Register FAQ Calendar Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read
Navigation
Front Page
Forum
Gallery
Wiki

Ads by Google


Go Back   Hamster Central > Hamster Species > Hybrid hamsters

Notices

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 02-01-2021, 04:09 PM   #1
mmmolly
Newborn Pup
 
Join Date: Feb 2021
Location: Europe
Posts: 4
Exclamation First time hamster owner

i’m not really sure how these things works but i am a first time hamster owner and have so many questions so i thought i would just put them all in one and hope that i at least get some answers.

So before i start here’s a little back story, my younger sibling really wanted a pet hamster so obviously my parents cracked and got her one. However she is really young and soon the joy of having a hamster wore of and now i have decided to take matters into my own hands. I find it really sad how my sister just thought this hamster could be her little toy when in reality it’s a living creature that needs love and care. From the research i’ve been doing i’ve discovered my hamster is a hybrid and is a dwarf, i upgraded him into a massive cage and he does seem to be doing well. He has been coming onto my hands and taking food off which is great. Now since i m new to all this and didn’t get too much time to research i thought i would come on here and ask some questions.

What time do your hamsters usually wake up? My hamster is usually awake for a bit in the day and doesn’t wake up until super late at night, is that normal?

When is the best time to get him out to play etc? Is it best later at night, in the day or in the morning

What are some low sugar/fat treats for dwarfs? At the moment i’ve been using sunflower seeds for taming but is there anything else that is lower in fat?

How to pick a dwarf hamster up? this is a bit of an odd one but i’m wondering what is the best method for dwarfs is it cupping?

What is a good diet for him and how often should i feed him?

When is best to top up his food/veggies? in the morning or at night?
and how do i get him into a routine of getting used to getting up at certain times etc?

I’m just a bit worried as he doesn’t come out much at night and wakes up very late and goes to sleep very early, i would say he wakes up at around midnight and goes to sleep at 5 am, is that normal? or should he be sleeping earlier and going to bed earlier?
Also if i ever want to get him out of his cage i usually have to wake him up as he is never up when i am up, is that okay as when he is up he does seem fine.
Another thing i notice is sometimes when i have to wake him up he just won’t come out of bed he will keep digging a burrowing and won’t get up, thsi is okay most of the time but sometimes when i need to change him it isn’t i deal, is there anyway to stop this and is there some sort of method to get him up?
mmmolly is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-02-2021, 06:48 AM   #2
yasmin_the_hamster
Newborn Pup
 
yasmin_the_hamster's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2021
Location: Prague
Posts: 49
Default Re: First time hamster owner

My hamster wakes up at 12-1 in the night. She usually slows down at 3-4, and then she is active in the morning again. It changes a bit though, since she is young and she is finding her regime. It is normal for a hamster to wake at night. Some are nocturnal, some are crepuscular like mine (wake at dawn and dusk). The best time depends on you and your hamster. If I take Yasmin out at 1, when she is fresh, she is very very active. When I take her out at 4, she is sleepy already. Of course, I only take her out when she wants to, and she prefers to be out in hamster proof room most of the times. I can tell that she wants to go out by her jumping on my hand, or standing on two legs finding a way of how to get from her Detolf. Only this way the hamster will enjoy free roaming time. You should wake up your hamster only when medical emergency, because it is very stressful and harmful for your hamster. That is also why he does not want to come out when you wake him up - he just wants to sleep. Try to interact with him for example in the morning, when you know he is awake.

But back to proper time to play with a hamster. The best time also depends on you. If it is better for you to play with hamster in the morning before school, do it, it is important you have enough sleep as well. Also, hamster can be a bit trained - if you know, yor hamster is up lets say 1-6 in the morning, and you go fill your hamsters food at 5 every day, your hamster will learn this time and wait for you every day. So, to be honest, the best time is individual and it needs to suit you and your hamster regime.

Someone recommends a tiny tiny piece of veggies or fruit, but you should be careful with amounts and your hamster needs to be used to these. If overfed, hamster could get diarrhea. You can also feed your hamster just normal hamster mix, if he is not too bored with that. You can give a bit of pumpkin seed, but that is also fatty. A bit of egg or mealworm as a protein can be as well. If you type into google some type of food and amounts for your type of hamster, you can find how much per week or day max he can have, so that is very useful. It is said that you should give your hamster only that much fresh food that he can eat in time, so it is not rotting in his nest.

