Breeds of small hamsters and features of care for them

There are quite a few varieties of hamsters. In addition to standard breeds, there are also small varieties. Dwarf rodents are very mobile, mischievous animals. Domestic small hamsters are not a separate species, this class consists of dwarf representatives of various breeds.

Small hamsters grow in length no more than 10 cm, weight is about 50 grams. They live an average of 2-3 years, although some may have a life expectancy of 4 years. The color of the coat depends on the breed: it changes from light, gray or brownish to darker, with a pronounced strip along the back. Small hamsters are distinguished by the absence of a characteristic smell characteristic of their large relatives. They feel good in captivity and breed normally.

For one offspring, the female brings an average of 6-12 children. The crumbs are very energetic, nimble, they can not be left unattended outside the cage - they will run away right there. You also need to handle them very carefully so that they don’t fall and damage yourself.

Hamsters are gradually tamed and love when they pet, caress.

Their fur is very soft and delicate, extremely pleasant to the touch. Having become manual, the hamster with pleasure will climb for you and can fall asleep in a palm. But do not squeeze them - they can bite. Hamsters do not like noise, because they differ in sensitive hearing. But vision is bad, they use the sense of smell for recognition.

Dwarf hamsters are of several breeds, differing mainly in coat color, and their excessive activity binds.

Dzungarian hamster belongs to the most famous pets of small breeds. The rodent lives in the wild: on the Asian steppe plains and in deserts. Representatives of this species are very contact and not indifferent to attention. Dzhungarik, as he is also called, has a thick gray fur with a dark strip along the entire length of the back, and a white belly. Hamsters weigh only 35-60 grams and are 5-10 cm in size.

The low legs of the animals are covered with short light hairs, they also have a tiny tail. The muzzle is slightly elongated, with dark bead eyes. By color, they are divided into standard (gray-brown with a white belly), sapphire (gray wool with a bluish tint and a white belly), pearls (milk color with gray stains), tangerine (light brown wool shimmers with a light orange tint).

The life expectancy of Dzungarian hamsters is from 2 to 4 years, with appropriate care. Representatives of this breed can change color, by winter their coat becomes lighter. Beasts are capable of mating already in 4-6 weeks.

In the natural environment, they acquire offspring from spring to autumn, in the cage they can reproduce all year. Up to 11 babies appear at a time, pregnancy lasts 21–26 days.

Taylor's hamster has a size of not more than 6 cm, although it looks quite puffy. The coat is thick, with an uneven color: the chest and belly are white, and the head and back are brownish. Tiny ears, also covered with wool, are almost invisible, like a miniature tail. The eyes are black with white spotted eyebrows, the nose is pinkish. Taylor's hamsters breed year round.

The duration of the gestation period is about 20-30 days, the litter is from one to five crumbs, weighing only one gram. On the twentieth day the cubs can live separately. The animals become sexually mature at 10-12 weeks. The life cycle lasts 1.5-3 years.

Campbell's hamster is just one representative of small hamsters with different colors: white, black, light brown. The body of the animal is round, in length it can reach up to 10 cm, weight about 25 g. The tail is very short, the ears are pointed, the base of the legs is covered with wool. The front paws have 4 fingers, and the hind legs have 5 fingers. For one pregnancy in 18–22 days, 4–9 children appear. Campbell's hamster lives 1–2 years.

The smallest breed in the world, its representatives have a size of 4.5-5 cm and a weight of 20-25 grams. The furry is fluffy; a tiny tail is completely lost in it. A little rounded ears are located on the top of the head, eyes are like black beads. A feature of this breed is the presence of white eyebrows. The animals are very jumping, this ability has developed due to the fact that the hind legs are longer than those in front.

Roborovsky’s hamsters are classified as borefoot, their legs are covered with short villi. A fur coat of delicate golden-sand color. Varieties with different coat colors have been bred, but it is worth knowing that such crumbs have poor health. One litter can have 3–6 children. Representatives of this breed live up to 4 years.

