HAMSTER CARESHEET.


A brief history...
It Began in the Syrian desert,1930, where one scientist found a mother hamster and her babies, when she had brought them back all but three of them had survived. These three grew up and were interbred and the first golden Syrian hamsters were born in captivity. They were used widely in scientific research and eventually branched out into the pet trade industry as tame perfect little pets. Hamsters got their name from the German word “Hamper” Associated with storing, like other rodents hamsters have pouches in their cheeks they can store food or bedding in.


So, You want a hamster...

A hamster is not a pet for everybody, you have to be patient and very gentle, so when it comes to small children I strongly urge you to disregard this as a pet for your son or daughter, they are not a play thing and can bite very hard, consider other animals that are more suitable for your younger child.
If you have an older child who is willing to take on this responsibility then congratulations! They can be a great learning experience for anyone and everyone.

Getting started...
After researching a particular hamster you'd like it's time to find the perfect little hamster for you. First off start by purchasing a proper sized hamster cage, do not worry about add-ons until later one when the hamster is comfortable with the basic cage itself. Always question whoever you are purchasing the hamster from as to what it's diet has been and whether it can drink from a water bottle or needs a drinking dish, this is crucial because a hamster who has spent early development with a water dish does not know what a water bottle is, and by replacing the dish for the bottle without proper weening you could kill your hamster.

After questions are out of the way it's time for you to decide on what type of hamster you're looking for, essentially there are three main types, dwarf, teddy bear, and Syrian. Teddy Bears are long coated hamsters that grow up with a wonderful sweet temperament when cared for properly, as well as Syrians. Dwarfs on the other hand are a bit more shy and skiddish when it comes to handling, they need extra care and more reassurance and most are harder to tame.
Syrians come in a variety of colourings and have a very soft and thin coat of fur, they are the main type advertised in pet shops.

An extra need to know about the three types is dwarf hamsters do not mind company, so you can house one or more together with an appropriate sized cage. Syrians and Teddy's should NEVER be housed together, if you wish to have more then one purchase separate cages for them. Often with a house mate they will fight and either injure each other or kill one or the other, so they should always have their own separate space. You can not keep mating hamsters together either, they will injure or kill one another and they breed continuously and will eventually and quickly kill your female. So do not house opposite or same sex together. Keep in mind in the wild hamsters do not stay together, siblings will go their own separate ways, after courting and mating a female a male will leave to look for another mate. I strongly urge you to not test this, you are putting them in danger.

After you have decided on what type of hamster and have appropriate cage, bedding, and food for it it's time to bring it home!

Housing-
You can purchase hamster friendly cages at your local pet store or an aquarium to house your hamster.
You can purchase a commercial feed for your hamster, and it is always better to go for a higher quality brand as it has more nutrients then a grocery store brand and is essentially better for their health. Bedding can be something as simple as pine shavings, do not use cedar shavings as it has an oil that will cause your hamster to lose its fur. There are other types of bedding you may use, some people use something as simple as newsprint.
As for toys, you can buy commercial made toys for your hamster, such as tunnels, wood houses, and even little plastic furniture. Make sure there is plenty for them to play with as they do need stimulation. Make sure you have something wooden in their cage, as hamsters teeth continuously grow and they need something to gnaw on. Tunnels are a great idea, in the wild they have their own little chamber of tunnels they run around in.

Note that a hamster will use one corner to sleep in, and one to go to the bathroom in, you can litter train your hamster buy purchasing a tiny little litter bowl and placing it where they go to the washroom with a bit of waste in it, this makes cleaning them a little less tideous, but it's not a necessity.

Make sure you have a little wheel in the cage for the hamster to excersice on, they use this very often. I advise not using wheels with wire bottoms as little toes and fingers can get caught and broken, you can purchase plastic non-squeaky wheels for your comfort and sanity as well.

If you'd like your hamster to roam and not stay cooped up in it's cage you can monitor it while it's out, be advised to not put it on a shelf or bed as it will fall off, hamsters are ground dwelling animals and do not know about the forces of gravity. The best thing you can get is an excersise ball that allows them the run of the floor without the worry of escaping, always check this ball for chew marks and never allow them to play on a second story near a flight of stairs.

Cleaning is a very simple task, wash out all bowls and the tank/cage and toys at least once a week, a clean environment means no illnesses. Simply replace bedding with fresh bedding afterwards and your hamster will rearrange it to their liking.

