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Hamster giving birth

Hamster Care Tips

When it comes to hamster care, all owners want the very best for their lovable little pets. There are many tips and tricks to making your hamster the happiest it can be. With a little bit of effort and a lot of love, you can give your hamster the absolute best life that it deserves!

Bedding

A hamster, like every animal on earth, loves to sleep! And he needs a comfortable bed. Most hamsters probably already know this, but it is worth repeating over and over again – you must never use pine or cedar shavings for bedding for hamsters, or any animal for that matter. This can be fatal to the animal. Alternatively, try aspen as it’s an ideal substance for hamsters. Don’t use cotton bedding at all, the hamster may eat the cotton and choke.

Treats

Hamsters love treats! A good apple, oatmeal or carrot treat will make your hamster happy. Try one at a time and you will eventually notice your hamster taking a preference to certain treats over others – these are his favorites!

Cleaning

Hamsters need a clean environment in their cage so that they can be happy and healthy. Diseases form when an environment is unkempt and dirty. You must always remove waste as quick as possible. Clean up old food scraps as well, especially if they tend to attract ants and flies. The best time to clean your hamster cage is in the morning or evening. Hamsters become active at night so you don’t want to be cleaning their cage during the day when they may be sleeping or resting.

Toys

Hamsters enjoy the good old fashioned hamster wheel. This can often be the only toy you place in the cage and your hamster will be more than happy. Some people like to remove the toy at bed time, although I don’t really believe this is necessary.

Socializing

It is not a good idea to mix hamsters together unless you want to breed them. They will usually end up fighting and may even kill one another. Stick to one hamster, or at least one hamster per cage.

Hamster care is not difficult at all. Sticking to these basic requirements will ensure that your hamster is happy and healthy and will bring you joy for years to come.

Pet Hamsters

Just looking at your pet hamster can tell you quite a bit about the characteristics of him.  First, look at those soulful large 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 that he keeps.  You can tell merely by the large size of the eyes that your hamster is a nocturnal animal. He’s an animal that’s awake at night and sleeps during the day.

And no wonder.  His origins are from the desert,  His ancestors – and contemporary cousins – prowl the arid range at night, when the temperatures are cooler.  During the day, they sleep (much like your teenage children!)

Hamster ears

Next examine the hamster’s ears.  Positioned high on the rodent’s head, these ears are indicative of an animal who possesses a keen sense of hearing.  They’re positioned high on the head to take advantage of that very trait.  After all, he needed this for protection from various predators in the wild.

Hamster whiskers

Check out those cute whiskers!  They’re more than just an attractive appendage.  Whiskers perform a very valuable task.  They’re essentially the way that the hamster touches his world. That’s right!  The hamster uses these whiskers – called vibrissae in the zoological world – to guide them along.  And his face isn’t the only place you can find whiskers.  He also has these valuable tools on the sides of his body.The average hamster relies quite heavily on the whiskers to help him from falling off or bumping into objects.And because a hamster’s eyesight isn’t remarkably clear, these whiskers help him during the day as well as at night when he’s tunneling and its virtually impossible to see because of the dark.

Hamster sense of smell

That could very well be the mantra of your pet dwarf hamster.  Perhaps he can’t see very well, but he’s honed his sense of smell quite well, thank you very much. Hamsters, in fact, depend on their sense of smell to lead to not only food, but water as well (I bet that’s something you can’t do, find water by smell alone – and chlorinated water doesn’t count!)

Their nose also warns them of impending danger.  It helps to identify other animals, helps them find their way back home and believe it or not, it also helps to tell them the right time to breed.  In more ways than one, a hamster’s very survival depends on it sense of smell.

Hamster scent glands

And while we like to credit his nose for his incredible power, the truth of the matter is that the hamster has scent glands on other parts of his body.  These scent glands produce a musk-like fluid, which is primarily used to attract the opposite sex.  It’s also used to mark and identify his territory and quite frankly, to recognize individual hamsters.  These are called midventral scent glands.

