Share this Health and welfare. Print Hamsters. They can still live a long time, even if not properly cared for. My first hamster, a winter white, I got for my 11th birthday and she lasted until I was in eight grade, or when I was about And I had no idea how to really properly care for her, I kept her in a Crittertrail, fed her grocery-store food.
It's all up to how lucky your hamster is with genetics, but improving the quality of life of your hamsters is important, not matter how long they live.
Genes, health, and care all play into it. Much like how some vegetarians with active lifestyles die young, but you know someone's grandad who lived to be and smoked daily. These animals were better bred, larger, and with nicer temperaments. That has largely changed now- black hamsters have been thoroughly assimilated and they now seem just as likely to be small, runty, and with poor temp as the rest of the mill stock. The oldest hamster in the Guinness book was merely 4 years old.
I think the average age as always been These days once you factor out those who die very young before 1 year, likely from congenital issues or disease a hamster reaching 2. You should love your pet regardless of how long you have with it. I am currently taking care of a baby hamster with a genetic disorder that may cause her lifespan to be only a few months. Also, not only bad genes can cause a hamsters life to be shorter than normal, other health problems can arise in even well-bred, unassumingly 'healthier' hamsters.
There are a lot of variables to consider, but the average I would say is 1. We get attached to all of our pets, regardless of how long they live. Overgrown teeth: Syrian hamsters can suffer from overgrown teeth that may have to be clipped by a veterinary surgeon.
Always make sure there is plenty of gnawing material available. They may appear to be asleep or even dead. Veterinary advice should be sought if ever you think your pet appears lethargic or ill in any way. You should health check your hamster each time you handled him so that you learn what is normal for your little one. This will help you identify any health concerns quicker and thus seek veterinary advice as soon as possible. Please try to handle and play with your pet as often as possible, you will find that you will be rewarded with a much happier and friendlier pet.
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Cookie Policy. Summary Syrian hamsters can make fantastic companions. Many people are nervous when handling hamsters due to the fear of being bitten. Yes, being nibbled can hurt a lot but with gentle handling to begin with and time hamsters can become fabulous little furries who will sit in your hand, enjoy a stroke and thrive in your company.
Syrian hamsters have very poor eyesight and rely mostly on the sense of smell and touch. Syrian hamsters are sensitive to touch and grabbing or poking can startle them and make them nervous to handle. Always scoop them with both hands gently when picking them up and stroke them very gently avoiding the nose and whiskers.
If your hamster is a little too jumpy to pick up safely, we recommend using a plastic cup to get you started. By scooping them into a cup you can move them safely from A to B without worrying about them jumping out of your hands until both you and your hamster are more confident with handling. Aim to handle your hamster for only minutes at a time to begin with. Short and gentle sessions will teach your hamster that handing is nor a long or scary process and he will be back in the safety of this enclosure in no time.
This can go a long way to building his confidence. This can make them nervous, cause them to nip or run away. Although little, these cute mammals with a little time and patience can be taught their name, pick up routines easily, litter train themselves and will even do some simple tricks if taught gradually.
So the more handling you do with them the more fun you can have with them. However, the difference here when it comes to you and your hamster is that it can be a bit more serious when it comes to your pocket-sized pet. When a hamster is sleeping, its eyes need to secrete a fluid that is meant to keep their eyes moist because dry eyes can eventually lead to serious health conditions.
But the fluids secreted by their eyes will eventually dry up and harden around the eyes. Sticky eye is much more common in hamsters that are a bit older because of how they need their eyes to secrete more fluid. However, even younger hamsters may also end up suffering from this condition as well. As such, it is one of the most common problems that hamsters face on a regular basis. In fact, most sticky eye cases can be remedied at home even if you are not an expert in handling hamsters.
All you have to do is to follow these simple steps: 1. Go get a cotton swab or a Q tip and wet it with lukewarm water Find a cotton swab or a Q tip in your home and wet it with lukewarm water. As such, what we need to do here is to use the Q tip or the washcloth to gently wipe away the crusted substances. The moisture from the wet Q tip or cloth will soften the dried up substance to make it easier for you to wipe it off the eyes of your hamster.
Gently break the substance down until it is easier and easier for you to wipe it away. In some cases, holding the Q tip or washcloth on the eyes of your hamster may already be enough for the substance to soften up to the point that the hamster will be able to open its eyes again.
Trust us when we say that some hamsters are too afraid to open their eyes thinking that the dried-up substance is still there. In such a case, what you need to do is to gently pull the eyelids apart using your fingers. However, if you are finding it difficult to do this or if the hamster is resisting, stop right there. Go get another Q tip or washcloth and repeat the same process over and over again because there might be some stubborn dried up fluids that you probably missed the first time around.
