Hamster Facts

• Hamsters got their name from an old German word "hamstern" associated with storing food.
•  Hamsters were discovered in one of world’s oldest inhabited
  cities, Aleppo (Syria). 
• Domestication of the hamster began in 1930 when a zoologist
• found one mother and twelve young hamsters in the Syrian Desert (Aleppo, Syria).
• In the wild, researchers have found as much as 38 pounds of grain stored in a single burrow.
•  In the wild, hamsters dig extensive tunnels beneath the ground - extending as far as three feet in depth.
• Hamsters are color blind. 
•  Hamsters can only see up to six inches in front of them. 

• Hamsters typically have poor eyesight and depth perception. 
  To compensate for their poor sight when in unfamiliar territory, hamsters have scent glands on their flanks (and abdomens in Chinese and dwarf hamsters). A hamster rubs these areas of his body against various objects, and leaves a trail of smells the hamster can follow to return to his home den. 
•  Of about 14 distinct species of hamsters, eight are kept as pets. 
• During winter hibernation, the golden hamster's pulse rate drops from about 400 to 4 beats per minute
• Hamsters are nocturnal meaning they sleep during the day and are active during the night. 
• Though classified as nocturnal, most hamsters divide their days with periods of sleeping and waking. 
• Food: mainly seeds, grasses, root vegetables, fruits, corn and pulse crops. Common hamster also eats insects, lizards, frogs and small mammals.

• Largest: about 34 cm (13 in) long, weighing about 900 g (32 oz). 
         Smallest: about 5.3 cm (2 in) long, weighing about 100 g (3.5 oz). 
• In the wild, hamsters will line their tunnels with grasses and wool or hair shed from other animals to help maintain a fairly constant temperature in their burrow (often around 60°F), no matter the outside temperature. 
•  In the cool of the evening and during the night hamsters will search for food - and can travel up to 8 miles in one night. 
• The body fur of hamsters comes in a wide variety of colors, depending on the nature of the species. 
• Hamsters can remember their relatives. 
• Hamsters can be taught how to come by name. 
•    Like other rodents, a hamster's teeth grow continuously throughout their lifetime. To help keep their teeth worn and clean, offer suitable chew toys on a regular basis. 
•   Does your hamster avoid his chew sticks and chew on his cage bars?  Then try giving him dog biscuits.  They're hard, tasty, and wear down his teeth.  He will want to chew on the biscuit rather than the cage.  
•  If your hamster's toe nails are getting long, it is possible to clip their nails at home.  Use baby nail clippers and clip off the very ends of the nails.  Don't clip too short!  Or, try lining the hamster's running wheel with fine grain sandpaper, and the ends of his nails will be worn down while he runs. 
•   The gestation period of a Syrian hamster is about 16 days.

      Regulation of temperature helps to determine the sex of dwarf hamster babies.  Keeping the mother in warmer temperatures will lead to birth of more males, whereaskeeping her in cooler temperatures will lead to the birth of more females. 
      Normally, the breeding season of dwarf hamsters' is from April to September. However, if kept in light for eight hoursor more a day, they will breed throughout the year. 
      Female dwarf hamsters can give birth as young as five weeks. This is not recommended though. You should wait until she is at least 3 months old. 
      Hamsters usually have from 4-12 young at one time. 
      Hamsters cannot be spayed or neutered.  In order to stop pregnancy, you must separate the male and female. 
      A human year is 25 hamster years. 
       A hamster's average life span is about 2-3 years. They have been known to live 3-4 years. 
      The Djungarian Hamsters, also known as Cambells Dwarfs, are found on the steppes of Russia. 
      Syrians run slower than dwarves, while Roborovski dwarves are the fastest.             

      Syrian (also known as Golden, Fancy, or Teddy Bear) hamsters are solitary animals and will not live peacefully with other hamsters past 8-10 weeks of age. They should always be housed separately. He will be a great companion for you though. 
      Russian Dwarf hamsters can often be kept in pairs or groups, as long as they are introduced to each other at a very young age. 
      Dwarf hamsters live about 1.5 to 2 years but can live to be 4. 
      Roborovski hamsters are the smallest species of hamster and the east likely kept as pets. 
      Black Bear hamsters are a genetic mutation of the Syrian hamster. It is not a different species.

•     Hamsters can squeeze themselves into really small places. 

      Hamsters are escape artists. 
      One of the hamster characteristics is the ability to stuff its cheek pouches with food….sometimes an amazing amount for one little hamster! 
  Female: Sow
       Male: Boar
       Young: Pups 
      Hamsters are now used for scientific research. Because hamsters are so disease-free and breed so rapidly (they can have a new litter every month!) and because they are so friendly and easy to handle, they are a popular choice among scientists. They are often used for cardio-vascular research, as their cardio-vascular system is remarkably similar to that of the human.

