All About Hamsters

Latin name: Mesocricetus auratus

Female: Sow

Male: Boar

Young: Pups

Life span: 1 - 3 years

Litter size: 4 - 12 pups

Birth weight: 2 - 3 grams

Eyes open: 12 - 14 days

Gestation period: 15 - 18 days

Average weight: Male 85 - 130 grams Female 95 - 150 grams

Sexual maturity: Male 6 - 8 weeks Female 4 weeks

Weaning age: 3 weeks

Diet: Omnivorous

Hamsters are the most popular of the small pets. They are very clever and adventurous little animals and deserve consideration, care and commitment from their owner.

History

wIt is believed that all the Syrian hamsters (the usual bigger hamsters that we see most commonly) all originate from one female and her litter captured in the Syrian desert in the 1930s.

wHamsters belong to the rodent family and their name 'hamster' is derived from the German word 'hamstern' which means ' to hoard' - hamsters with their pouches filled to the brim with food make such an endearing picture.

wWild hamsters live in hot areas of Central Asia. To avoid the heat of the day, hamsters live in burrows and are nocturnal.

wIn the cool of the evening and during the night hamsters will search for food and can travel up to 8 miles in one night. This might explain why your pet hamster can be up for hours running in its wheel as soon as the lights go out! They run such distances to collect food in their cheek pouches and return to their burrows and empty the cheek pouches into their food store.

wThey are able to carry up to half their body weight in their pouches.

wTheir latin name Mesocricetus auratus means 'golden hair.'

Colours/ patterns/ markings

wThere are over 20 different breeds of hamsters, each with their own individual markings and colours.

wThe Dwarf Hamsters (Russian, Chinese and Roborovski) are small, very sociable, and will enjoy being kept in pairs or in groups (remember to keep them in single sex pairs or groups if you don't want to breed from them.)

wRussian hamsters are mainly white, grey and brown in colour, and the Roborovski hamster is always brown.

wThe Chinese hamster has a greyish brown coat with a dark stripe down its back.

Feeding your hamster

wIn their natural habitat, hamsters eat a range of grasses, wind-blown seeds and grain.

wHamsters are often mistaken as herbivores, but they are omnivores and need high amounts of protein in their diet to keep them healthy.

wLeft alone in the wild, they will find grubs and insects to supplement their diet. The bulk of their diet is cereals and other hard foods which are chewed and digested slowly.

wThis slow eating would make them easy targets in the wild, so they would normally bring their food back to their burrow to eat it in the safety of their own home. This also allows them to hoard spare food, in case it becomes difficult to find food at a later date.

wA balanced, coarse mix of hamster food is recommended (such as Harry Hamster). As long as there is a good mix of ingredients such as alfalfa, maize, wheat, naked oats, beans, peas and sunflower seeds to provide just the right amount of protein in your hamster's diet.

wThis variety of ingredients encourages foraging - a natural behaviour in hamsters. Hamsters need feeding everyday.

wAs they are nocturnal, an evening meal is better for them. They will normally wake at feeding time and will be happy to play with you once they have been fed.

w A good quality heavy, earthenware food bowl is essential to keep the food dry and clean.

wPlastic should be avoided as hamsters will chew it. Their bowls must be cleaned after every use.

wTreats that you buy or small pieces of apple, carrot or maize (that hamsters love) can be hidden around the cage to encourage your hamster to forage.

wYou should try to prevent your hamster from becoming a selective feeder and leaving some of his food by reducing the amount you feed him until he eats all of it. Then slowly increase the amount again to the recommended daily allowance.

wEnsure there is fresh water available at all times.

Housing your hamster

wHamsters can be housed in a wire cage with a plastic base, a plastic hamster home or an adapted aquarium (vivarium) with a well-ventilated cover.

wWooden cages should not be used as hamsters can chew their way out.

wThe most important thing to remember is that a hamster home can never be too big - they love to explore and exercise.

wMulti - level cages are a good idea as they add interest to the hamster's environment - but be careful with plastic tubes as the larger Syrian hamsters may get stuck. Be aware too that cages with tubes that open from the top into the cage can be a danger to hamsters falling onto a hard floor - I have seen a hamster break a leg. Provide soft bedding under the hole or a little ladder.

wThe hamster home must always have a place for your hamster to rest and hide, and another area for play, exercise and feeding.

wHamsters must always be kept indoors and careful thought should be given to where your hamster's home is situated.

wThe temperature in the room should always be constant, away from direct sunlight and draughts and away from constant noise (such as a freezer).

wBecause they have sensitive hearing, they should never be placed near a television, CD player Hi-fi etc.

w Do not make the same mistake that a university friend of mine made. She left her hamster's cage next to a house plant. Her hamster ate some of it and died of what appeared to be kidney failure!

wChoose a cleaner that eliminates odours, germs and bacteria. There are cleaners from petshops that are specific for hamster cages.

wClean the cage regularly or as soon as there is any odour.

wUse bedding that is absorbent but be careful of synthetic bedding as this could harm your hamster if he ate it and might block his cheek pouches, food pipe or gut. Use a natural bedding such as good quality barley straw which is treated with a cleaning agent and is dust - free (such as Russel Bedding).

Exercise

wIt is extremely important that your hamster has the opportunity to exercise every day.

wIf you provide a wheel for your hamster to play in, it MUST be big enough so that the hamster does not have to bend his back when he is inside, and must have a solid floor rather than rungs as these can cause injuries to the feet and tail.

wAlthough hamsters sleep during the day, they are really energetic and will exercise for 3 - 4 hours a night.

wA hamster's natural instinct is to forage and explore. Mealtime is always over too quickly and this could mean that your hamster will get bored. It only takes a few items to create an exciting environment for him to be in.

wPlace objects like tubes, tunnels and small cardboard boxes in the cage for him to play with.

wPlace twigs of willow, beech or hazel in the cage for him to climb and gnaw on. By hiding food and the occasional treat in different areas of the hamster's cage, he will be forced to hunt for his food - this will keep him happy for many hours and prevent boredom.

wThe rolling exercise balls are fun and excellent ways to exercise your hamster but make sure that the latch is closed securely.

Handling your hamster

wAlways approach him slowly and gently. Place a closed fist in front of your pet and allow him to approach and sniff you. Hamsters rely on smells rather than sound and therefore smell is important so they can detect what is approaching. If your hamster is confident and appears interested, slowly unclench your fist and offer your palm. He may well crawl onto your hand or you can gently scoop him up. Cup him in the palms of your two hands to ensure that he is safe and won't be dropped.

wLift him up slowly, as picking him uo quickly would be the equivalent of going up the Eiffel Tower in 3 seconds! To ensure he is safe at all times, you should hold him over your lap or close to your chest.

wNever scruff a hamster to pick him up as this can put immense pressure on the head region possibly resulting in the eyeball popping out.

Companionship

wDwarf hamsters in the wild live in large colonies with a well-structured hierarchy and are happy in a pair or in a group.

wSyrian or Golden hamsters are solitary and must be kept alone.

wIf you are intending to have more than one hamster, you must have a cage which is large enough. It is best to acquire littermates in order to avoid fighting.

wFemale pairs or groups will be fine. Males will live happily together but may become agitated if in the vicinity of females.

wFemales and males will be happy together but will result in litters.

wHamsters come into season 24 hours after giving birth! You should never breed from related individuals.

For practical advice on looking after your hamster,click on my hamster e-book below. It is full of information and interesting facts and covers treating hamsters safely at home and common mistakes that hamster owners make when they take their small pets to the vet unnecessarily.