HAMSTER CARE
Hamsters are nocturnal red-brown rodents that in the Syrian desert live solitary lives in borrows well supplied with hoarded grain. Virtually all hamsters sold today as pets are descended from three siblings captured in the Near East in 1930.
There are several color and hair-coat varieties of the Syrian hamster (golden, fancy color, teddy bear), and there are several other genera of hamsters (e.g., Chinese, American, Siberian and European) sometimes seen as pets.
Anatomical and Biological Characteristics:
Housing:
Hamsters may be housed in cages with solid floors or wire floors. The primary concern is that the cage is escape proof and not easily chewable. Deep bedding (wood shavings or shredded paper) is desirable for nesting as long as it is not abrasive or dusty. Hopper feeders and sipper tube bottles are recommended. All must be cleaned often. Like other "pocket pets", hamsters tend to prefer body contact with their environment; thus, they prefer cages provided with plenty of toys (plastic tubes, spin wheels, cans, boxes, etc.)
They should be kept away from drafts, chills, excessive heat (over 85 degreees F), temperature fluctuations(maintain between 65 and 75 degrees F), and other environmental disturbances. They tend to do better if housed individually. When temperatures drop below 41-59 degrees F the will tend to enter a pseudohibernation state from which they may be aroused with external stimulation.
Restraint:
Hamsters are restrained by either holding in a cupped hand or by grasping the loose skin of the neck or entire truck. If aggressive, you may use a towel, plastic container, or with gloves.
Nutrition:
Hamsters in the wild are omnivores. In captivity, they do well on a commercial pelleted diet containing 16 to 22 % protein. They will consume approximately 6 g of food per day.
Young hamsters will begin eating solid food in 7 to 10 days. Hamsters may prefer supplementation with fruits, nuts, or cereals. Hamsters like to remove food from feeders and hoard them in a far corner of the cage returning periodically to consume it.
Common conditions:
Common problems in hamsters include vitamin E deficiency, abscess, skin mites, overgrowth of incisor teeth, cystitis and bladder stones.
Public Health Significance:
A few organisms that infect or inhabit hamsters are potentially zoonotic, but these organisms are seldom associated with human disease. Special precautions should be taken if housed with an immunocompromised individual. These organisms include Salmonella and Campylobacter.
Allergies to hamster dander is another frequently reported condition in people handling them.
We hope you will find this information useful and that you have many years of enjoyment with your new pet. Please check the numerous literature sources available for more detailed information on hamsters and their care.
David E. Hammett, DVM
G. Scott Russell, DVM
and the staff of All Creatures Veterinary Clinic,
PC
