Old Thread Chubby Hamsters V8

WELCOME to the new thread, Chubby Hamsters V9!


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 because the first domestic hamster was a wild agouti colour, which is called Golden. They have also been called Teddy Bears because does have the fuzziness and roundness of a teddy bear. 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 are fur types like Rex and Satin.

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 make suitable hamsters for the beginner keeper. Syrians that are handled properly would rarely or never bite, and can be tame to respond well to touch and voice.

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 they are mini hamsters and giving you a weird price and denying that they are Campbells. 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.

Campbells are good in a pair or a small colony but always make sure your cage or tank has the space and enough hides and wheels to house a colony. These social hamsters are territorial and would fight off intruders that do not belong to their colony. Campbells are ok when they are introduced at a young age but letting an older hamster be kept with a younger one, most likely a fight would start.

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.

WW are almost similar with Campbells when it comes to pairs and colonies. Always remember, it doesn't necessary mean we should keep them in breeding pairs or male and female colonies. A single sex group is good enough for dwarf hamsters.

WW are known to fight among themselves out of the blue. Many do not understand that WW are territorial dwarfs, they can tolerate siblings or with other WW when introduced at a young age but there would always be a day where they would start fighting. Have spare cages at hand to separate fighting hamsters if you have a pair or a small colony. The best is keeping one. Do not worry, hamsters do not die from loneliness.

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...

Robos do very well in little groups. They are the most sociable of all dwarf species and it is very entertaining to watch a small group of robos playing and eating in a tank.

Robos are not a hamster that is suitable for the beginner keeper as it could either be frustrating to have hamsters that run very fast or just unable to handle properly.

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.

This species of hamster in Malaysia is very rare. The last known shop to have sold them were Pets Wonderland at Mid Valley years ago.

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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 as it can give diarrhea to some hamsters, especially pet shop hamsters that have never eaten any veggie before.

- The bigger the cage or tank, the more comfortable for the hamster.

- Syrians need wheels that are about 8 inches in diameter. Wodent Wheels, Sanko Wheels or Silent Spinners have 8 inch wheels.

- 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 or keep them in a male and female pair unless you have a purpose as a true hamster breeder.

- Hamsters should have a small portion of fresh food everyday. Limit to a teaspoon a day for a Syrian, half a teaspoon of fresh food to dwarfs. Give more leafy veggies.

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Diet

Hamsters should have a good quality staple diet that is available for them throughout the day. Grains are important for hamsters to gain protein, minerals and vitamins as well as the good fat that the body needs to stay healthy. The carbohydrates and natural sugars from grains helps in maintaining your hamster's energy and alertness throughout the day. Wrong or unhealthy diets could cause hamsters to gain weight, show no interest in using it's running wheel and does little throughout the day. Here is a guide on how to feed your hamster healthily.

Try not to go for cheap foods that you see available in the market. Habitrail, Delikate, LM Farms.... all these have little nutritional value because they are loaded with sunflower seeds and dried corn. High in fat and phosphorus. Delikate and Habitrail staple food includes alot of alfalfa pellets (the greenish brown pieces) which hamsters do not like to eat at all and you may end up throwing it away. Choose high quality brands like:

Harry Hamster - it has quite alot of coloured pellets but quite nutritious and my hamsters eat everything.


Prestige Hamster Nature - Loaded with top quality grains, pellets and dried fruits and herbs. Superb and nutritious for every hamster.


Vitakraft Hamster Menu - Well rounded hamster diet, it has some dried veggies like carrots and peas. Better than Habitrail Staple diet.


Kaytee Forti Diet Hamster - the ingredient list on grains and protein level is ok but one thing worrying is the preservative called Ethoxyquin, which is not good. Do not use this food in long term.


I will update with more brands later.

