Hamsters (merged)

Tropez

Hamsters need exercise which is why everybody who knows what they're doing will provide them with at least a wheel.

Hamsters, being nocturnal, will run around on that wheel almost all night and it will probably make a lot of noise. If you're in a small flat, good luck being able to sleep through it and even better luck not having any of the Unis security staff hear it.

If the hamster does not have a wheel and is being confined to a cage all the time then frankly I would consider that animal cruelty.

Also, unless your friend is planning never to clean it out (which will stink), I'm not sure how she would go about explaining why there's a lot of sawdust and bedding materials being disposed of from your flat.

roadiegirl

Hmm. She's away till Monday, so I'm gonna have a word with her then, but I will suggest the gumtree thing, seems like it'd be the best option! Thanks for your suggestions!

burnham1

how did you get on talking to her....still got the hamster or has it been rehomed yet....

Mupette

roadiegirl wrote: »

Hmm. She's away till Monday, so I'm gonna have a word with her then, but I will suggest the gumtree thing, seems like it'd be the best option! Thanks for your suggestions!

she's left a hampster for how many days?
who is changing the food/water/bedding?
has she made arrangements for someone to do this?

britannysmoosh

i have 53 hamsters, i dont know whats the reason of their death. one by one everyday,

roadiegirl

Sorry I never got back, she has now given the hamster to a friend who lives in a house who is prepared to look after it till July when we move out of our accommodation. The longest the hamster was left was a week, with 4 big water bottles and so much food it was untrue, but I still felt really sorry for it. She had locked her bedroom so we couldn't get in to see it and make sure it was okay, but the problems over now. Thankyou!

vl2588

Aww glad it worked out ok

first78

I'm thinking about getting a hamster, it'll be the first time I've ever had one and ideally I would just like one on its own. I'm reading up on the different breeds etc and am thinking about either a Syrian or a female Chinese hamster (as I read females of this breed perfer to live alone).

Does anyone have any advice on either breed and can anyone tell me things like where is best to buy them from (Pets at Home is my closest place but I'm not sure they'll be very tame), what type of cage is best, favourite foods, cost of keeping one etc etc.

I'm not going to rush into this and want to read and get as much info as possible for a few weeks before I decide if I should get one.

Thanks

LittleLauz

Hey, I've owned Syrian hamsters before and would say they are definetly the best for first timers, the other hamster breeds can be a little trickier to handle and tend to be more inclined to nip - especially if purchased from a pet shop.
I'd say go for a Syrian hamster as they are larger, slower and if handled from an early age generally of good temperment.
I've had syrians of both sexes and found that girls were more friendly but this might justve been co-incidence.
Remember though that hammies are nocturnal so will usually sleep the whole day and wake up in the evening. They DO NOT like to be woken up and waking them during the day could result in a nasty bite!
I've always gotten my hamsters from pet shops in the past, mostly because I didn't know any better, and while all but one of them ( which was extremely vicious!) have been very tame, if I were to get one now I'd try and get one through a reputable breeder as they will have been handled and socialised.
The main cost will be the purchase of a cage, I'd stay away from the ones with lots and lots of tubes and attatchments as they are a nightmare to keep clean. The best cages in my opinion are the wire cages as they offer good ventilation and don't get too warm when the weather heats up.
Try and get a fairly large one, with an extra tier or two if you want a hamster palace. Lol.
The best toys are cardboard loo roll tubes and empty tissue boxes that hammie can chew up. Wooden blocks are good to keep their constantly growing teeth nice and short.
I've always fed the hamster muesli from pets at home and it seems to be a good food as my hamsters have always lived long healthy lives - one lived to almost 5 years old.
Good luck with your decision, hammies are very cute and rewarding pets and don't deserve the reputation that they seem to have that they are pets for kids.

first78

Thanks for all the info :T

I'll have a look at any local breeders as I would prefer one that's been socialised if possible. Also good to know that hamsters aren't just good pets for kids, I think they're such adorable little animals.

I'm going to start saving some of my cardboard loo roll tubes in case I do get one, then I'll have a supply of fun things ready to go!