Some species of hamsters even have a second set of scent glands located on either side of their bodies.  This particular type of gland is larger on the male than the female.  It’s also influenced by the sex hormones.

You can recognize these glands in the male.  They’re the dark pigmented areas on the side surrounded by dark, bristly hairs.  In the female, the hair around the side glands are softer.  If you can’t see them right away, watch a hamster groom himself.  He spends much time grooming these glands (can’t be too good looking for the opposite sex, now can you?)

You’ll discover more about his incredible sense of smell later in this site, when we explain how to orient your new pet to your presence and his new surroundings!

The Hamster’s need for speed

The scarcity of food in her natural habitat contributes to another physical trait as well:  the need for speed.  When you adopt your pet dwarf hamster you’ll know exactly what we mean. You’ll discover that your hamster needs exercise – and plenty of it.  The stereotype of a hamster running on a wheel getting nowhere, while humorous, is extremely accurate!

In the wild, the hamster needs to travel vast distances (especially in relation to his size) in order to find enough food. Of course, this physical trait shouldn’t be much of a surprise to you.  In the desert where food can be hard to come by, storing what you do find for later only makes sense from a survival standpoint.

But, unfortunately, animal behaviorists don’t know as much as they would like about the dwarf hamster’s wild relatives.  Naturally a burrower, the untamed hamster spends much of her time underground.  She prefers to hide in the cool recesses of tunnels, far away from the glaring sunlight.

Hamster Health

Hamster Dental Problems

Hamsters and their teeth

Hamsters do not have dental issues very often, but if they do, they need the care of a veterinarian.  Prevention is often the best way to handle dental issues with your pet.

Malocclusion is a condition when a hamster’s incisor teeth are overgrown or are misaligned, resulting in having teeth that do not meet or align properly.  This condition can be hereditary, or it can be the result of trauma, infection or an improper diet.  (Feeding a hamster a steady diet of soft foods will result in this condition – he needs foods hard enough to wear his teeth down.)  It is difficult to detect this condition in young hamsters, so even with a visual inspection before you purchase a hamster, the condition could manifest later in life.  The teeth can appear normal when young, then become misaligned as the hamster matures.

Hamsters with this condition are, eventually,  not able to eat.  They suffer weight loss and die of starvation if not treated.  Aside from weight loss, look for threads of saliva around the mouth (sometimes wiped with the front paws) – a symptom usually referred to as slobbers.  If you notice these symptoms, you can check the teeth by pulling back the lips.

This condition is easily treated by a qualified veterinarian.  There are two types of treatment generally used.  The first is to clip the teeth while the hamster is awake.  This procedure does not always produce favorable long-term results, and can also cause other problems to occur.  An incisor can split or break, leaving jagged edges.  If the break goes to the gum line, it will cause pain and possibly allow bacteria to enter, possibly resulting in a painful abscess.  Jagged edges on the teeth can injure the hamster’s mouth and lips, possibly allowing bacteria to enter, and certainly causing discomfort and pain.

The second, and preferred, method is to use a high-speed drill.  Using a drill leaves a smooth surface and avoids the issues sometimes caused with clipping.  Most veterinarians currently use this method.

The best cure for dental issues is a healthy dose of prevention.  Make sure your hamster has food that is appropriate for hamsters.  This will include pellets that are hard enough to wear down the enamel of his teeth.

Chew toys (specially made for hamsters) can also be used.  These are usually made of wood and other materials that are safe for hamsters to chew.  (Do not use just any type of wood you find for your hamster.  Certain types of wood can be bad for your hamsters health.  Pieces of wood  you find around the house or outside may contain chemicals, parasites, insects or nails, or they might splinter and possibly cause injury if ingested.  Hamster toys are specifically made to avoid these issues.)

Periodic visual inspection of your hamster’s mouth can catch problems early and provide the best chance of successful treatment.   If you have any concerns, it is best to err on the side of caution and consult your veterinarian.