The best method is slowly try to put your hands below his belly. That way hamster wont be scared that you are a predator, trying to catch him from above. He should see and smell your hands upfront. It is possible that at the beginning, he will be uncomfortable and try to jump from your hands. That is ok. He will learn to trust you in time, it needs some training. However, when you want to take your hamster out, use some transfer box, normal cup or something, to prevent him from jumping from your hands on the ground. He will learn that cup or bow or travel box means play time and he will go there on his own, when he wants to go out play. You can put also a treat in there.

Your hamster can be scared to go out when you are awake, so he can prefer to just hide until no sounds are around. It is normal. He might be just cautious. If you want to clean his beddig, I suggest to lure him out of hist nest with a snack. I usually hold snack next to the opening of the house of my hamster. You do not want to open the house, vlbecause that will scare your hamster. I know this is hard, but you need to be patient.

You are amazing for stepping up and taking care of the hamster. We need more hamster owners like you. I recommend you youtube channels like Victoria Raechel to search, or you can search through these older forums on hamster central to learn more. As I have syrian, I cannot unfortunately advice you on dwarf hamster diet. Good luck!

Last edited by yasmin_the_hamster; 02-02-2021 at 07:13 AM.
yasmin_the_hamster is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-02-2021, 06:55 AM   #3
yasmin_the_hamster
Newborn Pup
 
yasmin_the_hamster's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2021
Location: Prague
Posts: 49
Default Re: First time hamster owner

Quote:
Originally Posted by mmmolly View Post
i’m not really sure how these things works but i am a first time hamster owner and have so many questions so i thought i would just put them all in one and hope that i at least get some answers.

So before i start here’s a little back story, my younger sibling really wanted a pet hamster so obviously my parents cracked and got her one. However she is really young and soon the joy of having a hamster wore of and now i have decided to take matters into my own hands. I find it really sad how my sister just thought this hamster could be her little toy when in reality it’s a living creature that needs love and care. From the research i’ve been doing i’ve discovered my hamster is a hybrid and is a dwarf, i upgraded him into a massive cage and he does seem to be doing well. He has been coming onto my hands and taking food off which is great. Now since i m new to all this and didn’t get too much time to research i thought i would come on here and ask some questions.

What time do your hamsters usually wake up? My hamster is usually awake for a bit in the day and doesn’t wake up until super late at night, is that normal?

When is the best time to get him out to play etc? Is it best later at night, in the day or in the morning

What are some low sugar/fat treats for dwarfs? At the moment i’ve been using sunflower seeds for taming but is there anything else that is lower in fat?

How to pick a dwarf hamster up? this is a bit of an odd one but i’m wondering what is the best method for dwarfs is it cupping?

What is a good diet for him and how often should i feed him?

When is best to top up his food/veggies? in the morning or at night?
and how do i get him into a routine of getting used to getting up at certain times etc?

I’m just a bit worried as he doesn’t come out much at night and wakes up very late and goes to sleep very early, i would say he wakes up at around midnight and goes to sleep at 5 am, is that normal? or should he be sleeping earlier and going to bed earlier?
Also if i ever want to get him out of his cage i usually have to wake him up as he is never up when i am up, is that okay as when he is up he does seem fine.
Another thing i notice is sometimes when i have to wake him up he just won’t come out of bed he will keep digging a burrowing and won’t get up, thsi is okay most of the time but sometimes when i need to change him it isn’t i deal, is there anyway to stop this and is there some sort of method to get him up?

Also, one more important thing. Try to make sure you know veterinarians in your area, who can take care of hamsters. Save their number and also save some money upfront, or talk to this with your parents. The most sad thing I read about how owners have sick animals and cannot afford a medical care for it. So please, try to do what you can to make sure, your hamster will get medical help when needed.

Last edited by yasmin_the_hamster; 02-02-2021 at 07:11 AM.
yasmin_the_hamster is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-02-2021, 03:50 PM   #4
Ria P
House of Hamsters
 
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Wiltshire, UK
Posts: 7,103
Default Re: First time hamster owner

Your hamster is very lucky that you stepped in to take good care of him.

I have four dwarf hybrids and they all have very different personalities ranging from very lively and up whenever someone goes near her cage to a dwarf i rarely see because he prefers to do his own thing to somewhere inbetween.

