Making Your Selection

When selecting your little friend, you to ensure that the environment that they are in is safe. What food is it being fed? What kind of housing is there? Are there any other animals near? Most of all, what kind of person is selling your hamster?

Your Hamster's Home

A hamster home is usually made of a wire mesh or of plastic. This wire mesh should not have too big of holes or too small of holes. If the holes aren't just right the hamster may catch it's foot in them and may even break their foot. Also make sure that there is no sharp edges that may cut you or the hamster. It can be o.k. to use a large aquarium for you hamster's home. But be careful, because aquariums don't allow enough air to flow. I don't use those plastic domes/cages because they are to easy to get infection and growth of molds. If you do decide to use a plastic cage be sure to clean it out daily. Hamsters should have bedding. It is also nice to put a paper towel roll in the cage. The hamster will chew it up and use it for it's bed. It is always nice to use a water bottle for holding water. Some people use crocks/dishes. I recommend not doing this because hamsters like to sit in their food/dish bowls. If they sit in it, their cages will get in it. This is just inviting the infection in. It is o.k. to use a crock./bowl for the food. Remember, hamsters don't drink that much water. Don't get a big bottle and never change it. A smaller bottle is always better.

Keeping Your Hamster Clean

Hamsters need very little grooming. You really don't have to do anything with short-hair hamsters. Once in a while you might want to check for bugs. Long-hair hamster should be combed daily to keep any tangles out. If you pet a hamster a lot they will clean themselves to get your smell and oils off of them.