Baby Hamsters

Finding The Best Hamster Cages

2010-01-21T13:51:00.001-08:00

Hamsters make excellent pets. Whether you chose to keep a hamster as a pet because they are so easy to take care of or the fact that they are so adorable there is one undeniable fact and that is that they make great pets. In order to have a hamster as a pet there are a few things that you will need, aside from the actual hamster of course, some hamster food, hamster bedding, hamster toys and a cage for your new pet. Of all the supplies you will need for your adorable little pet, the hamster cage is above all the most important. The reason why hamster cages are so important is because unlike the other supplies that you will need the cage will most likely last for a long time. The hamsters cage is also the most expensive thing that you will need to buy for your pet, so you want to make sure that you get the right one for you and your hamster. There are many things that you should consider when choosing a cage for your hamster and they will all be addressed in this post. We will be talking about choosing the right hamster cage. The differences between hamster cages. Which cages may be better for your pet. Where you can find the cage you are looking for and how to find the best price on that cage. So if you are looking to find out information on hamster cages and how to choose the right one, I urge you to read this article and get as much info as you can be for you make your decision.

When you look at hamster cages, you will notice that there are three main types. These types are the glass cage, which can also be used as a fish tank, the wire cage and cages with are made of plastic. These three cages are as different as different can be. There are a few pros and cons that go along with each type of cage no matter which one you choose. Let start by talking about the “fish tank” cage. This type of hamster cage is great because it is clean, easy to keep and cheap. When your clean out the tank you need only dump the waste and rinse it out. You can find this type of hamster cage in any pet store and even some larger supermarkets. If you do choose this type of home for your hamster I highly recommend that you get one that is 10 gallons or larger and even bigger than that if you plan on having more than one hamster living there. There are a few draw backs to choosing this type of cage. You may find that it is a bit hard to setup certain types of toys in the tank as there is really nothing that you can hang them on but the main reason why I discourage the use of this type of hamster cage is that there is very poor air circulation and this can cause a great many health issues for your pet. The next type of hamster cage is the plastic cage. You can find these “hamster habitats” in any pet store. They are pretty much all in one hamster homes and often come with built in toys and an eating area. The good thing about getting your hamster this type of cage is that they will really enjoy climbing through all the tunnels and exploring all the tubes. In my personal opinion this is the second best type of hamster home. The reason why I wouldn't recommend getting this type of cage even though hamsters seem to love them is for much the same reason why I would have you avoid the glass cages and that is that there is very poor air circulation and this isn't very good at all for your pet. The plastic hamster cages are also very hard to keep clean. Unlike rabbits and other more sophisticated rodents, hamsters are not very easily potty trained and do their business everywhere they go and they do it often. This means that the tubes will all be full of feces and urine and can become very dirty and unhealthy. In order to properly clean this type of cage, you will need to take it apart and clean each individual tube, this can become very tedious and will have to be done often. This leads us to the third and final type of hamster cage, the wire cage, which looks much like a rabbits cage only a bit smaller. You can easily add toys, climbing ropes and even tubes for your hamster to play with. The wire cage provide goof are flow and is easy to clean. They are very well built and will last for a long time. In my personal opinion this is the best type of cage that you can get for your pet. The only downside to getting this type of hamster cage is that they can be a bit more expensive then the other types. When it comes down to it, it's all about your taste and what type of hamster cage you think is right for you and your pet hamster. Think about which one you would prefer and then browse around and check out the different types of cages that you find on sale. It is good to have a general idea of what you are looking for before you actually go out and by the cage.

So no you know about the three main types of hamster cages and probably have a general idea about which one you are planning to buy. Now you need to find a place to buy the cage from. Your best bet is to go somewhere that has a wide selection and allows you to compare prices. This will ensure that you find exactly the type of cage that you want and for the best price around. I find that shopping online allows me to do both of those things. You may have to pay some shipping costs for your hamster supplies but you will usually find them at a much cheaper price than at your local pet store and that will make up the difference. You will notice that there is a much wider selection when you search for hamster supplies online, so that you can get the exact hamster cage that you want. If you are so inclined you can visit some of the more major online pet retailers to see if you can find a good price on a cage that suits your needs, some of these sites include, Petco.com, Petsmart.com, and Petlanddiscount.com. These are all major pet shops that allow you to shop online and they all have a huge variety of pet products and supplies.

So now you have a bit of good information that you can keep in mind while searching for hamster cages. I hope you found this article informative and helpful. Feel free to contact me with any comments or questions using the contact button at the top of this page. Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed.

Potty Training Baby Hamsters

2009-08-05T07:21:00.000-07:00

Contrary to popular belief baby hamsters can be potty trained the same as any other pet. The only difference is that it will take a bit more work to train hamster pups. Although, I will say that is a very rewarding feeling to know that you have trained your hamster. Here are a few steps that you can follow to help you on your way to potty training your baby hamsters.

The first thing you will need to do is find the "potty spot" this is the place in your hamsters' home where they regularly go to the bathroom. Simply get a jar or cup that your hamster can comfortably sit in. Preferably this should be a glass jar as your hamsters might chew through anything else and metal will rust and corrode. Turn the cup on it's side and place it in the area where your pets like to go potty. To help encourage the use of this makeshift potty, add some soiled bedding into the jar. Adding the the soiled bedding will help your hamsters get the idea. You will be surprised at how quickly your hamsters learn to use the potty.

