Friday, May 8, 2009

Hamster love?

ok, when a hamster just mated, from then on, how long will it take 'till the babys are born?
ASAP PLEASE
Answers:
"The gestation period of a hamster lasts only fifteen and a half to sixteen days." Our one hamster just had babies after only about 2 weeks. They have a very short gestation period. The babies are only a few days old and have already about doubled in size from when they were born.
ummm..i not too sure, it depends from each one. probaly about 2 weeks!
If both hamsters are fertile then it will take about 21 days. Make sure that the male hamster is out of the cage when they are born or he will go cannibal because he wants the female all to himself. Hope this helps!
Shockingly quick. It will be having babys in a couple of weeks!

Hamster losing hair?

my hamster hair is coming out by its right behind and im not sure if its a blad spot thats growing, it continues to chew that area or if its just loosing hair, im not able to send it to a vet, and where can i send hamsters that i dont want anymore?
one of my hamsters is also huge thoes that mean anything
Answers:
I don't know if hamsters get that particular glandular disease that ferrets do, but that's what it sounds like. You other hamster, the huge one, is it fat? Or is it pregnant? hard to tell when I can't see them. If you are not able to take the animals to the vet, please don't get any more. They both should be seen by a vet. You can call some vets offices or your local human animal shelter and ask how you can give up your pets.
cancer
he has a very bad spot maybe fleas
glands are back there, maybe irritating, how old are they? take them to the humane society or animal shelter if u no longer want them.
Well, I had a hamster like that, and the vet said it may have been mites, but I was never given a definite answer. There are a few signs to check for: Does it have black/dark spots on his/her ears?, Is the spot being itched a lot or does it look like the spot's spreading? It's a shame you can't take it to a vet. I hope you find a way. It would really help. Try contacting a shelter or something in your area. They'll probly help. I wish I could tell you more, but I'd have to see it first. Also, your other hamster, do you know what type it is? Some hamsters are generically larger than others. It might just be a larger hamster. If not, it may be pregnant. In which case, it needs to be seen by a vet asap.
Well, when I owned guinea pigs, the same type of thing happened. The vet said that it was most likely a Vitamin C deficiency. So, we put a Vitamin C solution into the water, and that helped. We also gave them orange peels, which are high in Vitamin C. It seemed to help.
First don't do as advised by Luke J, hamster can't have any citrus ever. It will make them extremely sick.
Syrian hamster (large breed) males have scent glands on their sides and on their hind legs. These can become clogged and will need to be expressed (best done by a vet) or they will become infected. The area where the scent glands are does have thinner hair to balding.
What do you mean by send hamster you don't want any more? Are they babies you bred that you can't find homes for or are they the ones you promised to care for when you got them? What breed are they also. Are you wanting to give them up because you can't afford and care for them properly (including vet bills)? If this is why then that's a good decision to make for their well-being. If you are serious about finding new homes for your hamsters, place ads in the papers, put up a notice at the vets and ask friends and realatives if they want them. Take them to the humane society or call a animal rescue. How many do you have? Also if they are a Syrian (large breed), they MUST be housed alone and not together with another Syrian or they will fight causing injury to each other or death to one or both. These are solitary animals and MUST be kept this way.
I've had Syrians over a 31 years at different times and was a breeder for several years back in the 1980's. I also have bred Russian dwarfs in the past and aside from my small animal rescue, breed mice and rats. These animals are sod privately from my animals up for adoption and their new owner are told they were bred and not rescued. Only 4 of my rats are rescues and 2 are up for adoption with them. I wear several hats at home where I run the rescue and sell my bred babies from. I have gotten help requests on what to do from all over the world with small animals and I try my best to answer them and like with you try to educate some one on what to do or with what something may be wrong. I'm not a vet, but have day time access to one if needed with a phone call. Night/weekend time by emergency only, they charge $100 for a night visit so I try to handle things with a call.
Oh come on, at least try it at a vets before you give up on it! You must've known before you got it that it might have health problems?
If it's chewing itself it probably has mites, which a vet can easily treat. At least get the hamster checked! Or perhaps if you don't care about it it would be better for the hamster to be rehomed, try the ASPCA.
Chalice

Hamster looks greasy?

Kind of by the neck, and about an inch back from there. It looks a little matted, I tried taking a picture, but it doesnt look the same.
Answers:
My Syrian hamster gets greasy looking spiky kinda fur going on around the back of her neck sometimes too. I call it "nappy neck"
To solve it, sprinkle some Chinchilla bath dust on their head, neck and back. This will make them shake and rub it in, therefore eliminating "nappy neck".
has it, by chance, been eating ham?
if you want to clean it they have dust for small animals that cleans then they might not have it for hamsters but they have it for chinchillas and im sure it would work the same
check your food label.If it has fish oil in the top 5 ingredients this will happen and sometimes it will smell.
is the cage cleaned regularly?
have you given it any type of greasy food? you might try a baby wipe to clean it with and see if that helps. do you give it vitamins or fruit/veg that would make it greasy?
Here are some of the answer:
Can be due to fungus( ringworms), mites( mange), infection of bite wounds, or degeneration due to old ages often, owners mistake two patches of dark coarse hair, one on each side over the hips, for skin disease. Actually, these patches, more obvious in males than in females, are normal and are the sites of special glands. These glands play a part in sexual attraction ( hamsters in the wild seek out their mates by smell) and are possibly also used for making territory.
Diagnosis and treatment:
The veternarian will diagnose the type of any skin ailment, often with the aid of laboratory tests on skin or hair scrapings, and then precrible specific treatment.
We sold chinchillas in the pet store I worked at years ago. We used baby powder on them. Just sprinkle a bit of that on your hands away from your hamster so he doesn't breathe any in, and just rub in into his fur. That way it shouldn't have to cost you any money.
What type of hamster is it? Syrian or Campbell? He's probably satin, it's a kind of coat type. Most hamsters have the "normal" coat type. Coat types are dominant, so if you were to breed your hamster, 50% of the offspring would be satin coated.
Don't use a baby wipe. If you get him soapy you'll have to give him a bath, which will remove all the natural oils from his coat and make him sick.
Hope this helps :)

Hamster living?

Okay, I own 62 hamsters (they are just too cute) and I have 37 cages. Well I haven't took any home yet, but I bought them from a hamster breeder named "Nikita". She says she'll take care of them until I figure this out. I know hamsters prefer solitary life, but I don't have 62 cages! They are all females, well, thats what "Niki" told me, and so how to I divide them into these cages? There is 3 Dwarfs and 59 "commons".
Answers:
Syrian hamsters (which I'm assuming you mean by "common") are solitary animals and should not be caged together NO MATTER WHAT.
It doesn't matter if they're all females, all sisters, all related, they will fight, and they will kill each other.
Only dwarfs are social and can be kept together.
So, I think perhaps you should tell Nikita that you do not have room for 59 separate hamster cages and go with a more toned down number of hamsters that you can safely house and handle.
It really isn't fair to make a solitary animal that doesn't want the company of other hamsters to live with other hamsters, especially with the foreknowledge that they are going to hurt and probably kill each other. In fact, that's borderline cruelty, no matter how good your intentions are.
Please do not take on so many hamsters if you cannot give them all separate cages. It's not that they "prefer" a solitary life - it's that they are naturally and instinctually solitary animals and they CANNOT be kept together past 8 weeks without fighting. That is their nature.
Please follow the link and read the article about Syrian hamsters, and think VERY carefully about what is best for you and what is best for the animal's lives.
Female Hamsters are hormonal so your going to have to be careful. If you cant possibly get 62 cages put the hamsters that are in the same litter together. That way they should be fine with eachother.
You'll start off with 62 hampsters and end up with 620. They breed like crazy, they smell, can get infested with fleas and eat their young. Think about continuously cleaning the 37 cages. This may not be a good move.
good luck with that
If you go pet smart there should be glass tank divers in the fish or reptile sec. there usually cheap. this way you can separate each tank into two. I hope you have glass tanks!
If some already live together you can put them together, but they may fight. I had a few hamsters and was able to socialize them by having them run in seperate balls and play together. However, that many will require a lot of work on your part, even after socializing.
well to tell you the truth hamsters aren't really supposed to be in the same cages cause they might fight, but sometimes they can.
what i would do is try to get as many more cages as you can, (let's so you get 40 cages) you can put the dwarfs in one (DO NOT PUT COMMON WITH DWARFS! they will hurt eachother!) and put 2 commons in a cage, another 2 commons and so on... 2 hamsters in each cage might do it!
good luck!!!!

Hamster Lethargy? Help! :(?

My hamster is being super lethargic, it lies down with its eyes half closed, as it if it REALLY tired, or has heat stroke or something? Its very hot in montreal at the moment, and very humid too. Im wondering what the problem might be. One minute she is up and running about, but at times she is just so "dead" like? There have been a few mice in my new appartment, and the hamster has been itching a bit more, but she does not have any symptoms such as watery eyes, sneeziing, wet bottom etc... its very strange?
Can someone help, it would be much appreciated.
Thanks!
Matt
Answers:
Well, remember that hamsters are nocturnal and will sleep most of the day. I get customers try and tell me all the time that our hamsters are dead because of how soundly they will sleep, even after I try and prove they are fine by waking them up!
I would probably get her to a vet, if possible, and get her checked for mites or other parasites. The mice in your apartment could have transmitted something to your hamster. Those can really take alot out of your little guy.
I would also try and keep your hamster a little bit cooler. The ideal temp for them is between 72 and 75F.
Also, what kind of bedding do you have her on? The itching can be coming from that maybe. Make sure you are using a paper based bedding or aspen, as pine and cedar can cause skin irritation.
Good luck! I hope she's ok
is the temperature around 70-78ish degrees? if yes, temperature should not be a problem. she's just probably tired. after my hamsters eat, run, and drink, they get exhausted. they lay flay on their bellies with their eyes sleepy looking. best of luck!
heard about this its called paralysis put a wheel in and force it 2 walk. then if it limps or shows any weard signs or still is tired go to vet
go to a vet they can die quick when they get sick

Hamster leashes?