Taming and Handling
The very first day you bring home your hamster is an exciting one. Set the cage up and place the hamster in, for the rest of the day leave them be, allow your hamster to familiarize itself with it's new smells and surroundings. After the first night you can stick your hand in the cage, slide it in slowly and do not move it, allow the hamster to come to you and sniff you, bit the second they open their mouth to take a bit, retract your hand and don't get too mad, they're still unsure of what you are. Do this constantly and talk softly to your hamster, offer it treats on your hand and within a few days time it will come to trust you more and more, now you can start to pick them up and handle them. Be very gentle when you attempt this, and remember you don't always succeed at picking them up the first few times as they may bolt into their hideaway. Give them a larger treat to gnaw on and wrap your hand around them and gently pick them up, they may start to squirm, so hold them firmly and set them down afterwards. Repeat this for a few days and your hamster will get used to it and understand that you are not an enemy, and soon you will be able to lift them out of the cage and play with them. Most hamsters that have been tamed will stay tame, but if you go away for awhile you may have to redo some of the steps as your hamster may not fully remember you. Once they are tamed they become very gentle and trusting of you, they will walk around you, sleep on you, or just sit contently. This means other people can handle your hamster with ease, always be cautious around children and monitor them when they're playing with the hamster, children can be mean and a nice playtime could turn into someone chucking your hamster across the room because it bit them.

Proper Nutrition
The staple food for hamsters is seeds, grains and pellets. You can purchase this food at your local pet store. This commercial feed provides them with essential nutrients and vitamins.  strongly recommend you spend a few extra dollars towards a good feed, grocery store brands do not offer the same nutritional value and often can lead to a very sick hamster.

Hamsters also love fresh fruits, and they're very good for them in small doses, never feed your hamster a full kiwi or strawberry, this can lead to them getting very ill and usually results in death as will be discussed in Sickness and Treatments. Feed your hamster a few little tiny blocks of these treats everyday, switch it up everyday so they don't get used to it or bored of it.
Kiwi
Strawberry
Banana
Dog treats
Cucumber
Carrot
Egg
Bread
Pears
Meal worms or crickets
cantaloupe
Grapes
Green Beans

They can also eat celery but I don't advise it, it has no nutritional value and essentially is just crunchy water, the same can go for any type of lettuce, though I advise you not to feed lettuce to your hamster. It has also been known that some breeders feed their hamster a small amount of chicken to avoid cannibalism, I have never tried this for myself as I believe it would encourage them to eat meat resulting in eating their own young.

Do not feed your hamster...
Chocolate
Tomato
Pickles
Oranges
Potato top or skin
Rhubarb
Onion
Garlic
Sweet treats we eat such as cookies with cream in them.
Any cookie with custard or cream in it can and will kill your hamster, it's got too much sugar in it and is very bad for their health. As stated before avoid lettuce, and also cabbage. If you think you must feed your hamster chocolate treats or any sweets your local pet store will have drops that come in a variety of flavors that will suffice, only feed them one a day though with the fruit diet and seed, overfeeding them can result in medical complications. A proper and balanced diet is the best thing to keep your hamster healthy and avoid medical mishaps.

Body language
Hamsters do make sounds, generally we can't hear them or if we can we don't quite understand them. Babies will whine and chirp to their mother when she leaves the nest, beckoning her back. When a hamster is in pain they will also scream and chatter to whatever is causing them pain, They also grind their teeth to show that they are in pain, so pay close attention to those little chirps and beeps are, it could be an indicate to sickness or an injury.

When they are threatened they either stand up, bear their teeth and claws or lay down and do it, most often younger hamsters will lay on their back, whereas an adult hamster will stand up, an opposing hamster is often the cause of this, and depending on gender it will either do the same or flatten itself to the ground and slink away or stay very still to show submissiveness.

A healthy hamster will walk around and make little peeps every now and then, a sick hamster lumbers around, arches it's back and emits a low whine to show it's hurt and in pain.

