The name hamster comes from the german word for hoard, a reference to their habit of storing huge amounts of food in their. Syrian hamsters must live alone or they will fight, sometimes even to the death. In 1950 the care and breeding of laboratory animals contained a chapter on syrian hamster care with recommendations about cage size, handling hamsters, hamster diet, cleaning hamsters, and hamster breeding. The information on this care sheet is not a substitute for veterinary care.
Now that you have decided on a pet hamster you should have all the supplies necessary before bringing your pet home. The female syrian hamster is typically larger than the male. Todays domestic syrians are believed to be descended from a mother. Children can checkoff when they complete each pet care.
The name hamster comes from the german word for hoard, a reference to their habit of storing huge amounts of food in their cheek pouches. Today we are going to look at a russian dwarf hamster care sheet russian dwarf hamsters are becoming more popular as pets around the world because they are easy. Hamsters range in size from the dwarf roborovski at 3 inches to the large syrian also known as fancy or teddy bear at 7 inches. Syrian hamsters must live on their own as they are territorial mammals and will start to fight with each other once they have reached maturity, which is between 8 and 12 weeks. There are several kinds of hamsters and most live for about 23 years. Their natural geographical range is limited to arid areas. Hamster care sheet as with any pet, keeping a hamster requires a commitment to care for it during its life which could be 23 years or longer. Hamsters make suitable pets for older children, providing they are taught the responsibilities of their petis routine for cleaning, feeding, and care. Hamster care sheet because we care 1250 upper front street, binghamton, ny 901 6077232666 congratulations on your new pet. The syrian hamster is a mainstay of the companion animal world. Hamsters are short, stocky rodents with an abundance of loose skin. How to care for syrian hamsters with pictures wikihow. If you need additional information, refer to the sources section or contact your veterinarian as appropriate. When buying, adopting or owning a new dwarf hamster, it helps knowing what you will need.
However, certain breeds of hamsters require specific enclosures, tailored nutritional considerations, and delicate handling to truly flourish. I try to put out new videos every week so make sure to subscribe so you never miss a video. How to take care of a hamster for beginners hamster care sheet. That is, the form that most closely resembles the animal mesocricetus auratus in nature it has been domesticated from.
Syrians are the most common species of hamster kept as pets and were the first hamsters to be domesticated and introduced into the pet market. Once a week, you should change all of the bedding and clean the cage with soap and. There are many different colours and textures of hamster coat. A mother with a litter of babies was brought to jerusalem for study in 1930, and most if not all syrian hamsters available for sale today are descendants of that mother and her babies. Syrian also nicknamed the teddy bear, golden, black bear. Dwarf species such as the siberian, roborovskys djungarian, and chinese are smaller than syrians, at. Their natural geographical range is limited to arid areas of northern syria and southern turkey. When you purchase your syrian hamster at the pet store, it will most likely be caged in a group. Bedding or substrate for the bottom of the cage where your pet can burrow and hide. Also, feed your hamster a commercial hamster food and be sure to provide access to fresh water at all times. Most commonly you will find djungarian or roborowski hamsters available.
It is cared for in the same way as other hamsters and is a popular pet for children. The shorthaired or golden hamster is the wild type. How to take care of a hamster for beginners hamster care. As you can imagine, it isnt as easy to care for a hamster as it looked as a kid, but once you get into a groove, you may find that it isnt all that hard either. Several cages may look cool but arent very functional and are extremely difficult to clean. Before deciding on taking home a syrian hamster, it is important to know their needs and the commitment they are and to think twice ensuring. Syrian also nicknamed the teddy bear, golden, black bear, common, etc. To care for syrian hamsters, start by setting up a roomy cage with bedding made of shredded paper, an exercise wheel, and other accessories. Youll need to provide a suitable cage with enough room for exploration as well as a good diet, toys, safe bedding and plenty of things to do. Hairless hamsters benefit from a small amount of nontoxic aloebased lotion rubbed into their skin to keep it soft. Nov 27, 2018 it will need to 12 ounce of food daily 1015g it will consume 6 tablespoons 30ml of water per day.
