Hamster Questions

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 3:31 pm

Someones giving me a cage this weekend so next weekend (I'm gone all week next week) I'll be getting myself a new hamster! I haven't had one in so long so does anyone have any suggestions for breeds? I know there's a few different ones, just curious I can't wait!Also trying to decide names... I'll let you know when I pick one!

Nicole · Post by **Nicole** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 4:01 pm

Aw, congrats on the upcoming hamster! I have an all-white Syrian hamster named Snowball. She is a ball! I had a dwarf hammie many years back and found him to be a little nippy, but the dwarf hammies are adorable.Jedediah was a great help to me when I first got Snowball (thanks Jedediah!). She gave me a really great hammie care site as well:http://www.petwebsite.com/hamsters.aspGood luck with whatever hammie you choose.

Jedediah · Post by **Jedediah** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 8:59 pm

Dwarfs are very cute. I had a Winter White Russian and a Chinese Dwarf (they look more like little mice than hamsters) and the Winter White always bit me. I never knew what i did wrong until I realized that I reached into the cage from above and no hamster likes that. After I reached into the acge on the far side from the hamster and let hmi come to me, he never bit me again. The Chinese dwarf never bit me. But dwarfs are better kept in tanks, the can queeze through the bars of most cages. They are suspectible to diabetes and shouldn't get fruits or sweet treats.Syrians are great, but have tremendous energy and need lots of room to run and dig, so a tank with a cage on top is a great home for them. All my Syrians were perfectly friendly and tame, some even went to sleep inside my t-shirt. You can get Syrians in all colours and fur types now and rarely find a wild-coloured one, but I think the original Syrians are the prettiest. There are a few more hamster breeds, but those are very hard to get and shouldn't be kept unless you are very knowledgeable about small rodents.Here's my Syrian hamster cage: and my last Syrian hamster Morpheus: and this is my Chinese dwarf Muffin and his cage (a 40 gallon tank)

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Aug 03, 2005 12:51 am

I have a dwarf hamster for almost 2 years now. He has only but me 3 times (all my fault ). He used to be very sweet now he's gone a bit-how should I put this nicely- EVIL in his old age. Lol. I don't really know what happened. I can barely even put food in his cage without getting bit. He is still adorable though. My dad thinks it is fun to stick is finger in the tank and see how long it takes to get bit. My mom and I yell at him and warn him but he jsut gets bit, laughs, then puts his finger back. LOL .About the sqeezing through bars thing- this is very true. If they can get their head through- they can get the rest of them through and they most certainly try.I would love to see some pics of your new hamster baby when you get him/her.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Aug 03, 2005 4:00 am

Wow thanks guys! The cage is habitrail, thats all I know! I'll be getting addons though, don't want my little guy/gal to be crampedAnd your pictures are so cute!

Jedediah · Post by **Jedediah** » Wed Aug 03, 2005 4:28 am

Eeewww - habitrail. Those are nothing but hamster prisons in my opinion. Better get an old tank for the hamster. Even with all the add-ons, a habitrail cage is still tiny and the ventilation is less than ideal, which can cause respiratory infections. All that plastic can be chewed and swallowed, too, wood and cardboard toys are much better (and cheaper).