Sickness and Treatments
The most common illness your hamster will come across is a condition known as Wet Tail, or simply put, diarrhea. It is often caused by too many fruits, or an unclean environment. If you can catch the symptoms quick enough you can treat it and save your hamster. You will notice the hamsters stool is very runny, and the tail always appears wet, if you notice immediately you can buy a commercial treatment known as DriTail at any local pet shop. My favorite and most trusted thing to use however is pepto bismol, put a bit in their water, maybe half a teaspoon in a water bottle or a tiny pinch in their water and monitor them, make sure they drink it, continue this treatment for at least five days to ensure full recovery.If you don't notice right away you will notice when your hamster drastically loses weight and arches when it walks, it doesn't come out often and seems hard for it to move around, this is a severe case of diarrhea and treatment often does no good. Regardless, get an eye dropper and fill it with either the pepto or commercial brand and place it on the lips of your hamster, you will have to hold the hamster to ensure it does infact ingest it. Gently put a drop or two on your hamsters lips and make sure they lick it off before adding a few more. I'd do at least half the eyedropper, immediately clean the cage out and provide fresh bedding, place your hamster back in and monitor them. Often in cases this severe they do not live, but there has been the odd one that pulls through, and if it does continue treatment for ten days, and hopefully you will see your hamsters health improve.
Cancer- Though not as common in hamster as it is in other rodents it is still a possibility. You will notice small lumps and should immediately take your hamster to see your local vet, it's not a guarantee they can remove it, and most of the time they do not survive. A hamster is very hard to sedate and perform surgery, they're very small and fragile, and often the procedure is too expensive. They can live a happy life, perhaps not as long as one though, consult a vet for any antiseptics or medicine that could help it.
Fleas-Every animal can get fleas, no matter how small an animal is. You can avoid this by checking your hamster after taking it outside with a flea comb available for cats and dogs. If your hamster does indeed have fleas and you have other animals, you have a huge problem. It will take a month and some of constantly cleaning the house and bathing all your pets with a flea dip, you could also take your hamster to a vet for a quick dip, this process will need to be repeated over the course of a month.
Tapeworms-Though not as common it is dangerous. You will notice little white strings in your hamsters droppings, it can also lead to weight loss, take your hamster and any other animal to the vet for a quick treatment to rid you of the worms.
Open Wounds-If you introduce one hamster to another for "play time" it may result in open wounds, never ever let to hamsters "play” together, they do not need a friend, that will help avoid any bites. Wash the area and apply Polystyrene or Rubbing Alcohol, monitor the hamsters wound until it scabs over and starts to heal.
Gas-As unusual as it sounds gassy foods will kill a hamster, there is no treatment for this, just avoid giving them anything that’s naturally gassy.
Irritated eyes-If bedding gets in the eye you will notice it gets runny and red, simply flush it out with an eye wash solution for a few days to soothe the swelling.

Breeding
The proper age to consider breeding is six weeks, they are sexually mature and will deliver a healthy litter. After six months the female should not be bred, it can lead to many problems such as stillborns or may even kill your female due to shock and stress, please, please do not breed after six months !

Make sure before you breed you have homes set up. One female Hamster can have up to 18 young, but the norm for a first time mother is between 8-12. Males are ready to breed year around, females however come into heat every 4-5 days.

If she is secreting a clear liquid from her vaginal area, and goes rigid when you pet her she is ready to breed! Choose a mate wisely, hamster are already massly inbred, so make sure you don't have litter mates.

If you're breeding for specific colours then pick your pair wisely, a dark coloured male that mated with a soft coloured female will produce a dark coloured litter. I found the best ones to mate are the brown banded Syrians, if the male is the same colouring the babies will all look alike, but if the male is lighter or a bit darker you will have a more colourful batch.

When you know for sure the female is in heat introduce them into a neutral cage, one that does not have any scent so there will not be a fight over territory. When first contact the female will run around playfully as the male follows her closely behind, she will then stop and allow the male to sniff her, grab her hind legs and move her around accordingly, he will then mount the female and begin to mate, it only lasts a few seconds. The male will lick himself an continue to mate. Eventually he will get tired and curl up in a corner to sleep, do not remove them as of yet. The female will go over and nudge him awake, they may fight, monitor their fight, it often is harmless and just a display before they mate again.

Females often go into heat later on at night, so leave the two together for the night, the next day remove the male hamster and either leave the female in the cage or put her in a baby rearing cage, it should be a cage with no ladders, single story, and block off any way for her to go upwards. If she gives birth on a higher level the babies will wander, fall and die.

