Do You Have A Hamster?

The lively and sensitive hamster has always been loved by children and women. Because of their compact size, hamsters have become the most popular small pets among students and white-collar workers. This cute rat was named hamster because it likes to store food. The cuteness of hamsters makes many people fall in love with them at first sight. Do you know the characteristics of hamsters? Do you know the correct way to raise a hamster? The following shows you all aspects of hamsters:

Daily hamster feeding knowledge

Breeding environment

The optimum temperature is 20-28℃, avoid direct sunlight or direct wind, but pay attention to ventilation. Don't get too close to TVs, stereos, and computers. Hamsters can hear sounds that humans can't hear. Radiation and noise should be avoided.

Summer: It is best not to turn on the air conditioner, because turning the air conditioner on and off will cause the temperature difference to be too large. Hamsters are very sensitive to temperature and are prone to colds.

Winter: Hamsters placed outdoors will pseudo-hibernate because they are too cold. Lay out more bedding materials such as sawdust and provide a wooden or straw hut for the hamster to keep warm. Or give the hamster some extra cotton to make its own nest. Absorbent cotton is fine, and natural cotton is best. The easiest way is to put the entire cage into a cardboard box, but make sure it is breathable. Don't give them anything made of cotton thread as a nest. Although it is warm, hamsters will bite open cotton fabrics to sleep inside, so some unbroken cotton threads can easily cause hamsters to suffocate.

hamster food

Vegetables: greens, carrots, spinach, cucumber, cabbage, pumpkin (green and yellow vegetables are preferred)

Seeds: sunflower seeds, peanuts, walnuts, pine nuts

Fruits: apples, strawberries, cherries, etc.

Cereals: chicken feed, bird feed, wheat, corn, millet

Plants: dandelion, kudzu, plantain

Animal protein: beef, chicken, boiled egg protein, cheese, milk, yogurt, mealworms, barley worms

basic supplies

Cage: In summer, please use a ventilated wire cage or a half-iron and half-glue cage, such as a field cage. Pay attention to keeping warm in winter. An all-plastic cage is more suitable for winter. Do not use wire mesh on the cage chassis, as this may cause fractures and injuries to rats.

Food bowl: Any ordinary small container can be used, as long as it is not easy to knock over and the edge is not too high, otherwise the hamster will not be able to climb in. Commonly used containers: glass ashtrays, soy sauce dishes, various small bowls, microwave boxes, and small crisper boxes.

Drinking fountains The general design of drinking fountains has stainless steel beads at the front. When purchasing, pay attention to test whether there is water leakage. Do not use a bowl to hold water directly, because when the hamster drinks water, its fur will get wet and it is easy to catch cold and get sick.

Toilet: An ordinary plastic box filled with cat litter is a relatively simple toilet. Remove any clumped cat litter every day or replace it entirely, following personal hygiene habits. Some hamsters will use it, but it is not necessary.

Bathroom Some hamsters will use cat litter to bathe in the toilet. Although it is unhygienic, it is the preference of hamsters. Then there is no need for a bath room. But for hamsters who love cleanliness, the owner should buy a bathroom for it and put it in The bath sand allows the hamster to roll around to its heart's content.

Running wheel: Wild hamsters have to run 20 kilometers a day, so exercise is very important for hamsters. Without sufficient exercise, hamsters will be over-stressed and bite the cage. At the same time, hamsters are prone to overnutrition and obesity. Therefore, careful owners should give their hamsters a running wheel. When purchasing, they should pay attention to choosing a running wheel with no gaps so that the hamster is not easily injured.

Wood chips There are many materials to choose from, and most people choose wood chips because they are relatively clean and easily available.

Teething Items Hamsters’ teeth will continue to grow, so you need to use a molar stick to grind off overly long teeth. Many hamsters grind their teeth in other ways, such as by chewing on their cages. Don’t worry too much when you don’t use the molar stone/stick you provided.

Huts: Huts are made of ceramics, wood, straw, or plastic. Hamsters like them very much, because hamsters are animals that love to dig holes and live in them. If possible, you should equip your hamster with a hut, which you can make yourself. Stainless steel nipple drinker for the rabbit rodent

Ten taboos about hamsters

(1) It is forbidden to feed human food. Too much salt and overly seasoned food will increase the burden on the rat's body. Especially food like snacks. However, unprocessed whole grains can be fed, including corn and barley.

(2) Direct contact with the sun is prohibited. Rats are very afraid of heat. When summer comes, please use heat sinks or marble to cool them down.

(3) Do not wash hamsters unless necessary. It will make the hamster catch a cold, and in severe cases it may die.

(4) Please understand your own hamster species. Except for the in-laws, hamsters are not allowed to be kept in the same cage. If the in-laws are not harmonious, they must be kept in separate cages.

(5) If you are not mentally prepared or financially capable, do not keep female rats and male rats in the same cage. The reproductive capacity of rats is very impressive.

(6) It is prohibited to use feed from unknown sources. If it is infested with insects or mold, please discard it and do not feed it!

(7) It is forbidden for rats to drink raw water. Please let them drink boiled cold water, or mineral water or purified water.

(8) It is forbidden to use bamboo chopsticks, popsicle sticks and other things to allow rats to grind their teeth. Please use the teething supplies and feed specifically for rats on the market.

(9) It is prohibited to use newspapers, tissues, etc. as cushion materials. Newspaper has too much ink and contains bleach in the tissue paper.

(10) It is forbidden to keep rats in a space that is too small. The space must have at least rollers, water bottles, dens (except bears) and other supplies.

How can you choose a healthier hamster?

1. Choose a hamster with clear eyes and no eye mucus.

2. Check if the hamster has a runny nose. If so, don’t pick it.

3. Whether the shape of the ears is intact and whether there are any traces of being bitten. If there is, it means that the hamster is too weak or sick and is bullied and bitten by other hamsters.

4. The teeth do not stick out and the coat color is shiny. Check for hair loss or tumors.

5. There should be no spots on the tail and no spots near the belly, which means the hamster may have diarrhea.

6. Whether the walking is normal or not, whether there is a feeling of stiffness, and whether the limbs are healthy or not are also important. If everything looks fine, there should be no problem.

7. There should be no urine stains on the buttocks. If there are any, don’t pick them. Because it's probably sick

8. Since they are nocturnal animals, they sleep about 12-14 hours a day and only move and eat at night. Therefore, it is best to buy in the evening or at night, so that you can see the lively and active side of hamsters.

9. Generally speaking, the characteristics of a healthy hamster are sound limbs, bright eyes, normally erect ears without secretions, even and soft hair, and dry and hard granular feces.

10. Hamsters are also afraid of strangers and require an adaptation period of two or three days before they can have close contact with you. It is best to cover the cage with a piece of cloth on the first day after you buy it, because hamsters are more relaxed in a dark environment. Try not to disturb them when putting out water and food.

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