Hamster, newbie questions, please help

dustinjames

hi
ive decided to get a hamster, i wanted a rabbit, but after some research i dont think im ready for that, so have settled on a hamster.
i have two small cages already.

how do i wash these cages?, they were used by others before.
do i need to use some special product? some say bleech, some say
soap, some say vinegar, some say disinfectant....... washing liquid...

also read on another thread not to buy from pets at home, thats the only shop i know in birmingham. anyone know any good local hamster shops in birmingham? are there any rescue centres for hamsters? or should i just buy from a pet shop?

this is my first pet, so ive alot to learn.

thanks for any help.

cheers.

any essential tips or considerations, please do tell.

Buzby

Not bleach (in case it leaves a residue). Far better to use a little mild disinfectant (like Dettol) in warm water and clean all the bars (and floors, perches, drums and toys) with a damp cloth, then leave to dry.

Katiehound

There are some downloadable pdf sheets here:
http://www.bluecross.org.uk/2148-2807/choosing-the-right-small-pet-.html
http://www.bluecross.org.uk/2148-2808/caring-for-your-hamster.html

I have had hamsters in the past (long past!!)- some thoughts:
only have one because same sex fight. They love tunnels so that's why the stackable cages are popular. Two year life span approx. Short sighted so don't put your finger between bars- boy does it hurt! Although nocturnal you can wake them in the day time but obviously they are far more active at night.
if you handle them gently when young they will get used to it and very tame.
The first link above suggests the differences between small furries and the next is specifically about hamsters.
It sounds like you are doing your research now which is great. have fun.

RachyD_3

Hamsters are great fun and easy to care for - a lot easier than a rabbit. Agree with Buzby, dettol's a good idea. Just rinse thoroughly and dry. Golden/Syrian hamsters are the big ones that everyone's familiar with. Smaller Russian hamsters are very sweet and widely available - I always had Russisns, the lady at the pet shop told me you could keep two together. Lots of people do with no problem but in my case Zig ate Zag. Not good!
One piece of advice I have is to handle a hamster every day. They're very friendly until you start to get bored and stop handling them. And I don't know why you shouldn't get one from Pets at Home - the animals at my local store appear to be very well looked after. Good luck!

Nimeth

I would definitely recommend Syrians for a first time owner, they are larger and less aggressive than dwarf hamsters. Syrians must, must be kept on their own though, they are fairly territorial creatures.

Is there an independent pet shop near you that looks like they care for the animals? I got my first hamster from a local independent shop and she was well handled, healthy and very amiable.

If the hamster you get doesn't appear to like being handled at first, you'll have to take it slow. Put your hand in the cage with a treat in your palm to start with, do this regularly until it seems ok with letting you stroke it. Letting them crawl over your hands without picking them up lets them know that you intend no harm and they'll get more comfortable with it. If it takes a few weeks, don't get discouraged, it's a process that takes patience!

For the cages, a good initial wipe down with dettol is good, but I'd advise picking up a animal friendly disinfectant too for the weekly clean outs. Most pet shops will sell one brand or another. A wheel, if you don't have one already, would also be a good idea as hammy will need some exercise too.

Also, hamsters are somewhat nocturnal creatures, they sleep most of day and really don't like being woken up. They'll wake up in the evening (mine usually emerges around 8 pm), so this is the best time to play with them.

Don't be afraid to ask advice from the pet shop staff, Pets at Home have some good books on hamster care if you want to wander in and have a flick through them.

HTH and good luck!:)

Malicia_Crass

In your previous thread you said you are "afraid of all animals". Please please don't rush into getting a hamster, or any other pet, until you have got over at least some of this fear.
Maybe ask at a pet shop, or at a rescue open day, (or some farm shops have small animals), if you could stroke and try holding a hamster before you get one.
Otherwise you could end up with an unhandled, nervous pet (who will more than likely bite if it is scared) which you are afraid to handle.

dustinjames

thanks to all for advice.

went to pets at home today. After chat with staff there, we decided ONE Russian dwarf hamster was best option.
She said syrian hamster bites all the time and they dont even take them out of cage to show customers.
There were 3 diff dwarf hamsters, one was really fast, so i decided against that one, and another... was fast too....
we kept going back to the Russian dwarf hamster, it was tiny (i think 8-12 weeks old) and i felt i could learn to
really look after it and hold it.

i didnt like the look of the syrian hamster, was quite big and it grows further i was told........
i liked the size of the russian dwarf.

literature online says dwarfs should be kept in pairs, but she said its best to have it alone.........

am i making the right choice with the russian dwarf single hamster?
should i make sure its male or female?
how old they be? as young as poss?

yes i bought that hamster cage spray cleaner linked above (£3).
just gottta get all my equipment/cage cleaned up now.

Person_one

If you really want to do it, please consider going to a rescue centre or an ethical breeder. Pet shop hamsters come from awful places like this (warning, possibly upsetting pictures)

http://www.ratz.co.uk/rodentfarm.html

dustinjames

Person_one wrote: »

If you really want to do it, please consider going to a rescue centre or an ethical breeder. Pet shop hamsters come from awful places like this (warning, possibly upsetting pictures)

http://www.ratz.co.uk/rodentfarm.html

pets at home is the only pet shop i know, its well known and not too far from my home. if i find a little pet shop, i dont know how ethical they are anyway.

MiniMoo

Hi i have had hamsters since i was 16 mainly had winter whites, russian dwarves, when i was 16 i had 2 in a large cage (3 storey) they were fine for awhile and as they got older they fought, eventually one killed the other since then i have only ever had singular hamsters.

Everyone thinks hamsters are easy animals to look after and i suppose if you know what you are doing then they are, but as a beginner it can take some getting used to, so please dont rush into it. I am from birmingham and i buy my hamsters from kings heath pet shop, titch my last hamster lived well past the expected age for winter whites.

A few tips on having dwarf hamsters, they need a cage with smaller gaps between the bars as they are excellent escapists, alot of handling as they can very easily get cage bound and bite (but this is the same with syrians) i find dwarf hamsters like exercise alot i put my hamster (latest edition to the family 'squeak') in her ball almost everyday. ermmmmm i cant really think of much more they eat the standard hamster mix you can buy and always fresh water (i tend to change squeaks alot in the warm weather)

I hope this helps, but please dont rush into it, i've seen so many lil hammys on freegle etc coz people assume they are more entertaining than they are.

Moo x

faded_flowers

Russians are happy in pairs or alone - if you have limited space then alone is best. Ideally it should be about 8 weeks or older, and the sex doesn't matter since it's going to live alone.

Make sure your cage is safe though! You may have a syrian hamster cage with bars wide enough for a baby dwarf hamster to squeeze through... If you're not sure, take the cage or a picture of the cage with you and the sales assistant will be able to advise you.