There is no child who has not at least oncesaid the phrase: "I want a hamster!" Indeed, it is a pleasure to watch these animals: small fluffy balls with button eyes, which comically wash their faces with miniature paws. In addition, caring for hamsters is not difficult: they are completely unpretentious. However, when buying an animal, you should not forget that this is a living creature that requires attention and love. In this article, we will talk about how to care for a hamster and how to create optimal living conditions for it. To begin with, I would like to remind you that there are several varieties of these animals. Most often in our apartments you can find Siberian hamsters, Djungarians, Roborovski hamsters or Campbell's hamsters. Hamsters are solitary animals, they feel great without relatives. And if you do not plan to acquire a bunch of small rodents soon, then buying a couple is not at all necessary. So, you have a little fluffy one at home. Naturally, the question arose - how to properly care for a hamster? Let's try to understand together all the intricacies of keeping this cute rodent.
How to choose a cage for a hamster?
First of all, you need to equip a house for the animal.Unfortunately, many people associate it with a three-liter jar or a glass aquarium. However, in such conditions, the pet will be completely uncomfortable. It is best to buy a specially equipped cage. Its dimensions should be no less than 50x30 centimeters, and the bars are located horizontally. Make sure that the gap between the bars is not too large, otherwise the animal will easily crawl between them. To ensure that the appearance of a pet in the family is not accompanied by an unbearable smell, you need to choose the right filler for the cage. Immediately move newspaper and cotton wool to the side, because your pet deserves the best bedding, right? He will definitely like granulated or pressed filler, which perfectly absorbs all foreign odors. You can sprinkle sawdust on the floor of the cage - hamsters love to bury themselves in such a pile for the night. Be sure to take care of a drinker and feeders. There must be two of the latter: for dry and fresh food. The rodent regularly sharpens its teeth, so find a place in the cage for a mineral stone. The animal will determine the toilet itself, you will only need to change the bedding in time. Remember, hamsters are very active. If possible, equip the cage with a running wheel. Your pet will definitely like it! Just make sure that it has a solid surface, otherwise the animal can seriously injure its paw. It is advisable to choose a place for a new family member right away and not move the cage from place to place in the future, hamsters are not known for their love of frequent changes. Of course, the cage with the rodent should be in a place inaccessible to small children, and as far away from drafts as possible. Sooner or later, the cage will need a thorough cleaning. In this case, the guest should be transplanted to another place (this is where the notorious three-liter jar may come in handy). The bedding is completely thrown away, and the cage can be washed with soda or a special detergent. This procedure is usually carried out once every two weeks, and the feeders, drinking bowl and toilet area are washed as they become dirty.
How to feed a hamster at home?
Watching a hamster eat is pure pleasure!And more and more often, caring owners, trying not to deprive their pet, stretch out sweet sticks, bread, pieces of sausage or fried potatoes through the bars of the cage. The animal gladly accepts offerings, but all this is extremely harmful to it. If you care about your pet and want it to be healthy, do not give it anything from your table! Otherwise, the animal can get seriously ill. You need to feed a hamster at home twice a day: in the morning and in the evening. Moreover, the evening portion should be larger than the daytime one, because the hamster is a nocturnal animal. The main part of the diet is grain mixtures. Now any pet store offers a wide selection of food for rodents, so you can easily choose the right one. The amount of food is about two tablespoons. Here everything depends on the size of the animal. Monitor how much grain your pet eats, and try to pour it in such a way that a little grain is left in reserve. Fresh food, which can quickly spoil, is best given to the hamster in the morning. This can be various vegetables, fruits or greens. The only exceptions are exotic fruits and citrus fruits. In general, if the owner adheres to the principle - "if you are not sure - do not feed", the hamster will delight him with its presence for quite a long time.
How to properly care for hamsters in the breeding season?
If you have a cute couple living in your houserodents, the addition to the family of pets will not take long to come. To ensure that the offspring does not bring too much trouble, you need to know how to care for a hamster that has just been born. Below we will talk about this. The first thing you need to do is immediately move the future mother to another cage. The new house should have fresh bedding - the mother will build a nest for the babies from it. Cotton wool cannot be used for these purposes, since the paws of the babies can easily get tangled in the fibers. This can lead to serious damage or even death of the animal. Often people try to make the nest as soft as possible - they use fabric instead of straw, but this is not the best option. Fabric promotes the growth of bacteria, so newborn hamsters can easily catch an infection. As soon as you notice that the babies have fur and they are traveling around the cage on their own, you can give them fresh greens. Hamsters grow quickly at home - after 1.5-2 months they can be placed in a separate cage. Here we have considered the main points of caring for a small rodent at home. As you have noticed, there is nothing particularly complicated about them. The main thing is to love your pet and create all the conditions for a normal life. Any pet requires attention and care - remember this yourself and teach your children to do the same. And if you are not ready to devote enough time to your pet, it is better to wait with its purchase, otherwise it will not bring you any joy. We advise you to read:
