A friend?

TheFluffyHammies · 12-21-2014, 02:14 AM

I am going to get 1 russian hybrid hamster and the reason why I am only getting 1 is because I dont have the space for another cage if a pair fight.
Is this ok?
I dont want the ham to be lonely...

cypher · 12-21-2014, 03:04 AM

Don't worry the only friend a hybrid needs is you

Mine all live quite happily alone, they really don't need company.

nibblet · 12-21-2014, 04:34 AM

Hamsters will still live happily on their own. I've had a pair of dwarfs fight and they didn't care about being split up.

Thin Lizzy · 12-21-2014, 06:21 AM

Hamsters are perfectly happy being on their own. Provide plenty entertainment toys for his/her home
and plenty love and attention and your hamster will bring you such joy!
When are you getting your Russian hybrid?

TheFluffyHammies · 12-21-2014, 07:11 AM

I'm getting the ham after christmas (January or February).

Ok, thanks everyone!

racinghamster · 12-21-2014, 07:38 AM

Hello TheFluffyHammies. I havn`t been on the forum for quite a time due to illness, but I echo what the other members have said and only get the one Russian dwarf. The main thing is to prepare for your newbie. Cage (look for caging that is safe and a good size - around 70cm long x 40cm wide) Height doesn`t matter, although providing a few climbing toys like wooden stepping ramps and internal tubes are fun!

Diet: Hybrid Russian hamsters can be prone to diabetes, but if you choose a mix that is easy for you to obtain and one that is sugar free if you can, the better.

I`ve just taken on a Russian hybrid from the adoption area in Pets At Home who is ten months old. He lived with his brother and they started fighting, which is why he ended up abandoned to Pets At Home. His diet probably consisted of Pets at Home`s own muesli or similar, but I now feed him two mixes. Burgess Supahamster and Zooplus JR Farm dwarf hamster mix, both are sugar free, or free from `added` sugars.

Rehoming a hamster is very rewarding, so have a think about looking at rescue hamsters. If not, Pets At Home and other stores usually stock youngsters for sale. And there is always Gumtree.

TheFluffyHammies · 12-21-2014, 10:29 AM

Hi racinghamster! Thanks for your advice!
My cage is an iMac fantasy with 3 levels

Also, I am planning to feed the ham some Burgess Dwarf hamster harvest and 1 science selective hamster food (the little hearts) at every feed.

Do you need to remove anything from the Burgess Dwarf Hamster Harvest due to high sugar or is everything in there ok?

What is your ham called?

racinghamster · 12-21-2014, 11:02 AM

My new ham is called Chubs! That`s him in my avatar image. Only had him since yesterday and he`s an intelligent wee monkey!

The Imac Fantasy three tier sounds great. One thing I would say though, is that the tubes going up to each level can prove difficult for some small hamsters. Russian dwarfs have fur covered feet, so although they love to climb, the slippy tubes can prove tricky for them, especially near the top where they screw in. They can be quite a vertical drop. Many a member has removed these tubes and replaced them with the bendy Trixie 55cm long bendy ramps. These are sold online. I know Zooplus sell them for under £3.00, but their £15 spending limit puts a bit of a damper on things. The 55cm long bendy ramps are better because they can be angled lower, whereas the shorter ones don`t seem long enough. So perhaps something for you to ponder. I seen a few adaptions done on here if you use the `search` box and type in Imac Fantasy Cage` they may come up.

And no, I wouldn`t remove anything from your Burges mix personally. It was widely believed that corn/maize and peas/pea flakes should be picked out from mixes if fed to diabetic prone hamsters. I learned this is tosh....if you will excuse the language. Okay, some people may feel otherwise, but a small amount of `natural` sugars are required for good health and energy. It`s the `added` sugars you need to steer clear of like treats coated with honey/syrup/molasses and feeding fruit or fructose in a man-made form.

Sorry for rambling! I`ll bet your excited about having a wee furry companion?

racinghamster · 12-21-2014, 11:09 AM

Here you go. I found the image which shows the tubes removed and the 55cm long log ramps replacing them. This lets you see how easier the ramps are for a hamster to get up and down.

**kyrilliondaemon** · 12-21-2014, 11:20 AM

Just wanted to agree with everything on this thread (especially racinghamster's points on diet). Our hybrids are all alone (as of last Wednesday) and they're all ok, three of them have only been single a short while (a few days for two, a few weeks for another) and they've all taken the separations well. The other two have been single since before we got them and clearly don't mind in the slightest

We use burgess dwarf hamster harvest in the mix we feed our hybrids too