They get up at different times and out of the four, three free roam in a hamster proof room, at different times of course. One does not like or want out of cage time.

You could try and rustle the substrate near your hamster's sleeping place in the evening and hold a dried mealworm or pumpkin seed to see if he gets up. If he digs deeper and deeper i would leave him alone because it means that he does not want to get up.

I feed mine a scoop of hamster mix daily and one waits for it. Not that she's hungry because she has a big hoard but she loves to forage. I also scatter some about to keep them busy.
Dwarfs are prone to diabetes so best to avoid fruit and sugary foods and honey which is often used to bind nibble sticks. Some are ok so its a matter of reading the ingredients list. Rodipet, Getzoo, Zooplus, Mixerama all do suitable dwarf mixes. I don't know where in Europe you are but if you're in the Uk the Harry Hamster is ok too but quite chunky.

I find that the easiest way to pick up a dwarf is to scoop them up in your hands. If the hamster is still nervous of hands then let him walk into something like a jug but cover it with your hand while transfering him.

In time you'll get to know your hamster and his habits and in the meantime ask what you'd like to know because we've all been new to this once.
Ria P is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-03-2021, 02:59 AM   #5
mmmolly
Newborn Pup
 
Join Date: Feb 2021
Location: Europe
Posts: 4
Default

He usually wakes up at about midnight then goes to bed at around 4-5, pretty similar to yours. He has kinda got into the routine of then again waking up when I do in the morning and getting some treats. He is sometimes awake for a bit in the day but not too much. And the he usually will appear again in the evening which is when I'm starting to get him out of the cage.

I will try to wait until he is awake to change his bedding etc as I know I would want someone coming into my bed and moving it around.

He really enjoys carrots as veggie so I stick to that as his fresh treat, I think he's just a picky eater.

When I try to cup him to pick him up he just runs away but he is perfectly fine with walking onto my hands and letting me pick him up that way I just need to get a hang of the cupping method as im probably doing it wrong ( I have a lot of other pets but they're usually bigger then he is and im literally scared I will break him because he is so tiny)

Im trying to get him in some sort of routine that fits me. At the moment he wakes up when I do as im usually fixing up his cage from the mess he made in the night before. When he is awake in the morning is when I try to do his taming and he seems to have gotten used to me. In the evening is when I then fill his food up and he usually appears so I get him out for some playtime.

As for the cupping method im still trying with that, usually I got to put my hands in the cupping position and he runs away however he is fine with walking onto my hands and letting me pick him up that way. I just need to get the cupping method nailed down incase he runs off and I need to pick him up. Any advice on that?

Im not too sure what food he is on as its just in a tub but I will look into getting one of those brands.

I also have a question about sunflower seeds, at the moment they are his only treat and I am using them for taming, how many would you recommend giving him a day?

Last edited by souffle; 02-03-2021 at 06:59 AM.
mmmolly is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-03-2021, 04:38 AM   #6
mmmolly
Newborn Pup
 
Join Date: Feb 2021
Location: Europe
Posts: 4
Default Re: First time hamster owner

Quote:
Originally Posted by yasmin_the_hamster View Post
My hamster wakes up at 12-1 in the night. She usually slows down at 3-4, and then she is active in the morning again. It changes a bit though, since she is young and she is finding her regime. It is normal for a hamster to wake at night. Some are nocturnal, some are crepuscular like mine (wake at dawn and dusk). The best time depends on you and your hamster. If I take Yasmin out at 1, when she is fresh, she is very very active. When I take her out at 4, she is sleepy already. Of course, I only take her out when she wants to, and she prefers to be out in hamster proof room most of the times. I can tell that she wants to go out by her jumping on my hand, or standing on two legs finding a way of how to get from her Detolf. Only this way the hamster will enjoy free roaming time. You should wake up your hamster only when medical emergency, because it is very stressful and harmful for your hamster. That is also why he does not want to come out when you wake him up - he just wants to sleep. Try to interact with him for example in the morning, when you know he is awake.

But back to proper time to play with a hamster. The best time also depends on you. If it is better for you to play with hamster in the morning before school, do it, it is important you have enough sleep as well. Also, hamster can be a bit trained - if you know, yor hamster is up lets say 1-6 in the morning, and you go fill your hamsters food at 5 every day, your hamster will learn this time and wait for you every day. So, to be honest, the best time is individual and it needs to suit you and your hamster regime.

