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Old 06-03-2016, 05:48 PM   #1
Rodent Fan
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Question Questions, questions, questions...

Hi everyone I have never owned a hamster before and am currently considering one! My previous pet experience is 2 dogs, and many many mice.

I think I am leaning towards a winter white dwarf hamster, and hopefully you guys can offer some advice, insight and opinions on a few topics I've been wondering about...

#1: If you own a winter white, how do you rate them as pets? How do they compare to other hamsters?
#2: I am considering a tank that is 75cm x 45cm. Would this be adequate space for a WW dwarf?
#3: Do WWs do well alone, or are they better off with a companion? Honestly, I would rather have just the one, and have plenty of time on my hands to offer him/her company.
#4: What bedding/litter do you usually use? For my mice I use Back 2 Nature litter (recycled paper pellets) and ripped loo roll for their nests. Would this be okay?
#5: What food do you recommend for WWs or dwarf hamsters in general?
#6:My mice love toys that they can climb, but I have seen videos of hamsters, and compared to mice, they seem clumsy, bad at climbing, and less agile (sorry hamsters, no offense). So what type of toys do they like?
#7: As dwarfs are prone to diabetes, should I avoid sugary foods? What about fruits? What treats would be good to give them?
#8: Is there any difference between males and females, in either personality or health issues?

These are all the questions I can think of for now. I am very early on in my research process, so please forgive my ignorance if the answer to some of these questions seems obvious to you. Thanks!
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Old 06-03-2016, 07:40 PM   #2
Penguin
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Default Re: Questions, questions, questions...

Hey and welcome to HC!

1) I think hamster species are a bit difficult to rate, not only does it depend on what you expect from it but also on the personality of the hamster itself. Winter whites are known for being dolice, but personally I haven't noticed any difference in my sister's winter white and my own hybrid. I'm always told that Campbells are nibby and territorial, but this isn't anything I have never noticed either - I think for winter whites, campbells and hybrids it all comes down to personality rather than species. The only one that wont be up for cuddles and handling is the roborovski hamster. These are super fast and generally known more as a 'see don't touch' kinda pet.

2) The tank size is good, nothing more to add here

3) Any hamster will do well on their own. Dwarf hamsters can be kept in pairs with their siblings, but you would always need a second cage ready in case they fall out. Some pairs don't, other pairs do without warning. If they do fall out and don't get separated it will most likely end with one of them being killed by the other. If you do get a pair you will need 2 of everything (wheel, house, waterbottle) as well as no levels and any house would need exits, as this will help preventing them on falling out.

Sounds like a single hamster will be the better choice for you (: Don't worry, it wont get lonely.

4) paper pellets are safe, yes, but they wont really allow your hamster to dig and make tunnels, which they usually love. Toiletpaper is great for their nest, but i wouldnt give them an entire roll (not sure if that was what you meant). Please never buy fluffy bedding, as this is very dangerous.

I'm quoting this from another thread as it's a pretty good list, the thread can be found here
Quote:
Safe substrates would include:
Aspen
Hemp based beddings (Aubiose, Siccofloor etc...)
Paper based beddings (Fitch, Clean&Cozy etc...)
Wood pulp beddings (Carefresh, Megazorb, Boxo etc...)
Wood based cat litter
Paper based cat litter (Back 2 Nature etc...)

Unsafe substrates would include:
Pine
Cedar
Scented beddings (Clean&Cosy Lavender etc...)
Unspecified shavings
Softwood shavings
Corn cob bedding
Clumping/clay/crystal cat litter
5) A lot of people in the UK feed their dwarfs Burgess dwarf hamster mix, this mix was recommended by my vet and I swear by it. Other members might be able to tell you about other mixes but I can't seem to name any other right now.

