^^ HAMSTERS ^^

Old thread Chubby Hamsters V4

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.

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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.


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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

The Hamster Name Generator (thanks to Gazard7)

(credit to suicidalxbliss)


Lowyat.net Siggy (free to use, a big thank you to Hao ):

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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

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Added on February 26, 2007, 11:44 pmPictures of LYN members' tank setups:


Pictures of suitable cages available in the market

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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.
[attachmentid=216791]
picture from dj.eRicZzz


This post has been edited by crazymouse_yyh: Jun 24 2007, 02:51 AM

Information:
This post has been edited by crazymouse_yyh: Jun 25 2007, 10:18 PM

- Reserved -

Hahha... anyone who wants me to include their set up picture, PM me lah..... of course with your pics together so I can create a page lah.

Is that critter trail mini?

If it is, the it is too small for 2 dwarf hamsters .... should have gotten the normal critter trail or the critter trail 2.

Habitrail mini is meant for robos lah LOL.... so the tubes meant for the Mini cage, which you say is for mice, is for robos.

Are you trying to post for fun? Coz the lemon and chocolate questions are 2 very stupid questions. Lemons are acidic and acidic fruits can cause the animal to have diarrhea and also kill it. Chocolate is a potent poison to small animals, same as garlic and onions...

Sluis comfort hay is hay.... straw is different. Straw doesn't poke, is softer and thinner.... hay comes in different grades, the high quality grades are for food while the lower quality grades are for bedding. Straw is not edible.

Comfort hay is for bedding... to sleep on. The leafy ones are the 1st cut hay, more for food.

Give small boxes that's made of cardboard of the middle part of the toilet roll.

Food, you can introduce many types of food. What hamster food are you feeding? Prestige and Harry Hamster are top quality hamster food. The 2 brands contain less corn and sunflower seeds, making the food healthier. It has pellets which my hamsters and gerbils love. Well, for me, I make a large mixture of different foods since I have about 18 hamsters and 24 gerbils. A good mix would be Prestige on its own.... or you can do what we mostly do to save a bit of money, we normally mix Prestige with Habitrail.

You can introduced cooked chicken meat as well but make sure it's boiled meat, no oil. Mealworms are also readily eaten. Vegies like carrots, sawi, broccoli, cabbage and long beans are liked by them too. Crunchy fruits are a welcome but avoid anything sour and make sure all the seeds from apples, pears, grapes are taken out. No watermelon.

This post has been edited by crazymouse_yyh: Jun 27 2007, 09:32 PM

You seem to like to dare feed this and dare feed that... you feed lah, your hamster dies then don't you come crying into this forum saying your hamster dead and you dunno what is wrong. Lemons are acidic, hamsters can't even take orange so if lemon how? Die lah. Chocolate? Hmmm.... is there any hamster food in the world that adds chocolate? What ever you eat, not everything a hamster can eat. If you love your hamsters, you would be doing more research instead of risking their lives with human food.

Your cage is too small.... and cages are the worst type of housing for hamsters since:
1) dirty
2) hurts their feet

Even if get them cages, the best is Habitrail or Critter trail.... also, placing the food bowl on the 2nd level is wrong. You want your hamsters to eat and sleep everytime? By putting the food bowl at the bottom level, you will give it an opportunity to climb up and climb down. Burying their food under hay and woodshavings is common for it is a natural instinct.

If you keep the hamster food for 1 year, you have to keep it in a air tight container and keep it inside the fridge. Grains left in warm areas(our environment is warm and humid) tends to cause mold to grow on hamster food, resulting in sick hamsters later on.

You keep saying branded food as if we are dumb and dunno how to distinguish between low quality and high quality. The food Habitrail and Science Hill's Plan/Diet are 2 low quality products. I guess you do not know what is Prestige, Kaytee, Orijen, Acana, Harry Hamster, Royal Canin and California Natural. The "brands" you are using are ok... but it is not the best and healthiest.

Your hamster is acting normal. The cage biting syndrome is normally associated with cages. This is why most of us prefer tanks. I use storage boxes and plastic aquariums.... it gives the hamster a safer home as well as less stressful to their health. Biting on the bars can lead to liver damage since rust is ingested....

Nuts are a great source of healthy fats.... Cashew nuts are great.

He is bored.... what type of cage are you using? Hamsters living in tanks or aquariums do not show any of these boredom signs...

Durian.... hmmm.... I don't think it is advisable coz it may give the hamster diarrhea....

]

Cheese is a good source of calcium. Of course do not go overboard and feed the whole slice lah. Just a bit will do. Cheese also causes their pee to become extra smelly.

Hoho... very adorable. Hamsters love peanut butter but do not give too much since it can cause some hamsters and other rodents to be sick.

Yups... a mixture of Prestige with any other type is ok coz you already have a base with prestige.... it means you still giving good nutrition.

As long not only habitrail alone, then is good lah.... Kaytee is ok. LM Farms pulak got 2 types.... get the one with added fruits, better but of course more expensive lah.