Someone recommends a tiny tiny piece of veggies or fruit, but you should be careful with amounts and your hamster needs to be used to these. If overfed, hamster could get diarrhea. You can also feed your hamster just normal hamster mix, if he is not too bored with that. You can give a bit of pumpkin seed, but that is also fatty. A bit of egg or mealworm as a protein can be as well. If you type into google some type of food and amounts for your type of hamster, you can find how much per week or day max he can have, so that is very useful. It is said that you should give your hamster only that much fresh food that he can eat in time, so it is not rotting in his nest.

The best method is slowly try to put your hands below his belly. That way hamster wont be scared that you are a predator, trying to catch him from above. He should see and smell your hands upfront. It is possible that at the beginning, he will be uncomfortable and try to jump from your hands. That is ok. He will learn to trust you in time, it needs some training. However, when you want to take your hamster out, use some transfer box, normal cup or something, to prevent him from jumping from your hands on the ground. He will learn that cup or bow or travel box means play time and he will go there on his own, when he wants to go out play. You can put also a treat in there.

Your hamster can be scared to go out when you are awake, so he can prefer to just hide until no sounds are around. It is normal. He might be just cautious. If you want to clean his beddig, I suggest to lure him out of hist nest with a snack. I usually hold snack next to the opening of the house of my hamster. You do not want to open the house, vlbecause that will scare your hamster. I know this is hard, but you need to be patient.

You are amazing for stepping up and taking care of the hamster. We need more hamster owners like you. I recommend you youtube channels like Victoria Raechel to search, or you can search through these older forums on hamster central to learn more. As I have syrian, I cannot unfortunately advice you on dwarf hamster diet. Good luck!
He literally has the same sleeping patterns as your hamster aha. He always wakes up when I do in the morning for a treat and then at around 6-7 he wakes up so I get him out and then he goes back into bed until midnight.

His favourite is carrots so ill just stick to them as a treat for him.

Im trying the cupping method but im honestly so unexperienced with such tiny creatures and he always runs away but he is perfectly happy with walking onto my hand and being picked up that way.
mmmolly is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-03-2021, 04:42 AM   #7
mmmolly
Newborn Pup
 
Join Date: Feb 2021
Location: Europe
Posts: 4
Default Re: First time hamster owner

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ria P View Post
Your hamster is very lucky that you stepped in to take good care of him.

I have four dwarf hybrids and they all have very different personalities ranging from very lively and up whenever someone goes near her cage to a dwarf i rarely see because he prefers to do his own thing to somewhere inbetween.

They get up at different times and out of the four, three free roam in a hamster proof room, at different times of course. One does not like or want out of cage time.

You could try and rustle the substrate near your hamster's sleeping place in the evening and hold a dried mealworm or pumpkin seed to see if he gets up. If he digs deeper and deeper i would leave him alone because it means that he does not want to get up.

I feed mine a scoop of hamster mix daily and one waits for it. Not that she's hungry because she has a big hoard but she loves to forage. I also scatter some about to keep them busy.
Dwarfs are prone to diabetes so best to avoid fruit and sugary foods and honey which is often used to bind nibble sticks. Some are ok so its a matter of reading the ingredients list. Rodipet, Getzoo, Zooplus, Mixerama all do suitable dwarf mixes. I don't know where in Europe you are but if you're in the Uk the Harry Hamster is ok too but quite chunky.

I find that the easiest way to pick up a dwarf is to scoop them up in your hands. If the hamster is still nervous of hands then let him walk into something like a jug but cover it with your hand while transfering him.

In time you'll get to know your hamster and his habits and in the meantime ask what you'd like to know because we've all been new to this once.
He is starting to get some sort of routine but it is still all over the place.

I will try rustling with a treat and see how it goes, I understand if he doesn't want to get up, it is usually in the day.

I will look into those foods, thanks for the suggestion.
I will try scooping he just always runs away and I don't think im really doing it properly aha
mmmolly is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
hamster, time, wake, night, bit

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Search Engine Optimisation provided by DragonByte SEO v2.0.43 (Pro) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.
Copyright © 2003-2022, Hobby Solutions
All times are GMT -7. The time now is 03:08 PM.