Hamsters have long been a favorite choice as pets for kids. They are pretty hardy and undemanding, but some kids will be frustrated by their nocturnal lifestyle.
Syrian (golden, teddy bear) hamsters have traditionally been the most common hamsters seen in pet stores; they are solitary and should be kept singly. Syrian hamsters are also larger and more easily handled than dwarf hamsters, which are becoming more common, but are a bit different in their habits and care needs from Syrian hamsters.
Even less common are Chinese hamsters, which are quite a bit different in appearance but can make lovely pets too.
Also See: Hamster Health
Photo: Syrian Hamster courtesy Martin Harvey / Getty Images
Comments
Oh I am so very sad my son had bought one of those Roboinsky hamsters with his birthday money, anyway we all loved her very much(Baby)then one day she just didnt eat as much, she had a lump on her chest, couldnt fiqure out if it was just to much food in her pouch. Then all she did was sleep all day and all night and wouldnt go to the bathroom. I was at work when my son called me and said that baby had died in his hands we had only had her about 2 months. We are all so very sad, what went wrong? I have had hamsters all my life with now problems at all matter of fact mine always lived longer then usual because I take great care of my animals. Do you think it could be because we used pine shavings, or the cotton they sell for hamsters to burrow in. What do you think?
So sorry to hear about your hamster.
Of course it is impossible for me to guess what happened, but it would be very unlikely that the pine bedding contributed to Baby’s death as it is more of a concern regarding long term exposure. The cotton can cause sudden problems, but the problems are relatively rare and it doesn’t really sound like that was what happened with Baby (most common problems are choking, an internal blockage or getting wrapped around a leg causing damage). It’s impossible to say for sure and I can understand you feel terribly sad, but don’t blame yourselves.
Take Care,
Lianne
i have a hamster and i have alot of old schoolwork left over from this year. if i shred this in a paper shredder, cani use it?or would the graphite and ink make it sick?
Tay: I’m not really sure…it would probably be safer to stick with plain shredded paper. In small amounts printed paper is likely fine – the graphite from pencils is probably not a concern – but I do worry a bit about other inks as I am not entirely sure what all might be in them.
Lianne
I have an older (~2 yrs) male teddy bear hamster who has gone bald on his rear legs and belly. I’ve seen his fall over sideways in his cage for no reason and he will only walk for five minutes in his hamster ball, where he used to run for hours, literally. He’s also stopped climbing up to the “penthouse” of his cage to sleep and makes a burrow on the main floor of the cage instead.
All these changes have occurred in the last two weeks. He doesn’t seem to be holding his head to one side as in a stroke, but he has visible weakness on the right side of his body (see above). He will eat fresh veggies and nuts (or at least take them and hide them in his bedding) but is less interested in his seed mix, and he drinks tap frequently. Is he just getting old or is this something he should see a vet for?
Trevor
Sorry to hear about your hamster. Of course, it is impossible to say what might be happening for sure via the Internet. I’d suggest making a trip to the vet to see if you can find out what is going on for sure and make sure he is not suffering. 2 years is definitely into hamster old age.
Best wishes,
Lianne
hamsters are cute, but they only live for a short period of time about 2 to 3 years, 4 at most. have a look at my guide.. thanks
http://www.gomestic.com/Pets/Hamster-Care.183809
My daughters hamster, Cody is 1 year 6 months old. Is that classed as ‘old’ yet? He is still very active and seems fine but his fur has become very thin all over. Including a bald patch on his hip. The skin does not appear to be red, scaly or causing him any irritation and he does not show any other signs of ill health. Should I take him to a vet?
Hi Clare
Your hamster isn’t quite “old” yet although he is definitely getting up there in age. I think anytime there is a change like that a trip to the vet is a good idea at least to find out if there is something that can be treated.
Best wishes,
Lianne
My son has a hamster. We have had him for about 8 months. I got it when it was a baby. Today, i came home and it wad dead. It was blooding from the mouth. I do not know what happened to it.
My son’s teddy bear hamster is about 2 years old. We noticed he is severely bloated from his “waist” down – about4-5 times his normal size. His cage appears to be clean. I am wondering if he is not urinating and is “acked up”. Any suggestions?
Hi sharon
I’ve been away so I may be too late to be of help commenting here, but anything like this should really be seen by a vet. It’s really impossible to guess what might be going on.
Best wishes,
Lianne