6) Hamsters are very clumsy! That is part of the charm Aside from a wheel, they might enjoy things they can chew on, climb on, make sounds with, and hide in. Usually you would go for a size bigger than they need. So if you see a toy sold for dwarfs, most of the time only a robo hamster can fit through it. If you see a toy for syrians it's usually a great fit for a dwarf and so on.
here are some ideas:
Bendy bridges (get creative!)
bendy ladder not sure what they are called actually
platforms to hide treats on etc
hammocks
things they can run through:
https://www.viovet.co.uk/Boredom_Bre...nimals/c17053/
http://www.amazon.com/Prevue-Hendryx...006868&sr=1-16

Willow branch ball this one is very popular with mine, stick a treat in there and see them work hard to get it out!
lots of small hidey houses (:
a sand bath

Generally they like things they can explorer! Do keep in mind that as you stated yourself they are rather clumsy and will most likely fall down, so make sure to plan your cage layout to prevent injury.

oh yeah, whimzees are quite nice for their teeth and will keep them busy for a while too (it's a dog treat but they are safe for hamsters)

7) Campbells and hybrids are especially prone to diabetes. You could argue wether or not WW's are prone or not but I would on the large part avoid sugary foods for them as well. They do need a bit of natural sugar now and then, like a bit of dried coconut, sunflower seeds or something like that. I would avoid fruit and sugary treats though. Better feed them veggies and greens instead.
Dried mealworms and freshwater shrimps are nice as a treat. Other treats include cooked chicken, cheese, peaflakes and broccoli. I wanted to link you our list of safe foods but i cant access our wiki page. I will link this instead which is a great list to check if something can be fed to hamsters. It might be used as inspiration as well.

Males tend to be more laid back and females tend to be more energetic. You can easily end up with a laid back female though or a energetic and busy male. Besides that nothing really comes to mind. I guess some health issues like pyo can only be found in females but please do not take my word on that. Let someone else with more knowledge answer that.

Hope it helped, feel free to ask more questions that might come, it only makes us happy!

Last edited by Penguin; 06-03-2016 at 07:42 PM. Reason: spelling
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Old 06-03-2016, 10:34 PM   #3
cypher
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Default Re: Questions, questions, questions...

Where are you planning on getting your ham from? If you get it from a pet shop you will be getting a Russian hybrid not a pure winter white or Campbells Russian.
I've only owned Russian hybrids & Chinese so can't compare them to syrians or robos from personal experience but of the dwarf hams they are the easiest to handle & tame, they do make lovely very interactive pets & I think they are a good choice to begin with, syrians owners may say otherwise lol!

Your tank would be just about big enough, about the minimum space I would consider but do check how high it is as you will need to fit in a 20cm wheel on top of some substrate.
Most Russians really enjoy some out of cage time, I really wouldn't recommend using a ball for a dwarf ham so you will need to complement that tank space with a good playpen or safe play area.

Definitely begin with a single ham, pairs can be very challenging & all hams live very happily alone, having a single ham also means it will be much more inclined to want to interact with you than a pair would be.

Russian hams love a substrate they can dig & burrow in, paper pellets don't really work well for that, I find the most successful ones are a mix of Fitch & hemp, if using just one substrate I would use Fitch.

There a few good dwarf specific foods in the UK, the burgess dwarf mix that Penguin mentioned is one of them, it doesn't have the widest range of ingredients & is a bit heavy on the millet but still a good mix & fine for a diabetes prone species, others are available from Zooplus, the JR farms mix & the Bunny dwarf hamsterdream.
I would recommend using one of those muesli type mixes rather than any of the pellet type foods as dwarf hams really love the small seeds!
I would avoid fruit & any sweet sugary treats (even natural sugars) they really don't need it, there's a wide range of fresh veg they love that are safe to feed (I can post a list if you need it) & other seeds they can have as treats along with things like mealworms & chicken for extra protein.

You are right about them being a bit clumsy lol! They are quite good at climbing up things but not down so they generally just drop off!
One of the favourites is an egg box with a couple of holes cut out, toilet roll tubes, coconut hideouts, small terracotta flower pots to dig around in, small cardboard boxes, seagrass tunnels are great too, some may be safe with things like hammocks but do be careful to make sure they don't chew them before putting anything like that in the cage.

Every ham is different with it's own character, if you can generalise at all I would say males are a bit more laid back but you really never can tell quite what you have until you've taken the time to get to know a ham & bond with it!
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Old 06-05-2016, 12:12 PM   #4
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Default Re: Questions, questions, questions...

