Hamtaro's Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Satria) — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 23:01:00 +0000

Understanding Hamster Behavior

Author: Adam King

Watching your hamster frolic around his cage can provide you with hours of enjoyment, but what exactly is he up to? Is he just playing, or do his actions have some other meaning associated with them. Hamsters are complicated little creatures and understanding a little more about why they do the things they do can help you keep your hamster healthy and stress-free. It's a well-known fact that reducing stress for a hamster is the best thing you can do to help your hamster live a long and healthy life.

If you see your hamster creeping along the floor of his cage, your hamster is nervous about something, usually something outside of his cage. Do you have a cat nearby, or is there a lot of commotion that could be startling your hamster? Keep an eye out for things that could be causing your hamster stress. If things get worse and your hamster gets frightened he may put his ears forward and puff his cheeks up. This is a classic sign of fright, and may be quickly followed by an emptying of his cheek pouches if he was carrying any food in them. At this point he's not happy about the situation at all and is getting ready to run.

If you ever attempt to handle your hamster and you notice that his ears are back then you'd better remove your hand quickly as he's feeling very aggressive and is likely to bite. Another warning sign if you ever go to handle your hamster is if you see him lying on his back with his teeth bare - you may think this a sign of submission but it's actually another sign that your hamster is frightened and he will bite you in this state if you attempt to pick him up.

Some of the more pleasant signs to look for in your hamster are burrowing and grooming. If you spot your hamster burrowing (which is very likely) it just means that he's looking for stray bits of food lying amongst his bedding material that he may have missed before. They'll spend a great deal of time doing this so it's an easy one to spot. If you catch your hamster grooming or stretching then you are looking at a particularly content and happy hamster!

If you have particularly good hearing you may occasionally catch your hamster making squeaking noises. Consider yourself lucky, as the average hamster squeak lasts only a fraction of a second, and the vast majority of hamster vocalization takes place in a frequency range that is completely undetectable by humans.

A more noticeable noise is teeth chattering - this is a sign that your hamster is unsettled, and is seen most often when a hamster is introduced to a cage that already has a hamster in it. Watch for the warning signs of potential combat between the two hamsters.

Hamsters use various scent glands on their bodies to mark their territory by rubbing the glands up against the sides of the cage. If there's a spot in the cage they wish to mark but can't get to with their glands they'll scratch their scent glands with their rear feet and then walk around the area they wish to claim as theirs. When males and females in the same cage are ready to mate they'll both reduce their markings, giving each other the signal that it's okay for the other to approach.

You may occasionally catch your hamster chewing at the bars of his cage. Although he may look like he's trying to chew his way to freedom he's actually keeping his every-growing teeth at a reasonable length. If he didn't continue to keep his teeth ground down they'd cause serious dental problems and illness. Just make sure the bars on the cage aren't rusty!

About the Author:
Visit the Hamster-Zone website for even more detailed information on hamster care, hamster diet, hamster cages, and much, much more. Learn important tips on how to keep your hamster healthy and happy, including proper diet, care, and cage enrichment.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/understanding-hamster-behavior-235907.html

noreply@blogger.com (Satria) — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 22:59:00 +0000

Choosing The Right Hamster For You And Your Family

Author: Adam King

Hamsters are loved as pets around the world by young and old alike. Their cute antics and playful nature make them a popular choice for a family pet. The average hamster lives anywhere from one to three years, so when considering a hamster as a pet for a child it is important to keep this in mind. Coping with the loss of a pet hamster can be a sad yet important life lesson for a young child, and in the meantime they can learn responsibility while they care for the daily needs of their pet hamster.

The two most common pet hamsters are the Syrian hamster and the Dwarf hamster. The Syrian hamster has been bred into many different types that go by several different names: Teddy Bear hamster, Golden hamster, and Fancy hamster to name a few. A fully grown Syrian hamster can reach about seven inches in length, with the females being just a touch larger than the males. The most important thing to remember about Syrian hamsters is that they're extremely territorial, so you must only ever have one Syrian hamster per cage. They will fight to the death if housed with another Syrian hamster!

Dwarf hamsters are smaller, and most importantly, can share a cage with other Dwarf hamsters without fights breaking out. Dwarf hamsters are a popular choice as they tend to be quite tame and friendly as long as you handle them correctly.

When taking your hamster home it's important to remember that hamsters are extremely susceptible to stress, so you want to make the journey to their new home as pleasant as possible. A pet store will typically give you a small cardboard box to carry your hamster home with, but if possible you should bring a larger container filled with hay and some hamster food.

You should buy and prepare your hamster cage before heading out to get your hamster so that when you return to your house his home is ready and waiting for him. Be sure to get the essentials such as bedding and nesting material, a food dish, a water bottle, and some toys. Having all of this prepared will drastically reduce the stress on your hamster.

If you choose a wire cage for your hamster make sure that the distance between the wires is no more than half a centimeter or else your hamster can squeeze right through!