Potty training your baby hamsters helps keep their home nice and clean. Here are some benefits of potty training you pet hamsters:

Keep you hammies home nice and clean.
Cleaning is easier when you only need to rinse out a jar.
Save money on bedding as total cage cleanings can be done less often
Keep your hamsters happier and healthier by keeping their waste away from their toys and food.

Keep in mind that hamsters will constantly leave droppings, even as they walk. It is impossible to avoid droppings all over the cage but unlike urine, droppings dry quickly and are orderless.

Baby Hamsters : Incredible Climbing Hamster

2009-06-17T13:46:00.000-07:00

In my previous post, Making Room For Your New Baby Hamsters, I wrote about how to choose the right home from your new baby hamsters. One of the most important things to think about when choosing a cage for your pet is making sure that it's "escape proof". Hamsters may look pudgy and out of shape but take a look at how easily this amazing little hamsters climbs up the wall!

Hamsters may not look the part but they are excellent climbers!

Making Room For Your New Baby Hamsters

2009-06-17T13:23:00.000-07:00

Now that your pet hamster has given birth to her new litter, you may need to accommodate them with a larger home... or two. Yes, unfortunately, you will need to separate the brothers and sisters at some point. When your pets reach a certain age they will no longer care if they are brother and sister and they will begin mating. This can be a serious problem for two reasons. First of all, if a brother and sister hamster mate the offspring will be inbred, this can cause many physical and mental issues with the baby hamsters. The second reason why won't want your pets to breed is over population. That's right, imagine the possibility of 6 young hamsters breeding. You very well could end up with 2 to 4 pregnant females who will all give birth to 4 to 6 hamster pups. Now I love hamsters as much as the next guy but that is a lot of babies to care for. Keep your pet hamsters breeding age in mind, this age will vary depending on your hamsters breed. You can find more information on this topic on one of my previous posts, Baby Hamster Gestation Period.

So now that I have your paranoid about being overrun by a slew of baby hamsters, let's talk about housing them. When choosing a home for your new pets, I would recommend you avoid glass or wooden cages. Glass cages, such as aquariums, have very poor air circulation and can cause your hamsters to get sick. Wooden cages, usually homemade, can absorb urine and being to rot and stink. The best type of cage for your pet hamsters would be a cage with a plastic bottom, which is easily cleaned, and metal bars that are close enough together to keep the hamsters from escaping. Remember, hamsters are rodents and although their bodies may look very plump, if there is a whole that they can stick their head through then they can squeeze their whole body through it too. The cage should have adequate room for your hamsters to run and play. There should be enough room to provide a food dish, water bottle, running wheel and other toys such as, tunnels to climb to climb through.

Avoid popular, over elaborate plastic cages with small colored tunnels. These types of cages have very poor air circulation and are hard to clean, leaving your pets crawl areas filthy and unhealthy. I prefer to use paper towel and toilet paper rolls. This way when they have eaten and dirtied the roll you can simply replace it. Make sure that the cage has hiding places for your baby hamsters to sleep in and feel safe.

Aside from that, use your best judgement and choose the cage that you think your pet hamsters would like best.

Baby Hamsters: Dwarf Hamster 5K Run

2009-06-17T12:30:00.001-07:00

Ya know, if humans were as into exercise as these Russian Dwarf Hamsters, we'd all be in great shape.

Baby Hamster Gestation Period

2009-06-17T11:42:00.000-07:00

Are you thinking about breeding your lovable pet hamsters? This can be an amazing experience for you and your family. Like many other rodents, the gestation period for hamsters is much quicker than that of other mammals. The time frame can vary depending on your pets breed. Here is what you can expect from your hamster.

Chinese Hamsters

Gestation: 18 to 21 days

Litter Size: 4 to 6 baby hamster pups

Prime Breeding Age:

Lifespan: 1.5 to 2 years

The father should be kept separately from the female towards the end of her pregnancy and for a few weeks after the birth of the baby hamsters.

Roborovskii Hamster

Gestation: 23 to 30 days

Litter Size: 4 to 6 baby hamster pups

Prime Breeding Age: 7 to 9 months

Lifespan: 2 to 3 years

The father hamster may stay with the mother and her litter before, during and after the birth.

Russian Campbell Hamster

Gestation: 19 to 22 days

Litter Size: 4 to 8 baby hamster pups

Prime Breeding Age: 3 to 4 months

Lifespan: 1.5 to 2 years

Lie the Roborovskii Hamster, the father can stay with the pregnant female.

Syrian Hamster(Teddy bear Hamster)

Gestation: 15 to 18 days

Litter Size: 6 to 8 baby hamster pups

Prime Breeding Age: 4 to 6 months

Lifespan: 2 to 2.5 years

The father should be kept separately from the female towards the end of her pregnancy and for a few weeks after the birth of the baby hamsters.

Siberian Hamster(Dwarf Russian)

Gestation: 18 to 21 days

Litter Size: 4 to 6 baby hamster pups

Prime Breeding Age: 3 to 4 months

Lifespan: 1.5 to 2 years

The Dwarf Russian father will help the mother with the upbringing of the baby hamsters and stay with her throughout her pregnancy.

Baby Hamster Eating Broccoli

2009-06-16T16:56:00.000-07:00

Check out this cute little baby hamster eating some broccoli. Tell that isn't the cutest baby hamster you've ever seen!