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 Syrian hamsters

 Syrian hamsters MUST LIVE ALONE.  If they are kept together beyond the age of 5-6 weeks they will fight and they can cause horrendous injuries.  They may look cute living together in the pet shop, but these are only babies, and their personality will change as they approach 6 weeks and therefore you should never risk keeping them in pairs or groups.

 Syrian hamsters love to climb and therefore the wire cages are the best option for them and ideally needs to have a side opening door (top opening doors make it difficult getting a hamster out).  The cage must be big enough to allow for some toys (climbing ladders, tubes, coconut shells etc) and also fit a large wheel.  The wheel that is supplied as standard in a lot of hamster cages are far too small for an adult Syrian.  Some of the three tier cages don’t allow enough space for a large wheel to be fitted.  If the wheel is too small the hamster will not use it properly as they would need to really arch their back.  They tend to walk on the outside of the wheel in these cases.   The type of wheel is also important – the wheels with spokes are quite old fashioned but they are still sold.  These can cause injuries to the hamster if they get their feet caught and therefore should be avoided.  There are lots of different types of wheels, some completely solid, others with a drainage slit.  These are all fine for Syrian hamsters.  If you are raising a litter and the wheel has a drainage slit, this should be removed as the babies all have a habit of cramming into the wheel for a run when they are about 3 weeks old and this type of wheel can cause leg injuries.  Therefore, if necessary remove this type of wheel and replace it with a completely solid one until the babies are fully grown.

 Whilst the tubular cages look fun, there are some things that need to be considered.  Firstly, the amount of time needed to clean the tubes and dry them off.  Secondly, the amount of ventilation in the cage.  Tanks and tubular cages minimise ventilation and this can cause problems especially in the hotter weather.  Some hamsters don’t like walking through tubes; others tend to sleep in them or store food.  The problem with storing food and sleeping in a tube is that condensation can build up and this can create serious respiratory problems for your hamster.  Therefore if your hamster is in a tubular cage ensure that the tubes are dry and if your hamster is storing fresh food in them remove this daily.  It is worth removing any uneaten fresh food daily from the cage in any case so that you minimise the chance of it going mouldy and attracting fungal spores.

 The third thing to consider with tubular cages are whether or not your hamster will be able to climb through the tubes as they get older.  It is important that a good food supply and clean water are available to your hamster at all times.  As they get older they will find moving around more difficult and may not be able to climb or have the energy to go through the tubes, therefore it is worth bearing this in mind when putting food out for them.

 Never house a pregnant hamster/hamster and litter in a tubular cage.  This is because the mum could easily become separated from her babies.  The best type of cage for a litter is a single level cage (as large as possible so that you can fit several wheels).

 It is inadvisable for your hamster to sleep inside a small plastic house/toy.  This is because of the issue with condensation.  There are plenty of natural toys and houses available that offer a safer environment for a hamster.

 Dwarf hamsters

 Dwarf hamsters can live in pairs or colonies providing they don’t fight.  If they fight then they will need separating into their own cage/tank.  Once separated, they cannot be reintroduced to each other or they will fight again.

 Dwarf hamsters get on better in tanks.  They like to have a lot of floor space with tubes and other toys so that they can run around and set up their own assault course.  Some can’t climb very well, therefore you need to create ramps up to platforms.  If there are wire ladders and platforms and the bars are widely spaced you might need to insert a piece of cardboard between them so that the hamster can walk along them otherwise they may have difficulty.  They only have tiny legs!!!  Therefore solid ladders/platforms are preferable.

 Bedding:

 Wood chippings are good for hamsters but they must be safe.  Avoid pine, cypress or cedar mulch as they contain a volatile oil called thujone which can cause skin irritation and respiratory problems.  Also avoid any beddings that have been treated with anti-fungals, preservatives or had perfumes/scents added.  On this subject no air fresheners or other aerosols should be sprayed near a hamster cage or the hamster can become extremely sick.

 There are several types of bedding available – the paper based type is the safest (shredded paper type, or the tiny pieces of paper).  Whilst the ‘fluffy’ bedding looks cosy and is available in natural materials there have been reports of some hamsters getting their legs caught up in it and this has resulted in leg amputation.  If the bedding gets caught around their leg they need to be able to chew the bedding to free themselves, which they can do if it is paper.  Some hamsters find it difficult to chew the fluffy bedding and instead it tightens, shuts of circulation to the limb and it has been known for a hamster to gnaw their own leg off in order to set themselves free.   

 Cages should be cleaned out weekly.  If your hamster gets a bit stressed with the cage cleaning process, then if their bedding is clean you might want to return some of this to them.  Also, if they have stored a lot of food and it is in good condition it is a good idea to let them have some of this back too.

 Only use disinfectants that are designed specifically for small pets and it is important to ensure that the cage is fully dried before putting the wood chippings/bedding in.

 Hamster toilets: it is possible to train a hamster to use a ‘toilet’.  These are plastic containers that sit in the corner of the cage.  A special hamster litter is available from pet shops.  The best way to train a hamster to use one of these is to find the corner that they use for a toilet area.  Take some of the soiled wood chippings.  Clean out the cage thoroughly, then place the ‘hamster toilet’ in the corner that they use as their toilet area.  Put the soiled pieces of wood chippings in this.  As this is the only area that will smell like them when they are returned to their cage, this should encourage them to use it.  If you are successful with getting your hamster to use a toilet then it should be cleaned out daily/alternate days in order to remove any smells.  If you can’t get hamster litter wood chippings can be used.