Hamster care. Hamster Care at Home: Expert Advice

Small rodents are more likely to become pets than other animals. They are cute, funny and at the same time completely unpretentious. Providing a fluffy baby with decent care is not so difficult, so if you want to start living creatures at home, buying a hamster will be one of the most successful decisions.

True, before you go to the pet store to pick up a "fluffy miracle" for yourself, you need to learn how to care for a hamster, what to feed it and where it is best to keep it. It makes sense to first acquire a “house” for a rodent, stock up on the necessary accessories and food, and only then bring a cute, fluffy creature into the house.

Why a hamster at home is good

Hamsters are representatives of the subfamily of rodents. They have short legs, powerful jaws and sharp teeth. Color, as well as the length of their fur, is the most diverse. On average, the animals live for about 5 years, but in captivity their life expectancy is 2-3 years. Djungarian or dwarf hamsters are considered a separate subspecies. They are about half the size of normal ones and are more active. True, if you decide to buy an animal for a child, it is better to refuse a mini-hamster, because he is not particularly friendly and will use his teeth at the slightest inconvenience.

Pets are predominantly nocturnal, although it is not so difficult to catch a pet eating food or seeing him fussing around a running wheel during the day.

There are several advantages of keeping a hamster at home:

Ease of care, unpretentiousness in food
Quick adaptation to hands
No need to walk the animal on the street or in the apartment

Psychologists advise children to have pets so that they take care of them and learn responsibility. And, of course, the baby will certainly fall in love with a small, fluffy ball with beady eyes and a cute, cheeky muzzle.

How to care for a hamster: basic rules of keeping

Proper conditions of detention will not only prolong the life of the animal, but also improve the quality of its existence. It is not at all difficult to provide a hamster with everything necessary.

cage or aquarium

You need to purchase a cage or aquarium where he will live, as well as buy a few additional accessories: feeder, drinker and a couple of toys. Since representatives of this family are accustomed to living in minks, it is desirable to provide the animal with a semblance of a small "house", where he can hide from everything that frightens him, or just sleep peacefully. It will be comfortable for the animal in the cage, because it is well ventilated, but be prepared that sawdust or leftover food will be lying around it. Small rodents are not particularly neat. By the way, when buying a cage, you need to choose low, but wide models with deep trays - they are specially designed for keeping rodents.

Keeping a hamster in an aquarium is more convenient, but it is not particularly good for the pet itself. The container can be washed, besides, there will always be cleanliness around the aquarium, but the lack of fresh air adversely affects the health of the animal.

It is not advisable to put a cage or an aquarium in the bedroom, because at night the pet will swarm and make noise, and this will not allow you to sleep properly. It is better to place the animal in the hallway or in the living room.

The optimal temperature for keeping this animal is 19-24 degrees, the rodent does not tolerate drafts and does not perceive direct sunlight well. All this must be taken into account when choosing the location of the cage or aquarium with the animal in the apartment.

Rodent litter is most often sawdust or wood shavings, although corn and cellulose are also fairly popular options. The more often you replace the dry fraction, the better (and the less smell from the animal and its habitat will be felt). For one individual, 1 liter of filler is enough. Everyone does not need to clean up the hamster house. It is enough to change the sawdust or corn chips in the "toilet" corner of the pet once a day (they always relieve a small need in the same place), and make a complete replacement of the filler every week.

Feeding

As you know, small rodents are omnivores. And yet, for home maintenance, it is most convenient to buy special food, supplementing it with various products. As a rule, the animal is fed 1, less often 2 times a day. Store mixes are a mix of grains of different cereal crops. If the food is over and you forgot to buy it, don't worry, it is quite possible to give your pet 1 teaspoon of 2-3 types of cereals.

It is mandatory to give the hamster pieces of vegetables and fruits, you can even put grass in his feeder. If this is not done, the baby will seriously suffer from indigestion or even die.