The lifespan of a golden hamster is about 23 years. Hamster information and care recommendations medvet. In this guide we are going to cover everything about the syrian hamster including its many cute looks, how to properly care for it. Syrian hamster care, facts, colors, life span shorthair. And amongst hamsters, the syrian hamster is the most popular breed to a large part because of its teddy bear appearence. It will need to 12 ounce of food daily 1015g it will consume 6 tablespoons 30ml of water per day. Hamsters are adorable, and if you had one as a kid, you probably remember them being easy pets to care for.
I hope to include a pdf version of this in the future. Hamsters stay clean and rarely need baths, but can be spotcleaned with a damp washcloth or unscented baby wipes if needed. Syrian hamsters should never be kept in pairs or groups once mature. Shorthaired and longhaired teddy bear hamsters are clean and captivating companion animals that are best kept individually.
This hamster care sheet will guide you in having everything you need. Guide to caring for syrian hamsters natural world pets. They are commonly known as a nocturnal animal however they are actually a crepuscular animal this means they are mostly active in the twilight hours. Sep 06, 2019 to care for syrian hamsters, start by setting up a roomy cage with bedding made of shredded paper, an exercise wheel, and other accessories. This care sheet will guide you in having everything you need. The word hamster originates from the german word hamstern, which means hoarder. Habitat you will need a cage or aquarium that is at least 15 inches long by 12 inches high for one hamster or two dwarf hamsters. Even if your teddy bear hamster seems to enjoy company, once they reach 8to 10 weeks old they can fight to the death for their territory. Our hamster care sheet is a guide for proper housing and feeding for your small pet. The syrian hamster is the largest type of hamster that you can buy as a pet. Todays pet or laboratory hamster, known as the syrian hamster, was bred from a small group of hamsters removed from a burrow near syria in 1930 as well as 11 more collected in. In the wild, syrian hamster adults generally inhabit lone burrows. They have gained popularity as pets and research animals since the 1930s.
Do not house male and female dwarf hamsters together, as hamsters breed quicklyand often with large litters. Hamsters are often a childs first pet and assumed to be reasonably easy to look after. Mesocricetus auratus syrian or dwarf dwarfs grow up to 4 inches syrians grow up to 7. There are many hamster cage options available both online and at pet stores but some cages are definitely better than others.
It is sometimes difficult to introduce new dwarf hamsters to each other, so it is best to purchase them at the same time from the same cage at the pet store. The giant hamster gets to be 812 inches long, the middle sized hamster, which is the most common hamster found in pet stores, is 56 inches golden hamsters are in this group, including the syrian golden hamster, and the dwarf hamster is only 24 inches. A fancy hamster is a shorthaired version of the popular syrian hamster. Syrian hamsters are nocturnal creatures, they sleep for most of the day and become active at dusk. There are also advantages for the family as a whole. The 1947 first edition of the ufaw handbook contained a chapter on the care of syrian hamsters. They sleep during the day and become active in the evening, ideal for many family schedules. All syrian hamsters living in captivity today are descendants of a single female and her twelve babies, captured in syria in 1930. Looking after a hamster syrian hamster advice blue cross. Due to technical difficulties it will have to wait until future time.
Hamster various species while hamster is a broad term for many species of rodent, most of what youll find available in the pet trade come from only a handful species native to locales across asia. The golden or syrian hamster mesocricetus auratus is a rodent belonging to the hamster subfamily, cricetinae. Hamster care guide pet ownership has many benefits for children, from teaching them responsibility, to developing language skills and providing support in times of stress. Taking care of a roborovski hamster is pretty simple and follows the same steps as usual hamster care. Have scent glands used for marking territory and in mating. How to keep a roborovski dwarf hamster robo hamster care. There are 24 species of hamster, but only a few of these are kept as pets. With their differing personalities and quirky ways, syrian hamsters can be a wonderful choice of pet and are easy to care for once you know their needs. Our pet care charts for hamsters are a great tool to ensure that your kids remember to do their part.
Syrian hamster care essentials erinsanimals this is a great and informative video covering most of the essential basics of caring for your syrian hamster. Keep your syrian hamster in a solidbottom wire cage or aquarium with a wire mesh top 10 gallon minimum. Dwarf hamster care sheet because we care 1250 upper front street, binghamton, ny 901 6077232666 congratulations on your new pet. Syrian hamster 101 breed info and care sheet with images. Also be sure to check out some of the other videos on erins channel for. The golden hamster is native to the dry, hot deserts of syria.