This allows you to prevent the buildup of any dried up fluid. However, if the problem still persists or if your hamster is quite prone to this condition, you may have to bring it to a vet so that your hamster can get checked for any other possible reason why it is getting sticky eyes more often than most other hamsters.
Can sticky eye kill a hamster? Another good news about hamster sticky eye is that it is not fatal or even very harmful to the hamster on a regular basis.
In some cases, your hamster may even find itself bumping into objects due to their impaired eyesight. I know I did when I first got my Teddy home. Table of Contents About the Syrian hamster — short overviewHow the Syrian hamster became a petSyrian hamster size and body shapeSyrian hamster coat patternSyrian hamster health and lifespanSyrian hamster pregnancy and breedingSyrian hamster housing and cagesSyrian hamster diet and foodSyrian hamster toys and cage objectsA word from Teddy About the Syrian hamster — short overview The Syrian hamster has many names.
They can never share their home with another hamster, or else bloody and lethal fights ensue. Males have a particularly large rear-end, since their testicles are very large for their bodies and form a permanent bulge around their very small tail. Their scent glands are on their hips, so you might notice big black dots there. How the Syrian hamster became a pet Originally the Syrian hamster was discovered by in Syria hence the name.
A mother with a litter of babies was brought to Jerusalem for study in , and most if not all Syrian hamsters available for sale today are descendants of that mother and her babies. A few of them escaped from the lab in Jerusalem and have settled as wild hamsters there.
This is discussed in much more detail in the origin story of hamsters, how they came to be pets and where each of them comes from. The Syrian hamster comes from Syria and southern Turkey. He is used to deserts and sand, but not high temperatures. Syrian hamster size and body shape The Syrian hamster is the largest hamster available as a pet.
Given their rounder, fuzzier face, Syrians have also been known as teddy bear hamsters. They do look a bit like that, I guess. This helps them grip and grab easier in the sands and in their tunnels. Syrian hamster coat pattern Traditionally you will find Syrian hamster with the golden pattern, like my teddy shown above. Some look more like color splotches.
The Golden variation is the orange on the back, white on the belly, and a few dark grey markings on their back, forehead and neck. Their ears are also grey. When the hamster is still a baby, he will look mostly orange with some white. The grey appears and becomes definitive only when the hamster becomes an adult, around the 3 month mark. This color pattern helped the Syrian hamster camouflage himself in the sands and escape his predators.
Any odd variations will stand out against the sand and they become easy prey. Breeders have focused on changing and enhancing the color patterns of captive hamsters. We now have a wide variety of hamsters colors to choose from. For example when I picked up Teddy he was in a cage with a light brown hammy, a couple of black ones, and a few randomly spotted hamsters.
Except stripes. In time, as the hamster becomes a senior, your will see the fur get lighter overall, but no distinct silver hairs as you would in old dogs for example. Syrian hamster health and lifespan The Syrian hamster is the second-longest lived hamster, right after the Roborovski Dwarf. The Syrian can live up to 3 years in captivity, and some have been known to live past that.
Genetics, as well as the care and stress levels play a big role in how long and how well your hamster lives. This means that some hamsters, although not suffering from any terrible illness, can wither away by their first year. Or, some can live to be 3. But generally, Syrian hamsters live up to 3 years, and are considered old when they reach their second birthday.
My Teddy is currently a year and a half old born in July , and there are some changes happening to him. This is normal for hamsters going into old age. This is the usual pattern, and there is nothing we as owners can do to help or change that. Unfortunately this means his end is very near, and you will have to keep a close watch on him. When it comes to Syrian hamsters, wet-tail is the most notorious and dangerous disease they can contract.
This is a form of diarrhea, which if often lethal if left untreated, or discovered too late. You can find out more about wet-tail here, and how to notice it and treat it. Syrian hamster pregnancy and breeding Breeding is, like with other hamsters, kind of violent and the female will half mate, half fight with the male during their breeding window. The female comes into heat every few days, for 4 days straight, at night.
That is when the male can be introduced to her, and the mating can begin. Sometimes the female is too violent and just want to pick a fight, so the male needs to be removed. Once the female accepts the male and the mating is successful, she will fall pregnant.
The male will need to be kept away from the female, since she will attack him after becoming pregnant. The usual gestation period for Syrian hamsters is days, after which the female will give birth to a litter between 3 and 15 baby hamsters. She should not be disturbed at all during the birthing process, and 2 weeks afterwards.
Only provide her with food and water through the bars. Another reason the male should be kept away from the female is because she can fall pregnant immediately after giving birth, which will be difficult both on her and all her babies. And also because the male will kill the newborns to get her full attention. So make sure you keep the male and female separated at all times, except when trying for a litter. Once the hamsters are born, they are blind and hairless.
