Archive for the ‘Dwarf Hamster Care’ Category

When you have a Dwarf Hamster pet at home, your children will be definitely be tempted to play with it. Since hamsters look very cute, they may want to pick the pet up and carry it. However, if they do not know how to handle a hamster properly, your pocket pet can get seriously hurt.

If the hamster is sleepy, scared or feels threatened, a child must not touch them because they will most certainly nip his or her hand. Hamsters are also timid creatures; hence they need to get used to the presence of the child before they allow him or her to carry them.

Because they have sharp teeth, a nip will lead to a wound, if this happens, it is advisable to consult a doctor immediately. To avoid these mishaps, children below six years old must not be allowed to handle hamsters.

Mostly, hamsters get injured when they are not handled properly. A child may accidentally drop them when he or she feels frightened or even tickled! Falling from a certain height may result in unnoticed injuries for the hamster that may become serious in the future.

Children may also feed the hamster with unhealthy foods that can affect their overall health. For that reason, a child must be educated about the proper food, time and kind of feeding needed by their hamster pet.

To avoid injuries and help your pet extended its life span; your children must know the proper way to handle a Dwarf Hamster. You must demonstrate the step by step procedure of carrying a hamster and placing it in the center of your palm.

Some children may be threatened by the nails of the hamster, especially if they have small hands and tender palms. In order to solve this problem, put the hamster on a soft surface and let the child stroke the hamster softly first of all.

Make your children and pet happy by teaching them how to enjoy your hamster. Supervise and coach them about the techniques that they may use when carrying their cute friend. This will make the whole ownership process better for both your family and your loving little pet.

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In order to stay healthy, hamsters must have a daily exercise routine, just like we human beings. Health related conditions like diabetes, heart failure and obesity can be prevented through regular exercise for your hamster.

All hamsters are generally nocturnal, which means that they sleep during daytime and stay awake at night, and so they also do their physical activities at night. Dwarf Hamsters are crepuscular pets and their activities generally occur very early in the morning and evening. When they are in the wild, during the daylight hours they burrow underground to protect themselves from predators, but they usually take intervals of sleep and rest during the day, so you may see them roaming around occasionally then also.

There are several options to help your hamster obtain enough exercise.

The most common exercise gadget for a hamster is a hamster wheel. This gadget enables hamsters to run freely inside their cage. You can visit a local pet supply store and choose from a wide variety of wheels from plastic to metal, from standing wheels to attachable ones. To find the right hamster wheel you can always ask a salesperson at the pet store or get yourself a good hamster guide. Be aware that a Dwarf Hamster will run up to 5 miles a night, so be careful where you put the cage, and how noisy the wheel is, it will keep you awake if you do not take care.

Another exercise accessory that you can give to your pet is an exercise ball that has been created specifically for hamsters. They let your hamster roam around your house safely and are commonly made from transparent plastic with lots of air holes for ventilation purposes. However, you should watch out for your hamster when it roams around your house in an exercise ball, you can unintentionally step on it or even kick it and cause the hamster stress or injury. Never let your hamster play near stairs, if the ball rolls down them it may well kill your pet.

If you let your hamster roam around your room freely, he may possibly chew some parts of your carpet or swallow paint, wood or other dangerous items if you do not keep a constant eye on him. Always remember that letting a hamster play near your food counters or preparation areas is not healthy, so it is recommended that you find them their own special area, or use something like the bath lined with towels.

By playing with your hamster for at least an hour every day, you should easily fulfill their exercise needs. Take note of the active period when your pet plays on his own, and then play with him during the same time every day. When your hamster is asleep, never wake him up just to play, hamsters are bad-tempered when you wake them up and they will not want to play, so leave your pet alone if he is asleep, even if your friends want to see and play with him.

When you play with your pet, you can let it learn to crawl over your hands and other parts of your body as long as you are lying or sitting down, in this way accidents can be avoided. If you let your hamster crawl on you when you are standing up, it might fall and get hurt. Children can also play with your hamster as long as they are under the supervision of an adult, you should always keep in mind that Dwarf Hamsters are especially fast and can easily escape.

If you are interested in adopting a Dwarf Hamster, it is a good idea to search for an established Dwarf Hamster breeder. A good breeder can sell you a better quality Dwarf Hamster than you can find from your friend up the street who bred them by mistake for instance. When you look for a breeder you may find many listed in your local area, but try and get a recommendation, and do a background check and ask for references to make sure they are a bona fide breeder with a good track record.

