| Preparations and General Information Naming your Hamster |
| Preparations and General Information |
| Preparations Where to Buy your Hamster Choosing a Hamster Health How many Hamsters to Buy |
| Preparations Before a hamster is purchased, you must already have basic knowledge on how to keep hamsters, either from experience or research. You should already have the equipment needed, and have a place to put the cage. The cage should already be prepared (view page The Cage for instructions on how to prepare your cage). Do not just buy a hamster on a whim; make sure you want a hamster and are prepared to look after it for its ENTIRE LIFE (two or more years), not just the first two weeks. Discuss all these issues with your family if necessary. General Information Where to buy your hamster Hamsters can be bought at either a pet store, a breeder, or from a friend whose hamster has just had a litter. The puppies should be anywhere from 5 - 8 weeks old. When buying from a pet store, there are several things you should keep in mind: Make sure that the pet store is well-known (not run down), and take note on how the hamsters are caged and treated. This will give you an idea of how healthy and friendly your hamster will be; also, it's important not to encourage pet stores that treat their animals poorly by buying something from their store. If the hamsters are not separated between males and females, the females may be pregnant, as hamsters can have litters as early as 4 weeks old. Choosing a Hamster/Health Choosing a hamster from a litter can be hard. First, before you touch any hamsters, study the individuals. It's best to go in the evenings, when the hamsters are active. Pick out the most active hamster whose colour appeals to you. Ask to hold the hamster. Keeping in mind that the hamster has never met you before and may be frightened and try to run, hold it gently in cupped hands to make it feel safer, hold it while sitting or squatting, so if it tries to jump it doesn't have far to fall. If it attempts to bite you or shows signs of aggression, do not buy the hamster. The hamster should be in good shape health-wise. Here are a few points to check: Weight: The puppy should not be extremely thin or fat Limbs: No limbs should be broken; the hamster should not walk with a limp. Hamsters with missing limbs can usually get on just as well as any other hamster; however, the hamster should not be bred in case this was a genetical defect. Eyes: The eyes should be clear and bright; they should not be clouded or running. Ears: The puppy should respond to sound. Its ears should be clean. Nose: The nose should be clean and not running. Fur: As normal hamsters spend a lot of time grooming, the pup's fur should be well combed, soft and clean. It should be dry all over, including under the tail * If possible, check the mother to see if she's healthy. How many Hamsters to Buy With Syrian or Golden hamsters, buy ONLY ONE per cage; although young hamsters can be kept together, as they age they become very territorial, and if they are kept in the same cage they normally fight to the death. Dwarf hamsters like company. If two dwarf hamsters are bought at the same time, they can be kept in the same cage, providing the cage is relatively big. However, if the two hamsters do not get along they should be separated. When you've chosen your hamster, the worker will place the hamster in a carrying box. Ask them to put a little bit of shavings from the cage it was in and maybe even its favourite toy to make it feel at home. Bring your hamster home quickly and place the carrying box on the floor of the cage. Let the hamster walk out on its own. After your hamster is safely in its cage, remove the carrying box from the cage, fold it up and store it away for future use, such as trips to the vet. For information on how to treat your hamster directly after you bring your hamster home and also during the first month, visit this page: Handling |
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