In the wild, rodents get moisture from fresh food, but at home, they cannot do without water. A special drinker is a mandatory attribute of keeping a hamster. Moreover, the liquid in it should always be clean and fresh, but not boiled. You will have to change it daily, and once a week you need to remove the drinking device and wash it under running water without soap using a rag or soft brush.

That hamsters suffer from permanently twisted incisors is news to many. To prevent such a nuisance, it is enough to give the baby something hard to chew on. For example, dried dandelion roots. You can make your own or buy them at a pet store.

It is impossible to feed hamsters with meat, sausage or semi-finished products. Despite the fact that they are happy to feast on bakery products, it is impossible to indulge the animal with such products too often.

Read also

A hamster is a small animal, but it has its own needs. To make your pet comfortable in your home, you should study the information on how to care for a hamster. Particular attention should be paid to the cleanliness of the home, hygiene and diet of the pet. You will learn everything about caring for a hamster at home from our article.

Basic pet needs

If you are suddenly given a fluffy, you have no idea how to care for a hamster at home. You can purchase specialist literature or consult your veterinarian. But if there is no time and money for this, then study our tips that will answer the question “how to keep a hamster at home?”.

First of all, it is necessary to establish what these animals need in general? Here is a detailed list of hamster needs:

comfortable home;
warm;
purity;
lack of stress;
proper food;
toys;
Attention;
gymnastics.

As you can see, keeping hamsters at home is a responsible matter. At first glance, caring for fluffies is difficult, but in fact, difficulties rarely arise. When you live with a hamster for 1-2 months, care and maintenance will become something familiar to you.

Every hamster needs has its own nuances.

What should be a hamster house?

Tiers and ladders will help expand the habitable space. But do not forget that they must be safe.

Temperature

Small rodents need warmth, especially for newborns. The temperature in the room where the house stands should not fall below 20ºС! Otherwise, pets may get sick. Try to keep the hamsters warm, but you don’t need to keep the house near the heater either!

Keep animals away from drafts. If the cage is next to a window, then remove it for the time of airing.

Purity

Animals are pleased when their cage is clean. Then the skin does not get dirty, and it breathes easily. Caring for a hamster at home involves regular tidying up in the cage, which will be discussed in more detail below.

calmness

The absence of stress has a positive effect on the health of pussies, on their mood and on your relationship with them. Furry cowards are afraid of cats and other animals, so try to minimize the animal's contact with other pets. Noisy electrical appliances can also cause dissatisfaction with a pet: a TV, a drill and a hammer drill, a vacuum cleaner. From especially loud sounds, the homa may scream or cover its ears with its paws.

Settle domestic rodents as far as possible from the TV.
When you use the vacuum cleaner, take the cage to another room.
During a noisy repair, it is better to ask your friends to take care of the hamster.
Do not leave a mobile phone near the hamster house: a sudden loud sound and vibration will terrify the hamster.

Proper care involves giving the homa freedom in choosing a daily routine. If you start to disturb the little animal in a dream or at a meal, she will be very upset.

Toys and attractions

In order for a pet to live a full life, he needs to play and have fun. The running wheel, which all rodents love so much, is both a toy and a simulator that will help the homa keep fit.

Periodically, the animal should be taken out of the cage and played with. It is better if you equip a permanent playroom (for example, from big box), where every corner will be familiar to the animal. But from time to time you can arrange temporary labyrinths to entertain your pet.

Hygiene procedures

You've learned the basic tips on how to care for hamsters, but that's not enough. Animal hygiene needs detailed consideration. The fact is that in moist, warm places, microorganisms begin to multiply very quickly, some of which can be pathogenic. What hygiene points should be paid special attention to? There are only three of them, so it will not be difficult to remember:

sanitary condition of dishes;
freshness of the litter;
cleanliness of hominy fur.

