What would you do? (Christmas hamster)

[Dandelion07]

Morning everyone,

I am looking for some advice. After lots of research, we would love to give a hamster a good home, and using this and some other websites I think we can. I have got a cage, food, wheel etc ready (will get substrate this week).

However, (and as I'm writing this I think I already know the answer), we are planning on the new hamster being my daughter's Christmas present. She is desperate for one but has no idea her dream is about to come true. My husband wants this to be a big surprise on Christmas morning, and says we should ask the lady to keep the hamster for us til Christmas Eve. I have reservations about this.

Here's my dilemma. I think we should get hamster a few days before, and allow him/ her to get used to the new environment and food etc before becoming the centre of attention. If we keep him/her in a quiet room for a few days to allow him/her to adjust, he/she can still be a 'surprise'. I don't want *us* to be a surprise for hammy. In my opinion, new home, new toys, new faces, new food all at once might be a bit much. Or am I fussing, because does the fact that it is Christmas Day really make any difference to the hamster coming to a new home?

What would you do? Many thanks in advance for any advice or tips on this. The hamsters are ready on 16th and I am going to look at them today.

[bonkers4hamsters]

I think you should try and get it before. There is no doubt your daughter would want to pick the hamster up when she gets it so leaving it to settle in for a few days may mean thet it is not too bothered about being held as you should leave new hams to settle in for a few days without handling

[Vectis Hamstery]

This time of year is generally not a good time to get a new pet due to how busy and noisy it is. There is a good article on seasonal pets here: Christmas Pets - a fun alternative - Crittery Exotics I particularly like the suggestion of giving a cage etc with a voucher for a child to choose their own hamster in the New Year both to ease stress on the hamster moving home now and also to promote responsible pet ownership in young people.

If, despite reading the article, you still decide to get a hamster over the Christmas period, let it settle in in a quiet room ideally this week (the rescue I work with has set 20th December as their last rehoming day given the added stress experienced by the small furries they rehomed last year.) Baby hamsters can find moving home a difficult time so as Bonkers4hamsters said, let the little one settle in for at least 24 hours and just chat to him/her. Try to keep him/her on the same hamster mix initially (if you are changing foods, I would suggest doing it gradually). When you start handling, do so with children calm and sitting down on the floor, preferably in an area where if the hamster ends up on the floor he/she can be easily recaptured. If the hamster is wriggly, encourage your daughter not to try to hold on to him/her or squeeze him/her as that can lead to bites to the human and injuries to the hamster as well as a loss of confidence in each other on both sides.

At this time of year, pet shops often get in younger animals than usual so sexing can be more hit and miss. If you plan on having a pair of hamsters (this does not apply to Syrians as these must always like alone) then make sure you get them sexed properly, e.g. by a vet, to prevent unwanted litters.

[Dandelion07]

Thank you Vectis and Bonkers
Thank you for the link. I've read it now and more than ever I think that it is important for hammy to have the chance to settle in (I am still keen to get a real hamster, if there is one suitable). I read this: dashing hamster which I think is worth me following (in particular Bringing Hamster Home and Taming/Socialisation).

Perhaps if i pick up hammy 4-5 days before Christmas, and keep him/her quiet and calm. I know I can sit down with Sophie and explain why patience is important, and why we shouldn't put our hands in and grab etc. the idea is that we set everything up and behave in a way that makes the hamster *want* to step onto our hands.

I have just had another chat with my husband who has said he will defer to my judgement. He understands as he also keeps fish and we had the tank set up for 5-6 weeks until the water balance was just right before getting fish. I think we were getting caught up in the Christmas surprise when really it's what hammy needs, not us.

I am going to see the hamsters at lunchtime, so I am slightly ahead of myself right now!

Thank you ever so much for replying.

[HorseyMandz]

Hi! Your daughter will be thrilled with the hamster I'm sure, even if it is not a surprise and you then end up doing a lot of the looking after (depends how old she is...) Please just check that all your cage, wheel, food e.c.t fits this criteria, hopefully it does because you seem like you will be a responsible hamster mummy....
Cage-
Is it at least 80cm x 50cm?
Are there any wire shelves? If so, remove them.. they can cause a painfull condition of the feet.

Wheel-
Is it at least eight inches in diameter?
Is it made of 'wire mesh'? If so, don't use it and get another one, your hammy could get it's nails/feet/toes caught in it with very painful results!