Fresh food

Hamsters need a small amount of fresh fruits and veggies daily. Never give more than a teaspoon of fresh food to a hamster in a day as sometimes it can cause diarrhea. Dwarf hamsters, expecially Campbells should not be given too much fruits as Campbells are prone to get diabetes from sugary fruits.

Fruits: (Make sure all the seeds that are not edible are removed, grape seeds too)
Apple, Blueberries, Cherries, Cranberries, Dragon Fruit, Grapes, Honey Dew, Kiwi, Mango, Papaya, Peach, Pear, Plum, Rambutan, Star Fruit, Sun Melon, Strawberries, Watermelon.

Try not to offer too much sourish fruits like kiwi or strawberries, the high acid content can cause diarrhea if taken too much.

Veggies:
Alfalfa Sprouts, Asparagus, Broccoli, Bak Choy, Bean Sprouts, Capsicum(Bell Pepper), Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Corn, Coriander, Frozen peas, French Bean, Kangkong, Long Bean, Lady Fingers, Mustard Green(Sawi/Choy sum), Parsley, Peas, Pumpkin, Spinach, Water Chestnut, Water Cress.

Cabbage and cucumber can be offered but in very very small amounts.

Always remember, everything in moderation is good.

Supplement food:



Both products can be found at Pet Shack or just PM Nezumitaro.


This post has been edited by crazymouse_yyh: Jun 28 2008, 12:45 AM

VERY IMPORTANT!!!!

- Most hamsters do very well alone. Roborovski hamsters can be kept in small groups and best if single sexed but Campbells, Winter Whites and Chinese hamsters are best kept on their own. They can sometimes fight on and off, so if housing in groups or a pair, make sure single sexed pairs and always make the that the enclosure is big and spacious. When fights happen, separate. To reduce the stress and trouble, keep Campbells, WW and Chinese hamsters alone. Syrians are 100% solitary animals.

- 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.

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A 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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Handling and Holding hamsters

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.


This post has been edited by crazymouse_yyh: Jun 29 2008, 01:10 AM

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 ):


This post has been edited by crazymouse_yyh: Jun 29 2008, 01:12 AM

More new updated info later

More new updated info later

So fast @@
Whee~ 1st

Congrats for V9. Post a short 1 b4 i wash my hammy's home.

COngratz for V9...very2 fast liao~

V9!!! Thought of replying RyoKenzaki regarding the black hamsters he talking about, see see V9 already... Anyway, congrats!

RyoKenzaki

We are talking about black syrian, not WW or RC. Syrian black in color is rare in Malaysia. Hardly found.

This post has been edited by sangels: Jun 27 2008, 12:45 AM

Congrats new V!!!

wuh~ V9~ enough for the greetings.. i wanna b the last to greet ! wakakakak!!!!

@jamien can help me a favour?? to get things from petshack

Yeah my black hamster is syrian.....
Black mix with white anw nt pure black....
Pure black i used2 have 1 only, relative gave me

i think yours is the sable colour, not black. looks like black but its not.

mayb tats a rat? lolx.. jz joking.. solid black is kinda rare thou.. so lucky of u

perhaps u can pm her directly?

it could be a sable banded, which is black too btw.. just that it's a different gene from the 'black' syrian..

ps/ waa 3 ppl reply at the same time

This post has been edited by jayniel: Jun 27 2008, 01:06 AM

Ryo I will not take my graduation picture with your smoothie... The picture last a life time le!

@Ander: If I drop by and got cash I will sure help you. Prestige and wat again? Britter bunny?

Checked some pic of sable hamster
Confirmed tat mine are sable except for 1 purely black XD
Sable syrian so cute =)

Eh Jamien going2 graduate in tarc? O.O

This post has been edited by RyoKenzaki: Jun 27 2008, 01:09 AM

yup. thx. but if not enouf, can get the britter bunny only

Sure no probs.

@Ryo: Yeah. Graduating there lo.

Ferro seems reluctant to take his mealies again? Why so weird wan? I thought syrians like mealies.