A green coating may appear inside the rodent drinker over time. This suggests that algae, cyanobacteria and other microorganisms are actively multiplying in the bottle. The aquatic life is not very dangerous, but it is still better if you clean the bottle periodically. This is easy to do with a child's toothbrush. If at the same time you use a detergent, then rinse the bottle thoroughly!

If the animal does not like the food, or the pet is fed up with it, he can shit in his bowl. If such an incident is not noticed in time, bacteria will multiply in the bowl and begin to release toxic waste products. As a result, the pet can get food poisoning. To prevent this from happening, check the contents of the bowl daily - it must be dry! If you find moisture and sticky pieces of dry food, remove the food from the bowl and discard. Wash the plate itself well with detergent and rinse thoroughly with water. To prevent the incident from happening again the next day, put your pet on another meal.

Changing the bedding

One of the most ardent supporters of cleanliness in the animal kingdom are domestic hamsters. The care and maintenance of these little animals requires frequent replacement of the filler. Not everyone knows how often the bedding should be changed and how to do it in general.

It is advisable to remove visible excrement every day, and replace the filler as it gets dirty. If the homa lives alone in a cage with a small perimeter, then it must be cleaned every 3-4 days. Spacious cage needs cleaning once a week. But only on condition that the hamster lives there alone. Also, 1-2 times a month, you should wash the cage well.

Here detailed instructions cell cleaning:

Relocate the animal for the time of cleaning in some box with high edges. Do not leave the rodent there just like that, fill in the treats and put the wheel on so that the pet has something to do. It will be even better if children play with homa while cleaning the cage.
Remove the top from the tray, rinse it with warm water and leave to dry.
Remove the old filler from the pallet, wash with warm water using soda - this will help to disinfect the surfaces.
Wipe the tray dry or wait until it dries. Do not pour fresh filler into a wet pallet!
After drying, fill in the bedding, assemble the cage and return the hamster home. Be sure to treat him delicious for exemplary behavior!

How is the general cleaning going? Yes, exactly the same, with the only difference that all the rides are washed. And all parts of the cell are doused with boiling water for additional disinfection.

Many are interested in whether it is possible to wash a hamster. In fact, small rodents really do not like to swim. For them, getting into the water is tantamount to the greatest stress, because this is an unknown environment for them (droplets from a drinking bowl do not count).

Here are 2 options for water treatments for hamsters:

After you have bathed the animal, it should dry in warmth. Pat the water dry with a soft towel. Place the rodent in the box with a dry cloth inside. It is better to put the box next to the battery for a while. Some owners dry their pet with a hairdryer. Now this is a form of sadism! If you first force the fluffy to wash in the water, and then send a noisy blowing thing at him, the animal will receive Double punch on nervous system. For such treatment, he can be offended for a long time, stop being given into his hands.

However, not all hamsters are afraid of water. Some enjoy taking a bath. But still, you should not bathe the hamster too often: after all, a wet animal can easily get sick.

What is important to know about nutrition?

If you know how to keep a hamster at home, the animal will be calm and happy. An important role in proper care belongs to the food you feed the cute animal.

Contrary to the opinion that hamsters are omnivorous, there are foods that should not be given to them:

spices. Sour and spicy foods can cause burns to the mucous membrane of the mouth, esophagus and stomach in the crumbs. Therefore, do not try to feed homa with barbecue, Korean-style carrots and other seasoned human food. Eliminate any citruses and kiwi from the diet;
foods high in fat. Lipids are poorly absorbed by the animal's body, especially fats of animal origin. In general, sausage, lard and fatty cottage cheese are not suitable for food (although fat-free can sometimes be given a little);
sweets. This includes honey, sweets, confectionery. Dried fruits are also sweet, so we try not to feed hamsters with them, but give them rarely, as a treat and encouragement;
pickles. A hamster should not have mushrooms - neither fresh nor raw. Other salty foods disturb the water balance of rodents;
some vegetables. These include onions with garlic, white cabbage;
fruit bones. They have a jagged surface that can injure delicate hamster cheeks. The core of the stones sometimes contains compounds that are poisonous to rodents. The same applies to the cones of coniferous trees.

