Dzungarian hamsters differ in their small size in comparison with the usual representatives of this family. Children especially like them because they behave actively and quickly tamed. However, their content should be understood that hamsters are family creatures, so they need a pair, otherwise they can miss and die. You can, of course, keep the hamster alone, but such an instance will quickly become aggressive and may run wild. The degree of his wildness can reach a state where the Jungar hamster will simply throw on your hands when you try to put a bowl with food or change water. Therefore, if you are not ready to give your pet enough time, be sure to buy him a pair. It is better to acquire young individuals, full of strength and energy.
Hamsters need to change their drinking water daily, with the same frequency you should replenish their feeder. What you can eat Djungar hamsters, you can ask the consultant in the pet store. The main thing is that the food is balanced, otherwise your pet may quickly lose interest in life and begin to fade. You can buy ready-made food or cook it yourself. To do this, mix corn and corn cobs, add seeds, beans and occasionally supplement this mixture with cabbage or apple. Hamsters love to eat peas or beans, but you should not abuse these products.
Care and entertainment
Mandatory procedures in the care of hamsters are bathing and cleaning the cage. At least once a week you need to clean their home, so as not to dilute the dampness and fetid odor. For this reason, it is better to use sawdust to fill the cuvette, which absorb moisture better than paper, and it's easier to clean them.
A pet should have a spacious cage, because such mobile hamsters need a place to practice, for example, on a running wheel. Without movement, hamsters tend to gain extra pounds, which can lead to a premature death of a pet. The rule “Movement is life” is very important for hamsters, so they live very badly without training. Be sure to make sure that the pet was where to work out. The hamster will not interfere with the ball in which he will walk on the floor without risking his life. In this case, you will be sure that the pet of the family will not pick up anything during the walk and will not be crushed. Walking the hamster in a ball should not last more than 30 minutes.
Dzungarik requires a special stick that will allow him to grind his teeth. You can buy ready-made, but you can prepare it yourself. Make a stick out of the branches of fruit trees, with the exception of cherries and apricots. The thickness of the stick should not be more than the little finger. In order to disinfect it, boil it for half an hour, then dry it and offer to taste the finished hamster hamster.
Apparently, caring for the Jungar hamster should not cause any special problems. However, if the described recommendations are not followed, the pet may get sick. Feeling unwell can occur as a result of unhealthy diet or after suffering stress. Therefore, try to protect your pet from emotional stress. You can read about the diseases of the Dzungar hamsters here.
Habitat
Home care for hamsters begins with the acquisition and arrangement of the cage with all the necessary equipment. But this organization hamster life does not end there. The animal in a confined space is completely dependent on the owner. Care must be taken to maintain a comfortable temperature in the room all year round.
It does not matter at what temperature hamsters live in nature, at home it should be 20-24 C.
The cage is protected from sunlight, and in hot climates it is recommended to equip the room with air conditioning. The hamster cage should not stand close to the heater.
The air should be fresh and clean, without sharp odors and smoke. Airing the room, beware of creating drafts.
Rodents do not tolerate noise well, so they do not turn on the TV, music or loud appliances near the cage.
Hamster can not be awakened during the day, well, if there is a house in the cage so that the pet can hide. Children should be taught how to properly care for the animal with a nocturnal lifestyle, and prepare to tolerate noise at night.
How to care for hamsters: daily care
Hamster is fed 1-2 times a day, usually in the evening. The basis of the diet is dry food, but it is very important that the pet also receives juicy and protein feeds. You should carefully study the list of prohibited and allowed products, otherwise the animal may get an upset digestion or even die.
Taking care of hamsters is often charged to children: it is very interesting to watch them during the meal. Small pieces of vegetables, fruits can be prepared in advance.
In pet shops there is a wide choice of delicacies for rodents, but it is better to choose not sweet ones, without honey and other harmful substances to the hamster. Dried dandelion roots, millet spikelets are a great option for grinding off constantly growing incisors.
Pet provide fresh drinking water. It is recommended to change the water every day even in a closed drinking water system.
Maintain cleanliness
Many are interested in how to care for hamsters so that there is no unpleasant smell from the cage. That the pet was healthy, and not too "fragrant" it is very important to monitor the cleanliness. Every day, remove the remnants of food that can deteriorate - rotting fruit or stale meat are dangerous for the owner of the pantry.
The bottom of the cage must be generously covered with filler. They used to use sawdust, but now corn and cellulose fillers are the most popular. The litter not only absorbs urine, but also allows the animal to dig, make caches.