They will suckle from their mother until they are 4 weeks old, which is when she will wean them. The babies can now be introduced to solid food. They also need to be separated into all male and all female groups, to avoid surprise pregnancies. However keeping the hamsters together past week of age is not recommended, since that is when they become territorial. Always keep a Syrian hamster alone, in one cage. Syrian hamster housing and cages Of all the hamsters, Syrians have the largest minimum needs when it comes to cages and housing them.
The minimum cage is 24 x 12 inches, and about 12 inches tall. Of course, the bigger the cage the better. All hamsters, no matter their breed, will opt for a bigger cage, a bigger running wheel, and more space to run if they can. But, not everyone has the possibility of keeping a big cage for their hamster, mostly due to cost and space in their home.
The best idea would be an Ikea Detolf. Construction a wire mesh for it is fairly easy, many tutorials are available online. Cleaning them is a bit different from an ordinary cage as well, but they give your hamster much more space to run around and play. What about commercial hamster cages? Are they big enough for Syrians? Well, sadly, no. For the most part commercial cages are too small for a Syrian. Not all, but most of them. Looking for a cage big enough is a bit of a hassle, but they can be found.
For example this one, a wire cage with a plastic bottom, with an adjustable extra level. They prefer the ground level anyway, and might build the nest under that level. That being said, this cage provides both airflow, and containment. You can check the listing on Amazon here. As for the bedding, your hammy will need either wood shavings, or paper bedding.
If you get wood shavings, make sure you get aspen, and stay away from cedar or pine as they can suffocate a hamster. Syrian hamster diet and food Syrian hamsters eat mostly grains, with a few vegetable and fruits added in.
Nuts and seeds are welcome too, as is a bit of protein. Things like cooked, plain chicken and boiled egg white are good sources of protein, as well as mealworms and small insects. However commercial food mixes are more than enough, with a well studied composition and covering their dietary needs.
So, giving your hamster a good food mix will go a long way. A safe foods list is here, and most of them are easily available across the world. The Syrian hamster will need 2 teaspoons of dry food mix per day, and he will hide most of it in his nest.
It will only result in more hidden food, and a fat hamster, which can lead to diabetes and joint problems. Syrian hamster toys and cage objects The first thing about a hamster, any hamster, is that he loves to run. He will get lazier as he ages, but until then he will run as far as his little feet will take him A Syrian hamster is no different, so he will need an exercise wheel.
The thing is, he will need a larger wheel than the other hamsters, since he is so large. This is why the wheel itself must be very wide, to keep his back straight. For example a wheel like this one is large enough for any kind of hamster, but especially a Syrian. You can find the listing on Amazon here, and check it out for yourself. Aside from the exercise wheel, the Syrian will need some objects in his cage aside from the food bowl and the water bottle.
Like a wooden hideout for him to build a nest in, a chew toy, a few cardboard tunnels made from paper towel rolls. Climbing toys are welcome to, and so are hide and seek toys. Most of these can be either bought from a store or online, or even made at home from wood or cardboard.
You can find out more about that here. Us Syrians are the biggest, and the friendliest by far. Do Hamsters Use Hammocks? We humans love hammocks, but do hamsters use them? Would they swing in a hammock like us? Or would they just ignore it? Table of Contents So do hamsters use hammocks? The texture and fabric are crucial for hamster safetyA few examples of safe hamster hammocksOption 1Option 2General precautions when getting your hamster a hammockA word from Teddy So do hamsters use hammocks?
Some hamsters do. Not all hamsters will go crazy over hammocks, but some will love to burrow into that warm fabric. Some hamsters, like my Teddy, are runners and chewers. Some are diggers, some love to climb more than anything. But I can tell you that giving a hammock to a hamster who loves to chew more than other hamsters is not going to end well.
Knowing if your hamster would love hammocks is not going to happen unless you try one. The texture and fabric are crucial for hamster safety Hamsters love to chew, they always need to file their teeth down. So this gives them an instinct to chew and nibble on everything they can get their paws on. The wrong fabric can be dangerous for hamsters, some hazards including: choking on loose strings and pieces of fiber swallowing loose fluffy fabric and damaging their digestive system hurting themselves on sharp pieces of metal or plastic in the hammock stuffing loose, fluffy fabric into their cheeks and getting it caught up in their teeth or paws None of those situations are comfortable, for anyone involved.
A word of caution, hamsters are always looking for soft materials to use for their nests. This is why very fluffy, wooly fabrics are a no go, like plush, fake fur, fur-like textures like on teddy bears, and the lining you will find in some house slippers.
What does this mean, then? What fabrics are okay to use on in a hammock? Fur-like fabrics would be alright too, if you can find a short-haired version, and not too soft or fluffy or easy to rip a piece out.