Wet Tail in Hamsters

Wet tail is a common disease in hamsters, especially Syrian hamsters and hamsters who are weaning (from 4 to 7 weeks old).  It is a serious, life-threatening condition and should be treated promptly.  The disease can be fatal within 24 to 48 hours after symptoms first are shown.

Symptoms: Symptoms for wet tail include lethargy, hunched posture (or walking while hunching the back), irritability, diarrhea and wet, soiled fur around the anal area (which is where the disease gets its name).

Causes: Wet tail is primarily a disease caused by too much stress for your hamster.

Complications: If left untreated, wet tail can lead to rectal prolapse.  This is a condition caused by prolonged diarrhea and occurs when the walls of the rectum start to protrude through the anus and become visible outside of the hamster’s body.  If the condition is still left untreated, it can cause death.

Treatment: Your hamster’s veterinarian can prescribe medication for this condition.  There are several over-the-counter products that are inexpensive and effective when used properly and quickly.  These can be found at your local pet supply store and some chain retail stores.

Prevention: Prevention is truly the preferred way to handle wet tail.  Making sure your pet does not get it in the first place is much easier on your pet.  The key to remember is that stress is a huge factor in wet tail.  Keeping your pet as stress-free as possible is the best way to keep wet tail from happening to your pet.  With this in mind, follow these guidelines:

• When you are bringing home a new hamster, make sure you have the cage already set up for him.  Have food, water and a nesting box in place, and be sure not to disturb your pet for a minimum of 2 or 3 days once you bring him home.  Keep new hamsters quarantined for at least 2 weeks before introducing them to the hamsters you already have.  Keep a new hamster away from excessive noise and activity.  (This means not to put him in the busiest room of the house.)
• Make changes in diet or environment gradual and keep them to a minimum.  Avoid them completely if at all possible.
• Keep your hamster’s cage clean.  Dirty cages are very stressful for hamsters.  Make sure you clean the cage at least once a week and wash it out and disinfect it at least once per month.
• Keep a close watch on your hamster when it has a stressful event happen, such as the death of a house mate or when he is removed from his mother.  Try to make transitions as easy as possible.
• Visually inspect your hamster once a day, if possible.  This does not have to be a thorough inspection, but at least check long enough to note any possible symptoms.  This is especially important if he has just gone through a stressful event

Tyzzer's Disease 

Tyzzer’s Disease is a disease that affects many strains of rodents, including hamsters.  Most strains are unique to the species and are not transmitted from species to species (although gerbils can sometimes be infected from strains found in other rodents).

This disease is highly contagious and can be passed easily from hamster to hamster.  The disease is usually fatal and can be fatal in as little as 48 hours after symptoms appear.

Symptoms include a lack of activity, scruffy coat, diarrhea, and dehydration (although there may not be any symptoms present, and the only realization that something is wrong is the sudden death of the hamster).

If you suspect your hamster might have this disease, immediately separate him or her from any other hamsters you have and carry him or her to the veterinarian in a covered cage (to keep the disease from spreading).  If your vet thinks that your pet has Tyzzer’s Disease, he or she will prescribe antibiotics for your hamster (and the other hamsters, if you have more than one).  (The only way to be absolutely sure of a diagnosis of Tyzzer’s Disease is a vet’s examination of a dead hamster, unfortunately.)

Even though there are not any records of humans having any symptoms of Tyzzer’s Disease, tests of humans have shown that there has been an active infection that has not been noticed prior to testing.  As a precaution, you should always wash and dry hands thoroughly before and after handling your pet, even when he is well.

There are 3 things you can do to help prevent this disease:

First, make sure you keep your hamster’s living area clean.  Remove and replace all bedding at least once per week.  Do not wait until you notice an odour to change the bedding, because by then it is too dirty.  Wash and disinfect the cage once per month.  Use a bleach solution (one tablespoon of bleach to one gallon of water) in order to disinfect it.

Second, keep stress levels for your hamster low.  Do not wake him up to play.  Keep him away from loud noises and too much activity.  Do not let children mistreat or mishandle him.  Be aware of the clues from your hamster and respect his wishes to be left alone if he acts like he is not interested in being held or handled.