Adopting a hamster is a big responsibility, but taking care of it is not that difficult. The main thing is to monitor the diet and emotional state of the pet, tidy up the house more often and give a funny friend a little of your attention.

If you want to get a hamster, then you need to remember that this is not a soft and funny toy, but Living being, which needs appropriate conditions of detention and careful care. It is necessary to follow certain rules when caring for a hamster.

The article will be divided into two blocks:

Care

To keep your little pet happy, we recommend that you read the following tips on how to take care of your hamsters.

The content of hamsters- this is a rather troublesome matter, despite the seeming ease. First of all, remember that the order that the hamster puts in his cage must not be violated. You have the right to maintain basic hygiene only: wash the feeder, clean the toilet, renew the bedding if necessary, etc. Never make any permutations in the cage, because. this can cause serious stress for the animal.

With special trepidation, the hamster treats his house. It is inviolable for the hands of others, but care must be taken that spoiled food does not fall into the bins of the hamster. As for replacing the bedding, remember - everything is good in moderation - so if you completely remove all the sawdust, the hamster will not smell the native smell of the home and this can be a serious cause for frustration and worries. You will bring the hamster to a nervous breakdown by caring for him in such an unacceptable way for him. Once a week is enough to clean up the cage.

And here, as regards toilet, then it must be kept clean and cleaned daily if you do not want your hamster's favorite smell to spread throughout the apartment. Cleaning your toilet should be a daily routine.

It also does not make sense to let the hamster out of the cage often. Regular jogging around the house will not lead to positive results, because. the hamster can run away or hide, gnaw on doors and other furniture. To realize their energy, hamsters have enough space in their own home and running wheel. Caring for a hamster within a cage is much safer and easier.

You should not often move the hamster cage from place to place according to your mood - such moving not in the best way affect the mental state of the hamster. It is necessary to keep a hamster in comfortable and stable conditions, so taking a rodent out of the apartment is not a good idea.

Feeding

Now let's move on to the issues of proper feeding of hamsters, since nutrition in the most direct way affects the physical health of the hamster.

The main part of the hamster's diet should be dry food, which is easy to find in specialized stores for animals. Dry grain mixtures are very useful for hamsters, as they contain many essential vitamins and minerals, in addition, hamsters grind their teeth by eating grains.
Nuts and seeds- one of the favorite treats of hamsters, however, they can be harmful in large quantities, so you do not need to follow the whims of the animal.
Features of the nutrition of hamsters determines the genetic fitness to receive the right amount fluids from succulent food, so if you think that your animal has enough water with food, you can remove the drinker from the cage. If you feed your pet exclusively dry food, then the presence of a drinker in the cage is a must.
Vegetables and fruits are also important foods. The animal can be fed with foods such as raspberries, pears, carrots, apples. But citrus fruits do not fit this role at all.

Those who are not indifferent to the physical health of the hamster need to know about the feeding regimen. You need to feed your pet a maximum of two times a day. It is also necessary to take into account that the main time of wakefulness of hamsters is night, which means that they need to receive the bulk of the nutrients in the late afternoon. The same rule applies to perishable products - they must be given to hamsters at night, and in the morning remove the remains from the cage. Hamsters are very sensitive, so they are easily susceptible to various poisonings. Pay special attention to the freshness of food.

Care should be taken when feeding hamsters the following foods − berries and fruits, which contain a large amount of water - they very easily absorb toxins into themselves and can cause pet poisoning.

Greenery(dill, parsley, lettuce) should be given in small amounts. At the same time, you need to pay attention that it is thoroughly washed and grown without chemicals.

What can't be given?

It is better to avoid feeding dairy products. Only cottage cheese and kefir are allowed once a week. Protein foods (chicken, boiled egg) can be given no more than twice a week.

