Hamsters. Tell me everything.

[Polkadottydot]

We currently have fish and a dog and my DS has been begging for a hamster for months and I'm about to give in. But I haven't had one since a kid and my mum did all the donkey work I'm sure. As I no doubt will be doing now. Karma and all that ....BUT he has made a PowerPoint of info, costed up how he will pay for it to be fed and bedded and I feel like he's serious. He's 12 and struggles a bit socially and I think it could be good for him. But I'm not stupid either. I want to know what is likely to fall to me.

Bitey little fuckers ime. Remember they are nocturnal.. Your ds will want to play and it will want to sleep.
Your ds won't be able to sleep for the repetitive squeaking of it's fucking wheel.
Ime.

There was a thread on them last week. www.mumsnet.com/Talk/pets/5070437-hamsters

Annoying lol and they bite. You might get lucky and find a kind one but they sleep all day and make a racket all night

Make sure you get a cage that's super deep and large enough for the hamster (don't listen to pets at home cage advice!). They need good amounts of cleaning and enrichment, don't just chuck in a square shallow cage and give them nothing.

There's a few really good YouTube videos on set ups if you have a search 😊

They die. A lot. You will have endless burials in the garden, tears, etc. My friend has about eight mobile phone box coffins in her garden…. Just sayin’

Mine is just coming up to two years old. He's grumpy and gorgeous. Never bitten, always comes out to say hello and is great fun to watch.

Previous hamster lived until two and a half, again very sociable.

I've always been quite hands off. They are happy to come out when I clean them, and I've always given them lots of enrichment stuff in their cages, but didn't play with them endlessly.

Hmmm mixed vibes then. My one I had as a child was a bitey git

My DS got one recently, I had several as a child. Only bitten when I had food on my hands but I'd forgotten how jumpy they are until trained. Now a lovely bundle of fluff who is happy to be handled, play and will sit in your hand to be carried around the room but as others say they wake at night so not ideal for some kids. We got some good advice at pets at home* and they now sell some suitably sized cages (ours loves their deep tank and digs/rolls in it, its adorable) but be warned they are not low maintenance pets and need lots of enrichment to keep them occupied so I am doing a lot of the leg work but I secretly love it and think the little critter likes me the best

*editing to say it may have been helpful that I'd done a lot of research and knew what I was looking for

Cage needs to be deep and a minimum of 100cm x 50cm, and takes a tonne of substrate so they can bury themselves not a rubbish Pets at home one or just enough bedding to line the cage.

Gerbils are alert during the day so less noisy at night but need to be kept in pairs in same size cage as above or larger and if they fight you have to separate them and get another cage as they can never go back in together.

You may find a rat a better pet if kept properly, both gerbils and hamsters are tricky yo look after properly.

Get gerbils. Way better really inquisitive and interactive. Ours never bit and we sadly lost them within a few of months of each other at 3.5 and nearly 4 yrs old.

You need a huge tank though we made ours using an aquarium and cage topper

We've found a huge deep cage thing but I need to research more about enrichment and handling. I seem to recall mine not doing much but biting and running in the wheel.

I've owned 7 roborovski hamsters the smallest and fastest breed most of them very sociable in the day and trained to be up and interact all of mine lived long lives all males also females are harder I still have my first boy who is now 2 years 8 months and had him since 8 weeks they are amazing if you get to know them and take the time to talk to them and interact but.... They aren't good for young children gerbils are amazing for this

Get a pair of rats instead - my DD wanted a hamster. I took her to meet some rats and there was no contest. They don't mind being woken up, actively adore you, can be trained and are just lovely, smart little creatures (who will break your heart).

Bite and smell. Look at gerbils. Cuter, smaller and don't really bite. Their pee doesn't smell much so you don't have that horrid musty smell if you miss cleaning their cage one week.

But they can chew their way out I of things so need to get an appropriate cage.

Not all hamsters bite ! I have owned 6 roborovski hamsters and none bit me once however I do advise against roborovski because they are the smallest and fastest breed so not suitable for children

Their life span also varies I have 2 hamsters live only 6 months each and another 1 year and others made it to age 2 I've an old boy left who is 2 years 8 months and literally not looking well now so they all do vary in lifespans

Get as big a home as possible for them. We're In Germany and my son was shocked by the teeny tiny cages which seem to be widespread in the UK.

I had a few as a child with the rotastack (Sp?) cages, most of them escaped. One got scared by next doors cat, went bald, ran up vet bills then died anyway. One escaped and lived in the insulation under the cooker for a while quite happily except when dad made toast under the grill. One escaped, went into the washing machine and came out blue but happy. The washing machine died though, mum wasn't too impressed. They are crafty little buggers!

We have a little dwarf Russian hamster, he's a lovely little fella, has a big cage and likes making tunnels in the substrate, can fit an astonishing amount of food in his little cheeks and he changes colours with the seasons which is fun to watch. He's nipped very gently a couple of times when he wasn't in the mood to be handled but never drawn blood or left a mark. Oh and he bloody loves peanut butter, we very very occasionally put a tiny smear of it in his cage and he licks it beyond the point where there can possibly be any left.

We have had 6 Hamsters. They have all had different personalities and were great fun it is lovely to watch them tunnelling and storing food or munching on their treats. You can even buy cars for them or mazes and other fun things they even enjoy listening to music. i would recommend them

They bite and they are naturally nocturnal. Cute but not ideal pets. We minded one for daughter's friend. Glad to see the back of it. The only plus point was that it crawled up the back of the radiator, came out at the top covered in fluff. We dusted it off, then sent it up a few more times until the back of the radiator was fully cleaned.

Sometimes you think theyve gone to hamster heaven but actually they just got cold and hibernated. Basically when it dies make sure it's dead.

My vote would be rats. Way more intelligent, interactive and longer life span.

The best advice about hamsters I can give you is how to catch them when they escape (and they will!). Take the wire rack from a grill pan and lean it up against a metal wastebin into which you have put a good handful of hamster food, and put this near where you think the hamster might be. The hamster will come out at night, climb up the rack and get down into the bin to get the food. He then won’t be able to get out, and you will find him running around the inside of the bin the next morning.

Gerbils are much easier & generally live longer, but they should be kept in pairs. Rats are the best pets ever but take up more room (& break your heart when they die) but you probably need 3 or 4.

Another vote for rats. Check out https://www.facebook.com/shadowtherat/

We’ve got a boy sirisn & he’s ace! Bit the first few days so we wore gloves/did the bath intro & he’s a star now! Completely tame & runs to us when we go in at night! We take him out for 10 mins each night & give him treats etc! My DD loves him! Everyone we know with hamsters have tamed them & they don’t bite. Things to note;

They need a big cage all on 1 level so you need enough floor space for this

They have short lives - teaches about love & loss though I guess!

Girls are not as friendly & sociable as boys - they’re more territorial of their cage

After the initial set up, cost is low

They’re good for children, gives them responsibility i.e changing water every day, feeding, getting them out etc (I clean sand bath/cage etc)

There aren’t any ethical breeders 😭 they’re pretty much all from hamster mills.