If I take my hammie outside, she might escape so I'm worried. Do those hamster leashes really work, are they safe and do hammies mind?
Answers:
You maay be better served to get one of those clear balls that you can put you rhampster in and let it run around that way . There is aboslutely no chance of escape but can go and see new things.
no they dont have hamster leashes...get a small dog if you want to do that
Yes they work and no they like it cause they can roam around outside
I have to say I have never heard of hamster leashes. I would also add that I dont like the idea of my hamster outside exposed to all sorts of harm and danger.
I would suggest keeping yours indoors for a run around, either in an enclosed environment or in her exercise ball.
Hamsters are nocternal and partially blind. direct sunlight can cause more damage to their eyes so I would not suggest taking her outside. Cats, dogs, and big birds might make a quick dash for her, and dirt on the ground, or pestisides on grass may cause her harm.
I know what leash you are talking about, Its a japanese invention. Its kinda cruel. You cant keep up with their speed, and you will end up pulling on them.
Get that ball! They go crazeh inside it. And you know they cant get lost, its very visable!
yes i think they work but make sure there isn't any type of animal that can hurt your hamster! And make sure if you have your hamster go in the grass make sure it wasn't sprayed with something that could be poisonous to your hamster!
NO LEASH! Hamsters like to run free. Try a hamster pen/fence. It's way better for them. I've had 8 hamsters and they've all lived for at least 5 years. I'm only in 8th grade too.
lol i just heard about a hamster leash today myself and personaly i dont think you should take the hamster outside inless you are carrying it because knowing my hamster it likes to eat every thing it sees so i wouldnt suggest taking it outside would be the best idea because there could be something harmful on the ground. Which can make it sick.
they do not have HAMSTER leashes. they have rabbit, rat, and ferret leashes. u could use a ferret one but it is way 2 long..

Hamster leashes..?

The stores leases cost 10$ for a pice of rope and a thing of leather...way expensive.is there ne way i can make a homeade one that is loose so my hammy is comfortable and where she cant get out of it unless i take it off??
Answers:
hamsters are very good at getting away so i dont think that will be good.petstores do carry lil carry cases and exercise balls and everything where your hamster can go lots of places!or if u really want your hamster to get the feel of outside then get a hamster playpen from either petco or petsmamrt.watch u hammy so it dont get away but it is a really nice thing to have
i've read that you shouldnt use leashes on hamsters, no matter how cute it would look. :P it restricts their lungs or something like that... and the hamster would probably try to take it off...
Go to a craft store and get thin, soft pieces of jewelry leather. Pad it with some cotton and make it look like a dog harness. (Around the belly and neck, with straps connecting them.) Put velcro, buckles or buttons on it so you can take it on and off. Use a normal dog lease and clip it on.
hamsters aren't supposed to wear leashes, and don't get her a leash, because I have a hamster and he eats almost everything, so you shouldn't do that with your hammy. But if you want to...
i wouldnt put a hamster on a leash. leashes can be used for rabbits, guinea pigs, and chinchillas..hamsters might get hurt in a leash
hamsters really dont like those. try getting it a play pen or a ball.
don't even try this you will strangle the poor thing!

Hamster know when your hurt?

okay if had this hammy for about 5 1/2 weeks now and i play with her about 4 time s a day and were really close, she licks my fingers and my neck when shes on my shoulder (is that wierd or wut?) and yesterday i got hurt and i can barely walk and i was layin in bed and she was in her nest, perfectly fine, and i heard her squeal, it wasnt a squeal it was more like a call and she did a few time and i pulled myself over to her cages and she was fine she was looking right at me and came out and i opened the door and she crwed into my hand.do u think she knew i was hurt?
Answers:
sounds like you've got a real sweetie on your hands there. She'll do you good all the days of her fuzzy life. I don't put much past little critters these days. I've had a dog that knows the second any of my pets dies, parakeets that come when I call, and a hamster or two that will intentionally snuggle down on my stomach and stay with me when I've had a rough day. The more time you spend with them the more attuned to you they are. And she knows your habits and patterns too, matching hers to yours. When something's different or 'off' she knows. Sounds like you found a blessing. I'm glad you've got someone to 'watch over you' while you're hurt.
probably.any pet does have the tendency to feel their owner's feelings.(if they're with them for quite some time already)
Personally, I'd like to believe so. I had a few incidents where I've had a crap day and one of my guinea pigs will just sit and snuggle with me, which they don't always do. It's like they know I need some comfort.
Animals have sixth sense.

Hamster issue?...help. Is she ok?..?

I took her to the vet 2 weeks ago-I thought she could be sick. The vet could not find anything wrong, but she still gave me meds for her-just in case. Well, today I noticed she has white stuff on her upper lips as well as her bottom lips. It's hard and I can't take it out-I thought it was paper she had eaten, but it's not. What do you think it could be?..I am thinking of taking her to the vet.
Answers:
Find another vet and fast! Something could be very wrong, even made worse by the medicine, and obviously this vet did not properly diagnose her! One time I had to take my rodent to three different vets before the third one located the true problem. Also, I do not recommend vets at PetCo or PetSmart or any chain pet store. They are usually hired fresh out of medical school and love to over diagnose, and sometimes underdiagose, I had both things happen when trying to diagnose a paw infection. One said it was nothing, the other said it was cancer! Find a vet with a private practice who specializes in small animals/rodents, often referred to as exotics. As to your hamster, maybe her teeth have grown too much. Why was she taken to the vet? Identify that problem, research the medicine, and find a vet!
Gosh, I dont know what it could be , maybe it could be some kind of blister or reaction from something. You are on the right track , take her to the vet!!
hi iam a hamster lover.ok good thing ur takeing her to the vet 3 thubs up!!ok she maybe just over slept BUT!! be carefull
feed her LOTS of vegs and friut and make shure that u clen her cage 1 a week or maybe twice to be on the safe side
try to clen it up by useing warm water on a towel and maybe a lil sope then rube it and shuold help if not e mail me!
Contact all the vets in your area and ask if they employ a small animal specialist. I take my hamster for general health check ups just to make sure all is ok and i would go to one who specialises in small animals only, they may find out what really is wrong with her.
I cant answer what is wrong, or whether its a cause for concern, but you must seek medical help again, and fast. Good luck x x

Hamster is bleeding?

My hamster i bleeding from her rear area. she's a syrinan hamster and about 8weeks old. i bought her 2 weeks ago. Does she have an infection, have i been giving her too much fresh food? please help.
Answers:
It sounds like she has Wet Tail. That can be fatal.
Please look up information on "Wet Tail" online immediately.
Fortunately, if you catch it early, they have medicines for it at places like Petsmart and Petco to treat it. It has to be done ASAP though.
Wet Tail is a very common problem in hamsters.
It has nothing to do with her food, it is a type of infection. Sometimes it has to do with the living area, have you been cleaning it enough?
But like I said, this is a very common problem in hamsters and other small animals and I'm not sure it can be prevented.
Goodluck :[
go to the vets
You really must get her to the vet. I really hope it is'nt, but it sounds like "wet Tail" a disese that very often kills hamsters if not seen to straight away.
To much fresh food would of given her an upset belly, but there should not be blood. Seek a vets opinion straight away today.
This may sound like a long shot, but your female hamster may be menstruating. They mature at a very young age, so it's plausible. But definately take her to the vet. I feel your pain, I've lost several hamsters whom I've loved. I hope she'll be okay. :(
Take her to the vet's. There is no good reason for her to be bleeding noticably from the anus or genital area.
there is a possibility your hamster can be pregnant. look for these signs: is it active? does it have a big stomach?
or it can have an infection called "wet tail"
keep it away from the sun and feed him a little bit less then Wat you fed him before and give him warm water and provide him with medicines and he should be good in no time.Wet tail: A bacterial infection that causes diarrhea, ears laid back, loss of appetite, and a fluid like discharge from the vent. The animals' hind quarters will appear dirty and wet. There is a broad spectrum antibiotic called Drytail which can help this condition if caught soon enough. Most pet stores should have it, otherwise take the animal to a veterinarian.
Take your hamster to the vet. She could have an infection... wet tail, or injury. The over the counter meds at the pet store will not help. Also do not give a hamster too much fresh food, they eat seeds, nuts, broccolli, tofu. Never give a Syrian hamster lettuce it contains laudenaum. Too many greens will cause stomach upset which will lead to wet tail.
I've had hamsters for years and have never had wet tail due to stringent cleaning routine and not allowing food to sit.
FYI: Hamsters do not menstruate like humans or other animals. They cycle every 3 days. If they menstruated then they would bleed to death in a short time. Hamsters release a scent when they are in "heat"

Hamster Insanely Flips All The Time?

i got my hamster as a baby and just recently she started to walk up to her walls and fall on her back then it got to her falling on her side. The next night she was flipping. Now she wont stop. I am afraid that I did something to her when she was a baby. She is totally safe and all but I think it is just out of the ordinary.
Answers:
maybe it is just bored and found that was something fun to do. I had a hamster that climbed up the walls and would then let go and plummet to the floor. It seemed to enjoy it .
If its not hurting itself then just let it play.
It's nothing you did. Relax!
It's a birth defect.
Something is "wired" wrong in her brain.
It's not harmful. She's not in pain, but she will probably do this her entire life.
Some people actually breed hamsters that do this on purpose!
Hamsters might have seizures for the same reasons humans do, it could be a genetic defect or caused by their enviornment. To learn more contact your ver (I don't think physical assistance will be needed with the vet.. over the phone should be fine unless the seizures become frequent) or learn more about seizures with humans, and what causes them. If this happens, you may try to calm your hamster down if you like but DO NOT try to restrain it or it might hurt itself or hurt you. It is also important for me to add that your hamster might have done this because of something it heard. Hamsters often act strangley to even the most miniscule sounds, and they have much better hearing than humans.
Theres nothing wrong with dat. But its cute
she has a brain disorder, you may want to talk to a vet about this.
sweety! theres something wrong with its spine and it needs to be put down... it may seem sad but its for the best intrest of the hammie! just remember that iots nothing you probably did but she still needs to be put down! you wouldnt want to flip all day would you? sorry!