Foods that are very difficult for hamsters to digest are garlic, onions and potatoes. Under the ban salty, spicy and fatty foods, as well as mushrooms, honey, chocolate, sausages, cheese, canned food and smoked meats.

Be careful and attentive to your pet, and he will be healthy and cheerful.

Hamsters are one of the most popular pets and have conquered millions of people's hearts. Their content does not cause difficulties even for beginners, but you still need to know some of the nuances of care.

Content pros and cons

Hamsters are loved and adored all over the world, due to a number of their valuable qualities.

Animals do not take up much space in the apartment and are quite content with a small aquarium or cage.
Rodents grow and develop well alone and do not require the purchase of a pair. The second individual can be brought either at will, or for breeding.
Hamsters are fairly quiet animals and, unlike cats, dogs, and birds, make little to no noise.
Animals are absolutely not vindictive and do not hold grudges.
Hamsters are able to breed in captivity and are unpretentious in food.
Rodents are good with children, which often turns out to be not very good consequences for themselves.
Hamsters are easy to care for at home.
The cost of a rodent is much lower than the cost of purebred puppies, kittens and other pets.

Most of them live from 2.5 to 4 years, in connection with which their death can cause deep emotional trauma to the child and cause a deep shock.

Basic Needs

Before you get a hamster, you need to familiarize yourself with its basic needs and make sure that they can be fully satisfied. A hamster's needs include a cozy home, thermal comfort, cleanliness, lack of stress, entertainment, proper nutrition, and proper care.

dwelling

As can be seen from the rather impressive list of conditions necessary for a hamster, the maintenance of this rodent is a responsible matter. Among the priorities facing the future owner is the choice of a comfortable and functional home. This point is especially important because hamsters are prone to frequent stress that occurs in them for the most trifling reasons. Therefore, the animal needs a reliable shelter and its own territory, where it would feel completely safe.

As a home for a hamster, experts recommend choosing either special cages or large aquariums. However, the cage in this case is more preferable, as it allows you to install many useful and necessary devices inside. In no case should animals be kept in cardboard boxes, plastic containers and glass jars. The last two types of containers are suitable only as a temporary shelter for the animal, for example, when transporting it from the store to the house.

When buying a cage, you should pay attention to its size, which should not be less than 60 cm long and 40 wide. The height of the structure does not play a special role, the main thing is that the wheel fits inside and preferably a small house. It is optimal if the rods are located in a horizontal direction, which will allow the hamster to move freely in any plane of the dwelling. Sawdust, hay and corn litter can be used as bedding, however, many hamster owners prefer hay.

The fact is that hamsters love to “build nests”, and the use of hay for this purpose is the most convenient.

In addition, if the owners want to leave the house for a couple of days, then straw is also a better option, as it will allow the liquid to go down and will not let the smell out. The sawdust instantly gets wet, creates discomfort for the hamster and starts to smell. In the absence of ready-made fillers, in extreme cases, you can take toilet paper or old newspapers, but such materials require daily replacement with new ones, otherwise bad smell provided from the cell. Cotton wool and fabric are not suitable for bedding at all, so their use should be excluded.

After choosing the filler, they begin to complete the house. It must necessarily contain a drinker, which is a small vessel with a dosing ball or an elongated tube through which the hamster will drink.

Two feeders are also needed, one of which will be for dry food (grain), and the second for fresh vegetables and fruits. Both the drinker and both feeders must have fasteners, through which they are hung on the walls of the cage.

Another necessary accessory for the cage is a mineral stone. It performs two functions at once - it allows the rodent to grind its teeth and saturates its body with useful substances. The place of the toilet in the cage is not indicated in any way: hamsters independently choose a certain corner, and in the future they go only to it. However, when this place becomes too dirty, they move to another, clean corner, and relieve their natural needs there.

You need to place the cage in a quiet place, away from radiators, drafts and direct ultraviolet rays. Also, you should not put it in the area of \u200b\u200bchildren's games and on the aisle, where the animal will not have any rest.