Ideally, you want a full time Dwarf Hamster breeder rather than someone who is just doing it as a hobby. Many breeders will sell their hamsters to any interested buyer with the right money, while others will not put their pets up for sale, preferring to keep them for themselves.

A good hamster breeder typically spends time in selecting which hamsters will be paired together. However, there are also some unscrupulous breeders who are not as keen on breeding a good pair of hamsters, they just want to breed them and offload the pups for some cash. Do not assume that all breeders know how to pair and breed quality Dwarf Hamsters, because they vary greatly.

The fact that Dwarf Hamsters have a short gestation period means that breeders are able to produce a new generation of hamsters very quickly. The years of breeding experience means that a good breeder who knows what they are doing can breed Dwarf Hamsters with certain pre-determined qualities and characteristics that they want them to have. This has lead to some beautiful looking and well behaved creatures, including Dwarf Hamsters with sapphire coloring and unique patterns.

Aside from coloring and pattern, a good hamster breeder also considers health factors as well as the behavioral traits of the hamsters they breed. They do not breed hamsters with disease or abnormalities and they also avoid hamsters with bad tempers and observe the behavior of both hamsters so that the pups will have a good temperament, and be disease free.

We all would love to save the weak, scared and undernourished hamster shivering in the corner of the shop cage, but just be aware that you may be buying a pet with many problems that ends up becoming a money pit, so choose your Dwarf Hamster and its breeder very carefully.

Lots of people usually think that adopting a Dwarf Hamster for their children is better than having a dog or cat as a pet. They suppose that since Dwarf Hamsters are small and can be placed in a cage, in some way this means that they need less attention compared to the more usual pets people have.

If you also believe in this theory then you should not be considering adopting a Dwarf Hamster. The truth of the matter is, Dwarf Hamsters require the same amount of care as any cat or dog, and sometimes even more.

Because of their metabolism they need a lot of exercise while they are in their cage, a hamster can run up to five miles a night, remember they are nocturnal creatures, this is mimicking their behavior in the wild where they roam through the sand dunes looking for food all night. Aside from a lot of running on their wheel, they also require at least an hour everyday to roam around freely, and by this I mean in a secure area where they cannot escape or be attacked by a cat or any other pets that you may have. A hamster ball or your bathtub lined with towels and filled with lots of hamster toys is generally a good bet.

Dwarf Hamsters need to have their regular daily exercise and get out of their cage, otherwise your hamster’s health is at risk and they can get stressed and even die. So please do not underestimate the importance of their daily exercise routine, they need it even if you do not feel like it yourself.

You should also take note that Dwarf Hamsters are not always easy to handle. Particular breeds like the Roborovski Dwarf Hamster are very small and can escape from your hands very quickly. You need to teach your children and family the proper and safe methods to hold a hamster, otherwise you may lose your pet in an instant.

You may also think that caring for a Dwarf Hamster is the same as caring for other kinds of hamsters. Again, you have got the wrong idea. Although they require the same amount of food and exercise, Dwarf Hamsters need special and unique care since they are much smaller than their other relatives.

Owning a Dwarf Hamster is a rewarding experience, one I highly recommend, but some thought and preparation has to go into it first. Finding the correct information and then doing things right from the start will make your families lives and the life of your new pet a lot more pleasant and far more rewarding!

Like most creatures and even some Human Beings, Dwarf Hamsters can have bad tempers and appear to constantly be angry. Often you will see them fighting one-another and this may raise concern for your hamster’s wellbeing? The truth is that they are for the most part just playing and they have no intention of hurting one-another.

These pocket pets take great pleasure in having mock fights, however, many times you cannot really determine if they are just playing or if they are angrily biting each other. They may also seem to be chasing one-another and making loud squeaks, as a result of this you could easily get confused and not be able to tell whether you should separate them or just ignore them. To avoid misinterpreting their actions, you need to be able to distinguish a play fight from a real fight.

But how do you know the difference between a fun fight and a serious fight?

As a matter of fact, you may never know the difference between a real and play fight unless you have very keen eyes and catch a glimpse of the small tell-tale details that go on during these fights.

