Hamster FAQ's

One Hamster or More?
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  Syrian Hamsters are solitary animals so definitely only 1 hamster per cage should be kept. Dwarf hamsters are different as they are very friendly with each other, so dwarf hamsters (of the same type should be kept together). Chinese hamsters are solitary animals too and should be housed on their own.
  


How long do hamsters live?
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  Syrian Hamsters live up to 2 years – even though there have been some cases in which they lived up to 3 years. Dwarf Russian Hamsters live for about 1 and a half to 2 years while Roborovski Hamsters live up to 3 years.
  


How do you know that the female hamster is pregnant?
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  The female hamster will start to hoard more food and will constantly carry and prepare nesting material. Also during the last week one can notice that the female hamster's stomach will get bigger and this is when the birth of the baby hamsters is near.
  


Can I bath my hamster?
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  No, you should never bath your hamster. Hamsters keep themselves clean and wash themselves regularly. Never bath your hamster, as it can catch a cold.
  


My hamster escaped! What can I do?
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  Close all the windows and doors and put some hamster food and some vegetables on the floor. Be always on the look out when you walk, as you might not see your hamster and could hurt it. If the hamster is hungry, surely it will come out for the food. Also you can place it's cage (open) on the floor; usually if the hamster sees the cage, the hamster will go in it. Or else you may opt for the hamster bucket system. Place a bucket with a stand for the hamster to climb into – and place some hamster food and vegetables in the bucket. When the hamster reaches the top, he will go smell the food, fall into the bucket and will be unable to climb up again. The only problem is that the hamster could get injured when it falls into the bucket, so pile up lots of soft bedding for a soft landing.
  


How can I tame my hamster?
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  When bringing your new hamster home, give it some time for it to get used to its new cage – leave the hamster alone with plenty of fresh water and hamster food so that your hamster can get used to the area, smells and sounds. After some days, try giving the hamster some food from your hand and after some time, you will notice that the hamster will get used to you. Try to handle it gently too – if the hamster is afraid, put it back in the cage and allow it some more time for it to get used to you. The more gently you handle your hamster, the more your hamster will get used to you. All this will take days or even months! Patience is an important factor.
  


Why doesn’t my hamster sleep during the night?
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  Hamsters do not sleep during the night as they are nocturnal animals ie: they sleep during the day and wake up during the night.
  


How often should I feed and give water to my hamster?
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  The hamster's food bowl should be refilled frequently and any uneaten fruit should not be kept but should be disposed off. The hamster's water should be changed daily.
  


My hamster died. What should I do?
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  Burial at home or cremation are the two options when dealing with the disposal of a dead hamster. Some hamster owners prefer to keep the bodies of their hamsters and to bury them at home in the garden or in a small pot. The hamster’s dead body can be wrapped in cloth or placed in a homemade coffin fashioned from cardboard packaging. Never bury your dead hamster wrapped in plastic because this delays decomposition of the body after burial. Click here to read more.