I have some questions before I get hamsters!

[cestsquish]

Hello!
So I'm want to get hamsters soon, I was thinking of getting two Russian Dwarf Hamsters as I've read they're cuddly and playful
Before I get them, I wanted to ask some questions about some concerns I have

1) Dust and hair
Me and my partner both have hayfever and minor pet hair allergies (we've both had cats/dogs and been fine with it, after a month we sort of aclimatise and we're fine with the animal hair) so how much dust or hair does a hamster kick up? Our flat is badly ventilated (we've had to buy a dehumidifier to duck the moisture out the air) so I'm worried we'll end up suffering more because the air is pretty still. As much as we want hamsters we don't want to have to take them back after a month because we can't deal with the dust/hair

2) Running costs
How much does a hamster cost to keep? I know initially it'll be high as you have to buy the cage etc but month on month, how much are they?

3)Vet
Do you need to register your hamster with a vet? Do they need vet check ups? If you don't register them can you pop along to a vets in an emergency?

4) Holiday Sitters
We don't live near our family so we'd need to get a pet sitter for the any holidays we go on, has anyone had any experience with pet sitters and have any recommendations of things to look for/avoid?

5) Cleaning/Feeding
I'm assuming feeding and changing water is daily, how often do you need to clean them out? What kinds of bedding do I need? Would hypoallergenic bedding be a good idea as we have allergies?

6) Things to get?
I know the obvious things like cage/food bowls/water bottle/running dish/bed and some toys but is there anything hamsters really like or that makes them happy? Like a certain toy or bed or anything like that you'd recommend?

Thanks!

[AmityvilleHams]

1) Hamsters seem to be a lot less likely to have shedding hair and dander and such than a cat or dog.In terms of dust,it really depends on bedding.For a dwarf hamster you do need a sand bath,and that can get slightly dusty but really with the right substrate/bedding hamster cages should not be dusty and it is not healthy for you or the hamster to use a dusty substrate/bedding.

2) That all depends on where you live.I know that in the US at least it costs a lot more than it does in the UK for food,but probably 5 pounds in the UK for food every month or so at most and 20 dollars US for food every 2 months or even at times less than that!Bedding is variable,so for the UK you'll probably have to wait and see from other members.You will need more than just food and bedding though,as there is a need for clean drinking water,fresh foods such as vegetables,fresh animal protein preferably cooked unseasoned chicken,new toys probably every month,cleaning supplies,and more.That is all dependent on your hamster,your cage,your location,and how you budget things and what exactly you do buy.

3) Veterinary care may not be necessary every single moment of every day,but you definitely need to have a vet fund available at all times before you even consider getting a hamster.Accidents happen,and nobody wants to have a hamster get ill or injured and then be unable to take them to the vet for financial reasons and in some areas it may be illegal to not provide access to veterinary care.In terms of yearly checkups,they aren't necessary but certainly are fine if you feel the need.Just don't take every single thing your vet says about diet and housing seriously,as vets don't always know too much about hamster care.I strongly advise finding a vet that actually knows about hamster care beforehand though.

4) I can certainly recommend things to avoid and look for,but overall you need to be certain that they know proper hamster care and are comfortable around hamsters and even then leave a care sheet explaining how to care for your specific hamster and what to feed on a certain day in terms of fresh foods and treats.Make sure they are trustworthy and responsible as well.

5) Cleaning would be done at most every 2 weeks.You should not clean a hamster cage weekly as that actually stresses hamsters out,but 2 weeks for minimum sized cages and cages that are more German sized would be fine going a month or longer depending on the actual size.For bedding I would recommend staying away from the obvious cedar,pine,and even kiln dried pine as all of those can be dangerous.Even kiln dried pine isn't exactly the safest bedding,and there are so many safe options that it shouldn't have to be an option.I would instead recommend something like Carefresh or another paper based dust free bedding,but nothing wood based especially with your allergies.

6) Have an abundance of toys,not just "some"!An upright wheel for a dwarf hamster that is 8 inches/21 cm or so is really good and preferable to wheels like a flying saucer that create arching in the sides due to the odd shape of the wheel.Other than that there's not really much to recommend at least on my behalf.