Fortunately, you do not need to be too worried since Dwarf Hamsters are just playing for the most part and normally two Dwarfs get along pretty well. Just take care to observe your pets during these fighting events, the general rule is: If no one gets hurt, then they are just having fun. However, if one of them has cuts, wounds or bite marks, then you must separate them immediately.

Always remember that the majority of Dwarf Hamsters are very friendly and they seldom fight. If you do decide to house two hamsters in one cage, ensure that each of them is provided with their own wheel and food bowl to avoid the occurrence of fights.

You can experience great joy by merely looking at your Dwarf Hamster as he plays around his cage, but do you know the meaning behind some of his actions? Usually pet owners misunderstand the implications of some of these actions, figuring some of them out can aid you in providing your pet with a more healthy and comfortable life. As with most humans, your hamster will usually live longer if you his reduce his stress.

So what signs should you be looking for?

When your hamster moves stealthily along the floor of his cage, then he may well be nervous about something outside his shelter. He may have seen a cat or some sort of commotion in your house that startled him.

If things deteriorate and your pet becomes even more scared, he may possibly place his ears forward and puff out his cute cheeks. If there is food in his mouth, he will empty his cheek pouches because of fright. If the situation gets this bad for him, it very often means that your hamster is no longer happy with his surroundings and he is preparing to run the first chance he gets.

Handling a hamster at this point is not safe because he becomes aggressive and he will probably bite your hand. If he is lying on his back and his teeth are visible, do not pick him up because again he is showing signs of being really terrified.

When your hamster’s teeth are chattering, this is a sure sign that he is upset or uncomfortable. He may demonstrate this trait if you place him in the cage of another hamster. This could mean big trouble, especially if you put a male Dwarf into a female’s cage, the females are dominant and they will kill the male. If you ever put 2 hamsters together for mating make sure that you never put the male in the female’s cage.

Even if you put them in a neutral cage, they may still fight, and there are some warning signs that you should be aware of when two hamsters are preparing to do so.

They use their scent glands to mark their territory, so you will see the hamsters rub their glands against the wall of the cage. If they want to mark a particular spot, they can also scratch their scent glands with their feet and march around the area that they want to claim as theirs.

So, what about signs that your little baby is happy?

You may see your hamster gnaw the bars of his cage. Do not think that he is planning for an escape! He is just trimming down his teeth. The teeth of Dwarf Hamsters are growing continually, thus they need to reduce the size of their teeth to avoid dental problems and illness. Let him chew the bars of his cage, but see to it that the bars have no sharp pieces that could injure him and make sure that they are not rusty.

When you see your hamster burrowing and searching his bedding material for stray bits of food, or you see him stretching or grooming, you can generally be satisfied that he is definitely happy.

Many hamster owners are unaware that their pets can acquire human diseases too. Dwarf Hamsters can sneeze and they also have hiccups or a runny nose. If you are not able to provide the basic needs of your Dwarf Hamster such as a healthy environment and sufficient food and water supply, they will rapidly turn into unhealthy and unhappy buddies.

Here is the list of illnesses that your Dwarf Hamster may have as well as the ways to thwart them.

1. Cancer – Just like us, Dwarf Hamsters can also get cancer. This disease is normally triggered by living in a stressful environment. To avoid cancer, build a stress-free environment for your pet.

2. Diabetes – All hamsters can inherit diabetes from their parents. They usually develop it from eating too many sweets. To keep your pet free from diabetes, neutralize its sugar or fruit intake. Be sure to incorporate a high enough proportion of vegetables into your Dwarf Hamster’s daily diet.

3. Stress – Although stress is not an illness, it can be classified as the major causative factor of ailments in human beings and animals. To reduce stress for your Dwarf Hamster, avoid loud noises and never put its cage close to your television, stereo or your dog’s cage. Allow your tiny friend to sleep during the daytime, and always remember to clean your baby’s cage at least once a week. These things will help extend your hamster’s life span.

4. Abscesses – Normally, a Dwarf Hamster suffers from abscesses if it is bitten or scratched by another Dwarf Hamster. Once you notice a lump or wound caused by bites and scratches, consult your veterinarian. Vets will check your pet and if they have infections he will prescribe antibiotics. Another reason that an abscess may appear is when your Dwarf Hamster has swallowed part of their cage because of their need to constantly chew to stop their teeth getting too long, so make sure you give them plenty of chew toys.

