[velma]

That's a good way of putting it Amys_mum. Hamsterlopedia is a lot more in depth & you'll get more up to date & specific information online in forums, but the Anne McBride books give a good starting point when you don't know anything without overwhelming the reader with information. It'll be interesting to go back & reread them with fresh eyes after being on the forum for a while but (if it's the same books) it definitely gave me a starting point. Even having previously owned hamsters, I'd had a gap & it was surprising what I'd forgotten.