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Old 11-06-2017, 05:56 AM   #1
Burakki
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Default Are Hamster Shows stressful?

Both my hammies are from a good breeder who has won multiple shows and she wants me to show my hammies too. I really want to do it but I’m worried it’s too stressful, as I’ll have to wake them up at about 8 am, drag them to some new place with many people and other animals, they be handled by strangers and will have to spend all day in the carriers.
I just feel guilty that they’ll have to go through all that because I hope to get a pretty ribbon.
Can anyone share their show experience and say how hamsters usually deal with all that procedure and whether my worries have sense or not?
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Old 11-06-2017, 06:43 AM   #2
Fluffagrams
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Default Re: Are Hamster Shows stressful?

I can see where your worries are coming from and I've known of several people to have the same concerns so don't worry.

Often people choose to enter the Pet Class at their first show as it allows them to get a feel of how things will work whilst not requiring them or their hamsters to be there all day like they would have to be in the main show and hamsters are also able to be shown on the substrate they're used to, in a carrier that they're familiar with. However I will say that there are often more onlookers during Pet Class judging and they're not kept at the same distance as they are with the main show judging which can cause some nervy hamsters to be a little bit more jumpy than they may usually be at home.

In the main show, hamsters will have to be shown in the required pens, and only authorised substrates and foodstuffs are permitted. They will need to be at the show from 'benching' until the show secretary has given permission for them to be 'lifted' but I have found that most of the hamsters that enter in the main show just spend the day snoozing anyway. Judging literally only takes a couple of minutes per hamster and the only person who will be handling your hamster will be the judge and it is the pen steward's job to make sure that no one else is allowed to move or touch your hamster's show pen.

I've shown in both the Main Show and Pets before and the hamsters that make up my main showing team aren't bothered at all by the experience. Having been bred by well-respected club breeders (although my show team lead was bred by me), often from several generations of show hamsters, their temperaments are well suited to the experience and they are used to being handled from an early age which is often an advantage in this situation.
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Old 11-06-2017, 11:29 AM   #3
Burakki
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Default Re: Are Hamster Shows stressful?

Thank you very much for the reply!!! I appreciate it so much! I think I’m gonna do it!
My older hammy Marti is very sociable and curious, so I hope she’ll be okay with the experience. And the hambaby has a month to get himself prepared))
Marti is not a big fan of sitting in a carrier, but I’ll try to help her get used to it. Which brings me to a little question: is it better to bring them in a bigger or a smaller carrier? From one point of view, bigger is better, but maybe they’d like to be in a smaller one to feel like they’re in a hideout?
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Old 11-06-2017, 12:52 PM   #4
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Default Re: Are Hamster Shows stressful?

Ideally you don’t want to go too big as hamsters in strange situations will often prefer to be in a slightly smaller space but space is also likely to be at a premium at busier shows so the clubs usually suggest that larger cages are better off left at home.

When I entered the Pet Class with my Chinese I used a Medium Ferplast Aladino Carrier: http://www.petsathome.com/shop/en/pets/aladino-carrier

It’s sold as being suitable for guinea pigs (it’s too small for a fully grown guinea pig) but it’s about the right size for a Syrian Hamster.
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Old 11-08-2017, 04:57 AM   #5
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Default Re: Are Hamster Shows stressful?

Thank you very much! I’ll make sure to get it, and I hope my hammies will like it!
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R.I.P. Prince Lemon - my fluffy baby. I’ll never forget you. 23.09.2017 - 17.05.2018
R.I.P. Martina - my golden Queen. You were amazing. 14.02.2017 - 24.01.2019
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