• Hamsters are a member of the rodent family. Though they prove to be popular pets, hamsters are not a native to the UK. One popular type of domestic hamster was bred from a single pair, brought over in 1930 from Aleppo in Syria.
• Domestic hamsters need compound pelleted foods, or a mix of different seeds and nuts. In the wild, they would eat a range of food, including crickets!
• Food must be changed regularly, as if it becomes stale or mouldy, hamsters can become very ill.
• They must always have fresh, clean water, which they can reach from a bottle attached to their cage.
• In the wild, they live in dry, rocky plains and nest underground in burrows.
• This digging instinct is present in domestic hamsters, so cages need to be large, with a plastic base which can be filled with suitable litter materials, so that they can dig.
• Dust-free wood shavings are a good choice, providing they are free from preservatives and chemicals, to avoid illness.
• Hamsters typically live for about 2 years. They are quite a commitment, and owners must care for them properly, according to the Animal Welfare Act.
• Hamsters hoard food as a survival technique. They can store food in their cheek pouches, equivalent to half their body weight!
• Hamsters are nocturnal, so they need to be able to exercise at night and sleep, without disturbances, during the day. They have large eyes to function properly in dimly lit areas.
• Their incisor teeth never stop growing! They self-sharpen when a hamster is gnawing food or objects, which grinds the teeth down.
• Their whiskers are vital in their exploration of the world, as they detect objects around them. Their whiskers vibrate backwards and forwards at a rate of 30 whisks per second!
• Hamsters like to explore, so they need cardboard tubes, wooden chew blocks, small boxes and a hamster wheel, to keep them busy and healthy.
• They have very well-developed senses to warn them of predators, and are nervous and easily stressed.
• Hamsters are small, vulnerable creatures and need to be kept safe. Here are some factors which need to be considered.
- Grapes and rhubarb are poisonous to hamsters.
- They can catch a human cold, and infect people with the cold virus.
- They need to be housed away from objects which transmit ultrasound, for example, TV’s and vacuums.
- If you let them out of their cage, make sure no other pets are around, and that the hamster is supervised continually, until it is returned to the cage. They can chew wires and other materials which can make them very ill and affect their breathing.