Hamster feeding: Dietary requirements

Your pet hamster requires a fairly regular diet consisting of proteins, vitamins and minerals. Your pet will be quite happy to be fed about once a day, usually in the early evening, when it is starting to wake up.
If you are using a seed-mixture from a pet store, remember that two tablespoons of food per night is more than adequate. Generally it's a good idea to purchase a good hamster food seed mixture at most pet stores.
You should supplement the seed diet with a regular mixture of fresh greens such as lettuce, raw green beans, and raw carrots. You should provide your hamster with only just enough greens for him to finish in 20 minutes. Any leftover greens should be removed from the cage.
If the hamster begins defecating more than normal, take him off the greens for two days, and then gradually introduce the greens back into his diet every other day for about 10 days. This should return its bowel movements to normal. Avoid making drastic changes in your pet's diet. If you decide to change your pet's regular diet, start by introducing the new diet a little at a time, mixed in with your pet's old diet. Gradually increase the amount of food supplied from the new diet, and decrease the amount of food from the old diet over the course of about two weeks. This will allow your pet's system the chance to get used to the new food.


LIQUID / WATER

Hamsters need a regular supply of fresh water. You should either provide a water bowl filled with fresh water daily, or you can use a small animal water bottle, available at most pet stores, that will allow you to only have to change the water once a week. If you decide to use a water bottle, be sure the tip is made from metal and not plastic, as your pet will chew through the plastic tip. This could possibly cause flooding in its cage. If you do decide to use a bowl, make sure it's relatively heavy, otherwise you run the risk of having your pet knock its water bowl over, and have no liquids available to him or her.


FOODS TO AVOID

Hamsters will generally eat anything. From collared greens, to lean meat and fish, their diet is really only restricted by what you feed it. Generally stay with the store bought mixtures, as they tend to provide the required proteins and minerals your pet needs to remain healthy. Use other foods only as a supplement to your pet's primary diet. Be absolutely certain to never, under any circumstances, give the following foods and/or liquids to your pet, as they can cause your pet to get very ill, or even kill it.

• Avoid Alcoholic Beverages.
• Alcohol can kill your pet hamster very quickly. You should not even try to give it a couple of drops of alcohol "just as a joke." This is very serious, and if you love your pet, you will avoid alcohol at all costs. Avoid Pickles.
• Pickles are yet another killer of hamsters. Actually, anything vinegar-based, such as pickles, will cause your hamster to suffer a quick death. Avoid Sticky Candy.
• Gum, gumballs, toffees, and caramels should all be avoided. These can stick in the hamster's pouch causing drooling, but can also get stuck in the throat and cause suffocation. Avoid Hard Candy.
• Such as lollipops, hot fireballs, sourballs etc. These can get lodged in your hamster's throat and cause suffocation. Avoid food that may have been touched by other animals.
• Any food that may have been touched by other animals, such as dogs or cats, or any food that has been left out uncovered should not be given to your hamster. Food touched by other animals may have been urinated on, which is poisonous to your hamster. Food left uncovered can have bacteria on it that can cause your hamster to get sick. Avoid Cheeses.
• Although cheese is a good source of protein, and your hamster will gobble it up quickly, it can lead to very smelly feces being left in the cage. This will cause you to have to clean the cage more frequently. Avoid Citrus Fruits.
• Although hamsters love fruits and vegetables, citrus fruits such as oranges, tangerines, grapefruit, lemons and lime, should all be avoided. Citrus fruits contain citric acid, which can make your hamster very ill or worse. Do Not Feed Your Hamster Foods that are meant for other animals.
  

Rabbit foods, for example, aren't very good for your hamster. Rabbits have a lower requirement for protein, and therefore, their food isn't actually good for your hamster. You should also keep in mind that some pet foods contain different ingredients that are specific to the type of pet that the food is intended for, and some of those ingredients can be harmful to your hamster.

One thing to keep in mind is that just because your hamster CAN eat almost anything, doesn't mean that it SHOULD. Meats and fish, although readily accepted by hamsters, can be a source of harmful bacteria that can make your pet ill. For the most part, it's best that you stick with the store bought mixtures.

Identifying Hamster Gender

Do you know how to determine gender of your hamsters? Well, it's pretty easy to identify (as long as you know how) especially when they are sexually matured. (Easier to say I think because I did mixed up my hammys once).

Basically the male exhibits large, pronounced testicles and scrotal sack, and the anogenital distance is greater. The opposite is true for the female, as in most rodent species, where the anogenital distance is less than that if the male.

If the task of peeking their genital by holding them is too tricky (the hamster might be too active or aggressive for you to handle) you can use the 'transparent box' technique. First thing you need to do is to find a transparent box. Once you got it, carefully hold your hamster and transfer it into the box. From there you can simply take a peek underneath the box.

In males, try to look for large testicles underneath its body. There is also a bigger gap between the perineal area (area between the genitals and the anus) and it looks more rounded. Whereas in females, this perineal area comes to a point at the base of the tail.

Another great way to identify the gender is to look for punctuation. Yes, punctuation!! You read that right…you will usually find that a female sexual and anal organs are lined up like an exclamation point. Take a look at your hamster now and you will be surprised that I'm right. But if you notice two dots in a row that resemble a colon mark, then you've got a male on your hands.

Sick Hamster

If you found that your hamsters act differently, weirdly or anything out of their ordinary behavior, it could a symptom that your hamster is sick. Usual symptom such as shaking, looking weak and tired for a long time, coughing, walking weirdly or anything abnormal should alert you for immediate action. The best advice is to go and see a vet.

