| Hamster General FAQ's |
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| Find all the RodentGuy's Page 2 answers on hamster keeping: "What do I feed my hamster for his every day food & how much?" RG sez - Plain commercial hamster / gembil mix works fine for most pets of these species. I like to you 1 part HG mix with 1 part old fashion oat meal for syrians. For dwarfs 2 part oatmeal to 1 part HG mix. Most commerical mizes are heavy on corn and sunflower seeds. Avoid mixes with a lot of millet(or the tiny round grains).. The oats help cut down on the amount of these cheaper grains. Other items that can be added to the staple diet or mix include: dry cat or dog food, rabbit, guinea pig or chinchilla (green) pellets, Animax or Calf Manna (red) pellets. "What kind of treats can I feed my hamster? Can I train him?" RG sez - Never feed a hamster chocolate, any type of citrus, onions(or related veggies, like garlic), no cabbage or root veggies (no potatoes, ANY roots). Corn will increase a hamsters body temp, and cause a lot of itching. Water filled foods, like melon and cucumber will affect the poop badly, and should not be fed to your pets! Dried fruit should only be given in VERY limited amounts.... mostly sugar (empty calories) and can cause poop problems, too! For healthy treats, feed bits of scrambled egg, plain cherrios or bits of plain shredded wheat cereal.... these cereals have no added sugar or salt and no preservatives. Uncooked pasta, dry cat or dog food, dark leafy greens, dry bread, tofu, cheese, and plain chicken breast (no seasoning). Inroduce all foods in small bits and keep it that way. Tiny bits of firm fruit and veggies are fine, as long as it is not something that will stick in the check pouches... no over ripe fruit or banana. Also, try taking the sunflower seeds out of the food mix and offer these only when the hamster comes to your hand. Most pets love the bigger striped sunflower seeds. "What type of cage should I use for my hamster?" RG sez - There are a wide variety of cages available on the market. Regardless of what you find, make sure you have a solid floor, a place to HANG a water bottle and room for toys and exercise items. I find that aquariums with a tight fitting lid, or large plastic "critter keeper" are the best. Things to look at are durability and ease of cleaning. Some wire cages are not suitable for dwarf species, since they can slip out of the bars. Those cages with the various tubes and tunnels can make it hard to tame a new hamster... as well as the plastic tubes are easy to chew, causing escapes from any sized animal. "What is the best bedding to use for a hamster?" RG sez - Never use CEDAR!!!! Kiln dried pine is my bedding of choice, but others that are just fine include aspen and recycled paper pellets or shreds. I have found that aspen pellets are often consumed by young hamsters, so use the shredded woud, not the pellets. Corn cob is used by some people, but I find this does not absord odors as well, and tends to decay faster or even mould quiickly in the cage if it gets the slightest bit damp. "What other equipment do I need for my hamter?" RD sez - A water bottle is a requirement for keeping a healthy hamster. A dish or bowl will just get bedding and food in it, and your hamster will suffer. A gravity water bottle will ensure a constant supply of fresh, clean water. Some keepers like a food dish and others dont see the point. If you want to use one, make sure it is NOT one that can be chewed up or destroyed. A ceramic / glass dish or crock is best. The other school of thought is that the hamsters will just move the food they dont eat right away, do why waste time maintaining a dish. Chew wood - This is very important, since a rodents teeth grow all through life and need regular friction to keep them worn down to the proper length. Kiln dried pine is a good chew toy, or anything like wooden bird toys. There are many chew toys on the market. A wheel or exercise ball is fun for your pet and you too! The wheel is placed in the cage and allows your pet to play when he feels like it. If the cage is in a persons bedroom, make sure the wheel could be removed, as the constant noise all night long can cause sleep lose for the owner. The roller ball is used outside the cage and the animal is placed in something of a plastic bubble, and just rolls around to get exercise. When first using hte ball, make is a short time with the animal in the ball, then return to the home cage. Never allow the hamster to be in there too long. The package will give guidelines. A WORD OF CAUTON! Roller balls are not toys (except for the hamster), so do not allow young children to push them ... or should you let a pet dog or cat play with it. Keep the ball away from any edge that will allow it to drop sharply off, like rolling down the stairs! A hamster in its ball should be monitored and watched all the time, as I have heard stories of them getting stuck near heater vents and getting too hot, which could cause death. |
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