Posts Tagged ‘hamster wheel’

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.

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.

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?