How to Keep a Hamster and Can Two Be Kept Together? Detailed Notes

The hamster is a type of rodent, currently distributed in many countries around the world, and is a relatively common animal. Hamsters are fairly small in appearance and very interesting to keep, so many people nowadays like to raise them. Before raising one, however, many people want to have a comprehensive understanding of the techniques for keeping them.

How to Keep a Hamster

1. To keep a hamster, you can use a 50 cm square aquarium of the kind used for tropical fish, with a lid made of wire mesh on top (it easily becomes stuffy and hot in summer, so pay attention to this). When using a wire cage, the hamster will grab the wire and climb upward, and there is a risk of falling, so it is best not to make the cage very tall, and to remove the wire from the cage bottom before use. Spread wheat straw, hay, sawdust or fine strips of newspaper on the bottom of the cage. For the food bowl, a ceramic one can be used, and it is best if it is somewhat heavy. You can provide some branches for gnawing, to prevent the teeth from growing too long. The nest box can be made of wood or paper. Besides those that come with the cage, a bird nest box can also be used. Line the nest box with hay, sawdust, scraps of cloth, etc. An aquarium will not scrape the feet, but it easily accumulates moisture, so pay attention to keeping it dry. In addition, an aquarium has enough depth that you can put in a large amount of bedding material such as wheat straw and hay for the hamster to burrow into, add soil, and then spread hay on top. Create a very natural environment so the hamster can dig burrows and make a nest.

2. For drinking water, a water dispenser can be used, installed at a height that is easy to drink from, or water can be added to a dish-type water container. Hamsters have the habit of urinating and defecating in a fixed place; put a litter pan where it frequently urinates, put urine or feces in it so the pan carries the smell, and it will use this place as a toilet. If it does not use the toilet, do not force it; just make sure to clean the cage frequently.

3. Hamsters have the habit of storing food in their cheek pouches. Be careful to change the water frequently. Clean the food bowl and water dispenser every day, and replace the fresh food and water. Also replace the nesting material. Check the nest box; in the places where the hamster stores food, leave some fruit or solid feed and other food for the hamster to eat. Replace the cage bottom bedding once a week, and wash and disinfect the cage 1 to 2 times a month.

Can Two Hamsters Be Kept Together

Hamsters cannot be kept two together. Hamsters are very dominant solitary animals; unlike social animals, they have an extremely strong sense of territory, especially female hamsters. Only when the breeding season arrives will hamsters pair up to mate, but a hamster's married life lasts only a few short minutes during mating, after which they go their separate ways. After that, the mother hamster will independently take on the responsibility of caring for the young, and after about 20 days the young will be forcibly driven out by the mother to begin living independently. But a very small number of hamster breeds can be kept together, and even then the success rate is not one hundred percent.

Notes on Keeping Hamsters

In the hot summer, the temperature inside an aquarium easily rises; in summer, it is best to move it into a cage. Put the cage in a well-ventilated place, and be careful not to let direct sunlight hit it. When it is hot, hamsters do not like to eat solid feed, so feed them vegetables and other foods rich in moisture. In autumn they store up food; do not forget to check the nest box frequently, to prevent the hamster from entering a hibernation state because the temperature is too low. When placed in a room with heating, be careful that the temperature difference between day and night is not too great. You can put a plastic bag over the cage, or place the cage in a cardboard box to keep it warm.

What Feed Do Hamsters Eat

1. Vegetables: leafy greens, red radish, spinach, cucumber, cabbage, pumpkin, etc.

2. Seeds: sunflower seeds, peanuts, walnuts, pine nuts, etc.

3. Fruits: apples, strawberries, cherries, etc.

4. Grains: chicken feed, bird feed, wheat, corn, millet, etc.

5. Plants: dandelion, kudzu, plantain, etc.

6. Animal matter: beef, chicken, milk, yogurt, mealworms, barley worms, etc.

When keeping hamsters, be sure to pay attention to the cleanliness of the water, and you also need to adjust the temperature according to the different seasons. Hamsters are animals that like to live alone, so generally keep them singly, and do not keep several at once. For feeding, choose the things it likes to eat to feed it.