Copulation takes about 15-21 days, and you will barely notice any changes in her until the last few days when she will start to put on fat and her nipples will be more pronounced. During this time clean the cage out as usual until you know the time is very near, the day before she gives birth give it a good clean then give her nesting materials, such as paper towel or a special cotton for hamster you can purchase at your local pet store.

Do not disturb her at all, you will hear small cries if you’re very quiet and the mother will not leave the nest for anything, this period is crucial, to avoid cannibalism leave her be, only stick your hand in to give her food, treats, or change her water.
Carefully remove any bloody spots and prove her with fresh nesting materials, you will notice she pushes the dirty stuff away and keeps the clean stuff for herself. It is important to not clean the cage around this time, you don’t want to stress the mother out to the point she will eat her own young.


Rearing the Young
You will not play any significant part in raising the babies, but it’s always fun to watch them learn and grow.
At about 3-6 days old pigmentation will start and little bits of hair will grow on them, they are still blind and deaf though, at this stage they will walk blindly around the cage while the mother frantically runs around stuffing them back into the nest.
6-10 days old their fur will be coming through nicely and marking will be more predominant
10-14 days they will start to open up their eyes and explore the world around them
At three weeks old it is time to separate them and send them off to their new homes, they are fully weened and need their own space or they will start fighting.

If you plan to breed the mother again give her at least a month before you consider it, continuously breeding her will kill her, and by breeding them you have shortened their lifespan. If you breed her right after her litter has left she will die, she needs time for her insides to recoup and you will need to find new homes for another batch.

If the mother dies during the birth giving process you will lose your babies as well, considering even puppy or cat milk is too strong for them to handle, so don’t be too upset losing that many hams.

I urge you to breed wisely, not just because you think it’s fun, remember they are incredibly inbred as is and don’t need your help with more, this is why tumors and sudden deaths occur.

As a side note, the runt hamster generally dies off and the mother and babies will eat it, it’s rare for a runt hamster to survive, if it does survive though never breed it, as the babies will be stillborn and the hamster will die as well.

How To Tell Genders
This is a very simple process, flip your hamster over, if you can visibly see a nipple line it is a female, if there is a bulge where the tail pokes out it is a male. When they’re first born you can very clearly see the nipples on female hamsters, males do not have nipples. You can always see the testes on a male when holding him, it’s a little cushion and females just have a tail, no bulge.

My Hamster Has Escaped!
If you own a hamster expect this to happen, it’s not as terrible as what you may think. Simply put a bit of food in every room before you go to bed, and in the morning you can narrow down where your hamster is in your house, you can set a simple trap by using a terrarium, a bird ladder, and some peanut butter.
Set the trap so the ladder goes up the side of the terrarium or box and put little bits of peanut butter on a few steps, place a generous amount in the case with a lot of other food, treats and bedding and in the morning you will have a sticky little hamster in your trap! Give them a good wash and dry them off, set them back in their cage and hope it doesn’t happen again.

If your hamster gets away from you outside there is no way to get it back, it will either be eaten or die of ingesting something poisonous. Some posters with a picture of your hamster and your number is the only thing you can do.


Do I Need To Bathe My Hamster?

Hamsters groom themselves constantly, so a bath is not necessary. However if it does get stick, dirty, or smelly the bath will not harm them. Use luke warm water and some puppy or kitten shampoo to wash them off, wrap them in a towel and keep hem warm until fully dried, then you can stick them back in their cage, do not put your hamster back in it’s cage wet as it can catch a cold and die.

Proper Cage Placement
Keep your hamster cage away from a window, as a draft can kill them. They can go on a dresser or shelf, preferably not in your room as they are nocturnal and often the sound of a squeaky wheel or rustling is enough to drive anyone crazy.

Lifespan
As sad as it is a common lifespan for a hamster in captivity is only 3 years, that includes Syrians, dwarfs, and teddies.
Some can live a bit beyond that but if you are looking for a long term pet you may have to reconsider. They are wonderful pets, but they do not have a long life expectancy and death is often hard on anyone who has associated and formed a bond with this little furry wonder.
If you plan to get another hamster after your previous one has passed on, clean the cage out with bleach, and rinse it a lot, never use soap on the cage, any residue can be picked up by your hamster and cause wet tail.


This Guide Brought To You By:
DarkHaven