need advice

[markie]

Hi,

I'm THINKING of getting my children a hamster each, but need advice on which breeds are more suited to young children.

Although they are for my children, i will take full responsibility for cleaning them and feeding them.....as i know that they need this comitment...but how do i get started?

HELP.....:cheer2:

Heather

[markie]

forgot to say they would be kept in seperate cages!

Heather

[SqueekyMouse415]

i would recommend teddy bear hamsters, they are gentle (as are all hamhams if treated right) but, i think teddies are great for little children. dont get me wrong, they nip and jump, but it can be fixed if handled daily and constant attention.

and yes please, do not put them in the same cage. most HamHam's will show aggression and fight (possibly) to the death over territory. and please, correct me if i am wrong, but i think syrians are very territorial and SHOULD NOT be housed together.

[markie]

Hi,

They would be in seperate cages, in seperate rooms....:D

I know that there are various types of housing available, but i'm thinking of getting a rotastack housing, as they look better.
Do hamsters get bored in a "normal" cage or are these housings with the tubes better?

Heather

[SqueekyMouse415]

I would think so, i have my Long Hired Teddy Bear "Babydoll" in a 2 level cage with tubes.

she seems to love it, especially the tubing.
so yes, go with the tubing, hamsters LOVE to dig and climb.

my Babydoll loves climbing up the bars of the cage itself.
*hehe* shes so silly!:angel2:

[markie]

Hi,

Are these Teddy Bear hamsters available in the UK??
I've never heard of them...:confused:

Heather

[SqueekyMouse415]

*long pause*

:EL: lol, you got me there. ill have to check on that for ya......

unless anyone else knows?

[Twist]

I don't think you really need to get a cage with tubes. My hamster, Oreo's cage, is just a plain cage, and I added a wheel, her food bowl and things like that, and a little house. But in order to keep them entertained stick a couple toys in there. Like Oreo has one of the bounce back toys that is tiny and has a hamster on the top, it's pretty cute and she nibbles it to death to get the treats inside :P Here is a picture of the cage:


http://www.angelfire.com/blog/starlette/OreoCage.gif

[Left Paw]

As long as your hamster has a wheel and things to climb on and hide in, the tubes are not necessary. Besides, if they get fat, they can't get through the tubes anyway. LOL! My cream soda has a Critter Trail 3- it's a big wire and plastic rig-up which I've added climbing things and other stuff- she's very happy in it, but I think she would be just as happy in an aquarium or smaller cage as long as she had plenty to do. I like the tall cage, though, considering she has a lot of room, but very little floor space to have to clean.

[qazwsxedc]

hi markie its nice to see another UK person on here. yes teddys are available in the UK i have one named vanilla there proper name is syrian and teddy bear refers to long haired type

[markie]

Thanks everyone,

So qazwsxedc, if i go into a petshop...(ie pets@home) and ask for a long haired hamster i'd get a teddy bear one???

I like the look of the cages with the tubes, gives the hamster space to roam without fingers poking them....lol

Names so far for them are -

Melissa wants to call hers RAINBOW
Mark want "JIMMY REPTAR"....LOL....Jimmy from jimmy nutron and reptar from the rugrats....bless him.:angel4:

Heather

[RodentBoy]

im sorry, this is a little late, but i would suggest the teddybear hamster; like some one else said... they are very gentle and sweet :D

( i would also suggest a males beucase they dont smell as bad as females) inless you dont mind that...

sheehan

[Silverwings77]

I have a teddy bear hamster and she doesn't have the cage with tubes, she just has a wire cage with wheel in it with a house and its two floors so she can run around in it.

[Mitchandozzie]

Ya like everyone said i think teedy bears(or long haired syrians) are better for starters, i have 2 Ozzie and Corkey.I also like cages with tubes (Ozzie has one) but you dont need tubes, i put lots of toys in corkeys cage though.

[Left Paw]

Rodentboy- are you saying that my Cream Soda stinks? LOL! Yes, their pee is smelly, but so is the litterbox and my little brother's room! LOL! Beseides, it's just a good reminder to clean their cage!

I personally didn't want a boy because, well frankly, they have huge testicles, and I didn't want to have to look at them all the time.

Teddy bears, or any syrian, make good pets. The long-hair might be an extra maintenence thing. There are plenty of syrians jsut as cute- like CS! LOL! But if you have a little girl who would love combing pine out of her hamster's fur- that might be a good thing. I use a baby hairbrush on CS, just cause she likes it- makes her satin coat shinier, too.