5. Colds – Dwarf Hamsters can catch colds from their owners. If you have a cold, prevent yourself from playing with your pet. See to it that its cage is placed in a warm area of the house where it can never get wet. You will know if your hamster is suffering from a cold because it will have a runny nose and will sneeze from time to time. When your hamster has a cold, visit your vet if it does not clear up after a few days.

6. Torpodity – When hamsters are not able to exercise on a regular basis, they will have a medical condition known as torpodity. Hamsters tend to put on weight when they are short on physical activity. They also become very aggressive, they like to run up to 5 miles a night so you need to put a wheel in their cage to prevent this ailment.

7. Allergic Reaction – To prevent allergic reactions, never use wood shavings containing cedar or pine, both have harmful oils that can cause allergic reactions in Dwarf Hamsters. There are also foods like corn and maize that should not be fed to your Dwarf Hamster because they can also initiate sneezing, skin irritations, runny eyes, loss of fur, or other respiratory problems.

The illnesses mentioned above can be prevented if you give your Dwarf Hamster appropriate diet, sufficient amount of exercise and a stress-free living environment. They can live longer and healthier if you take care of them just like your own babies. Before you pick them up, always be sure to wash your hands first to prevent them catching something from you.

Hamsters are obsessed with cleanliness. As a matter of fact, they spend almost 20% of every day cleaning their bodies. Although you do not need to clean your hamster every day, you must check their eyes and ears regularly to ensure that they are in good shape.

If the hamster’s ears appear red, swollen or infected, you should examine them immediately. Observe the hamster at regular intervals to see if he is scratching his ears frequently, because there might be ear mites in his ears. If you ignore these symptoms, they can affect your hamster’s health.

Get in touch with a veterinarian as soon as you see that your hamster is scratching his ears excessively or when any of his ears are already full of ear wax. A Vet must also be sought when you spot any discharge, inflammation, redness or peculiar odor from the ear. The vet will provide instructions that you must follow in taking care of them.

As long as you are not 100% sure that your hamster has ear mites, do not presume that they really have the parasites, and therefore never treat them with an ear mite treatment. Instead, check the hamster’s ears thoroughly by getting a white paper towel and rubbing it in each ear to see if there are ear mites. You can also take your hamster into a dark room and check his ear with a flashlight. If you can see tiny black dots that are moving around, then you can conclude that he really has ear mites.

A hamster’s sense of hearing is very important to them because they use it to interact with their surroundings, and their eyesight is terrible. If a hamster loses this sense, he will be stressed out. Therefore, if your hamster has ear problems, address them immediately to avoid any further or long lasting complications.

Similar to the ears, hamsters usually do not need help with cleaning their eyes, but sometimes their eyes can get irritated. This irritation is caused by tiny dust particles and bedding material that can get into them. Examine their eyes immediately if you see wet fur near or around their eyes.

Clean the eye area with warm water and a cotton swab. If the eyes are still irritated after cleaning, you must visit a vet. If there are small cuts or minor injuries around the eye, the infection may spread to the other eye.

When your hamster’s eyes have a cloudy appearance, then he is probably suffering from cataracts. Cataracts usually occur in the eyes of older hamsters and may lead to blindness. Although their blindness does not really affect their lives, they become much more timid.

If you have more questions or concerns regarding your hamster’s ears and eyes, do not hesitate to ask your vet for more details, it is most important that they are always kept in good condition so your pet will live a longer and much happier life.

All species of Dwarf Hamster make lovable pets, and despite the fact that they are much smaller than their Syrian relatives, they need the same amount of quality care. Caring for Dwarf Hamsters may seem tedious but all your hardships will be outweighed by the joy you will have with these wonderful creatures.

Usually, Dwarf Hamsters can be fragile, playful and can escape quickly. Because of their size, they can easily fit through small gaps and openings so you need to secure them in an enclosed housing area. In their origins, hamsters live in tunnels that they dig in sand and dirt, however, in a home setting they can reside in plastic tubular housing which can be bought in pet supply stores. In choosing their habitat, you need to consider the size and number of the hamsters against the housing’s dimensions. Obviously the common habitats for the hamster are too huge for them so they will have difficulty in climbing and moving around.