Food-
Is it a good quality food and not just a petshop own brand?
Is it a food for two species (like hamster and gerbil)? If so, replace it for something like Harry or Hazel Hamster or Silver's specially formulated mix. (Avaliable from Ratrations.com)

Toys-
Have you got a wooden chew toy for your hamster? It doesn't need to be fancy, just a few sticks of fruit wood will do.
Have you got a house for your hamster?
Have you got plenty of other things for your hamster to do and play on?

Ball-
Will you be using a ball?
If so, is your ball just a typical 'hamster' size ball or a rat size ball? If it is a typical hamster size ball then it will be fine for now but may need replacing as your hamster gets older.


I'm only doing this because Minnie's home now is a totally different size and type and her wheel and toys are completely different. It took about 4-5 cages and lots of money... which I wouldn't want anyone else to have to go through!

[Dandelion07]

Hi HorseyMandz!
Thanks for those tips. I am planning on getting a Syrian.

This is what I have bought so far:
- Zooplus Barney (and plasticote for the wooden bits). Not set up yet. It doesn't have any wire mesh or high shelves.
- A 28cm wheel (also zooplus) as the barney wheel is teeny.
-water bottle (classic I think)
-small wicker bridge
-wood hanging bridge for small pets
- chinchilla sand.
-running ball. Yes. It looked a bit small though. I didn't get a rat one. I think this might be something to upgrade already as the ball was small compared to my wheel.
The food I have bought is Harry Hamster, and wherever hammy comes from, I will be sure to find out what is being given so I don't suddenly change.
Bedding - toilet paper but will make sure I keep original bedding for a while so hammy has familiar safe smells.
Substrate - I am going to drop by the livery shoo near my work next week and pick up something. Not sure what yet though. I'll need to make a short list I think.
I haven't got wood fruit sticks so I'll look into that (thanks). I did get a cylinder thing that hooks to the cage side that is wooden (cant remember the name) which I am sure I bought with nibbling in mind.

(All this is from memory as the boxes of goodies are hidden away).

I wasn't planning to add everything at once (however tempting that may be!). Maybe some shelter and the wheel only to begin? I know Sophie will want to give treats so i will show her some nutrition info so she knows why only certain things and not too often!

Does this sound ok to you or does anything sound iffy?

(Thanks again for reading).

[Dandelion07]

Ps I've just googled and my cage and the others have gone on sale since I bought it!

[bonkers4hamsters]

That sounds great to me! I am so glad you have done the research and preparation as so many people dont!

A good place to get a rat ball is pets at home, I have one from there

[HorseyMandz]

Oh brilliant! You've really looked into this! I'd also say to add things gradually, perhaps one thing every couple of days after the hammy has settled in. Perhaps you could buy a few healthy treats for your daughter to give? Dried banana, dried carrot, sunflower seeds e.c.t make great treats in alternative to yoghurt/chocolate drops.

[racinghamster]

Everyone has given really good, educational advice and that`s what`s needed when buying a syrian or any small pet for a child. Parent responsibility is key and their decision to even allow the pet in the first place needs to be the focus. Vet bills also need consideration and making sure you have a good vet nearby incase you need their assistance.

What age is your daughter? I only ask because hamsters in general can be tricky pets for small children to be confident with. They can and do bite if they are woken up for example, so if your daughter ever woke her hamster up to play with him/her durng the day if when a hamster normally prefers to sleep, she would more than likely get a nasty response, but that`s just what hamsters do. It`s their nature. I was badly bitten by a syrian my cousin had when I was a child and I still have the scar to prove it! It scared me off hamsters almost for life until I became an adult and overcame my fear. I now own a gorgeous male syrian and a little mad Roborovski dwarf hamster and have had a few others previously.

My advice would be, if you do decide to go ahead and get a syrian, make sure he/she is allowed their space and allowed to tell you when he wants to play. Once they are up and awake, paytimes are normally straight forward, but your daughter might have her own ideas (as kids do!) and get tetchy if the hamster is sleeping and she wants to wake him up. So if she has the patience to wait, all the better, but most syrians sleep a lot, while others are quite active. I suppose it depends on the hamster in general, but they have bad eyesight and need to know you are there before attenpting to stroke or handle.

Your cage and accessories sound great by the way.