Hamsters do not do well in a cage.... your cage is too small for 2 hamsters so they fight for space, even male and female will fight so don't ever listen to petshops or your feelings that says hamsters need friend or sex coz they actually prefer to stay alone.

Separate them. Get another cage or a bigger tank for the other hamster. Do not introduce them together anymore for it can do more harm than good later.

It's called boil or pimple lah.... they dunno how to press it but the boil will naturally burst so the hamster would clean the wound.

It is not called white robo... it is White Face Robo... also known as Husky robo.

Ahem, only habitrail and critter trail are good cages.... what you bought is what factories produce to make profit. Hagen was one of the 1st few dominating small animal brand, they produced cages to suit small animals but many manufacturers make cages which are not suitable for hamsters. I did say Habitrail and Critter trail are safe cages. What you use can easily injure them. Now there are companies and even in thailand they are producing quality tanks for hamsters already coz they do know the dangers....

You were feeding an unbalanced diet at first.... then of course I introduce Habitrail coz it is basic but if you compare quality over other brands.... Habitrail is low.... You were boasting about you dare and we don't dare sort of stuff.... these things we do not take lightly.

Never joke here, if you want to joke, go Kopitiam to joke.

Bar biting is... well, said before as a sign of boredom and also it is addictive... a habit. When in a tank, they cannot do such things.... the only activity which you will see is the sign of boredom is that they try to jump up the corners or un up and down a bit.... after that, they get tired and go back to running on their wheel or chew the cardboard stuff. Hay also makes great activity as some hamsters will chew on the hay or make tunnels and nest.

cage biting can cause sore noses too.... they do love to climb so when we keep in tanks, it is good to put toys for them. Tubes, wheels.... you can even make your own play gym with ice cream sticks and PVA glue, which is non-toxic and safe. If you got a creative mind, you can actually get some stuff from IKEA to make your own double storey tanks....

Well... it is all about creativity. If we think about hamsters in the wild.... do they climb trees? No right? Do they hide in high places? No also..... All the ladders and 2nd storey in cages all come from human creativity but many do not see how practical they are.

I saw hamsters break or sprain their legs before in those cheap cages.... I actually have 2 of those cages but already keep in store room, will never use again. To me, those single storey cages are still good enough coz it is a bit natural for them. I will only say Critter trail or Wild or Habitrail as good cages but then hamsters will still do the cage biting thing but the hamsters won't be able to injure their legs while climbing.

Anyway, White Face robos can be easily found in Singapore.... in Malaysia... well, so far I have see in Pet Safari but the 4to 6 they have there have been reserved. This is a new mutation of the robos colour coz robos are actually still in their wild agouti coat(the gold with ticking). White face robos are just robos with more white on their sides, face and appear slightly lighter than normal robos.

Newbies come in to learn or ask about problems memang we encourage.... but newbies not taking it seriously will of course just create spam in this thread.....

Yes, the mineral stone is good for calcium and minerals as well as teeth but normally they won't gnaw on it often... maybe once a while. A female that is breeding would chew the stone more often.

Glass tank still the best heheheh.

Yes.... if you breed a WF with a normal, the babies will come out to have more white on them but they won't look like the original white face lah.... it'll be like a diluted white face robo. This mutation is still new... well, new here that is hahha...

Got.... but very limited. If water bottle, Critter Canteen from Pets Wonderland is a good buy....

That one old liao.... almost 2 years old. The size is big coz they eat more fatty stuff and live in a cool environment.

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Added on July 1, 2007, 11:59 pmHow old is your Syrian.... 3/4 size of a guy's palm is normal size ler hahaha.... the big ones we usually see are bigger than a guy's palm.

Botak... could be the bedding or could be old.... sometimes dirty bedding coz them to over groom and have hair loss.

SG coming next week.

This post has been edited by crazymouse_yyh: Jul 1 2007, 11:59 PM

When a hamster is 1 year old in human years, it means they are 25 years in age.... so your hamster is actually 31 years old.

RIP to Mentos...

Just some clues to the death... hamsters and most rodents will have bloody noses if they are allergic to the bedding or have lung infection..... another cause is head trauma.

Wah.... so cheap? LOL.... Penang everything also cheap cheap.

Glass or plastic tanks are good.... only drawback with glass is that it is heavy..... but it is still possible to keep it there. How big is the tank? If it is 2ft.... a Syrian hamster is perfect and it will be very comfortable there.

You have never place a water bottle before? You need a water bottle... females nursing young become dehydrated very fast and also it can cause the female to give little milk.

Maybe that particular one had something wrong. You won't know till you dissect the body. Lung infection is long term.... doesn't happen when you just place the bedding.... it's like lung cancer....

Ohhh... coz you said normal water bottle then I assume you didn't give water bottle hahahah.... I think your words should be bottled water.

Yes, normal water is fine... be it from the tap or boiled. You do not need to give anything extra.... you can give small amounts of cheese if you want.