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Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Hamster Care Information- CLICK HERE!

A special report from Petazon on Pet Hamsters

Hamsters are sweet and curious animals and they make wonderful pets. Children seem to love hamsters. They live an average of two to three years. Hamsters have poor eyesight but good hearing and a great sense of smell.

Hamsters are nocturnal which is not widely known. They prefer to sleep during the day, and they need attention and playtime in the evening. Which fits fairly well with the average American family.

Syrian hamsters are solitary animals and should be kept by themselves. Syrian hamsters kept together may fight and injure each other or potentially kill each other. Dwarf hamsters are social. Dwarf hamsters enjoy living together in same gender pairs or trios, if they have been raised together from birth. Introductions between separate single dwarf hamsters are usually not successful later in life.

HOUSING and HAMSTER CAGES
There is no such thing as a habitat that is too big. Your hamster will be spending a majority of their time in the cage, so it should be as big as possible. It should be safe, roomy, comfortable, and interesting. Hamsters are well kept in a wire cage with a solid tray bottom, solid levels, and a coated wire top. We recommend the Jack 62 Hamster Resort Cage or a minimum 20-gallon aquarium for Syrian hamsters.

For dwarf hamsters, we recommend the Marchioro Jill 42.1 Hamster Resort, a minimum 20-gallon aquarium, or the Critter Universe Expandable Cage. Any levels in the cage should be solid, not wire.

Animals should not be made to stand on wire. Make sure that if you have a wire cage, you have plenty of bedding. Standing on wire is extremely painful and will cause wounds, sores, foot deformities and arthritis. Wire levels can be made safe by covering them with Mats, ceramic or vinyl tiles, cardboard (like cut cereal boxes), or other similar materials (or lots of soft bedding).

If you choose to keep your hamster in an aquarium, it should be at least 24 inches long and 12 inches wide. A 10-gallon aquarium is too small. The aquarium should have a secure, well-ventilated, coated wire, screen lid. It is better to have a long aquarium with more floor space than a tall aquarium with unused height. Clean your hamster’s habitat at least once a week.

BEDDING
Use Carefresh Bedding. It is the safest and healthiest bedding choice for your hamster. It is
made from recycled wood pulp and is available at most pet stores. Never use pine, cedar, sawdust, corn cob bedding, chlorophyll bedding, or cat litter. Pine and cedar shavings are poisonous to all animals!

Labels: Drawf Hamster Home, hamster care