Nutrition

Hamster feeding is pretty important event and determines the health and well-being of the pet. Below is a list of allowed foods for the rodent, many of which are sure to please him and become his favorite treat.

dry mix for hamsters is a composition prepared from grains of wheat and barley, pressed grassy granules, sunflower seeds and dried corn, taken in various combinations. This food has a balanced composition and is designed taking into account the needs and preferences of rodents. Dried pieces of various fruits can be added to the finished mixture, but they should be used in small quantities.
herbal ingredients in the form of fresh and boiled peas, clover leaves, vetch, alfalfa and bluegrass are also necessary for proper nutrition of the hamster. From vegetables, carrots, beets, zucchini, fresh cucumbers and tomatoes, beans, sweet peppers, cauliflower and a little pumpkin are recommended. From fruits, you can offer bananas, pears, apples and grapes, provided that the stalks and seeds are removed.
Boiled rice, buckwheat, oatmeal and millet can be given 2-3 times in 7 days, the main thing when preparing them is not to use salt.
Dried fruits in the form of banana chips can be given daily, while dried cherries, dried apricots and prunes are offered much less frequently and exclusively as a treat. This is due to the high content of sugar in them, which, like salt, is quite harmful to hamsters.
Seeds and nuts also can be given daily. Most hamsters are very fond of Walnut, almonds, hazelnuts and pumpkin seeds.
From dairy products, you can give a little low-fat cottage cheese and occasionally a small piece of hard cheese. As a source of protein, especially for pregnant females, hard-boiled egg white, boiled chicken, beef and lean pork. The main thing is that the meat is well-cooked and not tough, since it is strictly forbidden to offer it to hamsters raw.
flour products in the form of biscuits, dryers and unsweetened cookies, it is allowed to give no more than once a week.

However, a rich diet of permitted food does not at all indicate the omnivorous nature of hamsters. There is a fairly large list of foods that rodents should not eat. Below are briefly considered the most harmful of them, the use of which can cause significant harm to the health of the pet.

Spices are strictly contraindicated for hamsters, they, along with sour and spicy foods, can cause burns to the mucous membranes of the mouth, stomach and esophagus. In this regard, feeding the animal with barbecue, dishes with the addition of vinegar and too peppery food is prohibited.

Despite the fact that most fruits are well absorbed by the hamster's body, the use of some of them is strictly prohibited. These include all citrus fruits and kiwi fruit, which can cause irritation due to their high acid content. digestive system rodent.

Fatty foods and sweets, including honey and sweets, should also not be given to your pet, especially for Djungarian hamsters. This is due to their tendency to diabetes, which practically does not occur among Syrian counterparts.

Also, pets should not be given pickles, mushrooms, onions, garlic and white cabbage, as well as fruit pits and cones of coniferous trees.

Temperature

The room where the hamster is kept should be at least 20 degrees. Otherwise, the pet will become cold and sick. However, putting the cage next to heating appliances is also not worth it. It is better to determine the dwelling in the back of the room and protect it from the effects of drafts. If the cage is located on the windowsill, then for the time of airing it should also be removed to another place.

calmness

A hamster is more prone to stress than anyone else and needs a calm atmosphere. Putting another adult hamster into the cage has a very strong effect, regardless of whether it is a boy or a girl. Hamsters should be together either from a very young age, or live in different cages. Another cause for concern is bright light. Hamsters are perfectly oriented in the dark and do not need additional illumination. Dirty bedding and lack of food and drink can also cause severe stress.

In addition, the cage should not be constantly moved from one place to another, as well as talking loudly next to the pet, placing it near the TV and leaving a mobile phone next to the cage - a sudden call from which the animal can be very frightened. Females who have just had offspring really do not like it when the owner checks the babies endlessly. As a result, the mother becomes angry and may bite.