It is necessary to clean up after the hamster every day, removing the wet filler and pouring fresh instead. The animals are clean, and most often meet the need in the same place ("toilet corner"). And general cleaning with a complete replacement of the filler and washing the cage is not so often required: 3-4 times a month. Excessive zeal in this matter will lead to a nervous breakdown in the hamster.
Hamsters are far from the most contact rodents, as they live in nature strictly one by one. At home, the content of a hamster should also be single, if there are several animals, then there should be several cells. Such a pet is also not eager to communicate with the owner, so you have to spend a lot of time taming an independent rodent.
There are certain rules of communication, if they are not followed, the hamster will show fear and aggression, annoying the owner. In the first days after the purchase of the animal, it is better not to disturb him at all, no matter how much one wants to cuddle a fluffy little ball. About a week, he will get used to a new home, and at the same time to the voice and smell of the owner. At this stage, it is recommended nickname the pet during feeding.
Domestic hamsters differ little in temperament from their wild counterparts, they must be patiently accustomed to hands, in order for communication to bring joy to both the owner and the pet. With hamsters, the main means is food reinforcement - you need to teach your baby to take a treat from the palm. Gradually, the rodent will get used to the hand, then it can be pulled out of the cage. Handle the animal should be careful - a tiny animal can be injured if it jumps out of the hands or is squeezed too tight. It is safest to wrap it around with your palms, forming a “house”.
- wake the animal,
- to take from above, from the back (associated with a predator attack),
- make sharp movements (even in the case of a bite, you need to remain calm).
Caring for a hamster should include daily communication. If you do not take a pet in your hands for a long time, there will be a "rollback", and taming will have to start again. Contact should occur at the time of activity of the animal (in the evening).
Providing activity
To keep hamsters in tiny cages or a three-liter jar is cruel to a small animal that runs several kilometers in nature every day. Not for nothing their home equip running wheel. Caring for hamsters can be to ensure their leisure. The owners equip the entire playground, labyrinths and tunnels for curious rodents.
Despite the need for movement and diversity, it is possible to let out a pet for a walk around the apartment only in a walking ball. Otherwise, the hamster at home is exposed to mortal danger - it can get stuck, be pinched / pinched by the door, fall, fall into a pan, eat a poisonous plant, gnaw through the wire under electricity. Catching a pet can be very difficult.
You can not organize a walk on high surfaces (table, sofa). All hamsters come from flat steppes, they do not understand and are not afraid of heights. Great risk that the pet will fall.
Is it possible to walk a hamster on the street
For the best of intentions, some owners tend to let their pet stay in nature. But a home hamster from such a walk will not receive pleasure, but the strongest stress. About the fact that a pet can get seriously sick, not many people think.
On the nature of the animal predators lurk: dogs, cats, rats, ravens. A smart kid can easily run away and get lost forever. The outdoor environment is more aggressive and unstable: the hamster can overcool, especially if the grass is wet, or overheat in the sun. Land and grass are often infected with parasites and are a source of infection due to wild rodents.
Conclusion
The hamster often becomes the first pet of the child, since the care and maintenance of the animal at home are not too burdensome. But to take care of him properly is also necessary. It is good to acquire a rodent in a professional nursery: an experienced breeder knows all about hamsters, and will willingly tell you how to care for them. Often, along with the young hamster buyer receives a brief instruction. If the pet is purchased on the market, you can find information on how to keep a hamster, on the Internet or specialized literature.
What to look for when buying
When choosing and purchasing such a pet as a hamster, you must make the most careful examination of the animal:
- first of all, you need to examine the eyes, which should be fun, healthy and shiny, not scratched and without pathological secretions,
- also need to inspect the anus. Around the opening, the fur should not be stained with secretions, since in this case it is possible to assume prolonged diarrhea in an animal, which is caused not only by errors in the diet, but also by infectious or somatic diseases,
- among other things, the coat is to be carefully examined, which should have a uniform, shiny, fluffy or smooth, absolutely healthy appearance.
After the hamster is visually inspected, the animal should be gently picked up and gently felt:
- the pet's tummy should be elastic and firm, without cavities, which do not allow to clearly feel the protruding ribs,
- With manual palpation, it is very easy to determine the places of scratching or biting, which are most often located in the lumbar region or near the sacrum.
Among other things, only by picking up a hamster can one preliminarily determine his character and attitude towards people. The animal must show a lively interest, and not bite, scratch or break out of the hands.
It is interesting! Before you buy a hamster, you need to know its age. The best option would be to acquire a six-month-old animal, which very quickly adapts to its new habitat.
Basic hamster content rules
The content of hamsters, despite the apparent simplicity and ease, the event is quite troublesome. It is necessary to remember that the order imposed by the hamster in his cage, in any case can not be violated. Cage with a pet should be installed in a place where there is no direct sunlight and drafts or high humidity.