Hamster info?

Instead of a bunny ive also been thiking about a hamster. There cute and cudelly. Ive read on how to care for them and how to find a good cadge. Is there any type ohhamster that needs not to much attention but is really chill and likes people?
Answers:
Syrian hamsters (teddybear/goldern) are the most likeable breed. They are the biggest, so react slower to things and are much easier to handle. They are laid back and calm in nature, and are the least likely to bite out of all the breeds. Male hamsters are slightly more chilled than females. They are also great for a cuddle as they interact with humans really well.
I have had my male syrian a year, and he has never bitten. He is very laid back in character and loves coming out of his cage each night for a play. He does not mind having lots of kisses on his head! He sometimes falls to sleep on the sofa next to me or my husband.
That said, all hamsters do require attention, they need exercise every day out side of their cage for at least 30 minutes a day, so you need to bare this in mind before you buy one. If a hamster is not handeled everyday it may well get into the habit of biting.
there are dwarf hamster which, depending on its personality, can be cudly or nasty. the last time i had one i had a bear hamster which are big and fluffy. he escaped from his cage a lot and slept a lot too. when we took him out of the cage he would try to run away. it all depends on the hamsters personality not it's species
you can buy a teddy bear hamster , they are sweet annd friendly..
I would suggest getting a dwarf hamster. I have one, and he's so cute !
The basic things you need:
-a cage
-hamster food, a food bowl and a water bowl
-dust bath (only for dwarf hamsters, to keep their fur shiny)
What NOT to give hamsters :
-apartment plants
-fried or sweet food
-potato or tomato peels
-You can give your hamster baby carrots, pieces of apples, or certain kinds of vegetables, as long as they're washed properly and are not coming straight from the fridge.
You have to change your hamster's water daily (make sure it's fresh) and his cage weekly.
Other stuff you can give your hamster are :
-Wood chews : you can get some at PJ's pet shop, they're good for him because a hamster's teeth never stop growing.
-I give my hasmter cotton balls. He tears them with his teeth and claws and uses it as a nest, or sometimes, he sleeps under it...
If you get a dwarf hamster, you have to give him a dust bath onca a week. He rolls himself in it, and it's really cute, so don't miss it !
When you get your new hammie, leave him at least one week to get used to his cage, then put a treat in your hand and let him come to you.
all hamsters need attention. i dont think there is any one breed of hamster that doesnt need that much attention. it depends on the personality of the individual hamster itself.
dwarf hamsters are cute,cos they NEVER grow!
i suggest the sapphire breed.
Because they will grow a little,not very much,to the extend that you think is scary,if you get to see its process of its growing,this is where you find it satisfying,cos' your efforts have paid off!
Hamsters love sunflower seeds,try to give it 5 daily,but make sure it is preserved!
Normal ones are too salty for them!
Giving them carrots,cabbage and stuff are okay,but do not go overboard,cos' if they eat too much of that,they will get diarrhoea!
Be sure to wash the cage weekly,give it much much caring and love,it will be nice to you too.
If you want the best for your hamster,get it cat litter instead of sawdust,cat litter do not give weird smells,and have good absorbency for the hamster's urine.
Lastly,please please please,hamsters are cute,but remember,even though if one day,you find it not THAT cute any more,please dont abandon it,please please dont.
Cheers!
(:
I've had two teddy bear hamsters, a black bear hamster and a dwarf. The teddy bears and black bear hamsters are really easy to handle. Once they hit about 4 months old you can cuddle with them all you want. They tend to take less time to tame than a dwarf hamster.

Hamster in summer?

I got my hamster back in november so I never had him in the summer time yet. A lot of people told me their hamsters died of a heat stroke. I was just wondering what temperature I should keep my room at (that's where my hamster cage is). It's always been really hot in my room in the summer time, especially beacause my room gets a lot of sunlight, so it gets really hot. It was about 80 degrees (it gets even hotter as it becomes closer to summer) in there last week (i have a thermometer in there) so i moved my hamster downstairs were it's cooler. I moved him back up to my room because it got cooler but I was just wondering what temperature it should be in my room. Thanks.
Answers:
80 degrees is about as hot as they should be in temperature wise. They may have been in deserts in the wild, but in captivity they have accustomed themselves to the cooler temperatures. 65-75 is ideal for them and keep away from all sources of drafts and heat (air vents, windows, AC, fans, and doors) Move the hamster down stairs for his safety. They can die from heat stroke. Always keep them away from direct sunlight, in a tank or mostly plastic cage these act like ovens to them. Don't use a fan on him either to cool him off this will make him sick nor give a bath to cool him down either, this causes a respiratory infection in the lungs, which will need treatment by a vet. If you have a room AC keep him away from the unit and the air flow for the same above reasons.
THIS IS IMPORTANT!! Keep it around 70-65 degrees! And mae sure the cage is out of the sunlight! I had a hamster and it lived in my room. One day the sun was shining right on its cage, and while I wasn't home it died!! So make sure you've got that AC going! And keeping it downstairs is probably a good idea.
As long as you keep his cage out of direct sun light ( it should never be in direct sunlight anyway) he will be fine. Hamsters originate from the syrian deserts, so his body will cope fine in the hotter months.
if you worry about him being to hot:
*cut off an old pant leg and sew three sides up, fill the little bag with uncooked rice and sew up the other side, put the 'bean bag' in the refrigerator overnite and put it in his cage in the morning he will love it! well at least my hamsters and rats have! he will lay on it to stay cool. This can also be used in the winter if you want to make it warm (NOT HOT) by putting in the the microwave for a few seconds
Down stairs would be a better location for the summer (heat rises so the upstairs would be too warm.
Don't put him near a window down stairs..it may not get direct sunlight but it will be very warm.
If the weather gets REAL hot..put the cage in the bathtub or shower..the tile will keep it cooler.
And make sure he gets fresh cold water several times a day.
60-70 and out of direct lite not near any heat source either. keep in cool area during summer.
Keep him downstairs, where its nice and cool. To make sure he is warm, though, put in a hasmter castle. Make sure to put cotton on the bottom so that he can rest peacefully. If he has a running wheel, put that to the corner of the cage so you can put a long tube in the center, crawling around the whole cage. If he has a playground, dont use the tube. A perfect tube, though, is Teeny Magic tubes, that are fun shaped and bendy so you make it going up down, all around!!! Dont worry, he wont think its too cold if you put some cotton here and there, or a folded up bandana works perfectly! -Jannie's best friend's advice, Virginia (Ginny) Ellis!! (expert on hamsters) Written by Jannie Wilson.
Your hamster should be alright as long as you don't put him in direct sunlight and as long as it doesn't get TOO hot in your room. It should be around 70 degrees in the room he/she is in, but he shouldn't die if it is just a little cooler or warmer. Another thing you could do, I do this for my rabbit, and used to for my hamster, if you have a little container, such as an extra water dispenser, fill it with cool water and sit it near where your hamster likes to cuddle up, if he/she gets too warm, it will probably go curl up near it. Hope it helps.
Hamsters of either gender (unlike other kinds of hamsters) hibernate if the temperature drops suddenly, becoming less active below 60潞F. If the temperature has dropped below 60 degrees and your hamster appears to barely be moving other than whiskers twitching and very slowly breathing, it may well have begun to hibernate. As this involves physiological changes, do not attempt to bring your hamster out of hibernation around by handling or elevating the temperature markedly. Instead, raise the temperature by 5潞F every 6 to 8 hours until the temperature returns to 70-75潞F original temperature. If you turn the thermostat in your home below 60潞F for sleeping, cover the cage with a padded thermal cover which should keep the cage environment warm enough overnight. (Hibernation is a normal physiological activity which can benefit the animal, but there is a right and a wrong way to "hibernate" your pet. If you are interested in allowing your hamster to hibernate, be sure to get proper information about how to stimulate this interesting phenomenon as well as how to bring them out of hibernation.
Hamsters can be stressed by high temperatures, so keep your hamster in a cool part of the house in the summer.
Would you enjoy sitting in the sun in a beautiful fur coat?
Your friend probably will be happier downstairs during the day. My rabbit likes it dark and cool during the day, and at night she needs to be the center of attention again.

Hamster in labor?

What are the signs that a hamster is in labor? I have a 2 month old pregnant hamster and she looks very pregnant. She's never had a problem with me holding her but today she doesnt want to be touched. Will she give birth today?
Answers:
She knows she is going to have little hamsters soon so she is trying to keep her space and wants to be left alone.. The mothers get very protective at this point.. Make sure she is separated from the father and others.. Don't be surprised if she ends up eating at least one of her Babies. they do this because they can tell if it has a problem. Good luck with them.. Hamsters breed fast and multiply fast.. Trust me we have had over 50 .. If you want more info go to this site

http://www.ask-the-vet.com/breeding-hams...
This could be a helpful website!
http://www.petwebsite.com/hamsters/breed...
I hope this answers all your questions!
It's hard to tell, give her time and check in on as often as you can. Good luck!My wife did not want me to touch her when she was pregnant, and was in labor you might get bitten! LOL!
If your hamster is in labor she would be breathing rapidly and maybe rolling around a bit. Her back could also not be right, she could be arching it or 'rolling' it , putting it in unusual positions.
Make sure you're there for her when she gives birth. Don't disturb her or touch her but watch her and maybe stroke her head slightly but if she becomes irritated maybe just stick to watching her.. Good luck.