Some of the warning sign from a sick hamster:-

• Anus smeared with droppings.
• Their tail is wet (dangerous)
• Noisy or heavy breath
• Appearance of bald spots and sores
• Unhealthy eyes

Treatment should only been done by a vet unless you have been provided with adequate guideline by the vet. No over the counter medicine, drugs or antibiotic should be applied unless prescribed by your vet.

Prior to vet visits, you are advised to do some precaution procedures to prevent any more harms or damages to the hamster or other hamsters such as :-

• Separate the sick hamster from other hamsters if you are afraid that the sickness/disease could be contagious.
• Clean up the cage and if possible sterilized all parts including toys, tubes, bottles and wheels.
• All used bedding and unfinished foods should be discarded.
• Keep the sick hamster in a quiet place away from any noisy environment to keep the hamster calm and prevent any further stress
• Provide the sick hamster with enough water
• In the mean time, monitor health condition of other hamsters for the same symptoms.

Prevention is always better than cure. So keep your hamster healthy by providing proper care to their environment and emotion.

Training

Teaching Tricks

Tricks?? Are you sure? Yes, indeed. You can teach your hamsters just like the way you taught your dogs doing all the tricks. Of course it may take practice and perseverance, but once they perform, you know that all your efforts are definitely worthy.

The important thing is to make sure you have tamed your hamster. Use a treat like sunflower seeds as a reward. By holding the treat above the hamster's head, it will surely have to stand on its hind legs to reach it. Repeat the word "stand" whilst doing this action. Do this a few times each day until you can make the hamster stand on its hind legs without you holding any treat but still say "stand". After quite a bit of practice, hopefully your hamster will stand elegantly.

How to Potty-train your Hamster

Do you know that u can potty-train your hamster(s) like any other pets? It may need some efforts and patience but worth all the troubles. At the end of the day, you will be delighted and pleased with a job well done (I surely did). All you need to do is to locate the favorite 'urinate' spot. After finding it, just do these little steps:

• Find a glass or plastic jar that is big enough for your hamster to turn around and take the lid off.
• Turn the jar on its side and place it in the "bathroom corner".
• You could also place some droppings into the jar to encourage your hamster (optional).
• Introduce the pee-jar by placing it in front of your hamster.
• You will be surprised to find your hamster's wastes (liquid) inside the jar the next day. (IMPORTANT: the droppings dry quickly and is 'odor free' so do not worry if you find droppings everywhere the place.

The advantage of potty-training is that you can get rid of the bad smell if you clean the jar everyday. You do not have to put clean shavings in the bathroom corner frequently since their liquid wastes will only be touching the inside of the jar.

All the best for you guys out there….practice makes perfect!! Train, train & train.

Taming

Once you bring back the hamsters from the pet store, they will be quite terrified of the new surroundings. You can see how unsettled and panic they are in their new home. The first thing you need to do is to establish a bond between you and your new hamsters. This type of bond is to generate its trust in you so that they will feel protected and safe. Remember not to play with the hamsters at once because they will bite you and do not FORCE them out of the carrying box. Place the box on the floor of the cage and let them come out freely. Leave the cage in the dark for few hours to let them settle down.
Suggested day-to-day Hamster Taming procedure:-

• Day 1 - Observe your hamsters but do not disturb them.
• Day 2 - Introduce yourself by putting your hand in the cage and wait for a few minutes. Do not move your hand. Let them smell your hand to make them familiar with your scent. Repeat this process for few times.
• Day 3 - Try to hand feed your hamsters and while doing it, talk to them softly.
• Day 4 - 5 - You can try picking up your hamster and let it run from one hand to the other outside of its cage. As it runs, curl your fingers around its body so as to get them used to being held.
• Day 6 - 14 - You can start introduce your new hamsters to your family and friends.
• Day 15 onwards - Handle and play with your hamsters constantly and regularly as to tame them thus will form a wonderful bond between you and the hamsters.

How to hold/handle new hamster

The most important thing you need to know is that hamsters are near-sighted and have very limited view. For that reason, handle your hamsters only when you are sitting down. Always remember to let your hamsters smell and see your hands before picking them up. When you start handling your hamster, hold them firmly in your hand to stop them from running or jumping down. When you cup both of your hands around the hamster, leave a small hole to poke its head so that it can see what is happening around it and feel safe.

It is important to leave enough room between your hands so as not to squeeze your hamster. This method can also be used when you carry your hamster across a room or when you want to pick it up from the ground. Let your hamster run from one hand to the other and even across your arms. You can see how fast and energetic creature they are once the bondings emerge.

Once you have mastered this technique, try picking up and holding your hamster using one hand. Curl your fingers around your hamster's body and lift it but try not to squeeze your hamster especially not below its forelegs as this will prevent it to breathe. It is also advisable not to use this one hand method to carry it for long distances.

Another way to hold your hamster is by holding it from the nape of its neck and once it is lifted, it becomes immediately still. On the other hand, this method should ONLY be used by experienced hamster owner or someone who knows exactly where to hold the hamster and how much pressure to apply.