Also, you do not need to take your pet outside and let cats, dogs and young children into the cage. It is also not recommended to clean the hamster's cage in front of his eyes. It is better to put the pet in a temporary container and calmly wash the house.

Toys and attractions

Hamsters need entertainment, so it is advisable to complete the cage with a running wheel, a slide and a ladder. You can also purchase a walking ball in which the pet can walk around the house. If time and imagination allow, you can design a walking park for the animal by constructing obstacles and labyrinths in it. To do this, you can use tubes from paper towels and toilet paper, plastic bottles and cardboard.

Water procedures

The next point of care for a decorative animal is the processing of its claws. To do this, you just need to purchase manicure tongs and clearly follow the instructions. So, you need to cut only the free edge of the claw, trying not to hook the capillary. If there is dark pigmentation on the surface of the claws, then you can use a fluorescent lamp that shines through the claw.

In addition, during the procedure, it is necessary to keep hydrogen peroxide and a bandage ready, and in case of accidental damage to the capillaries, immediately treat the wound and the area around it.

Diseases

With proper nutrition and proper care, hamsters rarely get sick, but no one is immune from a number of common diseases. Below are the most common diseases, as well as their causes and recommendations for treatment.

As a treatment, pets are moved to a bright place and 2 drops of Trivita are drunk daily for two weeks.

Rules for caring for newborn hamsters

Caring for newly born hamsters is to create the most favorable conditions for babies and their mothers. So, newborn babies should never be touched by hands, and this applies not only to pets. dwarf breeds, but also to all rodents without exception. Otherwise, the mother, smelling someone else's smell, best case will stop feeding the hamsters, and in the worst case, will bite and eat them. The best option would be to leave the family alone for a few days and only constantly monitor the availability of food and water for the mother.

5-7 days after birth, the mother and children are transplanted into a box and the cage is cleaned, replacing the litter and thoroughly washing the items there. In the future, it is recommended to do this every two days. As soon as the babies are covered with wool, they begin to introduce complementary foods. To do this, put a couple of cabbage leaves in a cage, and when they reach a month old, finely chopped boiled chicken. A month and a half after birth, the female is sent to the male, and the babies are seated in different cages or sent to a new place of residence in another family.

For information on how to care for a hamster, see the following video.

Thinking about getting a little fluffy animal? Before you go to the bird market, learn about keeping and caring for hamsters at home.

Choosing a house

The first issue that needs to be resolved before buying an animal is its future home. The house depends on the size of the animal. Small breeds (jungarik, campbella) can do with one floor. Larger individuals, such as Syrian hamsters, need several levels.

This is the simplest and most affordable option. The animal will be able to climb the crossbars, and it will be easy for you to clean up. If you opt for a cage, pay attention to the distance between the crossbars. If it is less than 1 cm, the hamster may run away.

The spacious Zolux "Rody Duo" hamster cage serves as both a home and a place for extreme entertainment.

In addition to the cage, the kit includes: a wheel, a 170 ml bottle, a feeder, 5 pcs. bent labyrinth pipes, open socket, 2 flat plugs, 7 connectors.

Do not confuse with a fish tank! Rodent aquariums are made of plastic and are ideal for small breeds.

Maze houses are very popular with both rodents and children. It is very fun to watch how the pet moves through the pipes and equips its “mink”. The labyrinth is not recommended for jungars, as it will be difficult for them to climb up the pipes.

Furnishing a new home

What does a hamster need?

The bowl should be heavy so that it is difficult to turn over. It is better that the drinker was suspended. So the animal will not spill water and will not wet the filler.

Do not buy too small a house, it may be uncomfortable in it. It should be spacious enough and have 1 entrance and a small window. Inside the house, put torn thin paper or special soft paper filler. You can also use hay. The hamster will drag him into his house and build a nest.

It will help the animal to keep himself in great shape. It must be whole. Slots are dangerous for paws and fingers.

In rodents, teeth grow throughout their lives, so they need special tools for their point. It can be wooden bars, mineral stones, or dried branches of fruit trees.