Hamster Illness?

Hiya,
I've had my hamster for roughly 2 months, today i noticed that she has gunk around both eyes (one eye is worse than the the other) and that she had blood around her bottom. I had another hamster before this one with the same problems, unfortuntaly, she had to be put to sleep.
My hamster is also displaying signs of frailness, pain and she doesn't seem to have any energy.
i just wondered if anybody knew what this illness is and how it is caused. I am taking her to the vet tomorrow, and i know that she'll proberly be put to sleep.
I'm just looking for information, on the illness and if possible, prevention in future.
Thanks
Bryony
Answers:
http://hamsterific.com/illnessguide.cfm...
~bladder infection
http://hamsterific.com/illnessguide.cfm#...
~Fungus
http://hamsterific.com/illnessguide.cfm#...
~Wet Tail
http://hamsterific.com/illnessguide.cfm#...
It's probably eye disease. Maybe your environment is not suitable for hamsters or maybe you didn't take good care of em.
I can't say anything that may help. I just feel so bad for u that u have to go through this. I lost a hamster too %26 it was suprisingly heartbreaking! Ur doing what is best by taking him to the vet's. Good Luck hun! ZETA!
u either got ur hamster from a bad pet shop/breeder or u haven't been caring for it right. do you clean it's cage once or twice a week? it seems to have a mix between all kinds of illnesses. it may need to be put to sleep or need immediate vetenary attenton.
good luck!
I'm really sorry to hear about your hamster.
Before you get another hamster buy a new cage, water bottle, toys, food bowl, basically everything. It may be that the infection/ illness of your other hamster has been passed on to the new one.
Also, if you got both these hamsters from the same shop / breeder, go somewhere else, do some research, find out someone / somewhere that has a good reputation for selling good, healthy hamsters.

Hamster Housing in Bathroom?

I have a syrian hamster. She has a cage (not the "biggest", though, since she's gotten bigger). My parents have allergies and they don't like the smell. They won't let me keep her in any room at all, not even mine. They do allow the bathroom though. So is it okay for me to put my hamster's cage in the bath tub? I let the cage door open so she can have some running space in the tub. Is that okay, or is outside preferable? But if she stays outside, the cage would be closed and she'll have a little room to run around.
Answers:
Bathrooms are very humid + can create bacteria + mold. Mold isn't good for any living thing. Heres' what I found online :
"Some things that can harm a hamster, such as bacteria, viruses and mold, can easily penetrate a hamsters' safe haven. Weekly cleaning with a cleaning solution that is effective against all pathogens is essential in efforts to keep a hamster healthy. Veterinary supply stores often carry virucides such as Virkon that are effective cleaners. A ten percent bleach and water solution can also be used. Make sure all washed items are thoroughly rinsed, and product directions carefully followed."
for odor :
you could change the shavings daily.
making a Toiletcorner
Removing shavings with pee on them once a day is not very nice. You can use a glass big enough for the hamster to turn around in but if the cage is smallish this is a good solution.
* A small plastic tray is placed at the bottom of the cage and you fill up with shavings as normal till the tray is covered - see the picture. Now its easy to empty the tray every day. See : http://www.aub.dk/~zannie/hamster/tipsen...
I also read on one of the links below, that a female hamster in heat can also cast an odor. It was suggested to give it a cucumber + the smell disapeared.
But hamsters, rabbits + guinea pigs will smell + need to be kept clean. Maybe when you are putting in clean shavings rinse the cage out with plain tea, no sugar, not herbal. This eliminates the smell in the cage itself. : ) I've tried it + it does work !
How do you take a bath then?
That's smooth, and germy. :-(
That's not much of a life for the Hamster.
Can't you give it away, and get a Turtle?
You can place a hamster anywhere in the house as long as its out of direct sunlight and away from draughts and loud noises. Infact your hamster has a lot of freedom racing around the bath tub. Just make sure she never gets wet. This could kill her.
Never house a hamster outside.
no way dont ever put her/him in the bath tub. even if the bath tub is dry, when your out of this room, you never know if it just might happen that the shower may drip and mind you hamsters just hate water! and if the cage is open and it goes all the way to the botom of the tub were the water is drained out, hamsters are wild so it might fit its self inside the holes and never come back, i think you have to think this through and if there is just no place for your hamster then give it to a close friend of yours who you are sure that they will look after and get a differnt pet that just dosnt smells as bad eh! hope that worked any way ;)
That's fine because most likely she would not be able to get out of the bathtub! Have fun with your hamster!
That is pretty unhealthy. All pet rodents have potential for carrying diseases. DO you really want a disease?
Not much fun for your syrian. She is locked up all day, and then scared to death of falling down the drain. Where do you put her when you take a bath?
Indoors is perfectly fine. Just let a little sunlight in once in a while. The bathroom is actually a marvellous place, as it is usually quiet in there.
I don't find a problem with it as long as the hamster doesn't get wet and make sure that the bathroom is clean without mold and mildew. And also make sure that you rinse out the tub before you take a shower or bath.

Hamster honey cold remedy?

my hamster has a little goopy eye and he was in pine bedding for a little, ive been giving him vitamins and hes been out of the pine for about a week. I just gave him that honey/water/milk mix through a seringe (just a little) suprisginly he loved it. i was wondering if that was a good idea? and if all that will help him get better=) thanks.
Answers:
www.hamsterhideout.com and www.hamstercare.co.uk are both good sites and will have more info than I can give, as well as an email where you can get more specific answers. Good luck, and I hope Hammy gets better soon!
I tried it, but no matter how much honey I smeared on those hamsters, I still couldn't swallow 'em.
Put it down. Let him face the judgement of his almighty lord.
I'm sure it won't hurt him, but it's best not to give a hamster honey or milk. As a treat, try some whole grain pasta, bread, fruit, sun flower seeds, some fresh veggies. Vanilla soy yogurt is a favorite among my rats and mice- I'm sure a hamster would like it too.
For his eye, try gently washing it with a cloth and warm water. Do this a few times a day. If the eye doesn't get better or starts to get worse, contact a vet.

Hamster helpp?

Yeah, I have a 2 year old Teddy bear hamster... He's really nice and gentle. However, over the last 3 days, I noticed his left eye is completely closed, and it's pink and swollen and I'm scared for him. I try to tell my mom to take him to the vet. But she doesn't want to. Is there anything I can do to help him?
Answers:
Maybe he poked himself?? I would call the vet yourself and see if they have any home remedies for you to try first..
he probably just got a small infection in his eye. it will go away after a while but just in case i think you should take him to the vet just to be on the safe side.
take warm water and take a cotton swab then just gently smear it on his eye and take some dry cotton and dry it off
turst me it happend to my hamster once
he might have an infection. if it doesn't open, try getting a napkin that's wet with warm water, and try rubbing it on his eye and see if it opens. rub gently tho... i would call the vet and ask what's wrong with the hamster. if you can't do anything about it, you should maybe put it to sleep. and keep annoying your mom, and say it's just this one time, and she might go if you keep annoying her. and besides, your hamster is old, so it could die soon anyway...sorry...
Are you able to hold your ball of fluff, if so take him gently and with a cotton pad soaked in warm water bathe his eye 3 times a day, if it doesn't improve you must seek help he could be in pain and uncomfortable, our pets rely on us to take care of them, please do and best of luck.
Your mum may be annoyed so can maybe another person help you dad, Nana, aunt, best friend, brother or sister?
The puss is infection and warm water wont help much, he needs antibiotics for sure, i really feel for you as I'm an animal lover.
Are you old enough to take him to the vet yourself? May be you could call the vet and speak to them directly, tell them your age and the concern you have
If his bottom is wet, he may have a cold called "wet tail" its serious and he needs antibiotics quickly.
If its just his eye: Runny Eyes/ Teary eyes indicate foods stuck in the food pouch. This occurs if you feed you hamster too much soft fruits and vegetable. Avoid this by giving your pet small pieces and watching to make sure he doesn't hoard it. If your hamster does get food stuck in his pouch, use a medicine dropper to flush the pouches
When your hamster recovers from a cold, change their cage bedding completely even if it's clean! also clean it out when you find out they have a cold! Same with any other sickness!
I really think you should take him to the vet tho. GOOD LUCK
Things that might not seem like a big deal to us, can be a very big deal to small animals. Especially a hamster. I have a dwarf hamster myself but the most he has is allergies. In your case, I think you should take it to the vet. There a chance it could develop into something more. He could become blind or worst. If you're mom doesn't want to take it to a vet, ask her to take you to a PetSmart. People there know almost as much as a vet.
FIRST calm down, Ok. Get you a wet cotton ball! Wet with just old fashion worm water. Then whip so lightly.
Look at his eye first if you see any bedding get it out before washing his face.
I would make sure to keep his bedding very clean, and make sure to do this everyday 2times if he needs it. Try to talk to your mother!! She might changer her mind when she see you care so much about your buddy!!
I wish you luck.
well i had that with my hamster too. One problem that it could be is that he is getting old. Hamster live for around 2-3 years. But what i did it just make some tea, doesn't matter what type any, don't add sugar. the tea has to be second time used, not first time. Then when the tea cools down wipe the eye with a peace of paper towel wet with the tea. Hope it helps.
My sister in law who is a vetinary surgeon says he is likely to have an abscess on his tooth, which is why his eye is closed, their teeth and eyes are connected. She said you could try to bathe it in salt water but it really isn't going to treat an infection.
She says the best thing to do for him is to get him to a vet, his problem is not going to get better on its own.
Do you have a friend who's parents could help you get him to a vet? He really needs vetinary care, or im afraid he is not going to get better.
I hope you manage to get him to a vet soon, and i hope he gets better.
Take care.
i hope you hamster recovers i also had a hamster about 2 months ago sadly he died which you can do is ask pet stores, call a vet to ask if he or she can come over or loke on the internet

Hamster help??

