Where to get new hamster? - Page 2

**Serena_jayne98** · 10-31-2016, 10:16 PM

Would a hybrid get bigger than a non-hybrid? are they harder to tame and more bitey? I'm perfectly willing to put in the extra work if they are harder to tame but I just wanna know what I'd be getting myself into lol

AmityvilleHams · 10-31-2016, 10:21 PM

That depends on the individual hamster.There's no way to be too certain that one hamster will be bigger than another or more tame or more bitey.Even hamsters which are very friendly can be prone to biting,a good example of this being my Syrian who is fairly relaxed with people and is attention seeking but if your hand goes near her face she will bite you.

**Serena_jayne98** · 10-31-2016, 10:26 PM

Okay then I guess I'll just see where the day takes me and see what I end up with

My Syrian is the opposite. When we first got him he was sooo so nervous and flinched and cowered at everything, but he never bit. Now he's the cuddliest thing ever and is constantly melting into someones lap

AmityvilleHams · 10-31-2016, 10:30 PM

It's all about individual personality

There's the stereotype of pet shop hamsters being less tame,but like all stereotypes it isn't always true(definitely not in my case).Plus,most hamsters can be tamed with some love,patience,time,and respect!

cypher · 10-31-2016, 10:54 PM

Hybrids generally tend to be smaller than breeder hams, that's usually true of syrians too though, pet shop hams tend to be smaller but as Amity says you never know!

Breeder hams have usually been handled from a very young age so can be easier to tame than pet shop hams but I haven't found pet shop hams hard to tame, each one is individual so the time it takes for them to gain confidence & become tame varies & you do need to go at their pace.
Russian hams do have a reputation for biting or being nippy but of all the hams I've had only one ever bit, she was rather cage territorial, but with a little patience & understanding we soon overcame that.

**Serena_jayne98** · 10-31-2016, 11:01 PM

Okay I'm feeling better about the hybrids now and less worried about ending up with one, thank you for all the info!

Fluffagrams · 11-01-2016, 03:15 AM

There's another option to get yourself a hamster that is definitely a Winter White or a Campbells but it would depend on how long you're willing to wait and that is a Hamster Show. There is usually a sales table where you'll find hamsters bred by club members and will usually have a pedigree so that you can be sure that what you're getting is definitely the right species.

The Southern Hamster Club hold a show near Dawlish once a year so that would be your nearest from Plymouth. There may also be the option of picking up a hamster that you have pre-reserved from a club breeder at a show but that's something you'd have to arrange with the breeders themselves.

Hybrids can appear and behave more like Campbells or more like Winter Whites but that depends on what's in their bloodline and hamsters are considered Hybrids if they've got any other species of hamster anywhere in their ancestory. There is, as some people have pointed out already the increased risk of diabetes but there's also a risk of neurological problems but some will already be displaying this as babies so if you're picking one in the pet shop, avoid any that are spinning, flipping or behaving strangely.

Hybrids can make nice pets. My sister has one who is nearly two and a half and she's been really healthy throughout her life. She has been territorial in her cage but once out of her cage she's lovely. In cases like that, you an overcome it by topping up the food whilst they're asleep or occupied by something else and using something like a cardboard box or a mug to get them out of their cage for playtime.

**Serena_jayne98** · 11-01-2016, 04:14 AM

Okay so my fiance went to the independent pet shop down the road with the supposed Winter Whites and picked her out for me! she's perfect! She is DEFINITELY 100% Winter White and she is sooooo sweet. She's already tame, no biting, perfectly fine being handled. I've named her Elfie and I will post photos later, at the minute she's busy exploring her new cage and all her new toys!

**Cinnamon Bear** · 11-01-2016, 07:21 AM

I was going to leave a list of all of my past problems with Russian hybids, mostly. But I didn't see that you just got a new hammie so I edited my post

Congrats to you!

Fluffagrams · 11-01-2016, 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Serena_jayne98

Okay so my fiance went to the independent pet shop down the road with the supposed Winter Whites and picked her out for me! she's perfect! She is DEFINITELY 100% Winter White and she is sooooo sweet. She's already tame, no biting, perfectly fine being handled. I've named her Elfie and I will post photos later, at the minute she's busy exploring her new cage and all her new toys!

Congratulations on your new arrivaland it's lovely to hear she's so tame.

It's quite rare to find a pure Winter White in a pet shop so well done on your find. Did they tell you the name of the breeder or give you a pedigree so that you can be sure that she's a pure Winter White?