Have you ever dreamed of what it might be like to retain and train hamsters as pets? The purpose of this journal is to bring clarification to many of the doubts that you may have.
For starters, hamsters as pets don’t require much space compared to a mutt or kitling. The area that you must set aside in your own home is no more than the size of a ichthys (fish) household. Because they take up such little space, hamsters are very excellent pets for apartment living or for a modest home.
Do not underrate, however, the time that you will need to care for your hamsters as pets. The degree of time required to care for them is roughly the same as it would be for a whelp. Hamsters want to be fed and watered each day. Anticipate that the toilets must be cleaned frequently. Every day, the hamsters demand an hour of out-of-cage playtime. Their homes will need to be cleaned on a seven day schedule.
Regarding the monetary requirement, you will discover that hamsters are on par with other pets. Hamster supplies are not terribly expensive, but they are not free either. Although your hamster eats very little, you will use up quite a bit of bedding material. Hamsters are known to be a healthy species, yet any animal can become ill. Save money for occasional trips to the veterinarian.
Hamsters as pets may or may not be cuddly. The hamster that is most amenable to handling is the Syrian. The dwarf hamster species have not been kept as pets for as long a time as the Syrian, and thus retain more of their wild nature. Rather than being cuddled by their caretakers, the dwarf hamsters prefer to play “on” their human keepers. Syrian hamsters are slower than dwarfs, and cannot fit in such tight spaces as dwarfs can. Thus, escapees are especially hard to catch.
Dogs and hamsters are similar in that they look forward to human company. Once a hamster gets used to your voice, it will consider you part of its community. As a result, never leave a hamster alone for more than a day or two.
Hamsters do not tolerate warm to hot temperatures. They live underground where it is continuously cool. You must have continual air conditioning if you live in a climate where it will get warm. Whereas you yourself may be able to suffer through days of 85° F (30°C), this temperature can quickly kill your hamster.
The final thing to know about keeping hamsters as pets is that hamsters are nocturnal or crespuscular. This means that they are active at night or at dawn and twilight. As a result, plan to interact with them only during these times.
Lastly, as long as you’re willing to make the effort, hamsters do make gratifying pets
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