How do you care for a hamster I read it in the internet but Its confusing?Help I know ill love the hamster im going to buy it later
Answers:
Wow. This question is meant for me. I had one for 2 years and it just died 2 days ago. First, a good cage with a exercise wheel in it and a glass water bottle. Most cages come with plastic, but the water seems to stay colder in glass. Whatever you use for bedding, whether its cedar chips or straw or the recycled stuff, never ever change it unless the hamster starts to sneeze a lot. hamsters don't like change. I also suggest buying some cotton bedding material. Walmart has it in small bags for about $3. Put some of that in the cage and the hamster will make it into its bed to curl up in. Make sure the hamster has its own little house or something for privacy. Hamsters don't like loud noises so it will make its bed in there and sleep during the day.Timothy straw is good to help keep the digestive system healthy and a little bit goes a long way. Hamsters are natural chewers so hard wooden chew things will help it to chew those and not anyone's fingers. I used to give mine baby carrots, one or two, once a week as a treat. They LOVE veggies. Celery, carrots, peas, potatoes.but if you give that to them, make sure they are uncooked and not very often. Use it as a treat. I cleaned the cage once a week and when I did, that was when it would get some veggie as a treat. They LOVE those hamster balls to roll around in. Then they get to explore outside of their cage. Just keep in mind that sometimes their little poopies fall thru the holes that are in the ball so vaccuum or sweep wherever you let it roll around at. Handle your hamster very gently, and often. It will get to know you and your voice when you talk to it and will not be scared of you when you pick it up if the more you handle it. Hamsters are great pets. They love those tube things to crawl in and all that. You don't have to spend a lot of money on one, but love it and take good care of it. Hamsters life spans are usually 2-5 years, so if it dies after a couple years, thats ok. Good Luck and feel free to email me with any questions.
first you buy a cadge with a wheel, a water battle and a food bowl. then you get hamster bedding and put it in and be sure to change it every week and a half-two weeks. give her/him food once a day and refill the water whenever it is out and that is it! lol oh and also get some wood or something for your hamster to chew because if you dont your hamsters teeth will keep on growing and you can only guess what will happen with that happens. you can get the special wood at any petstore
you get a cage does not have to be fancy get a food dish,get a water bottle ,and a wheel or Roley ball,cedar, food add in time ,attention and love.and you will have a happy hamster also they need something to chew,fresh fruit and veggies are nice but not a must.treats are good but not a must and if you do treats do not over due them.baths are not needed,cleaning if it stinks or once a week they make their own bed and are very simple.hope you enjoy you pet.
It's really alot simpler than you'd think. It's as easy are 1-2-3!
Step one: Buy a nice roomy cage. Some cages come with everything you need, some don't. For the cage, you need:
A water bottle
A food dish
A hamster wheel
Somewhere for your hamster to hide/play in(The cardboard tubes from paper towels and the small empty boxes from Kleenex work great!)
Bedding(The cotton fibery stuff is the best. Papertowels are good, but you have to change them often. DO NOT GET ANY WOOD SHAVINGS WHATSOEVER!)
Hamster food(The same the pet store uses is best)
That's all you need for the cage. So assemble the cage with everything in it. Read the instuctions, some cages are very hard to assemble
Step two: Choose a spot to put the cage. This may sound easy. It's not. Avoid windows and rooms with lots of heavy furnature. You may choose your bedroom, but just a warning: Those wheels make lots of noise at night. Don't put her/him in a room that gets hot quickly. Hamsters can get heat strokes just like humans.
Step three: Go get your hamster! Ask to hold your potential hamster. Don't buy one that bites. If the store won't let you hold it, go to a different store. This is, obvoiusly, the most important step.
Eventually, you'll need to buy the following items:
A hamster ball
Chew toys
Treats
A hamster book (I recomend 'The Hamster Handbook')
Pet stores sell lots of fun little toys. My hamster loves these.
What not to feed your hamster:
Leafy vegatables
Citrus fruits
Do give your hamster:
Carrots
Apples
Grapes
Pumpkin seed
Unsalted sunflower seeds
Uncooked pasta
and many other fresh fruits and vegatables
Give your hamster atleast 12 hours to adjust to it's new home before holding it. 36-48 hours is recomended, but I know how hard it is to wait that long.
I think that's about it. The basics, anyways. It seems intimadating, but most of it will come natural. Whoever thought maternal instictincs only apply when the baby is human is wrong. If anything is strange, call a vet specailizing in small pets. Hope I helped.
get a nice sized cage, preferably one with metal sides over plastic because the plastic doesn't allow air flow.
get the hamster a dish, wheel, bedding and water bottle.
for the bedding, DON'T. USE. CEDAR, it is bad for rodents and can cause respiratory problems. pine, aspen or carefresh are other options for wood shavings (although people say pine is not good for them, i've used it in all my pet cages and they've had no problems at all.) you an also shred up newspaper and put in their cage as a cheaper alternative to wood shavings.
as far as food, most anything you find at the store for hamsters works. i prefer the hamster mixes with seeds and things in them as it gives the hamster a balanced diet.
once your new friend is in its cage, it's going to want to make a nest. if you got a hiding place for it, the hamster will probably go straight for that. it'll dig a little hole for it's nest, too, and if you put a few pieces of toilet paper in there, it'll make a nice warm bed for itself.
leave your new friend alone for a day or two once you get him/her so that it can get accustomed to its new home, too!
everyone has already said the basics. It really is no trouble i got my first hamster when It was one from a friend who was moving and before that i had hardly ever even picked one up. They're not hard to care for and I bought headphones for my com,because I discovered after listening to one song for a minute a day or two after i got my first ham, that they dislike loud music and during summer heat use a quiet fan on a low gentle setting because it will be frightening for them if you don't, and make sure to keep the heat high if you have cold winters where your living because they catch pneumonia very easy. I have had four hamsters now and they all have personalities but are good pets over all. The age span is very depressing though(2 years is the best you can hope for.). They LOVE to get out of their cage so make sure that it's inescapable. If you have any cats keep them out of the room your ham is in. They like to tip over cages though when they did with me my hamster was able to escape and hide. ( I have three cats and a large dog.) As long as you change the water and food and shavings often your Hamster should live a long life.
As for a game they like, get your ham and lay down with a large blanket over top of you, make sure it's all tucked in so they can't escape and let them crawl around, though you have to be very careful not to move much so you don't crush them and be very careful when putting them back in their cage (don't crush when your moving to get them.) I did this all the time when I was reading with my first hamster, it loved it and it was never injured because of it either. It got to a point that one time I fell asleep and it crawled up by my face and fell asleep against my cheek, though that was dangerous because if i had moved in my sleep or it had wanted to run away.Though as long as you don't fall asleep it should be FINE.
Usually the pet store you buy the animal from will advise you- there are also books and leaflets available.
basics are a clean cage with no excape routes!
If your animal (like mine) wants to be Mission Impossible then a secure cage is a must!
It should have two bowls in- one for store food (or dry food) and one for fresh fruit and veg.
He should have a seperate place to sleep and to store his food.
A wheel is nice.
A water bottle, that is easy to access for both you and him is a must.
Hamsters tend to live for up to 4 years, the oldest being around 5.
Like ANY animal, the better you look after it the longer it will live, and it will die happy.
The best advice i can give is rust in your hamster, he/she will let you know if there is something wrong or if they are bored!

Hamster help?..?

If my female hamster's coochy smells, and it looks like she's always discharging what could be wrong?...I've just noticed it recently. I hope it's nothing, because the vet visits do get expensive.
Answers:
sounds like shes going into heat, but it also sounds like she may be getting wait tail. call your vet and ask if there is anything that you could do at home to help her. When I worked at a pet store I use to put a little bena bac on some cabbage ( use the weight chart on the package) and it helped with their digestion.
hmmm it sounds like she is going to go through heat soon but i cant be positive because there isnt enough infomation there. so if you are really worried i would recommend a quick trip to the vet.
is it possible she may be pregnet? you can buy pregnet one's on accident
a.) why are you smelling your hamster's genitalia? ech
b.) your hamster is going into heat. Go back to the pet store and ask about it. (they should be able to give you some helpful tips)
If your hamster is more than a month old, then she is probably on heat. A hamster goes on heat (get ready for this) EVERY 4 DAYS!
You just have to clean her cage often so that it won't smell bad.
IF YOU CANT AFFORD THE VETS THEN YOU CANT AFFORD A PET.
GIVE ME YOUR HAMMIE ID TAKE IT STRAIGHT DOWN THE VETS!!!!
she may be in heat! they come in heat every month for about 3 days
Vet bills should be considered BEFORE getting a pet.Ring the vet first to see if they can offer any explanation for it over the phone, if not, your only option is to take her to see them, it could be something that needs immediate treatment.

Hamster help?...?