Thanks for answering guys, that's some great information
Cypher - I was planning on trying to find a breeder that I can buy a winter white from. My preference for a pure-bred hamster is because I have heard that they generally have better health/longevity than hybrids?
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Old 06-05-2016, 09:08 PM   #5
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Default Re: Questions, questions, questions...

If you're lucky enough to get your ham from a breeder that would be great, some hybrids but not all can have health problems & shorter lives but if you go to a breeder you have the great advantage of knowing your hams history & parentage, pure WW's aren't prone to diabetes either which makes life a little easier & the chances are your ham will have been handled from a young age & tamer than a pet shop ham from the start.
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Old 06-07-2016, 04:55 AM   #6
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Default Re: Questions, questions, questions...

Well, things are moving along quicker than I had originally planned, and I may be getting a winter white this weekend It's a sapphire boy and he's 7 weeks old tomorrow.

In preparation for bringing him home, I have a few more questions...

1: I have heard that a dwarf hamster needs an 8 inch wheel. I don't have one of these yet, but I do have a 6.5 inch wheel that my mice used to use. Would this be okay for a 7 week old dwarf hamster, until I can get him something bigger?

2: After bringing him home, how long should I leave him alone for before attempting to interact with him? If it makes any difference, he has been handled from a young age and is apparently from show stock.

3: This may be a strange question... but how crammed do hamsters like their cages? My mice are happiest with their cages as busy and cluttered as possible, are hamsters the same, or do they like a little more free space?

4: Any other tips for a first time hamster owner?

Thanks guys, you've been a lot of help already
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Old 06-07-2016, 05:25 AM   #7
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Default Re: Questions, questions, questions...

1:Is the 6.5" wheel a silent spinner by any chance? That's the only one I know of that comes in that size & if it's one of the old ones that actually works then they are fine for dwarf hams, I have a few that I've used in the past, they've just been superseded by the silent runner!

2:I would give your ham a day or two without interfering other than food & water & talking to it while your by the cage even if it's already used to being handled moving to a new home is still a big adjustment to make, some are keen to interact quite quickly so you can really let your ham guide you after that & if you do the tissue trick it will soon get used to your scent which always makes things easier.

3:They do need a bit of space to move around but I've found they generally like quite a lot in their cages, I usually fill mine quite full but have lots of things they can move through or climb over easily.

4:Enjoy
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Old 06-07-2016, 10:38 AM   #8
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Default Re: Questions, questions, questions...

Hi! Exciting that your hammy is coming soon. I think it's all been said really, but have a look at the "Let's see your cages" thread (linked below) to get some ideas for set up, layout, how much floor space and types of toys etc. They like lots of hidey places like tunnels, bendy bridges, little round hides like coconuts. A level can be good but make sure there aren't any fall risks as they are so small and can get injured easily. So as long as the tank isn't too high and you have plenty of substrate, it should be fine, although anything hard or spiky to land on (if they monkey bar across the roof and fall eg) could do to be under a shelf or under a hanging toy so they can't land on it.

Labyrinth houses are also popular with hamsters, as they are nice and dark inside for nesting and have separate areas for burying hoards. Plus they have an extra door on top so two entrances. This trixie Leif house is popular for dwarf hamsters. The flat roof can double up as a shelf, but you'd need a bendy bridge or something similar so they can get up onto the roof. Have you already got the tank?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trixie-6201...Leif+labyrinth

Let's See Your Cages (May 2016)
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Old 06-08-2016, 08:35 AM   #9
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Default Re: Questions, questions, questions...

cypher - it is indeed a silent spinner. I can't remember how old it is, but it spins very easily and works just fine

So, I ended up getting a really cheap deal on a Duna Multy (same size as zoozone 1, about 71 x 46 cm). I originally wanted to get a glass tank, but I will be moving house in september, so something plastic will be easier to move. If he seems bored, I will be happy to upgrade him later.

Thanks for the links, I'll be sure to have a good look
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Old 06-08-2016, 11:05 AM   #10
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Default Re: Questions, questions, questions...

Sorry for the double post - I just wanted to thank Serendipity7000 for suggesting that trixie leif labyrinth house! It looks great, so I've ordered it plus a million other hamster things hehe.
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