Getting a Pet Hamster - Basics You Should Know
Hamsters are common pets and, for some people, make excellent pets. They are pleasant to hold, cuddly, adorable, quite fun, and cute. They don’t require lots of attention and don’t need much room because of their small size. In fact, hamsters can make a perfect starter pet for your child. But before you get a hamster as a pet, there are some basic things you should know. Read on to find out.
Hamsters aren’t pets for very young children: You may think that a hamster seems like a perfect pet for your little one, but you’re most likely wrong. Hamsters aren’t pets for kids because they require gentle and careful handling, which kids may not give. Also, hamsters don’t usually feel safe in smaller hands and may bite.
Hamsters’ food requires special attention: Foremost, get a food dish or bowl for your hamster and always make sure that your hamster eats from it – whether kibble or block food. If you pour food on the bedding for your hamster to eat, they may ingest its bedding which may lead to some serious health complications.
Secondly, hamsters don’t generally like eating leftover food. So, you need to change your pet hamster’s food out every day. We recommend that you fill their feeding bowl/dish about three-quarters full with fresh food for optimum nutrition and take out the leftovers daily.
Furthermore, always supplement your hamster’s regular food with fresh vegetables and fruits. This is a great way to help them get balanced nutrition and enjoy their food. However, ensure that the fresh fruits and vegetables aren’t a complete diet for your hamster and shouldn’t exceed 20% of their diet.
Clean the hamster’s cage weekly and change the bedding monthly: Try as much as possible to clean the hamster's cage weekly and you should also spot-clean its bedding while cleaning the cage to remove faeces. You should also change your hamster’s entire bedding once every month.
As stated above, hamsters tend to eat their bedding. Therefore, make sure that your hamster’s bedding is made of natural non-toxic materials. Oat hay, botanical hay, brome hay, orchard grass, or Timothy hay can make excellent bedding for your hamster.
Grooming and exercise: In terms of grooming, hamsters don’t need any help as they can groom themselves and often do this several times daily. Hence, you need not bathe, comb, or supplement your hamster’s natural grooming practices.
However, hamsters require daily exercise. If your hamster’s cage isn’t fitted with a wheel for running, then get them a hamster ball to run inside. Mind you, don’t leave your pet unattended while it’s inside of the ball.
Get your hamster something to chew: Naturally, hamsters chew a lot and if you don’t get them something to keep its teeth busy, it may choose to chew its bedding or cage/enclosure. Therefore, visit a pet store and get some chewing toys and blocks specially made for hamsters.
Hamsters require annual healthcare: Whether your hamster shows any sign of illness or health complications or not, we recommend that you take your pet hamster to see a vet once a year – this is the best healthcare practice. Some illnesses, health complications, and abnormal health issues to watch out for include running nose, wheezing, bald patches in the fur, overgrown front teeth, loose stools, loss of appetite, blood in her urine, and sores on her feet.
Conclusion
Following all the basics listed above will help to protect your pet hamster at home. If you have other pets like cats or dogs, you must make your home safe for your pet hamster as your dog or cat may want to chase or eat it.