Ok. I have a Syrian female and my sister just got a male Syrian today. They look so much alike. They are so cute. I knew that we had to adopt him. Any who, he has his own place in her room. I did let the two greet and he sniffed her; she sniff him. The Syrian male hamster is bigger compared to her. I think he's a fat as s..(it's out of love), how can we help him lose wait?...I know taking him to the vet is imporant. We will do that soon. I always give my little one, (Albert) veggies; milk; fruit, of course her food too. So I give that same food to him?..Now, what is a don't in taking care of both of them?...I think it's cute when they get together.
Answers:
How did your nose get so red? Did your hamster bite you?
Let the fat hamster enjoy himself. They don't live very long ya know? Don't worry about giving him a diet.
If you let them play together too much, you'll have babies soon.
hampsters are supposed to be fat...it doesnt care how fat it looks its a hampster c'mon now.
cool srory
Consider exercise wheels or those balls you can put them into to go all around the house.
does he have a ball to run around in? or a wheel in the cage? that'd help him to get exercise! Also, don't keep an automatic feeder in the cage, just feed him when the dish is empty. hope that helps!
The biggest "don't" IS getting them together--otherwise you will have hundreds of new little hamsters in no time.
It's easy, buy your hamster a running wheel for excercising and try to giving your hamster too much water and avoid giving too much food on your hamster, simple like that, and you will be done with a problem less!
Good Luck and hope this answer helps you in the best way possible to solve your rodent issue!
See ya!
does he have a wheel put him in a ball and leave him in there for like a half an hour and make sure hes not in a really hot areaa
Hamsters like to be alone. They're part of the rodent family, and even though it may not seem like it, if you leave them in a cage for afew days they could get on eachothers nerves. And even bite eachother. That's what happens at alot of pet stores because they keep so many hamsters in one cage.
That's why, if you ever go to PetSmart, they have hamsters in their own individual cages.
As far as helping your hamster lose weight, I'm not really sure. It could just be that he LOVES to eat ^^
Mine is too fat also i have found that geting him an cage with tubes everywere and different landings keeps him in tip top shape. also a hamster wheel helps and puting the food on the highest landing will make him go up there! and dont give him lots of food.

Hamster Help?

ok i know ive posted questions about getting a fish but i know i want a hamster. i know that at my local petco they have a bunch of hamsters. but what is the best kind to get. ive heard about dwarf ones? is it better to get a male or a female? how much do they usually cost? how do i take care of it? (how often do i replace the food and fresh water?) how often do you usually clean the cage? whats the best kind of cage to get? any additional comments would be great. thanks!
Answers:
i have a dwarf hamster myself. But there are other breeds that also make good pets like syrians, teddy or panda bear hamsters. It really doesn't matter what the gender of the hamster is. The females are really no different than the males. I've had 2 males and one female and there's not a huge difference. Depending on the breed, hamsters can cost anywhere from under $10 to about $25. I think my hamster was about $15 and she's a winter white dwarf hamster. Taking care of your hamster once they come home isn't too difficult. I replace the food in the morning and fill it up a bit more when my hamster wakes up around 10, since they are mostly active during the night. Give your hamster fresh water everyday. It's also important that they get out of their cage atleast once a day for a half hour. They can roll around in their ball, you can hold them or you may have one of those little hamster pens they can run around in, but ALWAYS keep a good eye on them since they can easily climb and escape. Clean their cage once a week, or depending if the cage gets dirty before then. The best kind of cage has a ton of space for burrowing and roaming. I don't reccomend "bin cages" but here is the cage i own and my hamster loves it. http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_d...
You'd probably want to spend between $20 to $50 on a good quality cage. I also don't reccomend "starter cages" they're so small and cheaply made. And for bedding the best kind is aspen. DO NOT use cedar chips. I use pine and it does the job. Also for the hamster's cage, you might need to buy a food dish, which they are pretty cheap. Also maybe a wheel or a little house and something to chew on that way they're not bored in their cage. One last thing, try not to handle your hamster too much when you take it home. Let them get settled into their new surroundings even though you want to hold your little friend and become best friends. I hope all that info helped! Good luck!
they are the best kind just ask petco they will tell you everything you need to know will you help me wit my question plz its ok but i just found this stray cat it wont leave me alone so we are i guess keeping it but i dont knoiw how to take care of it
I have had 3 dwarf hamsters and 1 guinea pig!! I have to say that I love my guinea pig more than anything. She is more calm then the dwarf hamsters. But anyways I have always liked to get females but make sure that you don't mix a female with a male they breed like crazy. Dwarf hamsters usually cost about 20 to 30 bucks. Guinea pigs costs 40- and up. Make sure you let them out everyday at least twice. Show them love and affectionate they are just like dogs and cats. Make sure you try and get it accustomed to its surrondings make sure its not scared but feels safe. Feed and empty out their bowl everyday!! Give them fresh water every week unless they run out before then. Clean the dwarf hamsters cage out every two weeks, but clean the guinea pigs cage out every week. (They are BIG POOPERS LOL) Make sure the cage is big enough to run around in but not huge!! Anyways GOOD LUCK! :)
I would not get a dawf.! they tend to bite alot. I have had hamster. My favorite kind is a teddy bear hamster. try to get one that is little or one that has been handled. The younger you get them the better. That way they will learn that your touch is ok and they don't have to bite u.
I bought a male Fancy Dwarf Hamster at Petco in my town. He is a very good pet. I have never had a female but the males are great. I bought mine for $10. I have a water dish or bottle in the cage and change it every other day unless it is really dirty. I have a food dish in the cage and change it every week or so. I clean the cage every 1-2 weeks maybe sooner if it starts to smell too bad. You can buy a plastic cage that can have tubes and stuff added on to it but I have a 40 gallon aquarium. It's really big and I don't have to worry about him escaping. I also take him out and play with him for about 10 minutes everyday. You can also buy him a little ball they have at Petco it's only a few bucks. My hamster loves to go in it and run around the room
Okay, I could copy and paste a whole website, but instead, you can go to
www.hamsterhideout.com
It will tell you EVERYTHING!

GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR HAMMIE!
I've just got a dwarf hamster a couple of days ago at Petsmart so i think getting one at Petco is no problem. I love dwarf hamsters b/c they always stay small and have lots of energy. Another thing about them is that they can live alone or together, unlike the syrian (teddybear hamster). I got a female b/c it's just your personal preference, it makes a very little difference. I got my hamster for about $10. I just replace her water bottle when she's done and i change her food every 24 hrs. Also don't leave veggies or fruits in it's cage for more than 2 hours or it'll turn bad. You should clean the cage every week so it doesn't stink up. I like the wire cage the best b/c there's a lot of ventilation and my hammy loves it. I would not recommened getting a plastic one b/c you hamster would probably bite it and escape. I hope you have fun with your new hammy. Good luck!
the best hamster to get is a syrian, ie teddy bear, honeybear, pandabear, short hair long hair, dalmation, etc etc they are the biggest hamsters and the most friendly. Buy a crittertrail cage at petsmart or petco, feed them daily, change the water daily clean the cage weekly, all the way clean, and buy an exercise ball for them to run in at night for about an hour, let it run on your bed supervised of course. They are easy to care for. just give it time to get used to it's new home, also use super shavin's for bedding, some of the others cause respiratory problems. Petsmart has all you need to get a hamster which will cost $10-20, depending on which one you choose, also the blackbears are very friendly. I have 3 syrians all in separate cages, as they live alone, they don't like other hamsters as they get older.

Hamster Help?

For the bedding do u buy new ones or somehow wash it. If wash it then how?
Answers:
Discard and replace the bedding once a week. Try to keep a little of the bedding from the area that the hamster has designated as its "bed." The familiar smell will comfort it when faced with a newly-cleaned, scent-free cage.
You can't and shouldn't try to wash the bedding. It will absorb and retain moisture, which can lead to dangerous mold growths.
I don't recommend decorative colored bedding, unless you want a matching decorative colored hamster.
I use Care Fresh for my hamster, it's a little pricey but it is the best for him. When I change his cage every week I throw out the Care Fresh and use new Care Fresh.
u buy new one, duh. how are u gunna was poo and pee out of wood. personally i think you should have b-b-q'd hamster for the holidays.
I'd find it rather hard to wash out used bedding. Use fresh bedding, changing it everyweek or so. Note, though, when doing so, be sure not to dump any toys or good food that hamster has hidden within the bedding. They are hoarders, so they may hide their food in a safe place.
You don't use it all at once! Every week you cange it out! You throw the bedding away!
I think you throw it away. Buy the biggest bag of bedding you can, that way you spend less.
you empty it out and replace the old with new, I use super shavin's available at petsmart, i like it the best, and I've tried a few.
NO you dont wash it. you just change it like..throw it out and put new bedding in.

Hamster Help?

i know that with dwarf hamsters the male can be left in the cage during the care of the litter and may often help the female. my question is can i leave 2 males in the cage? i have 2 males and a female and they are brother/sister. we bought them together but how will he react if they are not his pups?
Answers:
Actually, only the female and the pups can be in the cage. The male(s) MAY NOT stay in the cage. They tend to eat the pups. I would recommend that you keep the female and the pups together (until the pups are 8 weeks old), and then leave the males together. But, if the males start to fight, please move one of them into another cage. Thanks, and good luck on your litter of pups,
~ Future Vet
I honnestly don't recommend because there is a possibility that he will become aggresive towards the pups and the father.
Well quite Honestly I worked in a pet store and when hamsters bread no matter what bread of hamster they were ... we removed all of them except the mom ... in our experiences with leaving the males in with the babies they always ended up being eaten ... so yeah I would remove all the hamster except for mama, and DO NOT touch the babies.
GOOD LUCK !! hope i was helpful
no, i wouldnt leave the male in.but also be careful to not touch the litter to often b/c the mom may try to eat her litter
Good Luck and Be Careful =)
I think you should separate them.
i wouldn't. some males can be very very agressive. You may not know it but the other male (not the father) could bite or kill one of the babies or the mom or even the dad. I wouldn't unless you are some sick sick person who likes to watch hamsters die!! jk. about the sick person thing. not the hamster thing.

Hamster help?