Finally, make sure you keep any new hamsters quarantined for at least 2 weeks before allowing them to come into contact with your current pets.  Even if a new hamster looks healthy, there might be an underlying condition that the stress of moving to a new home could expose.  Although it might be expensive to have an extra housing facility, in the long run it will be worth it.

The good news is that this disease is rare in animals that are well-cared-for and not subject to a lot of stress, so do not be too worried about your hamster catching this disease – but do be observant.

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 populations are rare.

Unusual or conspicuous color patterns are not an issue with animals in captivity, and human breeders often encourage and facilitate unusual color patterns by line breeding, which is inbreeding within a family (father and daughter or brother and sister, for example) in order to “fix” a desirable trait.  This type of inbreeding can lead to health issues in animals due to limiting the genetic material in the breed, but hamster do not appear to suffer noticeably from these complications.

Different hamster breeds have different colors available.  Remember that you local pet store may not carry a large variety of hamsters, so if you have your heart set on a certain color, you may want to check with local breeders if local pet stores do not have what you are looking for.  It is sometimes possible to special-order your hamster, so be sure to inquire about this possibility.

Syrian (golden, teddy bear) hamsters

This particular species is available in dozens of colors, including black, albino, cream, gray, lilac, cinnamon and yellow.  In addition to the solid colors available, there are several patterns available, as well.  The three most common patterns are banded, spotted and tortoiseshell.  (A note about the albino variations – they have no pigment in their eyes, so the eyes are pink.  This lack of pigment makes them extremely sensitive to bright light, so take this into consideration.)  You can tell the difference between a white hamster and an albino by the color of their eyes – white hamsters have dark eyes.

Campbell’s Russian hamsters

This particular species is available in about 2 dozen colors.  The most popular include mottled black, lilac fawn, champagne, argente (which is cinnamon or sandy-colored), albino, and blue.  They are also still available in their original color, which is gray.  New colors are being developed in this breed, as well.

Chinese hamsters

At this time, Chinese hamsters are only available in 2 varieties.  These are the normal color (dark gray-brown with a dark strip and an off-white color on the belly).  It is also available in white with patches of color.

Roborovskii’s hamster

At this time this species is only available in sandy brown, which is its natural color.

Winter White hamster

This species is only available in 3  colors.  The normal color is gray, but it is also found in pearl and sapphire.  The pearl color is white (with black eyes)and is, essentially, the winter color of the hamster’s coat.

Variations in coat color make the hamster an attractive pet and lots of fun for even  recreational breeders.  If you wish to develop new hamster coat colors of your own, it is not difficult to do.  It can even be a rewarding lesson for older children for recreation or as part of a homeschooling curriculum.

Hamster Body Language

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 handling or playing with your hamster if he is showing signs of stress or fear. Body language can also help you understand if there is an issue between hamsters housed in the same cage or aquarium.  If you can recognize the signs, you can prevent serious injury or death to the weaker, less dominant  hamster.

One way you can tell if your pet is nervous or fearful is if he begins to wash his face.  This is a sign that your hamster is stressed and is trying to perform a habitual activity in order to calm himself.  (Think of it as the hamster equivalent of playing with your hair.)

Some hamsters will urinate or defecate when frightened or when they feel threatened.  This can cause some disgust when the hamster is being held by the owner!  If your hamster gets this frightened, return him to his housing area immediately (but gently) and speak softly to him to try to calm him down.

Your hamster may also flatten himself close to the ground or cage floor or attempt to run away.  This often happens when first trying to tame your hamster and your pet is not used to being held.  It can also happen when you wake your hamster up in order to play.  He can and will try to make it more difficult for you to pick him up by becoming as close to the ground (or cage floor) as possible.  If this happens, do not attempt to pick him up or to hold him – this is not a good time.  If you continue to try to pick him up, you risk stressing him further, and stress is not good for the health of a hamster.  Instead, offer him a treat and speak softly.  Try again later, when he is not as upset.

