Hello! I am new here :)

[Tohru]

Hi everybody!

I became a hamster mom a few weeks ago, and it has been absolutely wonderful! My new baby's name is Mutou, and she is a dwarf hamster. She is currently living in a wire pet-store cage for the moment. I have a friend building a larger cage for her, though.

The pet store label on her cage simply said "Dwarf Russian Hamster"; does anyone know how to tell whether she is a Russian White or a Campbell?


I also have two pet cats! They are interested in Mutou, and they like to watch her. Interestingly, when she is in her hamster ball, Mutou loves chasing after them and rolling her ball into the cats! This makes the cats scared and they run away, haha.

Anyway, nice to meet you all!

[AmityvilleHams]

Welcome to the forum

Pet store hamsters are always hybrids.The only way you'd have a specific species(pure,not hybridized!)is getting a hamster from a breeder that has a pedigree This means a diabetes friendly diet is necessary.

Cats and hamsters should absolutely never be allowed anywhere near each other,no matter how it seems.It's just not ethical for either species involved,and will ultimately have negative effects at some point(even if not immediately).

Hamster balls are not good unfortunately They don't offer enrichment,block out hamster senses,and in some places are even considered animal cruelty.Plus,with tiny dwarf claws the ventilation slits are always a safety hazard!A simple play bin,playpen,or dry bathtub is much better,and would actually provide enrichment that is beneficial to the hamster(unlike balls which are not beneficial at all).

[Ruth Edwards]

Hello Tohru, looking forward to seeing pictures of Mutou. Hope your pictures are better than mine, my hamster always comes out blurry. This one of Daisy isn't bad

[Drago]

Hello and welcome aboard!

Looking forward to meeting Mutou If you ever have any questions, please ask

[cypher]

Hi & welcome to HC

Congrats on getting Mutou, she will be a Russian hybrid (cross WW & Campbells) as no pet shops sell pure WW or Campbells Russian hams.
That does mean she will be prone to diabetes, that doesn't mean that all hybrids develop diabetes but it is always best to be careful with the diet, avoid all sugars & sweet treats, give veg not fruit & feed a dwarf specific mix with no sugars or fruits in it.

Hamster balls really aren't safe for dwarf hams as they can easily be injured so far better to make a playpen where she can explore toys, run around & interact with you.
Cats & hamsters should never even be in the same room, no mater how well you think you know your pets terrible accidents can & do happen, other than the potential for accidents it is very stressful for a tiny prey animal to have large predators around.

[Thin Lizzy]

Hello and welcome to HC.
I really would advise you keep your hamster safely away from your cats, it's really worrying to read that they love watching her in the hamster ball, these balls aren't guaranteed that they won't suddenly open putting your little girl in danger. All cats are hunters and you might think they won't hurt her but given the chance they'll pounce.
Also your ham will feel anxious and scared. The balls aren't recommended for dwarf hams.

[Crystalroborovski]

Hi there, welcome to HC

I'm sure you love motou very much and she is a wonderful little companion!

Because she is a pet store hamster it is guaranteed that she will be a mix between a Campbells Russian and a winter white. The only way you can get a purebred dwarf is from a reputable breeder who has the hamster's pedigree. Also, because she is a hybrid just be careful with her diet, not too much sugary treats, fruit or mixes high in sugar as these may cause diabetes Burgess dwarf ordered from the U.K. is an excellent food for diabetes prone species.

I second what has been said about keeping the cats and mutou away from each other. It is stressful and cruel to both species- scary for mutou as there are two predators who could attack her and stressful for the cats because there is prey in front of their faces and they cannot get it. I'd strongly urge you to keep them away from each other to prevent any accidents that could have very sad results. Cats are born with strong hunting instincts and even if you think they can't get to mutou think again! I just don't want you to be heartbroken because of an accident that was so preventable.

Instead of using a ball, why not opt for a playpen? Balls are dangerous for several reasons (especially for dwarfs because their tiny feet can easily get caught in the ventilation holes) and prevent your hamster from using their whiskers and sense of smell to find their way around so it is quite scary for them. Plus, balls don't offer any more stimulation than a wheel would. You can buy a playpen at a pet store or make your own out of a storage bin or even a cardboard box!

If you have anymore questions please don't hesitate to ask

[dreamtree1234]

Hi and welcome to HC. I look forward to getting to know Mutou and seeing pics whenever you have a chance and she is settled in more. I would definitely make sure that your cats and your hammy are never in the same room with one another. Although Mutou may be quite brave rolling her ball into your cats, it only takes a split second for things to turn out in a terrible accident. Balls have been known to open and even if this doesn't happen, your cats can swat at the ball and injure or terrify your hammy. It could also be extremely stressful to both hammy and cats. Also, balls aren't advisable for dwarfs as their extremely tiny paws and/or legs could get caught and injured. If you have any questions, please always feel free to ask because we all want to help if we can. I look forward to seeing you around on the forum. Have fun with Mutou; I certainly hope that she has plenty of wonderful years with you.

[CMB]

Welcome. I hope Mutou is settling in well. I look forward to her update on how she is doing.