The location of your hamster cage is just as important as the type of cage you choose. Hamsters are nocturnal creatures and so they sleep during the day. They'll need some peace and quiet during daylight hours, so don't put their cage next to a blaring TV set! Hamsters are also very susceptible to temperature changes, so keep them away from direct sunlight or drafts. And even though they're in a cage, having a cat or dog tormenting them all day long will lead to a very stressed-out hamster. If you already have other pets please keep this in mind when deciding on a location for your hamster cage.

Hamsters are naturally quite clean creatures, but even so you'll need to clean the cage about once a week. The hamster will need to be removed from the cage while you do this, so it's a great opportunity for him to get some playtime in a hamster ball. Throw away all the old bedding material and replace it with fresh material. Use a light disinfectant as any strong smells left behind by your cleaning will upset your hamster, and make sure that the cage is completely dry before you put the new bedding material back in the cage.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/choosing-the-right-hamster-for-you-and-your-family-235744.html

Winter White Russian Hamster

noreply@blogger.com (Satria) — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 22:46:00 +0000

The Dwarf Winter White Russian Hamster is also known as the Djungarian Dwarf Hamster. It originates from the steppes of Northern Kazakhstan and Siberia. It has white coloring whisker, oval body, big eye, and very friendly with human but in some casees if they fight has been fatal. It very cute and interest if they in coolmplace the color hair can change with white blue
When kept outdoors it gets a white winter coat. This is a natural protective colour during a period when its original habitat is covered in snow. Hamsters are most comfortable at temperatures between 65 ° F / 18° C and 80°F / 26°C and should always be housed indoors. Dwarf Winter White Russian Hamsters can be housed in a group, preferably of the same gender. They can only be housed in groups if brought together from a young age.

About Hamster care

noreply@blogger.com (Satria) — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 06:34:00 +0000

Hamsters are one of the most popular pets in the world, and are definitely the most popular pet from the rodent family. Hamsters make great pets for people of all ages because of their cleanliness and cuteness, and hamsters are also relatively inexpensive and easy to take care of. A hamster usually makes an ideal pet for children and helps teach responsibility. The average lifespan of a hamster is approximately 1-3 years, and for this reason some people claim that caring for a hamster is a good way for a child to eventually learn to cope with loss.

Dwarf Campbell Russian Hamsters are closely related to Dwarf Winter White Russian Hamsters. Because of its thicker coat, the Campbell’s appears somewhat larger than Dwarf Russian Hamsters, but in fact it’s not. Campbell’s tend to become fatter in captivity than the Russian Hamsters. The Campbell’s coat is yellow-brownish with a thin, sharply lined dorsal stripe. Its coat turns slightly greyer in winter. Dwarf Campbell Russian Hamsters can live in groups of the same gender.

All hamsters have cheek pouches which they use to carry food, or in cases of danger, their young. Also common among all hamsters is the presence of scent glands, although the location of these glands differs depending on the type of hamster.

Roborovski Hamster

noreply@blogger.com (Satria) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 15:53:00 +0000

The Roborovski Hamster is also a short-tailed dwarf hamster, but its yellow-brown colouring and striking whiskers lend it a totally different appearance to the other two short-tailed species of dwarf hamsters. Roborovski Hamsters are much less well knows and they breed very few young. The Roborovski Hamster. Is the smallest dwarf hamster. Its body measures only 7-9 cm in length and its tail is barely visible. Its back is a brownish-yellow with grey under colouring. Sometimes the yellow on its back appears somewhat rusty in colour. Roborovski Hamsters don’t have dorsal stripes. Roborovski Hamsters can live in groups of the same gender.

Roborovski is a cute hamster and very friendly with human so people like this hamster like at the picture. They are very attractive and match for race with their speed.On average the Roborovski hamster can live to 3 years, there are exceptions to this with some living longer and others shorter lives.
The male stays with the female during the pregnancy and after the young have been born. The male is involved in the upbringing of the young. The Roborovski hamster can produce, on average, 4-6 young.

Golden Hamster

noreply@blogger.com (Satria) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 14:46:00 +0000

The Syrian Hamster is sometimes referred to as the 'Golden Hamster' due to its original wild golden colouring although today there are many different colour and coat mutations. It is also sometimes referred to as the Standard or Fancy Hamster and Long Haired Syrian hamsters are sometimes referred to as 'Teddy Bear Hamsters'. Female Syrian Hamsters are larger than male Syrian Hamsters.They have different two specified with their eyes if they have red eyes are very rare cause is very difficult to develop it It feeds on a large variety of foods and can reproduce during any month in the year, at least when it is in captivity

The back is a deep golden or reddish brown, and the underside is paler. The cheek pouches can extend as far as the shoulders, and when they are full they seem to double the size of the hamster's head. The hamster can growth until 7 cm , with only another half-inch added on for the tail. It can weigh up to five ounces, with the female slightly larger than the male.
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