[pinkneon]

Originally Posted by cestsquish

Hello!
So I'm want to get hamsters soon, I was thinking of getting two Russian Dwarf Hamsters as I've read they're cuddly and playful
Before I get them, I wanted to ask some questions about some concerns I have

1) Dust and hair
Me and my partner both have hayfever and minor pet hair allergies (we've both had cats/dogs and been fine with it, after a month we sort of aclimatise and we're fine with the animal hair) so how much dust or hair does a hamster kick up? Our flat is badly ventilated (we've had to buy a dehumidifier to duck the moisture out the air) so I'm worried we'll end up suffering more because the air is pretty still. As much as we want hamsters we don't want to have to take them back after a month because we can't deal with the dust/hair

2) Running costs
How much does a hamster cost to keep? I know initially it'll be high as you have to buy the cage etc but month on month, how much are they?

3)Vet
Do you need to register your hamster with a vet? Do they need vet check ups? If you don't register them can you pop along to a vets in an emergency?

4) Holiday Sitters
We don't live near our family so we'd need to get a pet sitter for the any holidays we go on, has anyone had any experience with pet sitters and have any recommendations of things to look for/avoid?

5) Cleaning/Feeding
I'm assuming feeding and changing water is daily, how often do you need to clean them out? What kinds of bedding do I need? Would hypoallergenic bedding be a good idea as we have allergies?

6) Things to get?
I know the obvious things like cage/food bowls/water bottle/running dish/bed and some toys but is there anything hamsters really like or that makes them happy? Like a certain toy or bed or anything like that you'd recommend?

Thanks!

Hi, and welcome to this forum! Loads of friendly (and knowledgeable!) people here to help
1) I also have hayfever but have always been ok round hamsters. We have also always had cats, and I was ok with all exceot one but she was a long haired cat. I have found this with pets that belong to friends or family too, that long hair affects me, but short hair doesn't. It might be something to consider, unless you could take a regular antihistamine?
2) A lot of people think that being such small animals, hamsters are cheap to keep! Well, they are wrong! First off as you mentioned you have to get the cage. Depending on where in the world you live will depend on the minimum cage requirements, but here for Syrian hamsters (the big ones) it's at least 80cmx50cm. Of course, the bigger you can afford the better! Having never owned dwarf hamsters, I don't know much about them. However, you will also need a bottle, food bowl (unless you want to scatter feed), a house for them to sleep/hide in, a wheel and something wooden to chew on. Those are the bare basics (I think I remembered everything!) but they will also need plenty of things to keep them busy, so toys and things. Also, with dwarf hamsters I believe you need 2 of everything - and also if they fall out one day you'd also need 2 cages! Toys, food, bedding and substrate are items that need to be bought regularly. Cages can be used over and over after being thoroughly cleaned and disinfected between each hamster Costs vary, depending on the food or bedding etc you buy, and I actually spend more on my hamster than myself as I'm a little addicted to buying things - oops! Also, it's worth bearing in mind that toys made for hamsters are only small enough for dwarf hamsters. Syrian hamster are too big for most of them, and most people use items for rats!
3) Vets aren't required all the time. Hamsters don't need regular health checks like cats or dogs do, and don't need vaccinations. But I agree that you will need access to a vet fund - you could have a money box somewhere, or even a separate bank account!
4) I've never needed a holiday sitter, but one way to prepare for them would be to use someone the hamster is familiar with, and to also write them out the hamster's likes/dislikes/routines etc - kind of like someone might do for a babysitter of a young child. Just so they know what your hamster likes, and so you know they are taking great care of them!
5) Food and water needs to be supplied daily. Hamsters can also eat some human foods, but I don't think dwarf hamsters can have fruit as they are prone to diabetes. Mine in the past have always loved strawberries, apples and pasta! Human food would need to be introduced one at a time and slowly, gradually building up until they can have some every day. With cleaning cages, people recommend to do a complete clean every 3-4 weeks, and spot cleans in between. There are loads of great tips about cage cleaning, but they prefer it if it you mix some of the old substrate (so the main cage bedding) with the new, so it still has their scent on, and cleaning toys on a different day from the rest of the cage. Also, for the first couple of weeks it is recommended not to clean the cage out for a couple of weeks whilst they settle in, but spot cleaning is fine
6) Pretty much all hamsters like tunnels! Things to hide in are great as it provides them with somewhere to go when they don't feel safe. You can use toilet rolls, or buy tunnels, though most of the toys tunnels are a little small for bigger hamsters. Dwarf hamsters (and my Syrian too actually!) LOVE digging, and so you can get chinchilla sand, or children's play sand that has been sterilized, for them to dig in, or provide plenty of substrate

I hope I've answered all your questions ok? There are loads of people on here who will tell you anything I missed out!
Although it is totally up to you, many people prefer Syrian hamsters as a first hamster
Anyway, feel free to ask lots more questions

[cypher]

Welcome to the forum, first I would like to say that if you are new to hams I would suggest just getting one to begin with, keeping pairs can be challenging as they will often fall out & fight as they mature & need to be separated so you always need a spare cage ready just in case & you need two of everything in a cage with no levels, tubes or anything they can become territorial over to start out with.