For proper maintenance, the owner of such a pet is sufficient to perform the most basic hygienic procedures, including washing the feeder, cleaning the toilet, and updating the litter as needed. It is important to remember that by making any permutations in the rodent cage, you can provoke a very serious stress in the animal.
It is interesting! It is not recommended to frequently change the location of the cage with a hamster, since such “crossings”, as a rule, have a very negative effect on the psyche of the pet, and the systematic removal of the rodent outside the premises is a completely unsuccessful idea.
Housing arrangement, habitat
Any pet needs its own comfortable and comfortable dwelling, and living conditions in such a house should be as close as possible to the natural habitat. Of course, the terms of the content of the hamster, implies some restrictions, but the responsible owner will always try to provide his pet an optimal existence. In the process of selecting the cage is very important to consider the size, as well as the number of pets and their habits.
Experts have determined the smallest size of the cage suitable for home keeping of a hamster - 50x30 cm, which is explained by the increased motor activity of such an animal. Under natural conditions, a hamster can run more than ten kilometers a day, and a strong lack of movement or physical inactivity can adversely affect the health of the rodent, causing the development of obesity or pathology of the heart and vascular system.
Particular importance is attached to the bars in the future hamster home. They should not be placed vertically and have too narrow or wide distance between them. For dwarf hamsters, the distance between the rods is set within 3-5mm, and Syrian hamsters have a gap of no more than 8-10mm. There should be two or more floors in a standard cage, at least a quarter of a meter high and no more than 30-35 cm. For the delimitation of the floors, special plastic shelves are used without fail, and not lattice bases.
The most popular are metal cages with a solid bottom and rounded corners or a standard suction pan. The door must open upwards and have a locking quality latch. It is very convenient to use structures with a removable ceiling part, which makes it easy to carry out regular cleaning of the cage. In recent years, houses from plexiglas, covered with a special grid, are increasingly being purchased by owners of house hamsters.
Important! Remember that for home maintenance of dwarf hamster breeds, cages of small sizes are well suited, and for Syrians it will be necessary to select a sufficiently large dwelling with a large drum.
In addition to the standard wheel in a cage for a hamster, you need to place various ladders and cubes, a walking ball, as well as safe snags and wood. As a shelter for the animal, a small house made of ecological plastic or properly treated wood is most often used.
Features hamster nutrition
A significant part of the standard ration of a domestic rodent should be a special feed intended to feed the hamster. Such ready-made rations are granulated or represented by seed-based mixtures, which allows you to fully provide your pet with the necessary nutrients for full growth and development.
It must be remembered that, regardless of the breed, hamsters extremely difficult to tolerate any significant changes in their diet, so it is recommended to constantly acquire the same, but well-balanced and complete food. Transfer to another type of food is very smooth, within a few weeks. Beans, onions, potatoes, rhubarb and tomato tops, as well as chocolate and any sweets, spices and pickles are strictly contraindicated for pets.
Vegetables represented by turnip, carrots, chicory, spinach, parsley, pumpkin, endive and cauliflower are among the most useful for domestic rodents.
Also a positive effect on the health of the hamster broccoli, green beans and asparagus, raisins, apple and pear, plum and peach. To maintain the teeth in good condition and supply the body of the rodent with all necessary components, it is recommended to use special mineral blocks. Also, special drinking bowls are installed in the cage, which are regularly filled with clean water.
Important! In order to quickly replenish the diet of an active pet with proteins important for the body, occasionally, boiled-boiled egg protein is used as a supplement to the main food.
Hamster care and hygiene
Competent care for a home hamster includes a number of specific rules, which are as follows:
- domestic rodent is best to keep one, in a separate and optimal in size cage,
- in the room where the cell is located, should be maintained normal temperature and sufficient silence,
- нельзя опускать руку в клетку с хомяком, так как грызун может воспринимать такое движение, как угрозу его личным владениям,
- rodents, in order to maintain vitality, must move a lot, eat a varied and very full diet, and also sleep a sufficient amount of time,
- It is strictly forbidden to punish the hamster, as in this case, the pet will become fearful and experience extreme stress.
Animal care activities also include hamster cage hygiene.. Despite all its functionality, the glass cage will require more care from the rodent owner than a traditional metal dwelling. The glass cage needs regular wet cleaning, which is done without the use of cleaning and chemical agents. After washing, it is imperative to dry the cage well under sunlight or near heating devices.
The biggest problems arise when cleaning the most modern cells that have a large number of chambers connected by transitions and tunnels. Smooth plastic and complex design do not allow for the complete replacement of hygienic filler, as well as to perform high-quality cell washing.