What is a list of toys I can make for my hamster?
Answers:
ok, now i know hamsters will deffinantly like this. what you do is you save up a bunch of small boxes and toilet paper rollers and you will get creative. for example, a poptarts box, a pair of scissors, and 4-5 toilet paper rollers, and a little bit of tape can make your hamster the happiest animal in the world.
you can take the poptarts box and cut a little door in it, and then some holes through the top and sides. tape the toilet paper rollers onto the holes and whala, a tunnel, and a room. now, you can get really creative with this kind of thing, so draw something out and make it.
then, for added enjoyment, what you do is take a SMALL smear of peanut butter, and hide it in one of the crevices or in one of the tunnels, and it encourages good activities. also, you can hide small slices of fresh fruits and veggies in the little boxes and tunnels.
once, i made a castle out of a poptarts box, complete with spires, tunnels, and every thing. i hid fruits and veggies, and put a few traces of peanut butter on a tunnel wall. that hamster was the happiest hamster in the world.
Hope this helps.
they love mini marshmellos.dont put a corn cob in the cage ...they will break a tooth on it! as for toys...any will do.they dont care!
There's loads of things you can get for hamsters, from flavored chew sticks to see saws, nut my old hamster use to have the most fun with a use toilet roll!
You could put together a model car with a little electric motor in it so he could drive himself around. If you're in a northern climate you could make him a little pair of skis, either downhill or XC. He might enjoy a little battery-powered speedboat. Perhaps a set of miniature golf clubs so he can get in a round or two.
Hamsters? I love em. they are so CUTE! make a big card board play thing for them have a stringhooks to the top and but a treat on it. Hide treats and favorite food around my hamster loves the play card board box thinging I made remeber make it BIG we made ours as big as the tub/shower.
Well one of the best toys for them is using a toliet paper roll for a tunnel (they love those), they love chewing on wood but not just any (but get some or they will start chewing on the bars) and i guess that's it. Hamsters don't really play with balls and such..
...MAKE? umm. i would not suggest making anything for a hamster. they tear things apart really easily. believe me. i've had 3. but go to petco or ur local pet store. i used tog et all of my hamster toys from petco. they have a million and they are super fun to put together. wheels, balls, they even have this car thing. and the cages are fun when you have all the different pieces to connect and wut not.
Well, first of all you're going to need these things:
A basic area, and I suggest the type of bedding that's gray and soft, not the wood kind.
You also need a wheel and a water bottle that goes on the side, along with hamster food and bowl.
I also suggest salt wheels that go on the side of the cage for him to eat, and also some hay.
As for toys, here's some websites that have to do with those things.
Well, hamsters really aren't too picky, but here's a few i had for mine:
*In Cage wheel
*Ball (to place them in and let them run around the house)
*Tunnels for the cage
*Something for them to hide in (pet stores have all kinds of things like little houses or I had one shaped like an old boot and she loved it)
*Something to chew on (if you get the cedar bedding then they'll chew on the larger pieces, but if not, then you need a block of wood or something of that nature so they can chew on it and keep their teeth from growing too long and causing problems)
Other than that its pretty much up to preference...Pet Co. has lots of things to look at and decide what you want to get for your little hamster as well as other pet supply stores.
a toilet paper tube makes a fun tunnel toy.
Well, hamsters LOVE white chocolate, not milk or dark chocolate though because the cocoa will kill them. I usually give my gerbil toilet paper rolls and paper towel rolls to chew on. You can look on petsmart.
http://www.petsmart.com/media/ps/images/...
Super Pet庐 Roll 'N' Chew
http://www.petsmart.com/media/ps/images/...
Nature Ball for Small Pets
http://www.petsmart.com/media/ps/images/...
Super Pet Nut Knot Nibbler
http://www.petsmart.com/media/ps/images/...
Brown's鈩?Floss-eez Dental Chews for Small Pets
http://www.petsmart.com/media/ps/images/...
Bag-O-Chews for Small Pets
http://www.petsmart.com/media/ps/images/...
Super Pet庐 Crispy Flowers Chew Toys
On Petco:
http://www.petco.com/assets/product_imag...
Small Animal Kingdom Hamster See-Saw
And of course theres always the wheel and exploring ball for outside the cage.
-Toilet paper rolls (non-scented)
-Cotton ball, he will tear it with his teeth and claws, then use it as a nest
-a wheel (from the pet shop)
-a ball, so he can run around in your room without getting lost or escaping ( pet shop)
-chew toys: flavoured are best, because hamsters won't chew on it if there's no taste (pet shop)
-any wooden toys that are non-toxic, like a little wooden house...
You can also buy some more toys at the pet shop, they have lots !
build your own hamster playground out of paper towel rolls and other cardboard tubes. your hamster will love exploring through all the tubes. hide some food somewhere to encourage exploration.

Hamster help?

i have what you call a a teddy bear hamster a grey one and i have noticed that teh last couple of weeks its bottom and behind its ears are going white its only 8 week old so any ideas whats wrong?
Answers:
Their hair is just changing colors just like ours can as we grow up. Our 5 grey hair Syrians (all long hair too) changed from light grey to a medium and one, the only female to dark grey as they got older.
Now someone mentioned about the litter you use, please use a litter like Care Fresh, it will help prevent the hamster from having allergic reactions to wood litters. We use only Care Fresh in our small animal rescue and with our personal pets. We have had several hamsters and rats with allergies and one with a respiratory infection from being housed in pine come to us. They had to be vet treated and are now fine. Also using certain woods like pine can create toxic fumes to build up in the cage in the litter that is caused when the small animal urinates. We may not smell it, but where they are barely an inch above the litter with their nose they breath it in. This can cause respiratory infections and even death to some small animals. I just was talking to a lady tonight at a pet store who lost their hamster suddenly after only having it 3 weeks and she had it in pine and had thought of this herself. When she left the store she had bought some Care Fresh for the other hamster she still had and was going to change the litter right away.
It's just changing color and growing up. No worries!
It could be.
a) the bedding
b) age (most likely)
Change your bedding and see what happens. If nothing happens, congratz your hammie is growing up!
P.S. If you notice less fur on it's ears it's getting older.
that same thing happened to my teddybear hamster, Turbo, it is just part of growing up. So don't worry 'bout it your little hamster's growing up. They grow up so fast!!
It's just part of it's growth, no worries! :D
it's just teh age you will also notice if ti's a mail it will get feathers( long hair) they get this as they get older.
Should be nothign to worry about.
Don't worry.It is a good thing.It's changing color because it's growing up.

Hamster help?

why does my hamster put the aspen shavings in his water and food i clean his food and water out and he does it again
Answers:
Hamsters have a natural desire to burry their food and save it for later. That way no preditors can find it. They don't understand that they are in a cage.
For their water, a water bottle is much better than a dish. Check this out
http://www.petco.com/product/5414/lm-ani...
and if you have a glass cage, you can use one of these to hang it
http://www.petco.com/product/5334/lm-ani...
Good luck
It's normal for hamsters and gerbils to do that. To solve the water problem, buy a water bottle instead. For the food, you can leave the shavings in their, maybe clean it out once or twice a day. Hamsters and gerbils like to bury their food, don't worry, he will be able to find it later.
you shouldn use a bowl for his water. you should use a water bottle
get a waterbottle to prevent this. what he is doing is trying to hoard his food and hide it. it is a natural instinct and you can really stop them from doing this. its okay if wood shavings are in the food. he probubly likes it that way.
I didn`t think that Aspen bedding is good for hamsters, so I don`t know
I have had the same problem with all my rodents. Bye a water bottle for the water and maybe a deeper food dish or just leave the food in a clean corner of the cage.
i had a hamster and that happened to me so buy a water bottle and just leave the food there thats all u have to do!
He does that bcuz in the wild they bury there food so that other aniamls cant get to it. Its just how they are.
He is probably trying to make a bed... thats what mine used to do since we wern't able to get it a real cage right away but if you get a waterbottle it stops him.
Maybe he doesn't like his food and water?

Hamster help?

what is the safest place to put your hamster in while cleaning its cage?
Answers:
The safest place for your hamster when your cleaning its cage is in an exercise ball or the box you got it in to bring home from the pet store. If you chose to use a box make sure it has holes in it but there not too large, hamsters can fit through any space they can get their head through, also if you use the box you can leave it in there longer than 30 min. The exercise balls work great, just make sure the lid is closed tightly and that any stairs you have are blocked off.
Take your hamster out of its cage and put it somewhere such as a hamster ball, a box or an enclosed space where it can run around.
Good luck
~ RR
How about the bathtub?
by a little ball thing u put him in ... and let him run around.
i put mine in a little ball in my room
Something at least four times taller than they are, with sides that are plastic or slippery so they have no way of using their claws/paws to climb. This includes tall buckets, tall tuberware containers
when I had a hamster I had a little travel cage. I have seen little boxes in Wal-mart for small pets that would do. If he has a ball to play in that would work for a short time .
You should put it in a little plastic container called a "Critter Box". You can buy them at you local petstore
i would recomend putting your hamster in a hamster ball that is the safest way and while cleaning be in a closed room and you dont have to be in it but say the garage i would put it in there if i were cleaning the cage in there or i would just keep him in my room with the door closed.
i close off a little area and put them in there ball if you don't have a ball buy one at super pets or somethin
buy one of those hamster wheels- and he can run around the house exercising- while you clean it-my daughter hamster used to love it-lol,xx
an exercise ball.
An upside down tissue box with air holes in in and a small rock on top or a carry case.
i usually keep a extra fish tank ( plastic type) . so when any time i clean the cage i will put my hamster in the fish tank.. :-)
I used to put it in a hamster ball on a hamtrack, but then i found something easier, a figure 8 S.A.M. trach that closes with a bubble! It is very ease, and if you have a crittertrail or habatrail, you can just attacth it to the cage after and let the hamster go back in!.
Any other questions, (ANYONE) look at my website @ www.freewebs.com/hamsterhighwa... , the constantly updated super hamster website. If you dont find the answer there, e-mail me @ joe10994@comcast.net , I will answer your question and add the question to the website and answer it under Q %26 A section ( being built)

Hamster help?