You do get very little dust & hair with hamsters but you could still have allergy problems, I would find a pet shop where you can handle some hams & see if you get any reactions before deciding.

Initial costs can be high if you get a good size cage, good substrate & some toys for them although toys can be cheap or free things like toilet roll tubes & egg boxes!
A dwarf ham really eats very little so even the more expensive foods work out cheap in the long run & substrate lasts a long time if you don't over clean the cage.

You don't have to register with a vet but it can help if you do have an emergency.
It's also worth thinking about making a vet fund, putting some money aside in case your ham gets ill or injured, most probably never need to go to the vet but if they do it can be very expensive.
They don't need check ups, you can do general health checks easily yourself once your ham is tame enough to handle.
I would definitely recommend finding a vet that has experience with treating hamsters before you need one, better to be prepared even though you may never need one, small pet/exotic pet vets can be hard to find in some areas.

No experience with pet sitters myself but I know others have found people to care for their hams during holidays through the site.

Cleaning is just basic spot cleaning daily, removing any wet substrate & fresh veg or other wet food they may have hidden.
Other than that you really don't need to do full cleans, I would recommend just doing part of the cage at a time, never the whole cage all at once & when you do clean you always leave some of the old nest & food hoard, or replace with fresh ham mix, over cleaning can be very stressful for hams.
You can always get advice here if you're not sure about the best way to go about that or anything else you're not sure of.
Can't recommend substrate without knowing where you are but in the UK Fitch is the best for hams & owners, just recycled food grade paper, almost no dust at all & nothing really to be allergic to, hams love it!

Bendy bridges are one of the most useful & versatile things to have at least a few of, as I mentioned before they love simple things like an egg box with a couple of holes cut in for entrances, mine all love coconuts to hideout in too, you can often find things in your kitchen to use for things like sand baths which they love (using chinchilla sand not dust).
I would recommend a nice wooden house with a removable top which allows you to check on the nest without disturbing it too much, some will pee in the house so it's best to paint the inside with plastikote paint.
Most Russian hams are easy to litter train though, just put some of the chinchilla sand in a shallow dish where they normally pee & they get the idea very quickly.

If you get Russian hams from a pet shop they will be hybrids which can be prone to diabetes so you would need to be sure to get a good quality food with no fruit or added sugars & avoid all sugars in their diet generally.

They do make the most adorable pets, I'm totally biased toward all the dwarfs!

ETA I forgot to say a good wheel will be your most important investment after the cage! Again we need to know where you are before being able to recommend one, generally 8"/20cm is the right size for a Russian.
Also not sure why AmityvilleHams is suggesting you will need new toys each month, I must admit I have amassed rather a lot of toys, wheels etc over the years but apart from free disposable cardboard toys once I've set up my ham cages the same toys generally stay in the cage for life, I find they get a bit upset if you keep changing things around!

[Elliiy]

also for cost wise you can always do diy toys and even hide aways as it can be fun along with a cheap alternative other than that i think everyone has covered just about everything

[AmityvilleHams]

Clay pots.Lots of clay pots.

[Fluffagrams]

Hello there and welcome,

Firstly, I agree with Cypher and stick to just one hamster if it's your first. pairs can fall out when you least expect it and they can inflict some pretty nasty injuries on each other which can be pretty sad to deal with. I had my first two Chinese Hamsters fall out after about nine months of living very happily together and literally no warning in sight that they were going to fall out.

I have allergies and the hamsters themselves don't seem to upset me, it was the substrate that caused problems after a while. I used to use wood shavings but switched to Fitch last year and I've been fine with that. The downside to Fitch is that it comes in pretty big bales that you've got to find space to store but it doesn't work out to be that expensive.

Some vets will charge extra to see non-registered pets as an emergency and for that reason I've always had my hamsters registered and have a vet fund that I contribute to regularly. Vet costs vary from practice to practice but it's important to find one who is experienced with small rodents. Sometimes a vet practice might have one or two vets who are better with small rodents so it's worth asking.

As for toys, mine have liked cardboard tubes and egg boxes but all of my Chineseys have loved Small Animal Hide and Seek Cube | Pets At Home and whilst I've not tried it with a Russian hamster it's something I would be happy to put in their cage if I were to have a Russian. The cubes can also be used as a water bottle holder for bin and tank cages too.