Biting is an obvious sign that this is not a good time to play with your hamster.  Again, this often happens when you are first trying to tame him, but it can happen at anytime.  As a side note, if a normally docile hamster begins to consistently bite and be aggressive, you should look for signs of illness or pregnancy – this could be indicative that things are not right with your pet.  If it is just an occasional incident, chalk it up to your pet having a bad day.

Hamsters are not usually very social animals, and even hamsters from the same litter will fight, often with lots of squeaks and noise.  It is important to look for signs of extreme mistreatment in hamster groups because hamsters can and do severely injure each other sometimes, even to the point of death.  If you notice a hamster that cowers in one spot while the others are feeding and playing, this might be a sign that he is the submissive member of the group.  Check the hamster for injuries.  If it continues, you should remove the less dominant hamster for his own safety.  The others might be unwilling to let him eat.

In conclusion, observing your hamster’s body language is a great way to be more “in tune” with the needs of your pet, and can be crucial to their health and wellbeing.

Hamster Coprophagy ( Poop eating)

As you probably already know, hamsters do things a lot differently than 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.

Small animals (like hamsters and rabbits) are hindgut fermenters.  This means they digest much of their food in the cecum (which is located where the large intestine and the small intestine meet.  It is in about the same location as the appendix in humans.)  (Cows also have to digest food a second time, but they do this by chewing their cud, which is brought back up from the stomach, not passed through the body and eliminated.

Beneficial micro flora ( bacteria and protozoa) live in the hamster’s digestive tract and help your pet digest food.  These micro flora produce by-products such as water-soluble vitamins and amino acids, which are necessary for the hamster to survive.  The nutrients that are produced add a great deal to a hamster’s balanced diet.

Some of the nutrients that are produced are absorbed directly into the hamster’s digestive tract.  However, some of these nutrients are not available to the hamster unless he consumes special droppings that contain the special nutrients manufactured by the micro flora.  The consumption of these special droppings is called coprophagy.Sometimes called night feces, the soft feces containing this nutritional material that the hamster eliminates is often eaten directly from the anus, so you will probably never see these droppings.

The droppings that you normally see in the bottom of your hamster’s housing area are a different type, and they are often hard.  These are not of any nutritional value to your pet, so they are simply kept in the same spot that other waste is kept.   Consumption of these types of droppings could lead to illness due to harmful bacteria in urine and bedding.  (Do not worry – your hamster can tell the difference and will not consume the wrong type.)  The droppings left when a hamster is frightened or stressed are also of no nutritional value and not consumed.

Hamsters generally participate in this activity during the night or early morning hours, so you may not even see this happen, but some concerned hamster owners have become alarmed after seeing this process.  It is a perfectly natural activity and is crucial for the good health of your pet.  Do not be alarmed if you see your hamster engaging in this necessary behaviour.  Do not disturb them in this process, because this can cause stress and poor nutrition.  Stress is a major factor in causing illness and disease in hamsters, and nutrition is important in the prevention of illness.

Although it might be a practice you find nauseating, it is perfectly natural for your pet, and digesting food for a second time is crucial for his continued wellbeing.

Types of hamsters

The Golden

The Golden, or Syrian, is the hamster most commonly kept as a pet. When most people talk about hamsters it is normally the Golden they are thinking about. Golden hamsters, as you may have guessed, are gold in colour on their backs with a white belly. However once these animals became popular people began selectively breeding them to produce many other colours. They are now available in colours, such as cream, cinnamon, silver, white, black and others. There are also a lot of different coat patterns to choose from. It is unlikely that these colours or patterns would be seen in the wild as the hamster would become more noticeable to the animals that prey on them and would not live long enough to pass its genes on.

Longhaired hamsters or those with short, velvety coats would not be found in the wild either. However these Teddy-bear hamsters have become quite popular. There are also longhaired and shorthaired rex hamsters with wavy coats. There are even completely bald hamsters available.

