How to care for a hamster?

Hamsters are one of the most popular pets and won millions of people's hearts. Their content does not cause difficulties even for beginners, however, you still need to know some nuances of care.

Hamsters are loved and adored all over the world, due to a number of their valuable qualities.

• Animals do not take up much space in the apartment and are quite content with a small aquarium or cage.
• Rodents grow and develop perfectly alone and do not require the acquisition of a pair. The second individual can be introduced either at will, or for breeding.
• Hamsters are quite quiet animals and, unlike cats, dogs and birds, practically do not make noise.
• Animals are absolutely not vindictive and do not hold grudges.
• Hamsters are able to breed in captivity and unpretentious in food.
• Rodents treat children well, which often results in not too good consequences for themselves.
• The hamster is easy to care for at home.
• The cost of a rodent is much lower than the cost of thoroughbred puppies, kittens and other domestic animals.

The disadvantages of keeping hamsters include the need for regular cleaning of the cage, hibernation of many individuals and the likelihood of aggression towards people. However, the main disadvantage is the life expectancy of rodents.

Before you start a hamster, you need to familiarize yourself with its basic needs and make sure that they will be fully satisfied. Hamster needs include a cozy home, thermal comfort, cleanliness, lack of stress, entertainment, proper nutrition and proper care.

As can be seen from a fairly impressive list of conditions necessary for a hamster, the content of this rodent is a responsible matter. Among the priorities facing the future owner, is the choice of a comfortable and functional home. This point is especially important because hamsters are prone to frequent stresses that arise for them for the most trifling reasons. Therefore, the animal needs a reliable shelter and its own territory, wherever he feels completely safe.

As a home for the hamster, experts recommend choosing either special cages or volumetric aquariums. However, the cell in this case is more preferable, since it allows you to install many useful and necessary devices inside. In no case should animals be kept in cardboard boxes, plastic containers and glass jars. The last two types of containers are suitable only as a temporary shelter for the animal, for example, when transporting it from the store to the house.

When buying a cell, you should pay attention to its size, which should not be less than 60 cm in length and 40 in width. The height of the structure does not play a special role, the main thing is that the wheel fits inside and preferably a small house. Optimally, if the rods will be located in a horizontal direction, which will allow the hamster to move freely in any plane of the home. As litter, you can use sawdust, hay and corn filler, however, many hamster owners prefer hay.

In addition, if the owners want to leave home for a couple of days, then straw will also be a more suitable option, as it will allow the liquid to go down and not let the smell out. Sawdust instantly gets wet, creates discomfort to the hamster and begins to smell. In the absence of ready-made fillers, in extreme cases, you can take toilet paper or old newspapers, however, such materials require daily replacement with new ones, otherwise an unpleasant smell from the cage is provided. Cotton wool and fabric are not suitable for bedding at all, so their use should be excluded.

After choosing a filler, they begin to complete the house. It must necessarily contain a drinking bowl, representing a small vessel with a dispensing ball or an elongated tube through which the hamster will drink.

Two feeders are also needed, one of which will be intended for dry food (grain), and the second - for fresh vegetables and fruits. Both the drinking bowl and both feeding troughs must have fasteners by means of which they are hung on the cell walls.

Another necessary accessory for the cage is mineral stone. It performs two functions at once - it allows the rodent to grind its teeth and saturates its body with useful substances. The place of the toilet in the cage is not indicated in any way: hamsters independently choose a certain angle, and later go only to it. However, when this place becomes too dirty, they move to a different, clean corner, and manage their natural needs there.

You need to place the cage in a quiet, peaceful place, away from radiators, drafts and direct ultraviolet rays. Also, it should not be placed in the area of ​​children's games and on the aisle, where the animal will not have any peace.

Feeding a hamster is quite an important event and determines the health and well-being of the pet. Below is a list of approved rodent products, many of which will surely appeal to him and will become a favorite treat.

• Dry mix for hamsters, it is a composition made from grains of wheat and barley, pressed grassy granules, sunflower seeds and dried corn, taken in different combinations. This food has a balanced composition and is designed taking into account the needs and preferences of rodents. Dried pieces of various fruits can be added to the finished mixture, however, they need to be used in small quantities.
• Plant components in the form of fresh and boiled peas, clover, vetch, alfalfa and bluegrass leaves are also necessary for proper nutrition of the hamster. Of vegetables, carrots, beets, zucchini, fresh cucumbers and tomatoes, beans, sweet peppers, cauliflower and a little pumpkin are recommended. From fruits, bananas, pears, apples and grapes can be offered, provided that the stems and seeds are removed.
• Cooked rice, buckwheat, oatmeal and millet can be given 2-3 times in 7 days, the main thing in their preparation is not to use salt.
• Dried fruits in the form of banana chips can be given daily, while dried cherries, dried apricots and prunes are offered much less often and exclusively in the form of goodies. This is due to the high sugar content in them, which, like salt, is quite harmful to hamsters.
• Seeds and nuts can also be given daily. Most hamsters are very fond of walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts and pumpkin seeds.
• From dairy products, you can give a little low-fat cottage cheese and occasionally a small piece of hard cheese. As a source of protein, especially for pregnant females, hard-boiled egg white, boiled chicken, beef and lean pork are suitable. The main thing is that the meat is well cooked and not stiff, since it is strictly forbidden to offer it to hamsters in raw form.
• Flour products in the form of biscuits, crackers and unsweetened cookies, it is allowed to give no more than once a week.