ive had this dwarf hamster for about 2 years now and i just noticed a big pink thing coming out underneath its tail lke a penis or something but not sure wat it is. so if anybody can tell me what this is pls let me no...is it bad is it normal...wat?
Answers:
its what you think it is my teddy bear hamsters came out around that time too don't worry i did and i asked the vet my mom thoghut it was a tumor lol its ok its nothing bad
sounds like his scrotum...male hamsters have extremely large testicals which begin showing around four months of age, these testicals are generally more noticeable on syrians than on dwarfs...It won't hang out all the time, usually it hangs out when the hamster is hot and trying to cool down...although you haven't seen it before, it's been there for awhile
don't worry too much, it is normal, although the scrotum is so disproportionately large on hamsters that some people worry the testicals are a tumor or something, it's not a health issue and it is normal
----
I say this with confidence, because from the information you've given me, your question is very similar to one I had when I had my first male hamster, this is a topic I've researched and discussed with my vet---however, I must also tell you that, if don't already take your hamster to the vet, then you should because he's getting up there in age (hamsters can live to be 3 to 5 years old so your hamster is over the hill compared to a human) and this is the time when he'll need to be cared for most
umm...those are its testicles...cant believe you didnt notice it before..lol (totally normal)
wash the area with saline water, that should do the trick
Good Luck :)
Sabby

Hamster help?

i am getting a hamster soon. I have been doing a lot of reseach but i'm not sure if i shold get a aquarium tank for a hamster or a regular cage. i have 2 cats, one is outside most of the day but in at night(she's a mouse killer). i read that aquariums can condension and the hamster can end up suffercating. I am also not sure wether to get a female or male teddy bear hamster. I read that the females can be more agressive than the male. Also plz tell me what type of cage you use or what cage is good
Questions
#1- aquarium or cage, why
#2- male or female teddy bear hamster
#3- what cage do you use if you use one
#4- any good toys to use or must have
#5- what food is good quality
thank you
Answers:
You should get a cage. Because it is easier to clean. You shold get a male hamster because then it can't get pregnant and males seem to be nicer than females. You should just get a basic hamster cage but make sure it is hard to get open so that the little critter cannot escape. You must get chew toys for your hamster to chew on, also it is good to get a little bed, or some little thing that the hamster can hide, or sleep in. And as long as the food is certified and had a good variety of different things in it it should be good. (I don't know about other hamsters but mine always loved sunflower seeds.)
aquarium with an open grated lid with locks.
this will prevent your cats from getting to the hamster. and if its an open grated top they wont suffocate, especially if you play and socialize with your hamster enough.
you don't need to worry about male or females unless you are breeding them or plan on having multiple hamsters, 90% of pet store personnel wont be able to correctly identify males and females anyways.
always used aquarium tanks.
exercise wheel/ball
you get what you pay for, if you pay 2$'s for a 5lbs bag or you spend 20$;s for the 5lbs bag.
Aquarium for sure because:
In the past i've had hamsters in a cage but that turned out to be the wrong choice because one of my dogs found out how to lift the cage door and ended up killing my hamster. Also the cage exposes the hamster in every side and if the cat was to be by the cage, the hamster could nip the cat through the cages and anger the cat.
Male is definitely less agressive than females. Once the female has her babies, she'll be even more because she'll be caring for her young ones.
Every hamster[s] miust have the exercising wheel, it is also their favorite and also very enjoyable to watch. ;]
you should also get them some of those chewing bars for their teeth because their teeth will get long if not taken care of.
delicious treats for them: dog biscuits, carrots, Chopped hard boiled eggs
Apple
Carrot
Corn
Water Chestnut
Broccoli and cauliflower
Plain oats
Health food (usually oil free and salt free) products such as museli, nuts and seeds.
Cheese and other milk products for strong bones
Cereal
Bread (you can spread a thin layer of peanut butter)
Diluted honey fed with a plastic spoon
bagged food with corn, sunflower seeds and the little grains are the best.
go to petsmart, crittertrail cage, $29-40, exercise ball $5, i have 3 crittertrail cages, the dazzle is the best in my opinion, petsmart only sells females, I have 3, one blackbear, 1 short hair, 1 long hair, all sweeties. i like the food at target, made by animal planet, gourmet, it has the best mix, but you can use what petsmart sells. get a few small toys if you wish, but an empty toilet paper roll is one of their favorite.
OK i would get a cage that is both plastic and metal because it has good air ventilation and it really is a good kind of cage! ok what i would do is go to the petstore and pick out 1 of each gender and then try to hold or pet both of them and see which one is more calm with u! I use a critter trail dazzle and my hamster loooves it but it might be to small! for some good toys i would get toilet paper roll ( the card board) they love chewing them and u need a wheel and they really love those plastic balls they run in! I use vita-vittles which u can buy at Petco. my hamster loves the food i give him! O and good for u for doing research first cuz most people dont! I did that to! also get some cabbage and the food in the food dish but put a little bit of cabbage somewhere else besides the food dish! The cabbage helps reduce the stress and helps prevent wet tail! O and plz use Carefresh bedding cuz it is the best bedding u can use! Cedar and Pine shavings can kill your hamster! Aspen is ok but i really would use Carefresh!! If you have any hamster questions PLZ email me!!!
#1- aquarium or cage, why
#2- male or female teddy bear hamster
#3- what cage do you use if you use one
#4- any good toys to use or must have
#5- what food is good quality
------------------------------...
#1- def a cage, much better air ventilation, cheaper, and much easier to clean
#2-ive only owned female hamsters (dont care for the balls on the males), but i have also read they are more aggressive, and the males are more laid back, but males do smell more
#3-http://www.rabbitmart.com/shop/index.php... I use that cage, it may be kind of expensive ($60) but it is very big, and will last for a long time
#4-you will need a house for it to sleep in, wooden chew toys, a wheel, and any other little fun things that they can climb, chew, or sleep in http://www.petsmart.com/global/search/se...
#5-I feed my hamsters either http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_d... or http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_d...

sorry for all the websites, but i sure hope i may have helped
#1 Cage- they have tubes and things to run in, not just a box
#2 I have a male hamster- but it really don`t matter
#3 I use critter trail (or W/E)
#4 always have a wheel for inside the cage, and also have a ball.
#5 There are so many different kinds of food- It dont matter
get a cage and get males they are a bit nice than females and yes aquariums dont let in much ventilation
#1 cage
#2 male
#3 dazzle
#4 wheel, woodblock, ball
1. Cage, they are specifically designed for rodents and the like. Also you can get add ons if you want to. If you get an aquarium make sure it has a wire mesh lid on it and that the lid has a lock or latch of some sort.
2. My sister had a girl hamster, I had a boy... at different times. They where both good, hers ( the female) was actually nicer than mine. Though mine was a dwarf hamster which are more agressive.
3. I had a cage for my hamster, my sister had a cage too. I kinda like the kritter trail cages. They are colorful and nice and not too expensive.
4. Get a non- squeaky wheel a good quality one. I went through 2-3 wheels b/c they all were really squeaky. Get aomething that the hamster can chew one... this is very impartant b/c of hamster's teeth. Also get a pet house or something for the hamster to curl up in.
5. Nothing is out there that a respectable pet store would be selling that would be terrible. Choose what looks best to you. If you need help talk with a sales person at the store.
Hope I helped. Have fun with your new hamster!
definitly an aquarium but with a wired top, you know, so it can breath but not ecape. it wont suffacate. i personaly like girls better for pets. my hamster chewed threw her plastic cage. it will need wooded chews or some other kind but not plastic and probably nothing dyed. i use hamster and gerbirl food from hartz bran. its cheap and my hamster loves it. hope i helped. good luck!
1. The aquarium is the best because they don't get loose as easily (they can grab on the bars of the doors in the cages and let them selfs free).
2. Male, because their bigger and not as mean (unless you have another hamster)
3. aquarium.
4. get a salt cube, and a wheel, and a tube.
5. i used the cheapest food walmart had and mine lived for 6 years.
6. the best litter is pine (use shavings not chips)
We have a female rat in an aquarium with a metal net lid (the kind that's for lizards and snakes). This is because we have a cat. It's also because aquariums are easier to clean than wire cages. If the hamster gets any kind of parasites, an aquarium can be thoroughly washed out with a bleach solution using a garden hose. As far as suffocation, the food should be changed daily and habitat should be changed twice a week. If you can breathe and the temperature isn't too hot or cold, then your hamster will be fine. Personally, I don't like wire cages. They rust easily, the pet's arm or leg can get caught in the wires, they can get bumblefoot if the floor is wire, they are susceptible to chewing whatever is nearest the multiple openings, and they always chew on the metal which makes me want to scream or cry. They never seem happy in there whereas our rat looks out at us through the glass without frantically trying to get out. The rest of your questions, I'll defer to the hamster experts.

Hamster help?

I have 9 baby hamsters (3 died unfortunately) and I want to pick them up. They are two weeks old exactly and I've already picked the Mum up, she was fine with it. They can all see and are all very strong, can I pick them up now?
Answers:
Don't listen to camcam. Yes you can pick them up if the mother lets you. Wait a week or two so they aren't so fragile anymore. I just had baby rats and their eyes are starting to open. It's really fun playing with them and they're so soft!
you hould have picked them up when there eyes were closed so they can feel the textures of your hand and when they open there eyes carry them again and they will remember your hand so they will like you. Sure go ahead and pick them up. But never pick them up in there first week because the mom will eat the babies thinking you are threathin them.
Yes. In fact, the more you handle them, the tamer they'll be.
if you pick them up then their scent will change and when you put them back the mom will EAT THEM!
I would start by putting your hand near them and see how the mom reacts. I've heard that if you pick up a baby hamster too early the mom will ignore them. So i'd be very catious and maybe even consult your vet before hand.
if you toach them to early the mom will eat them cause they have human sent on them so i suggest waiting another week to just be sure nothing happens to them cause that would be awful...
you can pick them up but "i wouldnt cause i wouldnt want them to die too"
rub their bedding on your hands first, but I would wait first.