How to care for a hamster

The first thing is to think about where the animal will live. There are large hamster cages And smallEverything will depend on the money you can spend and the amount of these animals that you are going to have. However, the quality of the cage is also important, since if the material is bad it can rust and spoil quickly.

Where to buy a quality hamster cage

Ideally, you should buy it in a pet Shop, instead of in bazaars, where the material of their products are cheaper and, therefore, of poorer quality. Think of a hamster as a rodent, which means that it will probably bite the bars and other parts of the cage, so the better the material, the better it will be for our pet’s health.

Where to put a hamster cage

The first step you must follow to know how to care for a hamster is to place the cage in a place that is away from drafts and direct sunlight. Therefore, it is recommended that you choose a place in the house where the animal is in perfect condition to live without too much cold or heat.

To ensure that the hamster lives in a comfortable environment, it is recommended that you cover the floor of the cage with a layer of wood shavings or not very fine sawdust, since if the touch is similar to dust, it can become toxic to our pet.

The pine wood shavings They are the best, because they are absorbent and non-toxic and will ensure that your hamster is in a padded and hygienic space. Also, some hamsters take wood chips to make their own nests, or even to wallow in them.

To properly care for your hamster, you will need to keep a drinking water trough connected to the cage at a height accessible to the animal. You should keep in mind that the water should not touch the wood shavings, because if they get wet they can decompose and cause your hamster to get sick.

Regarding water, it is important that you change the water daily the hamster to prevent waste from accumulating and bacteria proliferating that may cause a problem in the health of your pet. Hygiene is essential for the hamster to live in good conditions.

There are different sizes and models of drinkers for hamsters. However, like the cage, we recommend that you look after the health of your rodent and get the waterer in a pet store, since in other less trusted bazaars the material is not as good, and the water may not be conserved. correctly.

Another way you have to take care of your hamster is by providing him with different toys that are designed so that the animal can gnaw on them. For example, hamsters love Cardboard tubes that are inside rolls of toilet paper, but you can also use small cardboard boxes, tree branches to climb them, etc.

Another option is to go to a pet store or a vet. There you will find a large number of gadgets designed for this purpose, and they can even advise you if you need it.

It is also important that you create a comfortable sleeping space differentiated from the rest of the cage. Therefore, we recommend that you make a box for your hamster to sleep inside, cutting a door of 2 or 3 centimeters in a small closed cardboard box. Place the box in a corner of the cage and you have created a “bed” for your pet.

The hamster will fill the box with chips and chewed pieces from the cardboard toilet paper tubes and use the box as a bedroom. You will not urinate in the box, so it can be used for many months before replacing it.

On the other hand, many cages already come with a house for hamsters, usually made of plastic. But you also have the option of going to a pet store and buying the house that you like the most. However, we recommend that you purchase a wooden house, since if it is plastic the hamster will gnaw it, and it could be harmful to the animal.

Materials for the house or nest of hamsters

To fill the house or nest for your hamster and make him comfortable, you can make strips of toilet paper and place them near his sleeping area. He will take them himself, make the thinnest strips and put them inside the house.

Another option is to buy in a pet store a special preparation for nests of hamsters. They are usually like cottons, usually orange, that they adapt themselves for their home. However, if you didn’t put anything on it, the rodents would pick up the shavings from the ground and put them inside their new home.

Feed your hamster a commercially prepared hamster food mix once or twice a day. These foods usually contain pipes, corn and seeds, mainly. It is also advisable that you supply a small amount of fruits and vegetables all year. When introducing new foods, give small portions at first so that his system can get used to them.

In oneHOWTO we give you some tips so that you know how to take care of a hamster correctly in the following articles:

We also advise you to put your food in a bowl inside the cage, that hamsters are already very modest and may not want to eat if their food touches areas where they have relieved themselves.

Encourage him to exercise by putting a exercise wheel in his cage. Let them exercise outside their cage inside a specially designed plastic ball available in pet stores, although many times they already come with the cage. If your hamster is very passive and does not want to exercise, remove him from his cage and let him run in the hamster exercise ball. This option is also very good for your hamster to feel more freedom, since he can run around the house without fear of getting lost. Even so, we recommend that when you put the hamster inside a ball, make sure that it does not approach stairs or places where it can fall and hurt itself.

If, on the other hand, your hamster is very active and keeps you awake at night, you can remove the wheel before going to bed and replace it when you wake up.

It is also important that you wash your hamster’s cage at least once a week. Remove the hamster to a safe place and clean the cage with water and a little disinfectant. Clean any debris from the interior and add clean shavings before putting the hamster back inside.

It is also important that remove any fruits and vegetables that your pet has not eaten after two days. Fresh food that develops mold can make your hamster sick.

Since hamsters are active at night, the best time to clean the cage is in the afternoon or in the morning, never at noon, when hamsters prefer to rest undisturbed.

Another aspect that you should take into account if you want to know how to care for a hamster is that you should never bathe him. These animals clean themselves, so it is not necessary (or advisable) that you bathe them.

If you notice that your hamster smells bad, the smell is probably coming from dirty chips. Clean the hamster cage more often, and in a few days you will notice the difference. If your animal still smells a lot, you can prepare a hamster litter bowl, so that he can give himself a bath and neutralize the odor.

To properly care for your hamster, we advise you to take into account the following:

• Choose a young hamster: not just for cuteness, but for sociability. If you have them from a young age, they will get used to you much better than if you acquire them as adults. Also, if you accustom them to you, you will prevent them from biting other people when they approach to touch you.
• Tame your hamster– Do this by handling it daily and rewarding calm demeanor with vegetables.
• Young children can take care of their hamstersThey can be good hamster owners, but they must be supervised by an adult when handling the animal and cleaning the cage.
• Separate your hamsters if they have young: If you have a couple of hamsters, and they breed, it is best to separate the male from the cage, since it could be the case that the female attacked him to death to defend his offspring.

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