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Original poster

Any Hamster Experts on Here?

24 replies

MrsBigD · 02/05/2006 12:28

DD 4.5y wants a pet Grin

We're renting so 'I want a kitten' is out of the window, especially as we are looking into migrating to Australia in about 2 years and really don't want to put a cat through the lenthy quarantine.

So then she said 'hamster'... which I think live to about 2 years? So timing wise that would be perfect. Looking at dwarf russian.

Now a question... she's having jabs today and as a 'consolation' pressie we thought of getting her the hamster(s) today. However, dh wants to order the cage on-line as cheaper than the shop. Is it possible to have hamsters in smaller temporary accommodation as long as they've got a 'house' to sleep in and some other bits and bobs to play with? And if so which size is a minimum?
Cheers

OP posts:
mcmudda · 02/05/2006 12:35

My and db used to breed hamsters/gerbils/rats/mice/russian hamsters when we were young. I think the dwarf hamsters tend to be a little less healthy than bog standard hamsters. Hamsters can climb up tubes and cage bars, but they can't jump so a high sided "something" would be fine until you get a proper cage.

Hamsters don't socialise at all so unless you're breeding them don't get more than one!!

TBH hamsters can smell really bad and can be a little agressive. IMO gerbils are a lot friendlier and don't tend to smell as much - several can live together quite happily.

Kelly1978 · 02/05/2006 12:37

I really wouldn't get a russina drawf for a a child - theya re vicious little buggers! They are also very small, and so gard for a child to handle. Rats are a far better pet for children, as they are more intelligent, and a lot friendlier. Rats rarely ever bite. Not everyone likes rats tho, so I would recommend a syrian, which are bigger and generally slightly mroe docile.
It is possible to keep the hamster is a smaller cage, and won't hurt it, but it is a little bit mean. He is going to be stressed out going into a new cage and even more so by being uprooted again, and this will make taming him harder. If you really want to do it, then make sure you transfer all the bedding, house etc with the hamster into the new cage so that it has the fmailiar scent on it.

Kelly1978 · 02/05/2006 12:38

Oh and don't bother with a huge cage with loads of plastic levels - they jsut chew through them.

batters · 02/05/2006 12:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Kelly1978 · 02/05/2006 12:44

yeah that is true too, mine used to get lively late evening. My rat used to run aroudn the flat all day. Smile

wannaBe1974 · 02/05/2006 12:45

tbh I wouldn't get a hamster for a small child as firstly they are nocturnal so are asleep during the day and awake at night, and secondly can be very agressive, a hamster bite can very easily draw blood. I remember vividly being bitten by my hamster when I was about 10, and it was not a pleasant experience. Also as per previous poster, the smell can be unbearable.

Gerbles do apparently make better pets and don't smell as bad although I don't know that from personal experience. Rats smell as well though.

mcmudda · 02/05/2006 12:49

Get gerbils!!

2 females in a big fish tank filled with sand and straw and then you can watch them burrow! Males hump each other constantly - stick with girls!

Both hamsters and gerbils chew bars so avoid a cage if possible - that noise could drive you loopy.

Original poster
MrsBigD · 02/05/2006 13:00

WOW... thanks for the feedback so far

re the nocturnal bit... wouldn't be a problem... so are our kids Grin

As for rats... erhem... I know they're intelligent... but they give me the creeps :)

OP posts:
Kelly1978 · 02/05/2006 13:01

rats do smell, but you can bath rats! Mine used to have a dip once a month or so! Grin

throckenholt · 02/05/2006 13:03

agree hamsters tend to run on their wheels all night - so keep them out of earshot Grin.

Also - I think the russian ones don't like to be solitary.

also they can be carnivorous Shock - not good to explain to little kids Sad

Original poster
MrsBigD · 02/05/2006 13:05

throckenholt wouldn't be a problem re carnivorous... dd knows that some animals eat other animals to survive like spiders eat flies etc. we're bringing her up with no illusions Grin

OP posts:
mcmudda · 02/05/2006 13:08

One of our hamsters ate all her babies except one - we found half of it wriggling in the bottom of the cage. Not sure which half - my mum whisked it off and "disposed" of it, which I think meant giving it to the cat.

Kelly1978 · 02/05/2006 13:09

I think throckenholt might be right about russians - I know I kept mine in twos and they were happy.

throckenholt · 02/05/2006 13:19

we had to poke a dead russian oout of one of the tubes - and then realised half of it had been eaten. Not sure if th eothers were just hungry or really miffed that the tube was blocked Grin.

Think we had about 10 russians in a big cage.

crazydazy · 02/05/2006 13:24

We've got a lovely little Hamster called Toffee and he's almost 3 now so he's getting on a bit and is bald in places. He's so tame its untrue and so cuddly. Males are definitely not as vicious as females, I had a female when I was young and she could be quite nasty especially to my sister's male!!!!

He is quite smelly though and does sleep through the day and then chews the bars on his cage all night long sometimes we let him run around the living room whilst we are in bed and then when we get up he is usually curled up in a ball behind the sofa, we just feel so sorry for him stuck in his cage all the time.

DD (6) is not afraid of handling him and has never been bitten by him and she grabs him straight out of his nest!!!

Kelly1978 · 02/05/2006 13:26

ewwww, throkenholt! Shock Grin

fennel · 02/05/2006 13:51

have had rats, gerbils and hamsters. we recently got a syrian hamster for dd1, age 6. She's very friendly, we were careful to get one which was particularly mild in temperament and could cope with small children handling her.

rats make lovely pets but they do smell, a lot. and need bigger cages.

gerbils are more lively than hamsters but run very fast, small children can't handle them as easily as they can hamsters.

you can get lots of cages on Ebay, new or lightly used. we have an enormous Rotastak palace with connecting tubes.

Original poster
MrsBigD · 02/05/2006 13:55

fennel... dd saw the pink rotastak and WANTS it... we said no LOL it's a monstrosity

OP posts:
fennel · 02/05/2006 14:02

mrsBigD, i was tempted by the Pink Palace too Blush but dd1 isn't very into pink so i suppressed my urge and we got the Activity Palace (or similar) - only £5 more than Pink Palace but double the size. it dominates dd1's bedroom, takes up the top of two chests of drawers.

Kelly1978 · 04/05/2006 10:13

did you get one in the end? Smile

Original poster
MrsBigD · 05/05/2006 10:20

yep we did... 2 dwarf russian hamsters. They're so cute as dd would say LOL not hand tame yet but in time the will. Don't blame them for hiding as soon as they see the kids approaching LOL dd is getting VERY impatient though as she wants to hold them LOL

OP posts:
Kelly1978 · 05/05/2006 16:01

good luck with them!

Original poster
MrsBigD · 05/05/2006 16:34

thanks... want to have a laugh? ... I'm allowed to put my hand in the cage and put food in the bowl, but if I try and feed especially one of the hamsters or just gently stroke him to get him used to me I get snarled at... However... dd can give him morsels and was even allowed to stroke him gently without being 'told off'!! Grin

OP posts:
Kelly1978 · 05/05/2006 18:40

lol. SOunds a bit like one of my rabbits. It hated my father and my brother and would charge and bite them if they went near her. At least your dd is acceptable. Smile

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