Many people are misinformed about the proper care for hamsters. There are many reasons why people don’t know the true care that you need to have for hamsters. This is because a lot of pet stores promote the wrong care and don’t inform customers about the true care a hamster needs.
Cages
There are many cages that get sold for hamsters that are not good for them. For example, the small ones with the colorful tubes that go around it. Hamsters are actually supposed to have 700–900 square inches of floor space. Also, with many hamster cages, they are not deep. Hamsters are natural burrowers. In order for them to burrow, they need to have at least 10 inches of bedding to burrow in. Hamsters can only start burrowing at 6 inches of bedding, but 10 inches is more reasonable and suitable.
Hamster balls
Another hamster item that is sold at all pet stores is a hamster ball. Hamster balls are not safe, as once your hamster gets tired, they have no way to get out until someone lets them out. Hamsters can get easily hurt in hamster balls, as they can have a hard time slowing the ball down when they are running around. Hamsters not being able to slow it down can also result in the hamster flipping and losing its balance in the ball. This can result in so many injuries and possibly even kill the hamster.
Sand baths
Hamsters need a certain type of sand in their cage. Hamsters use this sand to bathe themselves. You are not supposed to bathe your hamster with soap and water. This can be very dangerous for the hamster. When you bathe your hamster in water, you are stripping its natural oil away. As a result, this can cause your hamster to become ill and catch a cold.
Only 1 hamster in 1 cage
Most hamsters cannot be housed together. This is because they are not social animals, and as a result, they will fight over territory and kill each other. The only hamsters that can be housed together are dwarf hamsters. This can only happen if they are given the right care and conditions; if not, all could fail. When dwarf hamsters are housed together, they still need areas they can go to separate and get away from each other. Just like siblings, we love each other, but we need space.
Warning signs of improper care
There are many negative signs hamsters show when they are not given proper care. These being,
- Biting at the bars on their cage
- Climbing the bars
- Excessive digging
- Rolling
- Scratching
- Squeaking
- Licking
- Pacing
Proper care for hamsters goes unknown to many people. It is very important to make sure you can provide the right care for a hamster before you get one. It is good to make sure you are not misled by pet store workers or anyone who may not be giving the full truth about the care they need. Lastly, it is good to make sure the true care that is needed continues to be spread to people, so hopefully more hamsters can have the right home.
