6 Things To Consider When Buying Your Hamster ♥️

6 Things To Consider When Buying Your Hamster ♥️

Hamsters are one of the easiest pets to care for, they don’t require much space, they are clean animals and are inexpensive to maintain. Each has its own special personality and, if handled correctly and frequently enough they can be very friendly and lovable.

Before rushing out to purchase that brand new special addition to your family, the following items should be ready and prepared for your new cute hamster.

# 1 – HAMSTER CAGE.

Make sure the cage you are going to keep your hamster(s) in is big enough for them. If you are getting small (dwarf) hamsters and are considering a barred cage, make sure the bars are close enough together that your hamsters can’t escape.

I recommend a glass tank or a plastic storage bin.

Check out our video on the 5 reasons why small cages are bad for your Hamster.

# 2 – BEDDING
The wrong kind of bedding can make your hamster sick or worse yet, kill him/her.

Avoid at all costs Cedar and Pine bedding.

Newspaper is also bad because of the possibility of sickness caused by the inks used.

See our video on bedding for smart alternatives.

BEWARE: Some hamster or small animal “packages” may include a cage, wheel, bedding, etc. Sometimes these packages may include Cedar or Pine bedding, make sure when you purchase your package that you know what kind of bedding is being included and if the salesperson can’t tell you, then walk away.

# 3 – WATER BOTTLE.

You should place the water bottle low enough so that your smallest hamster can get access to it.

You should also make sure the bottle is free of any leaking and run a finger over the spout ball to ensure that it is operating properly.

# 4 – FOOD DISH.

If you have two Dwarf hamsters and you get a small dish, be aware they may, and probably will, climb into the dish to eat.

If there are two hamsters present this could lead to squabbling over access to the food. A bigger dish or two separate dishes may alleviate this problem.

# 5 – HAMSTER FOOD.

A proper mix purchased from a pet store should do the trick. A mix without added sugar is preferable. You should also have some veggies or fruits available to the new addition.

BEWARE: Fruit sugar could be bad for dwarf hamsters perhaps leading to diabetes. If you have dwarfs be careful of the amount and type of fruit you feed them, or better yet, go with veggies.

Check out our video on Hamster Food.

# 6 – SOLID WHEEL.

A solid wheel just means there aren’t open rungs on it. A solid wheel is safer and less likely to injure a small animal.

HOW TO PICK A HEALTHY HAMSTER
When choosing your new hamster you should check the following;

# 1. he/she should be bright, lively, and inquisitive and show no signs of illness.

# 2. Check to make sure the bottom is clean and dry and that the eyes and nose aren’t running.

# 3. Check all the hamsters in the same cage as well as the other animals in the store, do they appear healthy?

Don’t buy a hamster that is in with other hamsters that look unhealthy. Although the selected one may look all right, if he/she has been enclosed with an ill animal, it could already be exposed and become ill after it gets to its new home.

# 4. If the shop assistant refuses to handle the hamsters, be alert, they may be biters and probably won’t make good pets.

# 5. Finally. Ready to go home. It’s time to introduce the latest member of the family to its new home and family. Young hamsters are generally shy and timid, remember their entire world has just been turned upside down. Handle him/her gently, talking to it all the while. For the next few days don’t attempt to take him/her out of its cage. Instead talk to it when around the cage. Wash your hands thoroughly before putting them in the cage; let him/her get familiar with the smell of its new caretaker.

Remember, hamsters don’t see well and depend on their keen sense of hearing and smell much more than their eyesight.

Check out our video on Hamster Handling Tips.

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