Since these are for children, the important thing is to pick one that is gentle right from the beginning- you wouldn't want a hamster you had to chase around the tank eight times before you caught it, or one that scratched and twitched or even bit when you picked it up. CS was frightened, yes, but still and patient from the beginning- within a week she was perfectly tame.

My advice- let your children be the judge- take them to the petstore, let them hold a few- I promise that disposition will outweigh coat or color or sex in the end- they find a hamster that they are comfortable with- that they think likes them- and you have the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Besides, the hamster that you are love is the most beautiful hamster in the world.

[SqueekyMouse415]

oh no! who said Cream Soda stinks?
*forms an angry mob*

[Mitchandozzie]

lol Ginia i have 2 boys, and frankly they both have big pom poms. you kinda gotta learn to ignore them. they are kinda gross but you cant do naything about em. arent they a guys pride(lol jokin all u guys!)

[Left Paw]

*rolling on floor, unable to breath* pom poms! what a riot!

[qazwsxedc]

well the females are rounder like the tradisional idea of a hamster but they are slightly stinkier

[RodentBoy]

lol, no... i didnt mean CreamSoda stank, lol. I just meant that female usually smell a little more than males.

[markie]

Well, still no hamsters..YET

Went to pets at home, took over an hour to get there, for it to be shut!!...kids we not happy..:argue:

Oh well another lesson for them to learn...ha ha ha ha

Heather

[PyscoFalcon]

Please don't get hamsters from Pets At Home as most have Wet Tail and will die within a week.

Where abouts in the UK do you live? I have some baby Dwafs up for adoption.

[markie]

Hi PyscoFalcon,

I live in Newcastle Upon Tyne.

We have had many pets from pets at home without any problems, so i'm surprised to hear this.

Heather

[qazwsxedc]

PyscoFalcon, vanilla's from pets at home and she is fine and has always been healthy. especaly when i got her and started bouncing round in circles

[PyscoFalcon]

I rescued several hamsters from near death from there and lots of birds/gerbils that needed immediate medical care.

I'm helping to stop them from selling animals.

[markie]

Well we have 2 new pets, both syrian hamsters, one a sandy colour...(aka RAINBOW) and one black and white...(aka JIMMY REPTAR)

Bought 2 nice cages that were a nightmare to put together, but look lovely once up!

Both hamsters have now been left to settle in.

Heather

[Mitchandozzie]

wow good work! i bet your kids are happy!

[nikkibunnyuk]

Heather,tell them how the hammy escaped!!:D

[markie]

My daughter's hamster Rainbow..(should be houdini) has escaped AGAIN!

First time was last wednesday, i found him happily chewing on the skirting board behind my sofa, how he managed to get downstairs without Bree..(dog) catching him i'll never know!

Well, went to check on them again this morning and Rainbow has gone again!...we are due to go on holiday tomorrow for a week, and now i don't know what to do, as i don't want him wandering the house free to chew every carpet in sight...HELP what do i do??????

Rainbow is in a habitrail systen, no holes or anything that he can get out of, and Melissa wears she never let him out so how is he doing it???

Heather

[Left Paw]

Is it possible he is pushing the door open? Cream Soda kept doing that until I started locking them with paper gems. Last night I discovered that she has learned how to disconnect the tubes! I already had duct tape on the lid because she could open that and on the lazy lookout becuase she got that open twice somehow. Now there is duct tape securing the tubes into place. This beautiful, $50 hamster cage covered in duct tape! I'm gonna hang a sign that says 'McGyver's Hamster lives here'!!!

I hope you find your hammy! And in time! Perhaps you can put his cage down where he can get into it- I don't know. He's smarter than all of us, apparently!

[markie]

I don't think he's opening the main door as it is secured by a yellow strap, but my daughter told us the one of the covers that closes off a hole where you can connect extra tubes was off, but i can't figrue out how he would have been able to reach it, as there is nothing that he could climb on to?????

I'm on holiday tomorrow for 5 days, will he be ok?...will he chew my house up?????

Heather

[qazwsxedc]

vanilla did just that when she escped, fell 2 foot from the top of the cage to the desk and then another 3 feet fo the flaw

[markie]

Rainbow is now "taped" up in his cage safe and sound......I HOPE!!!

I found him at 9.20pm after being "free" for 12 hours, he was in my son's bedroom so didn't get far, i must have walked past him a hundred times.....lol

Oh well at least he's safe now and i won't worry about my carpets while i'm away!!!!

Heather

[Left Paw]

Great that you caught the little sneak! Be sure to enjoy your vacation!