As a result, an unpleasant odor accumulates inside the pipes, which negatively affects the health of the pet.
Health, Disease and Prevention
There is a fairly large number of diseases that can affect indoor hamsters. The most well-known are pathologies resulting from viruses, feed deficiency and parasite infection.. If the paralytic stage of rabies is extremely rare in domestic hamsters, and ends in death, then there are a number of fairly common diseases that are represented:
- Aujeszky's viral disease, rapidly affecting the central nervous system of a pet,
- Tizzer’s disease that causes fever, diarrhea, dehydration and apathy, resulting in the death of a pet,
- infectious disease Bronchosepticosis, starting with serous and mucous discharge from the nose as a result of a cold,
- Colibacillosis disease, manifested by decreased mobility, refusal of food, as well as fetid diarrhea and wasting,
- infectious lymphocytic choriomeningitis, dangerous to humans and not curable,
- bacterial luterellosis, which is carried by airborne droplets and causes the death of the animal,
- viral encephalomyelitis.
Important! For self-assessment of health status, attention should be paid to the behavior and appetite, the type of breathing and the appearance of the pet, as well as the consistency of its excrement. At the first signs of illness, you should visit a veterinarian.
Diseases of the domestic hamster with paratyphoid fever, or salmonellosis, as well as pasteurellosis, pneumonia, and pseudotuberculosis are also common diseases. In case of errors in care, the pet may be exposed to external or ectoparasites, represented by ticks, fleas and lashes, for the destruction of which 0.5% solution is used based on "Bromocyclin" or "Netritonat.
Reproduction and offspring
Hamsters are very prolific pets, capable of bringing from two to four litters annually.
The gestation period of the female can last from two to three weeks. In general, very many species of such domestic rodents are ready for breeding at the age from three to six weeks, and the Dzungarian hamsters are sometimes somewhat earlier than this age.
However, all experts advise to refrain from mating domestic hamsters too early, since the period of intensive development in such animals ends only by the fifth week of life, and pregnancy at this age often becomes the main cause of rickets and many other pathological changes.
It is interesting! As practice shows, too young female hamsters, regardless of the breed, very often completely eat their offspring, and the most optimal is mating at the age of six months.
It is very important to adhere to a sufficient gap between matings, which will allow the female to recover from the pregnancy and gain strength. As a rule, the standard period of adaptation to a new pairing is three or four months. It is important to closely monitor the diet of the pregnant female, and especially the amount of vitamins, minerals and nutrients in the daily feed.. The diet should be represented by cereals, fruits and vegetables, boiled eggs, low-fat cottage cheese and wheat germ.
Newborn hamsters are born very small, completely bald, as well as blind and deaf, but from birth they are able to perfectly distinguish all the smells around them. Babies grow very quickly, so it is advisable to take care in advance about where the monthly hamsters will be attached.
Hamsters: care at home. How to choose a healthy hamster?
The hamster’s health criteria are its appearance and behavior. A healthy animal has:
• shiny fur without bald patches - bald spots can be caused by stress, subcutaneous mites, fungal diseases,
• clear, clear eyes with no discharge,
• clean anus without traces of diarrhea,
• calm even breathing,
• clean nose without bloom and discharge.
It is better to observe the behavior of a hamster in the late afternoon. During the day, these animals usually sleep. In the evening, healthy hamsters become active, feed, begin to run and climb their territory.
Hamsters: care at home. Which hamster cage to choose: slatted or dune? Cage equipment
In pet stores, the range of cages for hamsters is quite wide. They are divided into 2 types: lattice or plastic.
Ordinary lattice cells acquire for Syrian (golden) hamsters. The rods in such cells should be placed horizontally. This will allow the animal to climb the walls. The lattice spacing depends on the type of hamster that will live in this cage: up to 1 cm for a golden one, 0.5 cm for smaller species. This will not allow the animal to stick its head between the rods and get stuck. The optimal cage parameters for large hamsters are: length - 0.5-0.6 m, width 0.4 m, height 0.3-0.4 m.
Cages, or rather, containers with plastic walls (dunes) are convenient for keeping dwarf species of hamsters (Dzhungarsky, Campbell, Roborovsky) - they are not prone to vertical climbing. The minimum size of such a cell is 0.5x0.3x0.25-0.3 m.
Dune for small hamster species
Cage equipment
For a comfortable stay of a small pet, his home must be properly equipped.
The choice of litter will depend on the health of the animal and the amount of time spent on cleaning the cage. It is not recommended to use newspaper as a litter - printing ink is harmful to a hamster. In addition, newsprint does not cope with the absorption of moisture and retention of smell.
