.
* Wash the hamster cage or tank once in a week. Just wash with some mild soapy water. Clean cages and tanks prevents the risk of getting infections.
* Hamsters do not need to bath with water and soap like humans. Hamsters can clean themselves very well and they enjoy having sand baths (Chincilla or hamster sandbath) more than getting wet. A wet hamster can fall sick easily.
* Handle your hamster daily. Build a relationship with your hamster. You can hold them, talk to them and pat them. These little gestures will keep your hamster tame and friendly and of course, happy.
* Never wake up sleeping hamsters since they can startle easily and give a nasty bite to protect themselves. This is an instinct reaction so do not blame a hamster for being aggressive... they bite when there is a reason to bite.
* Always wash your hands after handling hamsters for they are still from the rodent family. Keep your self healthy for your hamster
Added on February 26, 2007, 11:44 pmPictures of LYN members' tank setups:
Pictures of suitable cages available in the market
Added on February 27, 2007, 8:41 pmFor the 1st page, please post important or useful info of hamsters. You can also post pictures of your cage setups as an example. I will delete those that are just spam to make the 1st page clean and easy to read for new hamster owners.
Updated pictures of LYN member's hamster housings.
picture from dj.eRicZzz
QUOTE(bizen @ May 30 2007, 05:26 PM)
I found some articles and 1 of it is about hamsters... I bought it a few years back when I am still in high school 
... and I would like to share it with everyone here Here is the link:
Hamster Guide 01
Hamster Guide 02
Hamster Guide 03
Hamster Guide 04
Have fun reading
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