Some breeders believe, and are probably correct, that the most genetically sound hamster is the original golden. This is due to the fact that often, to fix certain characteristics, breeders will inbreed their stock, i.e. brother to sister, father to daughter, mother to son etc. In the long term this leads to genetic diseases becoming more commonplace and will eventually destroy the animals’ immune systems or even make them sterile.

The Dwarfs

As already mentioned, the golden, or Syrian, hamster is the one people are normally thinking about when they talk about hamsters. Today, however a relatively new pet is taking the hamster world by storm. These are dwarf hamsters, cute little critters whose popularity is growing by the day.

Dwarf hamsters can be anything from 2 to 4 inches in length. They have small delicate feet and have a compact ball-like physique. Unlike Golden hamsters dwarfs actually like to live with others like themselves. On the down side some owners have reported that dwarfs are more likely to nip you than Goldens. Others have said that while they may be more difficult to tame, they like the fact that they enjoy being with their own kind and are more entertaining to watch. Whether your hamster bites you or not is probably more down to the way in which the animal has been socialised than what type it is. The more positive the hamster’s association has been with humans, the less likely it is try to take a chunk out of you.

The Russians

In the early 1900′s W.C. Campbell discovered a small hamster species which bears his name today. Nowadays the Campbell’s dwarf is the most popular of the dwarf hamsters on the market. This hamster is also called the Russian, although it can also be found in China and Mongolia. Russian dwarfs have a soft coat and a dorsal stripe that runs down its back. It is small and round and can be found in many colour variations. It usually has a sleek shiny coat, like that of the Golden hamster.

As well as Mr Campbell’s Russian dwarf hamster, there is also one known as the Siberian dwarf. This type is smaller and is also called a winter white, as its grey coat will turn pure white if it is kept in a cool environment. Siberians are reported as being more friendly and quite easy to tame.

The Roborovski Dwarf

Another popular dwarf hamster is the Roborovski dwarf. These are the smallest of the dwarfs and there was an Olympics for hamsters they would be in the sprint events as they are the fastest hamsters out there. If you decide to spend time with your Roborovski outside its cage you will need to be extra careful and ensure it has no easy means of escape. Unlike the Russian, they do not have a stripe on their backs but they do have cute white eyebrows.

The Chinese Dwarf

Chinese dwarfs sort of look like mice. The main reason for this is their tails. They normally come in two colour variations, white with brown patches, or brown with a white dorsal stripe. Their bodies are long and thin. Chinese hamsters are not renowned for their friendliness so you will never know what you are going to end up with. It very much depends on how they were tamed when they were young. With this type it is important to find a breeder who has taken the time to hand tame their youngsters. This has become easier as Chinese dwarf hamsters are growing in popularity amongst the hamster keeping public.

Admirable Pet

Hamsters

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 always have small pieces of wood available to chew on to keep the incisors the right length (not pine or cedar that are toxic to hamsters).

Hamsters have expandable cheek pouches formed by hard dry skin that they use to collect food and carry it to their dens. There is no saliva present in the pouches so that the food remains dry and fresh and does not deteriorate. Hamsters use their forelegs to empty their cheek pouches

The Hamster’s body is covered with thick soft hair that is usually darker on the back and lighter on belly. Unlike mice, hamsters normally have very short tails, except for Chinese hamsters that can have tails up to 2 cms long.

The forelegs of hamsters have four fingers with robust nails that they use to dig tunnels. Hamsters have quite prehensile fingers with which they are able to keep a firm hold on seeds while they nibble them. Hamsters also use their forelegs to groom themselves. They are first licked to dampen them and are then passed over the fur to clean and smooth it.

The rear legs are longer and more robust and have 5 fingers. The ears, are rather large, and externally are covered by a light body hairs, while inside they are hairless; while sleeping hamsters curl up to protect them.

Hamsters are mammals and to feed their babies (pups) they have 7 to 11 pairs of nipples that are only really visible when the hamster is newly born and hairless.

To distinguish between male and female hamsters we must look at the shape of the body (more rounded in females) and the distance between the genital organs and anus, which are closer together in the female than in the male.

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