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Old 07-01-2018, 03:19 PM   #1
hamstercatsanddogs
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Smile Thinking of getting a dwarf hamster

Hi everyone,
So today I purchased the Laura Syrian hamster cage thinking I could connect it to my other cage that houses my Syrian hamster, Biscuit. However I failed to do so. So I’ve read up online and people have said it’s a great cage for dwarves. So I’ve decided I would like to get a dwarf. But my question is is there anything to know before getting one? What’s the friendliest breed and how should I choose? I’ve only ever been in experience with Syrians so I want to learn about dwarf hamsters before I get one
Thanks
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Old 07-02-2018, 12:48 AM   #2
CookieBlossomBella
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Default Re: Thinking of getting a dwarf hamster

Hello there,

The first thing i would like to mention is that the laura habitat is not actually suitable to house a dwarf hamster in due to it's small size (I believe it is just under 200 square inches of floorspace) and so if you were considering to get yourself a dwarf hamster, you would have to consider upgrading the cage to something bigger and more suitable.

If you are thinking of purchasing a dwarf hamster from a pet shop, please bare in mind it would not be pure bred and would be a campbells-winter white hybrid and these hamsters are prone to diabetes and so you have to be extremely careful with diet and the treats which you are providing them with. If you want a pure bred, these can obtained by a breeder who ethically breeds pure bred hamsters. A dwarf hamster will typically need to be provided with an 8" wheel to prevent their back from arching. If you want a roborovski hamster (these are typically easier to tame) they can typically cope with a 6.5" wheel.
I strongly suggest a glass tank (such as an IKEA detolf or even maybe a DIY cage over the size of 450 square inches of floorspace) when it comes to habitat as due to their small size, it is easy for a dwarf hamster to squeeze through the bars if the bar gap isn't very small.

Hopefully i have helped you out a little bit in coming to a decision about your new dwarf hamster.
Good luck,
CBB
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Old 07-02-2018, 01:49 AM   #3
cypher
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Default Re: Thinking of getting a dwarf hamster

I would see if you can return the Laura cage as it's not been used, unfortunately it's not suitable for any hamster species, it has a high level which poses a dangerous fall risk, all the tubes are far from ideal as hamsters will often store food, pee & sometimes sleep in them too & they end up having to be removed, overall it is too small as well.
Hopefully you'll be able to get your money back & put it toward a more suitable cage.
A good cage for either a Russian hybrid or a Chinese is the Hamster Heaven (best used without the tubes & penthouse which can be blocked off). Whichever cage you choose you will need to allow space for an 8" wheel & plenty of deep substrate as they all love to dig & burrow.
Russian hybrids make a good introduction to dwarf species if you're used to syrians, they are fast movers but not as fast as Chinese or robos! They are very easy to tame too, they can be prone to diabetes as can Chinese but this just means you need to take a little extra care with their diet.
Chinese hams are adorable too, faster than the Russians, pet shop Chinese can be very timid & skittish & take more patience to tame but it's worth it if you're prepared for that.
Robos are the smallest, fastest & often the hardest dwarf species to tame, for some people they do tend to be more of a pet to watch than to handle but can become hand tame & interactive.
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Old 07-02-2018, 03:47 PM   #4
hamstercatsanddogs
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Default Re: Thinking of getting a dwarf hamster

Thank you, i was now thinking of a bin cage for my dwarf? But I’d feel bad for my syrian if the dwarf had a bin cage and he didn’t. The one problem I’ve thought of with bin cages is the room for one and I have cats. I may just have to not get a dwarf hamster as i now don’t have the money to buy a new cage and can’t return the Laura cage as got from a family friend.

Last edited by hamstercatsanddogs; 07-02-2018 at 03:48 PM. Reason: Spelling
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Old 07-02-2018, 10:21 PM   #5
cypher
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Default Re: Thinking of getting a dwarf hamster

Cats & hams really don't mix so you would have to be careful with where you placed a cage, it's generally better to keep hamsters in a room the cats can't get into at all.
If you don't have a suitable space for a decent size bin cage (it would need to be quite large, I have one bin cage which is the 145L RUB & it takes up quite a lot of space!) then it maybe better to just wait a while & enjoy your syrian before thinking about getting another ham.
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