My first rescue

Ithuviel · 12-19-2019, 02:06 AM

Hi everyone

So...someone on my hamster group posted some very bad situation with hamster pups. Apparently a family got 2 hamsters from the pet shop thinking that they were both female, they were wrong. Naturally they got pups. The first litter had 2 pups and the hamsters were not separated. Second litter had 4 pups (2 died or were eaten), again the hamsters were not sepparated. Third litter now present is 8 pups and the hamsters were still not separated. I went last night and got what they told me that is was the adult male. Now...i'm a new owner and i can't tell if its a male or female (i hope it's not).

Their living situation was absolutely terrible. The cage was smaller than an adult man shoe box. All were crowded there. The only person in the family that was holding hamsters was their 4-5 year old daughter. The adults were "scarred" to touch them.

I was wondering is anyone can tell me what gender and what species this hamster is (see pics)? Its not Robo, Syrian or Chinese, that much i can tell. I put him in an Alaska cage.

Video of the new hamster

https://imgur.com/EIdYik1
https://imgur.com/px4kLiF

Vectis Hamstery · 12-19-2019, 03:33 AM

Congratulations on welcoming a new hamster! Does he have a name yet?

Your new addition is a male hamster

In terms of species he will be a hybrid "Russian" hamster - a mix of Campbell and Winter White. Given the circumstances he is not likely to be a pure Campbell or Winter White.

It's a sad situation when people get in over their heads with unexpected litters in these circumstances. I've removed the photo of the previous living situation in order to focus on the new life your hamster is leading (as per the forum rule on welfare situations

)

Ithuviel · 12-19-2019, 03:49 AM

thank you for answering. He does not have a name yet. It takes me a while to name them

Yes situation was really bad, i wad giving advice to the family but they did not seem that interested. I just wish there was a rescue in my country. Sadly we only have dog and cat rescues.

LunaTheHamster1 · 12-19-2019, 05:40 AM

wow, good for you trying to help. I hope they can find homes for the rest of them.

Ria P · 12-19-2019, 08:44 AM

You made one hamster happy and tried to help the family, so well done you.

It is very rewarding to take on a hamster who has been neglected and show them the joys of a proper hamster life.

Your hamster boy looks so happy running in his wheel which must have been a new experience for him.

There are private hamster rescues here which run on donations aside from ones run by registered charities. Maybe they exist in your country as well.

Vierville · 12-19-2019, 09:17 AM

Well done Ithuviel on a very good deed that you did!

He is beautiful. Looks very much like my two little ones Norman and Rollo. Russian hybrid.

He looks very happy in his new environment and I know from my ones that they really love spray millet.

It is so sad that people with very little knowledge get in over their heads like this and even more sad that they very often do not care.

You have made one little soul very very happy and that is a great thing to have done.

Otaku · 12-19-2019, 03:32 PM

Congratulations Ithuviel!

You have done a wonderfully good deed, and one very lucky hamster will live a much better life thanks to you.

It is incredibly sad when people choose the neglect their animals (as you did your best to impart your knowledge). As upsetting and frustrating as it may be I think the best you can do is maybe set up a blog or webpage to spread information on hamster care in Romanian, as it may be that many people in Romania cannot access good information on hamster care because of the language barrier? I don't know but it sounds like the same problem I see in Thailand, people simply don't know better because the information is not readily available in the local language.

Anyway, back to you new boy. He is gorgeous and looks like a happy little chap! I hope he settles in quickly so you can start bonding and hopefully enjoy handling him soon xoxo

Ithuviel · 12-20-2019, 01:39 AM

Thank you all for all your kind comments

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ria P

There are private hamster rescues here which run on donations aside from ones run by registered charities. Maybe they exist in your country as well.

I've search and searched but there are none. I wish i could start my own. Except cats and dogs, there is no other animal rescue. No birds, no rodents and no reptiles....

And hamsters are not the only ones neglected in this country. Someone posted about a month ago a guinea pig on a free cycle group. The porr piggie was clearly neglected: no hay, nails needed trimming and a very small cage.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Otaku

As upsetting and frustrating as it may be I think the best you can do is maybe set up a blog or webpage to spread information on hamster care in Romanian, as it may be that many people in Romania cannot access good information on hamster care because of the language barrier? I don't know but it sounds like the same problem I see in Thailand, people simply don't know better because the information is not readily available in the local language.

Someone allready did that here it is Unfortunatelly even in the only facebook hamster group of my country there are many examples of bad care. I always tell them when i see it. Many think that i'm exaggerating and crazy. When i suggested to bake wooden toys after a hamster has died before passing them to the new hamster they told me that i was exagerating and that they were only mice. People always use the argument: i've done it before and it was fine.

Sorry for the rant.

but i just don't know what to do....

chloeeruth98 · 12-27-2019, 08:21 AM

So happy for your new little one that you've been able to rescue and rehome him, and offer him a happy life

Hamster groups so often make me feel ill; Instagram can be better but sometimes the stuff people post that they think is cute is just awful. Great job, HC, for promoting proper hamster care!