Saturday, 31 May 2014

Getting your first pet hamster

Getting a hamster isn't as easy you think. I bet you think you should just walk into the pet shop,buy any hamster,cage and accessories that appeal to you,and then go home and play with your new hamster. Well? Wrong. First of all,do your research or else you will just waste money along the way buying new cages and accessories,so don't make the same mistake as I did.

Getting your hamster


First of all,like I said do your research. Don't just get any hamster that appeal to you,get one that is suited for you. For me I have a Syrian hamster. And moreover,please do not buy your hamsters. There are many hamsters in Singapore that need homes,adopt,don't buy. When you buy a hamster from a shop,the shop owner will use the money earned to get more hamsters. Why buy hamsters when you can adopt,those hamsters actually need a home! If you are adopting a Syrian,I reccomend you go to The Syrian Rescue Project.There you can find Syrians that need adoption. If you are getting other species,look around hamster groups and adopt. Do remember to setup your cage before bringing your hamster home. "Adopt a pet,Save a Live" Remember that not only can you adopt dogs,but hamsters too.


Getting your cage

Don't get something that appeals to you,get something that is actually good for your hamster. If you want,just DIY a cage and you can decorate or redesign however way you want. So what cage is good your hamster? I recommend a cage at least 2 sq ft. You might think Dwarfs are smaller than Syrians,so you give them a smaller cage. Well that's wrong,they are more active and needs just as much space,also you can put in more accessories for them. You can DIY a Toyogo cage with wire mesh or you can have it open top. Or you can get a 2 ft Guppy Tank from a Aquarium shop and leave it open top,make sure you hamster can't escape. For wire cage,the gap should not be more than 1 cm for dwarfs and 1.5 cm for Syrians


Getting hamster food

Same applies to food,you just pick out any cheap food or one that has great packaging. Make sure the food you are buying has a variety and nutrients.Also,take note on what hamster you are buying food for as some of them have different nutrients. Select a food that has 18-22 % protein,8-10% fiber,and 3-6 % fat.

Getting hamster accessories

Hamster's teeth never stop growing,so remember to provide them many different chews,or else they might end up chewing their cage. Also provide them toys to keep them from getting bored. Things you must put into your hamster cage includes Bedding,Hideaways,Chews,Wheel,Food Bowl,Water bottle,Potty/Toilet + Toilet sand (optional) Check out my explanation on what each of them is for.


After setting up your cage

Once your are done will all that,it's time to put your hamster in. I bet that you want to immediately start playing with your hamster,well don't do that first. I know you are eager to do it,but let it settle down in his cage for at least a day or two. Once that is done,you may start trying to tame your hamster. You can let him have some free time outside the cage by setting up a play pen or letting him roll on the hamster ball.


No comments:

Post a Comment