Or pick out a completely different one. Option 1 This hammock is a fairly large one, and any hamster will definitely fit inside. It can fit something a bit larger than a hamster, like for example a chinchilla, but you can also turn it over, take out the chains, and use it as a hamster hideout. Washing machine safe, and the material is safe for hamsters. You can check the listing on Amazon here, and read the reviews as well. Option 2 This one, much smaller, but very colorful, is another option.
Like all hammocks though, it will have bits of food and poop after a few hours of your hamster sitting in it.. You can check out the listing on Amazon here, and read the reviews as well. General precautions when getting your hamster a hammock When letting your hamster onto the hammock, make sure there are no sharp pieces he can hurt himself on. Sometimes the hammocks are sewn together with a plastic thread, and it sticks out a bit.
Or, possibly the metal clips if there are any are sticking out or need to be closed better. But the point is that the walls and inside structure of the hammock needs to be very good and sturdy. Some chewing is normal, since hamsters chew absolutely everything.
They keep getting into and out of them, clawing at them chewing a bit, soiling them, etc. In time it will show and you might have to replace their old hammock. If need be, you can wash the hammock by itself with the minimum amount of detergent, and absolutely no fabric softener. He might not understand what it is at first.
He might need a few days some need a few weeks to get cozy in there, but once they do, they will probably use it as their nest. Us hamsters do use our hammocks, just not all the time. We do appreciate the effort, though! However, pets need to be trained.
The same principle applies to hamsters — they need to be taught how to interact with humans if we want them to make good pets. Training a Hamster to be Held. Training a Hamster to Use a Litter Box. Training a Hamster Tricks. Training a Hamster Not to Bite. If this has happened, make sure to disinfect the wound.
These hamsters are the ones that bite. Week 1: let your hamster get used to you — your hamster needs to get to know you without much physical contact. Since moving to a new cage and a new home is very stressful, this will give your hamster enough time to adjust to their new surroundings. To do this, corner them with a towel or a large glass, and then let them enter the towel or the glass. Do this very slowly, on the first day, put your hand on the cage or just inside the door of the cage.
Following the same practice each day, try placing your hand a little further and a little further. With time, your hamster will eat out of your hand, which will develop trust between you.
Why is this so important? So, an animal eating from your hand means that it trusts you. Week 4: pet your hamster — once your hamster has gotten used to your scent and your presence, you can try to pet it. Do this gently, and if your hamster is okay with this, you can try to pick up your hamster which is our next step. To do this, firstly buy your way in with some treats, and gently reach for your hamster — let your hamster determine how far you can get in each session.
Entice the hamster onto your hands with the treats. Then, you can try scooping it up with both hands. The best way to do this is to place each hand on either side of your hamster, and then connect them under your belly. Firstly, just hold it in its cage, and then with time, you can take it out.
That can be distracting. Smaller animals are afraid of loud and sudden noises, so much so that they can actually die from shock. However, if your hamster has become adjusted, you can now try to teach it to be held Before doing that, you need to teach your hamster not to bite.
When you teach your hamster not to bite following the steps in the previous section , you can move on to teaching it to be held. Use treats to gain trust with your hamster and slowly start putting your hand in the cage — let it climb into your hand. Feed it a treat and let the hamster back on the ground, repeat this process for a day.
After that, you can let the hamster climb into your hand and you can take your hand out. Turning your hamster towards your body makes it less likely for them to jump out. Reward your animals for good behavior with treats. Some experts recommend starting out in the bathtub. Put the litter box in that corner. Add a little soiled bedding and some droppings from your hamster.
This will make the hamster follow those droppings to that spot instinctively. After that, just let your hamster do its job on its own. Most hamsters will eventually figure out the point of the box on their own.
If this is the case, make sure to check on the areas your hamster is supposed to be using for this. It can happen that the hamster will hide its food in the litter box — this usually means that they find the cage to be too small and they have no other place to hide their food at. In that case, place multiple litter boxes around the cage.
Just like with handling and biting, you should use treats as rewards for your hamster to teach it something. Stand — a lot of animals, including hamsters, can stand on their hind feet. When the hamster stands, give it the treat and verbal praise. This can take a week or two. The most important thing to remember is to reward the hamster every single time it stands up.
Jump — you can teach your hamster to jump, as well. You first need to teach your hamster the standing trick. If the hamster tries to jump, praise him or her and give the treat. Start by holding it low and slowly raising it up.
Roll over — this is a trick that you can teach to any pet. The hamster will naturally follow your hand, and with time it will spin in circles just on command. Building an obstacle course — you can even build an obstacle course for your hamster to go through. Use Lego building blocks and jars, or funnels for your hamster to jump over, crawl through, etc.
The hamster will follow the treat anywhere. You can also make a seesaw with a simple plank and a wooden triangle, making your hamster have to balance on it.
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