DwarfsVery fast and squirmy Can live in pairs Rambunctious, hard to tame Diebetic May be limited Require more escape proof cages Some say cuter than Syrians | SyriansMedium speed, very calm Very dominant, cannot live together Tamed easily Good for begginers Can come in many colors, patterns, and coats Meet less saftey issues Some say Syrians are cuter |
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The only special care long haired Syrian hamsters need is that they may get bedding stuck in thier fur and sometimes it can be soiled bedding. You need a small comb to remove any bedding. Be gentle, hamsters can be injured easily. If they get knots in thier fur do not comb through it remove the comb. You should alos use a fine tooth brush to check for any bugs. Brush through your hamster's fur, then rub the comb on a peice of white paper, if you see small black specks your hamster may have mites. They will also itch a lot and experience fur loss.
Syrian hamsters are the largest breed of hamster making them the easiest to handle and play with. Most Syrian hamsters have a deep bond with their owner, some say more than any other breed. They live around 1-2 years and they come in different colors and patterns. They can be long haired or short haired. They are nocturnal and also omnivores. They need a good diet to maintain good health.
Cages You need a cage minimum of 360 sq inches. The bigger the better. Make sure your hamster cannot escape his or her cage. You can find good cages at most local pet stores or you can build your own. Don't use ones with screen at the bottom because their feet can get stuck. Food Hamsters need a good food blend to stay healthy, you can buy pellets or seed mixes, both are good although some say seed mixes allow hamsters to pick out fatty foods and leave the healthy ones. Use a ceramic food dish so they can't flip it over and change food daily. Also add fresh fruits and veggies once a week for a healthy diet. Make sure they are safe first. Bedding Care fresh or Critter Care bedding is highly recommended to use for your hamster although you can use aspen wood chips. Never use cedar or pine because those can be deadly to your hamster. they need 3-4 inches of bedding to burrow. Toys A hamster wheel is a must, but don't use ones with slats or holes in the bottom because your hamster could get his foot stuck. You can buy a silent wheel but it must be at least 7 inches or more for a Syrian. Also you need chew toys, wooden sticks will work as long as the wood is safe and not treated with chemicals. You can buy salt licks and other chews at the pet store. Water Bottle You can buy a water bottle that attaches to the cage as long as it does not leak and that your hamster can reach it. Change water out frequently to prevent it from getting nasty. Treats Use treats to train your hamster, and to get him to like you because the best way to his heart is his stomach. I think yogurt ones work best but feed in moderation. Hut Your hamster needs places to hide and sleep so you need to get him a house. Wooden ones will work but you can also buy edible ones. I use edible tiki huts for my hamsters and they love them. You can also throw in some cardboard toilet paper tubes for some extra places to hide. But some say the glue used is not safe for hamsters although I have never had a problem. You can also buy these at a store Extras You can buy nesting material but they can wrap around hamster's limbs so I give mine some toilet paper they can shred. you can buy hamster platforms and a cage with tubes but hamsters don't climb in the wild and they might chew or get stuck in a tube, especially Syrians. You can buy or build playpens too, or just line your bathtub with towels and put your hamster in there (no water). You can also buy a hamster ball but make sure it is big enough and that your hamster goes potty before using it. You can also use sand baths because you can never get your hamster wet. You can probably find all of this stuff at a local pet store. I get most of mine from pet smart. My male Syrians seem more outgoing then my girls, but that just may be me. The initial cost will be around 75 - 150 depends on what you buy but after that you need food, bedding and toys monthly, so around 20. You need to clean a hamsters cage weekly with soap and water so you might want a hamster ball but you can just build or buy a play pen. Ahead I see a cave and a forest. I think, well, since I am small I should hide. So I run to the cave and go down down down. I try to see but it is pitch black. I roll forward and I see a light! I run full speed out of the opening. I look around me, I am cornered by a wild dogs! He comes closer and I squeak. He pounces and while he flies toward me I roll under him so he lands and he is behind me. This really makes him mad. The forest is open behind me, but instead of running away like he expects I run toward him. I knock right into his leg and I can tell I hurt him. He growls a long growl at me and I answer with a mighty squeak. I roll at him again and he bites my ball in half. Now his face lights up with a wicked look and I jump at him. I cling to his neck and I bite down, hard. He reaches for me but I crawl on his back and bite again. He starts to whine and whimper and jump up and down as i bite him all over. Finally I jump off him and he runs away. I smile. I hear a crowd cheering, Rocky! Rocky! Rocky!. I open my eyes and look at my owner, she is holding a yogurt puff. I stretch out in my cage and think I am a lucky hamster. THE END
I rolled around in my ball since it was protection. I tried to find my way home but I couldn't see. After what seemed like hours of circling the yard I ran into a black twig. I looked up and a black bird with beady red eyes was the owner of the twig (leg) It said "Yummy!" in a caw and I spun away. It grabbed hold of my ball and started to fly. Up, up I went. The raven looked around while my ball began to slip, the beak that now I wanted to stick slipped and I was falling. I closed my eyes and felt the wind rush past me. Then I hit the ground, it was soft and squishy, I opened my eyes and I was bouncing off a trampoline! I was sent flying, not up but out, again and I was headed for water! I knew I couldn't swim. Splash. I was floating, my ball was floating! I started to move and I was running on water! I stopped and felt my self sink so I started running again! I got to the edge of the lake and I looked ahead. I decide I should wait to get in my ball because that is protection from the scary dog and cat. Katelyn walks in the room and I run up to the cage. She sets the ball down and I try to get to it. She says "do you want to get in your ball?" I don't understand any word so I just look at her. She picks up the ball and opens the cage, I happily crawl into it. She shuts it and places me in the kitchen. I am just really starting to run when "boom!" I crash into something gray and it moves. Wait, it moves? I am then staring into two brown eyes and I instantly back away from the dog. She follows me. I turn and yell at her "Hey, I'm not a toy!" but of course she hears squeak squeak squeak. She rolls me with her nose and I spin out of control, I feel like I am being dropped and then I look around. I am surrounded by grass, and I hear the caw of a bird. I am outside! I chew on my cage, I run on my wheel, I eat some food, I chew on a toy, I play with a toilet paper tube, and I watch what my owner Kate is doing, I think "Wow! There is nothing to do!" I have to find a way to have some fun. I chew on my cage some more and I find a wide opening that I know I can slip out of. I also hear the sound of my owner approaching, she has just finished washing my ball... what will I do next? That was the first part and you vote for the next! So you decide what Rocky's adventure will be. Luigi was an awesome hamster, he was brave, daring, and really silly. He never hesitated to charge right up to the dog, in his ball that is. He climbed to great heights on his hamster cage, and he was never serious. I still love and miss him so here is a tribute to him!
I am leaving for a four hour drive with Rocky today so here are some tips for a hamster carride:
- Place a towel over the cage - Don't blow air directly on them, but make sure they get air - Place an ice pack under the cage where they sleep - Give them fresh water and fresh foods so they don't get dehydrated - Clean their cage - Do not disturb them - Remove towel if they wake up so they can see what is going on - Use a travel cage to save space but pack the real one - You can give them some medicines, but check with your vet, to calm them down - If you are traveling at night, make sure they have things to do. Well, I had to clean a Rocky's cage, sorry I couldn't get a video up. Anyways, I got Rocky a green hamster ball at my local pet store and I really was curious to see how he reacted. At first he kind of sat there, then I placed his chew toy in front of him and he leaned over to get it so he moved the ball. Once he realized he could move he did it more. He is still messing around with it but I think he will figure it out.
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