New hamster

[petalsandstars]

My DD is desperate for a pet so we’ve agreed for a hamster or 2 for her birthday. I’m at a loss for the best type of cage etc to get - does anyone have any recommendations please? Not sure on Syrian or dwarf yet - lockdown is not helping browsing in person. The reviews of most listed on amazon say they’re mostly too small or not suitable due to gaps etc. I’ve also got a cat so I don’t want something that would make an easy takeaway snack for her.

Syrians have to live on their own. They'll fight to death otherwise.

We had one with two cats - it was a nightmare and we had to be extremely careful!

They are lovely if you put the effort in with handling them but they're hard work to tame and every one bit us a few times during the taming process and it bloody hurt!

I'd definitely reccomend a bigger syrian hamster for a child to handle, i've had lots of both kinds and the dwarf hamsters are much less handle-able! They are very speedy and nippy, but all of my syrians were very cuddly and happy to be picked up.

I'd also recommend going to a breeder over a pet shop, i've found because they've been handled from very little they can come home and be handled right away after settling in pretty much!
Means no taming process or nibbling that can mean the hamster accidentally gets dropped and a childs confidence gets bruised.
Children can also get very bored with a hamster they can't interact with as much. Keep in mind they are nocturnal so i'd keep the cage downstairs to avoid them disturbing anyone's sleep! Even the 'silent' wheels aren't super quiet

Do lots of research, YouTube has some great channels with proper information. Here are a couple of links to get you started

www.youtube.com/user/LoverGurl77983

I'd get a guinea pig. Affectionate personality and mostly gentle to handle. My experience of hamsters is varied but I do know that once bitten by the little buggers, children can lose interest very quickly. Do gerbils still exist as small pets... been a while since I've heard anyone mention them.

If you’re settled on hamster you need a cage of at least 80x50cm and 6 inches of bedding, smaller cages stress them out and make them much more unfriendly. The Alaska on zoo plus is the cheapest of the right size, or you can mesh a secondhand guinepig or rabbit cage so the gaps are smaller. They’re wonderful pets, I get so much joy from mine

Thanks so much for the replies and advice, Lots to think about. I will check out the YouTube links too

@msmith501

I had gerbils as a kid ... loved them!

I'd also recommend going to a breeder, especially for a child. You'll get a much more tame hamster. Syrians are strictly solitary and need lots of space - minimum of 80x50cm though 100x50cm is better (although hamsters from breeders can be more laid back about space - female pet shop Syrians are quite notorious for never being happy with their cages).

Dwarfs can be kept in pairs, though it quite often ends in a fight. It's not really recommended for a beginner, and definitely not for a child as the fights can be quite upsetting. Dwarfs need plenty of space too 70x40cm or 80x50cm depending on who you ask, but they're easier to satisfy cage-wise than Syrians. Roborovskis are really fast and timid, especially pet shop ones, and Russian hybrids are rather notorious for being nippy, again, especially pet shop ones. There are also Chinese hamsters which aren't actually dwarfs, but they are small. You'd have to go to a breeder for a Chinese as they aren't usually found in pet shops. Chinese hamsters from a breeder sometimes have some different housing requirements than most hamsters and sometimes will need a bit less space.

Hamsters are generally asleep in the day of course, so they aren't always the best option for children. Rats, gerbils or guinea pigs can sometimes be better options, depending on what you want from a pet and how much space and time you have to offer.