If you use clean paper or cotton wool, then again the question remains with the smell. In addition, the animal, wrapped with cotton wool fibers, can overtighten and damage its paws.
Pressed sawdust, wood chips or hay are in second place. However, hamsters are allergic to pellets of coniferous trees.
The best litter option is corn filler (crushed cobs with a small amount of grain residue). It is a small lightweight, it is convenient for a hamster to run through it, the smell holds up to 10 days. Its disadvantage is a higher price compared to other types of litter.
Feeders in a cage should be 2: one for solid grain feed, the other for soft (vegetables, fruits, greens).
To the animal did not throw drinking water in the cage with a filler and do not spill it, it is better to use the auto-drinker. Water should change daily.
To maintain the shape of a hamster need to move a lot. Therefore, it is necessary to put a wheel in a cage. It is better to choose a solid, with transverse protrusions, so that the hamster does not slide and does not damage the legs. For a variety of "sports activities" pet will need mazes, slides, stairs.
Equipped Hamster Cage
Hamsters are nocturnal and for day rest they need a safe place - a mink. As it is placed in a cage house, which is easy to open for washing. Some hamsters build their nest on their own by raking litter into the corner of the cage.
Hamsters: care at home. Feeding, diet hamster
The main food for hamsters is corn. In pet stores you can buy ready-made cereal mixtures. From juicy forage to fluffy pets they feed carrots, apples, cucumbers, corn, beets, hard varieties of pears, green beans, pumpkin seeds, zucchini, pumpkin. You can pamper them with some kinds of berries: raspberries, strawberries. From protein food, animals rarely give boiled lean fish and chicken, shrimps, cottage cheese, boiled egg, forage insects purchased at the pet store (bloodworm, flour worm, grasshoppers and earthworms).
Important!Hamsters should not be given onions, garlic, cabbage, citrus fruits, sugar, salt, cheese, fried and spicy foods from the table, almonds, exotic fruits, mushrooms.
Feeding hamsters carried out in the morning and evening. To determine how much food your pet needs, leave aside the first time so that it lasts until the next day. After a brief observation of the appetite of a hamster, you can easily determine the daily rate.
To grind off ever-growing incisors, hamsters need to nibble something hard. It is good to use for this purpose sprigs of trees (except conifers) or mineral stone bought at the pet store.
Hamsters: care at home. Breeding hamsters
Hamsters reproduce quickly and easily. In order for this process to succeed at home, you must follow certain rules. The first mating is admitted to a female aged from 3 to 6 months. Males as producers are already suitable for 2-3 months of life. Selected animals should not be immediately planted together in one cage - first you need to make sure that the female is in heat (she often licks the tailtail area of the body). Otherwise, the female, not ready to mate, can start a fight with a "cavalier".
Potential parents need prior acquaintance. Put their cages side by side: if the animals peacefully sniff at each other and show interest, then you can put them in one cage or box (in case of a sudden fight, the animals can be quickly pulled apart). After mating, hamsters are seated back to their “homes”. A pregnant female is provided with good nutrition: greens are added to grain feed, cottage cheese, boiled egg, vegetables and fruits, sprouted millet and wheat are added to small quantities.
Carrying babies lasts 16-20 days. On the eve of the intended birth, check the presence of fresh water in the water bowl, otherwise the hamster giving birth may experience a great thirst and eat the offspring.
Hamsters are born blind, deaf, bald
During the period of feeding the pups (2-3 weeks), try not to disturb the family. Replace the litter litter carefully, without touching the nest itself, put pieces of paper napkins into the cage - the female will “clean” the nest.
After a month, the grown up young hamsters become independent, they are deposited in a separate cage.
Hamsters: care at home. How to tame a hamster?
To accustom the hamster to the hands, we must act gradually. Hamsters do not see well, so they are guided by hearing and smell. Forcibly grab a hamster is not worth it - he will be frightened and bite. Every evening, talk with the animal, so that he remembers your voice. Offer treats to your pet.
To tame a hamster treat him something tasty
After some time, when the hamster grows bold and begins to climb up for a meal in an open hand, you can try to stroke it. Gradually, the pet will get used to the touch and allow you to pull yourself together. However, remember that even a manual animal can bite if frightened. Therefore, before you take him in hand, attract his attention. Do not disturb the sleeping hamster.
Important!Hamsters are territorial animals, so they need to be maintained one by one. Otherwise, you can not avoid fights between animals. The male is brought to the female only during mating. This rule does not apply to Roborovsky hamsters - these animals are social, they are lodged in pairs.