When purchasing a hamster in a pet store, it is necessary to take into account some nuances:

• the age of the animal should be about 5-6 weeks;
• the hamster should not be lethargic, half asleep, but you should not choose too lively;
• no need to buy a pet if there is at least some fear that he is unwell: hamsters are difficult to treat;
• the rodent's hair should be shiny and dry, without bald patches and wounds;
• on the skin should not be any growths and tangled shreds of hair;
• in a healthy hamster, the eyes are clean, without inflammation and abscesses;
• the nose should also be dry, without any secretions;
• teeth should not be overgrown.

When purchasing a dwarf hamster, it is worth remembering that for normal development he needs to create certain conditions and proper care. The first step is to select the appropriate cell. Despite the tiny size of a pet, it should be extensive.

Bunk cells are becoming more and more popular, but there is a chance that too active a baby will fall from the top floor and damage himself.

In addition to the cage, you also need to arm yourself with a running wheel, a rest house, labyrinths, and a drinking bowl. Litter should be made of sawdust or shavings. Little hamsters are very neat animals, they clean the fur themselves, they do not need to be washed. For such procedures, you can put a bath of fine sand or a specially designed filler. Claws do not need to be processed, but if there are bent nails, they must be carefully trimmed.

Getting solid food, the animal grinds its teeth, and if this is not enough, they can grow quickly and cause discomfort to the animal. In order to prevent this situation, it is necessary to place a special stone in the cage, about which the hamster will file down its teeth.

The cage should be cleaned 1-2 times a week, and the toilet - as needed. It’s better to let the baby go for a walk in a walking ball: he won’t run away and will not be able to damage anything.

The nutrition of small hamsters should be balanced. A special feed mixture must be present in their diet, it is advisable to give it in the evening, because hamsters are nocturnal animals and at this time are very active. They also eat fruits, vegetables, grains of corn, and legumes; You can give fish or chicken breast. Fresh water should always be present in the drinker. Corrupted residues must be removed to avoid poisoning.

In addition, hamsters should not be given citruses, pomegranate seeds, kiwi, sweet and salty foods, sausages. You should not feed them with bread, cabbage, melon and dairy products.

If it is planned to keep the male and the female together, they must be of the same breed and young - mature hamsters are prone to aggression.

A pregnant female needs to organize a diet rich in proteins, and give vitamin preparations. Before giving birth, the female is transferred to a separate cage, into which sawdust is added. Of these, she makes a nest.

Little hamsters are bald, do not see or hear anything. After 25-30 days, they can already be deposited: separately for boys and girls.

Unfortunately, dwarf hamsters often get sick. Signs that should alert: a tousled fur, the animal itches, looks apathetic. Common symptoms of diseases are:

• smell;
• heavy drinking;
• lack or, conversely, excessive appetite;
• wool acquires moisture;
• eyes watery, purulent discharge appears.

Most hamster diseases occur due to improper care.

• Eye diseases are treated with chlorhexidine drops.
• Blockage of cheek pouches occurs as a result of eating harmful products. They are emptied, washed and an antibiotic is used.
• Bites are fairly common injuries in hamsters. Wounds need to be washed and processed, if necessary, use antibiotics.
• Gastrointestinal diseases are best treated after examination by a veterinarian, and for prevention purposes it is not worth experimenting with nutrition.
• Hamster teeth grow throughout life. If you do not allow them to shy, they can grow too much and damage the oral cavity. In addition to solid food and crackers, animals must be given a stone for grinding.
• Cystitis can also bother rodents. Only a veterinarian needs to be treated.
• Scabies is caused by the presence of scabies. With this disease, the hair becomes wet, the skin itches and is covered with ulcers.The hamster is isolated, because the disease is contagious to people, and treated in a veterinary clinic.

About everything you need to know when buying a hamster, see the next video.