We keep clean

So that you are not tormented by an unpleasant smell, and the house has always been neat, regularly take care of the cage:

wash bowls daily;
every week (and if necessary more often - every 3-4 days) change the litter;
once a month, clean the pallet, house, wheel and other plastic surfaces with a mild soapy solution.

Never use general cleaning chemicals. Also, do not use air fresheners. If you think that the smell has eaten into the plastic, use a decoction of chamomile. This natural remedy eliminates all unpleasant odors.

So that the pet is not nervous, put a twig stored at the beginning of cleaning in a clean cage. A familiar smell will help him adapt faster.

We organize meals

It is known that proper nutrition is the basis of the health of any animal. This is also true for hamsters. If you want your pet to be active, feed according to this chart.

Add a fresh batch of boiled or filtered water and you have the perfect diet for your little rodent.

Also pay attention to the list of food that should not be given to the hamster:

citrus;
fish and meat products;
fatty and sweet dairy products;
onion and garlic;
any salty snacks (chips, nuts, crackers);
chocolate and confectionery.

In addition, sweet fruits (peaches, bananas, sweet berries) are not recommended for Dzhungars. They have a genetic predisposition to diabetes and quickly gain weight, so it is better to refuse such sweets.

Hibernation or torpor

Hamsters can hibernate for a variety of reasons. This usually happens due to a sharp drop in temperature and lack of water. The body of the rodent becomes hard and cold, and its breathing becomes rare and uneven.

If the "wintering" began at an unexpected time or the rodent clearly did not prepare for it (did not make supplies and did not build a nest), be sure to wake it up. Otherwise, he may die of starvation and dehydration. In this case, we are not dealing with natural hibernation, but with torpor.
To do this, place the animal in a warm place. For example, you can wrap him in a towel and take him in your arms. Do not block the access of air, that is, do not wrap up the muzzle! Do not place it near heating appliances and fire. When he wakes up, he will begin to tremble and stretch. Keep warming it until the body temperature rises and the breathing rate returns to normal. Usually the whole process of awakening takes from 30 minutes to an hour.

Analyze what caused the numbness. Could it be a draft in the cage or have you given the animal insufficient food and water? In the future, do not make these mistakes, as frequent numbness can pose a serious threat to health.

Inventing Entertainment

Of course, a hamster always has a lot to do in his cage, but sometimes he needs extra entertainment. You can buy toys for him or make a real amusement park that you can use while walking.

Prepare:

a few tubes of toilet paper and paper towels;
empty plastic bottles;
empty cardboard boxes of different sizes;
cardboard;
scissors for cutting cardboard or a linoleum knife.

How to assemble an amusement park?

First, think about how it will look like. Lay out all the materials on the floor or sketch. Now start assembling.

Make a cut in the center of one of the pipes. Connect some of the pipes together, and insert some into boxes. Cut round holes in the top of some of the tubes. They are needed so that the hamster can protrude from the holes. Close the system of pipes and boxes together.

Make sure that there is enough space in the pipes for the animal - otherwise it will not pass there.

Don't forget about safety!

Look for boxes that are missing labels and pictures. The animal will probably gnaw them, and the paint may hurt the stomach.
Do not use glue or tape. They can stain wool and are very dangerous if ingested.
If you don't want to mess around with cardboard, assemble the entire structure out of plastic. For this purpose, sections of sewer pipes are excellent. They are easy to attach to each other. Show your imagination, and the pet will definitely thank you.

For the convenience of walking a hamster on the street, you can purchase a leash for a hamster.

Diagnose problems quickly

Hamsters are very healthy. On condition proper nutrition they remain active until old age. In order to notice the problem in time, regularly diagnose his health.

Unhealthy rodent:

becomes aggressive or, on the contrary, very passive;
stops eating;
starts shedding hair
not interested in toys and changes in the environment.

If you notice these symptoms, contact your veterinarian.