Fortunately, you can buy smaller tubular habitats that are particularly designed for mice and small hamsters. Dwarf Hamsters can also thrive in a 10-20 gallon tank or even in a wire cage. Since hamsters are physically active in nature, you can place a small wheel inside the cage for their running activity. Studies have shown that hamsters can run up to five miles a night on their wheel, so make sure it is a good quality quiet one if you want to sleep!

To deal with the hamsters’ burrowing instincts, you should place a substrate at the bottom of their cage. Dust-free and absorbent materials such as wood shavings can be used, except for cedar or pine based products because they can cause respiratory problems. The substrates are used by the hamsters to build their own private nests. You can also offer other nesting materials like paper towels, cotton, shredded paper or tissue. Always remember that you need to totally remove the substrate and replace it with a new one on a weekly basis.

In terms of food consumption, Dwarf Hamsters eat just as much as the larger Syrian hamster, because they have an ultra high metabolism. They enjoy eating various kinds of pellets, seeds, dried fruits and vegetables. Dwarf Hamsters have a tendency to store food in their nests, therefore you should supply them with fresh food and water at all times. Owners must also give their pets some chewing toys. Since hamsters’ teeth continually grow, they possess the constant urge to nibble everything in their surroundings. If they do not have toys, ideally made from wood, they will chew on parts of their plastic tubular housing and could well end up with an injury.

Aside from changing the hamster’s cage substrate regularly, you must also wash the cage and all of its accessories on a weekly basis with a light solution of water and soap. After rinsing the cage thoroughly, see to it that it is completely dry before you put in a new substrate. Lastly, avoid using harsh chemicals that may irritate your hamster.

Although they are small, Dwarf Hamsters do need as much care as any cat, but they are a wonderful pet and you and your family will have many hours of enjoyment watching and playing with them, so what are you waiting for?

When you decide to have pets, obviously you must obtain the necessary supplies for them in order to ensure their wellness, even before they arrive. Dwarf Hamsters also need specific supplies just like any other pet, and these supplies are essential to provide a comfortable and healthy home environment for them, causing them as small amount of stress as possible.

The very first thing you need for your Dwarf Hamster is a cage. They can thrive in different types of cage such as wire, an aquarium tank, or a plastic one, so all you need to do is to make sure that they have adequate room to run around and play. The size of the cage matters, especially if you plan to house two hamsters together or you want to breed baby hamsters, so you should think about these things in advance before you purchase a cage.

If you already have a cage, what other accessories do you need for your Dwarf Hamster?

The next thing that you need to have is a substrate for the cage. Put one or two inches thick of substrate on the entire floor of the cage and then place additional substrate five to six inches thick on one or both sides of the cage to allow the hamsters do their climbing and digging, to satisfy their natural instincts.

Hamsters can also be trained to use a litter box. Try the following tips to teach your pet to use their “hamster potty”. First, search the cage for droppings and locate the area where they can be mostly found. Then buy a potty from the pet supply store and place it in the area where most of the droppings are located. Fill the potty with some hay or newspaper or even cat litter pellets, this is safer than clay or clumping cat litter, they can be the source of digestive or respiratory problems for your Dwarf Hamster if they eat them.

Dwarf Hamsters also need chew toys. Although most people correlate chew toys with dogs, they also play an important role in the hamster world. Hamsters’ teeth grow continuously and if they do not constantly trim them down, they will keep on growing until the hamster can no longer close its mouth and it will starve to death. Usually, chew toys are made of soft wood and come in various sizes, colors, and shapes. These toys should be examined everyday to assure that they remain safe and dirt-free.

An abundant supply of fresh water is required to keep your Dwarf Hamster healthy and hydrated. Hang a water bottle on the side of the cage to solve this problem. Dwarf Hamsters can learn proper use of these bottles at an early age, so you will not have to use water bowls that can easily get dirty, thumped or can easily spill, leaving the pet to dehydrate when you are not there. Check the water bottle every day and ensure that it does not have leaks or cracks.

In addition, you must also consider the importance of a nest in a Dwarf Hamsters’ house. They love to have a hiding place because they are generally shy creatures.

These are the basic supplies that you need for your Dwarf Hamster. To learn a lot more about the basic supplies your pet needs, check out Dwarf Hamster Book.