In addition to what has already been mentioned above, you should pay attention to some precautions when having a hamster indoors. First of all, your cage. It must be cleaned constantly in order to prevent the proliferation of bacteria and other diseases. Always clean water and quality food. They love fruits and vegetables, but it is important to also use specific hamster foods, as they complement the diet with nutrients and vitamins that your pet needs to stay strong and healthy. These animals' teeth keep growing! That's right, they're constantly growing and that's why they're always gnawing on something, to wear down their teeth! Offer your pet hard foods, such as carrots, for example. In addition to being a delicious snack, he can practice his routine of "wearing" his teeth.
The hamster is a nocturnal animal, so it will be easier to interact with him at night. For the rest of the day, they like to hide in burrows or between cage hardware. Remember to offer your pet a cage with a favorable amount of toys for him to play and exercise.
Hamsters are healthy animals, in general, they do not need to be vaccinated or use fleas as we are used to in cats and dogs. But some diseases can affect them and as they are very sensitive we must be alert to the slightest sign that something is wrong. Some common diseases in these pets are:
Diarrhea - caused by bacteria or an unbalanced diet. The animal must be very hydrated and the cage and its utensils sterilized and cleaned regularly.
Colds and pneumonia - the pet has difficulty breathing, runny nose and watery eyes. Keep the pet in a dry and warm place, with a balanced diet, clean and fresh water and a sterilized cage. If symptoms persist, take the animal to the vet to be medicated. Remember that a simple flu for such a small animal can be fatal.
Wet tail - or Proliferative Ileitis is one of the most common diseases in these rodents, as they are caused by bacteria present in their intestines that are activated by stress, feeding or incorrect cleaning of the cage. This disease is easily confused with diarrhea as this is one of its symptoms, but, in addition, the animal loses its appetite, becomes curved and the anal region and tail become dirty with a wet appearance. The pet must be taken to the veterinarian to be properly medicated and the cage and its utensils must be sterilized so that the disease does not proliferate.
Irritated Eyes - A hamster's eyes are extremely sensitive and anything can cause irritation or injury. If you notice that the animal is tearing excessively, presenting blemishes or has bulging eyes, take it to the vet to check the severity and so that the correct treatment is indicated.
- Not all hamster breeds do this, but most of them have a kind of pouch in their cheeks to store and transport food. You may have already seen videos of these animals putting whole foods in their mouths. Well, this “compartment” does not have saliva and is suitable for storing food, leaving it fresh and preserved for later.
- The name Hamster comes from the German word hamstern which means “to store”, referring to the characteristic of these animals that we mentioned above.
- In addition to the Syrian Hamster (which is a little bigger) other common breeds to have at home are: Roborovisk Hamster, Chinese Hamster and Russian Dwarf Hamster.
These animals were easily adapted in captivity because they are docile and calm. They are perfect pets for any type of family as they don't give a lot of work and occupy a small space inside the house. They have a low level of vision and as a compensation, their sense of smell and touch are very accurate. Therefore, it takes little time to recognize its owner, especially if you handle it constantly, offering food and petting it. This approach must be done calmly, remember that he is a very small being and you are very big next to him. Taking it in the hand must be done with great delicacy, as well as caresses. But in a short time this friendly mouse will recognize its owner, ask for food and even a petting. His friendliness is one of the main characteristics that make this pet a very dear pet.
Well, this is perhaps one of the only disadvantages of having a hamster as a pet. Their average life expectancy is only 2 years which can be a big problem since we get attached to our pets very easily, right?