Syrian hamster care includes all the actions which a person might take to promote animal welfare in the syrian hamster when it lives with humans either as a pet or laboratory animal. Their numbers have been declining in the wild due to a loss of habitat from agriculture and deliberate elimination by humans. Originally the syrian hamster was discovered by 1839 in syria hence the name. Line the habitat with 1 to 2 inches of aspen, pine or recycledpaper. They are much larger than dwarf and chinese hamsters and are the most commonly seen type of hamster.
This enables them to carry food back to their nest from far and wide. Also be sure to purchase groups of the same sex, as dwarf hamsters reproduce readily. Dwarf hamsters can live in pairs if they are raised together. They are great pets for young children and are preferable to dwarf species as. The cheek pouches of the fancy hamster are used to hoard food for later. Other species, such as the russian dwarf, naturally live in groups. The giant hamster gets to be 812 inches long, the middle sized hamster, which is the most common hamster found in pet stores, is 56 inches golden hamsters are in this group, including the syrian golden hamster, and the dwarf hamster is only 24 inches long.
Larger than dwarf hamsters, the syrian hamster also known as the golden or teddy bear hamster is a small rodent belonging to the cricetinae family. Todays pet or laboratory hamster, known as the syrian hamster, was bred from a small group of hamsters removed from a burrow near syria in 1930 as well as 11 more collected in 1971 and three in 1978. Unlike their larger, syrian cousins, dwarf hamsters are happiest living in groups of two or more. A syrian hamster has a general lifespan of 2 to 2 and a half years. The average lifespan for a syrian hamster is 2 to 2. Once a week, you should change all of the bedding and clean the cage with soap and hot water. The most common pet hamster is the sixinch syrian, also known as the golden hamster or teddy bear hamster. Remember, hamsters are chewers, wanderers, and burrowers so choose the home accordingly. Kids pet care charts caring for a hamster kid pointz. Sprinkle in a few shavings from your hamster s old habitat and your new friend will feel at home right away.
Syrian hamsters are popular with novice hamster owners, and younger children, as they tend to be easier to handle and tame. Today we are going to look at a russian dwarf hamster care sheet russian dwarf hamsters are becoming more popular as pets around the world because they are easy to maintain, care for and inexpensive to keep. Robo hamster care guide how to keep a dwarf hamster. The commitment required includes not only routine feeding, care and time spent with the hamster but also the provision of veterinary treatment if the hamster becomes ill which can be costly. Hamster care guide care sheet how to take care of hamsters. Syrian hamsters have rapidly become very popular household pets in the western world ever since professor. Dwarf hamsters make good household pets as they are small, cute and easy to care for.
The syrian hamster also known as the golden hamster is the species of hamster most commonly found in pet stores. There are some different recommendations for what cage size is. Position the cage somewhere quiet to prevent your hamster from feeling stressed. This larger type of hamster is one that is suitable for children because they are easier to handle and are less jumpy than the dwarf sized hamsters. Hamsters have large eyes and a retina dominated by rods the part of the eye that can function in less intense light. If caged with another, they will fight to the point of injury and sometimes death. Syrian hamsters are great family pets and are very easy to handle when they are properly handled.
Choose a habitat with a solid bottom or go for a glass aquarium tank with a wellventilated wire mesh top. Aspcas hamster care sheet recommends a minimum of 2 inches of bedding, and to provide toilet paper or tissue for nesting. Hamsters are nocturnal creatures, which means that they like to sleep all day. Overview the syrian hamster is a mainstay of the companion animal world. As you can imagine, it isnt as easy to care for a hamster as it looked as a kid. They have a few other names such as teddy bear hamster and golden hamster. Hamster care sheet what do i need for my pet hamster. The average lifespan of a syrian hamster is approximately two years. That is, of course, because your parents likely took care of your hamster. Owning a hamster requires that a child take on specific responsibilities. Syrian hamsters come in several color variations and go by different names, such as goldens, panda, and teddy bears. Syrian hamster care advice and tips on caring for syrian.
Background information on hamsters hamsters are peculiar little rodents with large cheek pouches and short stubby tails. They are more social than syrian golden hamsters and. A hamsters lifespan is around 1,000 days or two to three years. As an adult the average size of a syrian hamster is 5.