Hamster advice

[Bugsy73]

Hi, we are planning on getting a hamster. We are first timers, so just after general advice. Would we be better with a Syrian or Dwarf? Glass/plastic/wire mesh type cage? I absolutely don't want it to be able to escape so need a really secure environment! Thanks

Syrians i think (sorry if im wrong!) Are easier to handle and can become very sociable. I had two and the followed me around, one in a ball (tho balls are discouraged now it was about 20 years ago and i thought i was doing the right thing). My second lived in a house with a secured living room so we just let him run free in the evenings, keeping a sharp eye on him of course but after a bit of running he usually came to sit in whatever I was doing. Dwarves do well in pairs i believe but are less reliable for human socialisation but again, i bet loads of people have lovely stories.

I did, however have to put a tiny padlock on the side door as he was a big boy who let himself out a couple of times....

I have a big dog and I'm really not a small animal person but these two came to me unexpectedly and i adored them. If it's a syrian get a far bigger but less fancy cage than they recommend. In my experience all the funny tubes and things go unused and the main floor spaces are the favoured spaces to dig, hide food and sleep.

But I'm absolutely not an expert! Just sharing what my boys were like!

You can never get a cage that’s too big. Vast majority sold by PaH and similar shops are far too small. Whichever you get, the hamster will spend a depressing amount of time chewing at it to try and escape. Consider how you’re going to exercise it, as in the wild they roam for miles each night so it needs time out of the cage every day, but the balls you can put them in are now considered cruel so you need either a room it can’t escape from or get itself into danger in, or a large run. Also, they are nocturnal so the kids can’t play with them during the day, and they’re noisy at night so you don’t want them in a bedroom. Personally I would get rats. More friendly and sociable, also need a huge cage but more tolerant of being handled by children and not nocturnal. Need to live in pairs or small groups though.

Dwarves are, in general, easier to keep entertained and to keep happy in their environment. But are usually harder to handle. Syrians are easier to tame but I don't recommend a female, they are notoriously difficult to please and some very large habitats aren't sufficient for them. A male syrian is usually a good choice for a beginner. Or a dwarf if you aren't too bothered about handling.

I would always recommend a tank style cage over anything else. A hamster needs very deep substrate as they are burrowing animals and nothing else will provide the space for enough.

For all species of hamster, a cage will have to be a minimum of 100cm x 50cm. Theres nothing really suitable available from pet shops so you are restricted to buying online or making your own. There are lots of great DIY options that aren't too expensive. I highly recommend the Ikea Linnmon cage hack, there are youtube videos on how to make it. If you don't want to make a cage, there are glass tanks of suitable sizes available from companies like JunglePets. They would be the most secure option. There are wooden cages like the Pawhut that are a good size but often hamsters have chewed their way out of those.

Hamsters are difficult animals to make happy so make sure you do plenty of research beforehand on what makes a good set up! A cage can be the perfect size but if the set up isnt enriching enough, you will have an unhappy hamster. Victoria Rachael is a great youtube channel to watch. And there's Facebook groups like "Hamsters UK" where theres lots of info and you can ask questions.

I recommend a Syrian from a proper, ethical breeder. If you let us know where abouts you live I can possibly recommend somewhere.
Alternatively there are loads of hamsters in rescues across the country - again I can help with one local to you.

In terms of being prepared, I would ask that you do lots of research to ensure that you are happy to take on the complex needs of a hamster before getting one.
They are not the cheap and easy pets stores market them as, they have high complex and expensive needs (we spent £3k on ours in a year as much of their stuff I have to buy from Europe as you just can't get the right stuff in the UK!).

For an enclosure I recommend either the Savic Plaza (a barred enclosure) or a IKEA Linnmon (tank style - follow the vanilla ham video in YouTube).
The Savic Plaza often sells out as it is the only commercial enclosure that meets the minimum size for a Syrian.
We have a Linnmon and love it, but it does require some DIY.

Check out:
"Proper Hamster Care" Facebook group
Victoria Rachael and Erin's animals on youtube.
Loads of proper hamster care accounts on insta (think nicosyrianhamster, five little hams, the hamingway, Luna and rocky, elsje154, plus loads of others).