However, a rich diet of permitted food does not at all speak of the omnivorous nature of hamsters. There is a fairly large list of foods that rodents cannot eat. Below are briefly considered the most harmful of them, the use of which can cause significant harm to the health of the pet.

Spices are strictly contraindicated for hamstersThey, along with acidic and spicy foods, can cause burns to the mucous membranes of the mouth, stomach, and esophagus. In this regard, feeding the animal kebabs, dishes with the addition of vinegar and too pepper food is prohibited.

Despite the fact that most fruits are well absorbed by the body of the hamster, the use of some of them is strictly prohibited. These include all citrus fruits and kiwis that are high in acid can irritate the rodent's digestive system.

Fatty foods and sweets, including honey and sweets, should also not be given to a pet, especially for Dzungarian hamsters. This is due to their tendency to diabetes, which is almost never found in Syrian counterparts.

The room where the hamster is kept should be at least 20 degrees. Otherwise, the pet will become too cold and sick. However, putting the cage next to the heating appliances is also not worth it. It is better to identify the dwelling in the back of the room and protect it from drafts. If the cell is located on the windowsill, then at the time of ventilation it should also be removed to another place.

The hamster, like no other, is subject to stress and needs a calm atmosphere. Planting in the cage of another adult hamster is very much affected, regardless of whether it is a boy or a girl. Hamsters must be together either from a very young age, or live in different cells.Another cause for concern is the bright light. Hamsters are well oriented in the dark and do not need additional illumination. Dirty litter, as well as a lack of food and drink can also cause severe stress.

In addition, the cage should not be constantly moved from one place to another, as well as loudly talking next to the pet, place it near the TV and leave a mobile phone next to the cage - from the sudden call of which the animal can be very scared. Females who have just had offspring really don't like it when the owner endlessly checks the babies. As a result, the mother begins to get angry and may bite.

Also, you do not need to take your pet out to the street and let cats, dogs and young children into the cage. Cleaning the cage in the hamster in front of his eyes is also not recommended. It is better to put the pet in a temporary container and calmly wash the house.

Hamsters need entertainment, so it is advisable to equip the cage with a running wheel, a slide and a ladder. You can buy a walking ball, in which the pet can walk around the house. If time and imagination allow, you can design a walking park for the animal by constructing obstacles and mazes in it. To do this, you can use tubes for paper towels and toilet paper, plastic bottles and cardboard.

Hamsters really do not like to swim and are experiencing extreme stress from this. By themselves, they are very clean, constantly wash their face and paws. You can put a container in the cage with clean and dry sand, where the rodent will clean its coat. But a pet can be washed in water only in the event of the appearance of parasites or if he got dirty in his bowel movements. It is better to do this with a cotton pad dipped in clean water.

If fleas are found, an antiparasitic shampoo is used, gently foaming and applying it to the pet's fur coat, then rinsing under a thin stream of water. It is important to prevent water from entering the eyes and ears. After bathing, the hamster is blotted with a dry towel and placed in a box covered with a soft cloth. Drying the animal with a hairdryer is strictly prohibited.

The next item of care for the decorative animal is the processing of its claws. To do this, you only need to purchase manicure tongs and clearly follow the instructions. So, you need to cut only the free edge of the claw, trying not to hook the capillary. If there is dark pigmentation on the surface of the claws, then you can use a fluorescent lamp that shines through the claw.

With proper nutrition and proper care, hamsters rarely get sick, but no one is safe from a number of common diseases. The following are the most common diseases, as well as their causes and treatment recommendations.

• Cystitis is a consequence of a urinary tract infection and manifests itself in frequent urination with an admixture of blood. As a treatment, do injections of chloramphenicol at the rate of 5 mg per 100 g of weight twice a day.
• Enteritis also has an infectious nature and in 20% of cases ends in death. Its first signs are watery diarrhea. As a treatment, antibiotics are prescribed neomycin and tetracycline.
• Scabies caused by scabies mites, which lay eggs in the upper layer of the skin. The parasite feeds on skin dandruff and annoys animals too much. Scabies can be ear, head and general and can be treated with a 3% solution of SK-9 and sulfuric ointment. You can also use a 1% solution of chlorophos in combination with a 1% solution of D-33. Reprocessing is performed after a week.
• Rectal prolapse comes from diarrhea or constipation. With timely access to a veterinarian, it is easily treated without amputation.
• Rickets arises due to the lack of vitamin D in the feed and more often happens in young hamsters in the winter.

Caring for a newly born hamster is to create the most favorable conditions for babies and their mothers. So, In no case should you touch newborn babies with your hands, and this applies not only to dwarf breed pets, but also to all rodents without exception. Otherwise, the mother, smelling someone else's smell, in the best case, will stop feeding hamsters, and in the worst, she will bite and eat them. The best option would be to leave the family alone for a few days and only constantly monitor the availability of feed and water for the mother.

5-7 days after birth, the mother and children are transplanted into the box and the cage is cleaned, replacing the litter and thoroughly washing the items there. In the future, it is recommended that this be done every two days. As soon as the kids are covered with wool, they begin to introduce complementary foods. To do this, put a couple of cabbage leaves in a cage, and when they reach a month of age - finely chopped boiled chicken. A month and a half after birth, the female is sent to the male, and the babies are seated in different cells or sent to a new place of residence in another family.

See how to look after a hamster in the next video.