Hamster Central - View Single Post - Difference between hamster and other rodents (newbie q's)

AmityvilleHams · 06-25-2016, 05:45 AM

Plastic toys can be safe for hamsters,however just like any other rodent if they're chewed more than just a tiny nibble for investigation purposes they would become unsafe as plastic shouldn't be eaten.

In terms of care,hamsters do need much larger spaces overall than some rodents and they are actually terrestrial for the most part(with the exception of Chinese hamsters).Also for diabetic prone species like winter white hamsters,you do have to be more careful with sugary foods and not feeding them in the amounts that would be reasonable for other rodents.Think teeny tiny pieces,but never more than once every week to every other week depending on the type of fruit!Vegetables are much easier to work with and there are more safe options,same with a lot of healthy herbs and grains and such.

In terms of space,dwarf species can do great with a cage that is around 775 square inches or 0.5 square meters.This might sound huge especially with the undersized US and Canada minimum being 450 square inches,but it is actually only around 25 inches x 31 inches I believe which is completely reasonable.You can definitely find tanks that add up to 775 as well,it doesn't have to be those exact dimensions just something that adds up to 775 is best!

Pairs have been done,but really it's easier to maintain a single hamster and that way you never have to worry about fights happening.With single hamsters there is more peace of mind,and you do lower the risk of unnecessary stress a lot more.Companionship is definitely not necessary though as hamsters,unlike a lot of other small animals,don't crave companionship.

For substrate,paper based bedding is the least risky option.Aspen is somewhat okay,but it isn't the most comfortable option and it can cause allergic reactions so it is not the safest option possible.Something like Carefresh is good,or for UK owners Fitch is much more economical but it does come in massive amounts so that is something to keep in mind!

Something to keep in mind is that people often say wood shavings are fine,but really there's no proof of the reasons they say so being 100% true or false so it is better not to take that massive risk.

The best nesting material would be just your standard cheap scent free toilet paper(aka loo roll)as long as you get one that you test with water to make sure it dissolves easily.It certainly doesn't have to be anything fancy!

06-25-2016, 05:45 AM
AmityvilleHams PM Fluffy for custom title Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 4,545	Re: Difference between hamster and other rodents (newbie q's) Plastic toys can be safe for hamsters,however just like any other rodent if they're chewed more than just a tiny nibble for investigation purposes they would become unsafe as plastic shouldn't be eaten. In terms of care,hamsters do need much larger spaces overall than some rodents and they are actually terrestrial for the most part(with the exception of Chinese hamsters).Also for diabetic prone species like winter white hamsters,you do have to be more careful with sugary foods and not feeding them in the amounts that would be reasonable for other rodents.Think teeny tiny pieces,but never more than once every week to every other week depending on the type of fruit!Vegetables are much easier to work with and there are more safe options,same with a lot of healthy herbs and grains and such. In terms of space,dwarf species can do great with a cage that is around 775 square inches or 0.5 square meters.This might sound huge especially with the undersized US and Canada minimum being 450 square inches,but it is actually only around 25 inches x 31 inches I believe which is completely reasonable.You can definitely find tanks that add up to 775 as well,it doesn't have to be those exact dimensions just something that adds up to 775 is best! Pairs have been done,but really it's easier to maintain a single hamster and that way you never have to worry about fights happening.With single hamsters there is more peace of mind,and you do lower the risk of unnecessary stress a lot more.Companionship is definitely not necessary though as hamsters,unlike a lot of other small animals,don't crave companionship. For substrate,paper based bedding is the least risky option.Aspen is somewhat okay,but it isn't the most comfortable option and it can cause allergic reactions so it is not the safest option possible.Something like Carefresh is good,or for UK owners Fitch is much more economical but it does come in massive amounts so that is something to keep in mind! Something to keep in mind is that people often say wood shavings are fine,but really there's no proof of the reasons they say so being 100% true or false so it is better not to take that massive risk. The best nesting material would be just your standard cheap scent free toilet paper(aka loo roll)as long as you get one that you test with water to make sure it dissolves easily.It certainly doesn't have to be anything fancy!