first time hamster owner [questions!]

[ootchia]

Originally Posted by AmityvilleHams

Any sort of predatory pet should not be allowed in the same room as a hamster with no exceptions. It is a serious risk to their health and safety, but it also isn't fair to the other pets - regardless of if the hamster is asleep or not, don't do it.

With that being said, it is entirely possible to have a hamster and dogs or other predatory pets with adequate precautions being taken. Barking is pretty hard to avoid completely but the primary issue that you have to prevent at all times(again no exceptions) is them being in the same room. It would also be beneficial to avoid the scent of the dog, but it isn't always possible to remove 100% of the scent. You shouldn't ever let them be in the same room together supervised or not, but with a secure door preventing any and all access it can work very well!

Yes, my dog does not venture into my room much as she is not allowed to, and doesn’t take much interest unless she can smell (human) food.. I would never put them into contact with each other. I wash my hands if I touch the dog as well (as with any pet). She only barks downstairs and I can always get a baby gate so she doesn’t ever get in.

[OliverS]

I’m assuming you’ve done enough research to know this and I hate to sound like I’m teaching you to suck eggs but I haven’t seen anyone mention this and I’d hate for you to have the same problem to deal with as I’ve just had. Also, I’ve only recently started taking care of hamsters myself, had a few as a kid but I didn’t really do any of the looking after.

With regards to dwarf hamsters, a lot of pet shops (I’m thinking pets @ home if you’re in the UK) will say they like to live in pairs or groups, but exercise severe caution with that, they do live together in the wild but they might not get on with each other and need separating. I’ve had mine for about 4 months now and they just started fighting/bullying a couple of days ago so they’ve had to be split up. In future, I’ll only be buying dwarf hamsters if they’re on their own in a pet shop if the others have been taken but I’d rather buy from a breeder.

Depending on where you’re based, I have a plank of kiln-dried pine, some pine dowels, some Ponal wood glue and Plastikote to paint the wood with and make it easier to clean going spare. I would offer chicken wire but I bought one with spacing which was too big.

With regards your dog, I don’t have one so I’m not as qualified to comment as others but what I would say is that mine HATE the hoover, I don’t know whether it’s the frequency or the volume (although they’ve never been bothered by the TV) but I’d keep an eye on your ham(s) if and when the dog’s barking to see if it’s stressing them out and see if there’s any way you could deflect the noise.

With bedding, I use wood shavings for the main substrate and carefresh for bedding in the corners but I’ve had a couple of issues with carefresh recently (I’ve seen this somewhere else on the forum as well) that it’s a bit coarse. Kaytee Clean and Cosy has been recommended a few times.

I love that you’re making a wheel yourself but you have to make sure it’s big enough for the ham you’re getting so they don’t arch their back and injure themselves so if I were you, I’d decide on the species first and then make it accordingly. I’ve got a flying saucer wheel from Pets at Home which I love because it was easier for when they were babies and a lot quieter than a standard wheel

[OliverS]

And I’ve just read your posts and seen that you’re only buying one. Ignore my second paragraph. That was the equivalent of not reading the question in an exam -.-

[ootchia]

Originally Posted by OliverS

I’m assuming you’ve done enough research to know this and I hate to sound like I’m teaching you to suck eggs but I haven’t seen anyone mention this and I’d hate for you to have the same problem to deal with as I’ve just had. Also, I’ve only recently started taking care of hamsters myself, had a few as a kid but I didn’t really do any of the looking after.

With regards to dwarf hamsters, a lot of pet shops (I’m thinking pets @ home if you’re in the UK) will say they like to live in pairs or groups, but exercise severe caution with that, they do live together in the wild but they might not get on with each other and need separating. I’ve had mine for about 4 months now and they just started fighting/bullying a couple of days ago so they’ve had to be split up. In future, I’ll only be buying dwarf hamsters if they’re on their own in a pet shop if the others have been taken but I’d rather buy from a breeder.

Depending on where you’re based, I have a plank of kiln-dried pine, some pine dowels, some Ponal wood glue and Plastikote to paint the wood with and make it easier to clean going spare. I would offer chicken wire but I bought one with spacing which was too big.

With regards your dog, I don’t have one so I’m not as qualified to comment as others but what I would say is that mine HATE the hoover, I don’t know whether it’s the frequency or the volume (although they’ve never been bothered by the TV) but I’d keep an eye on your ham(s) if and when the dog’s barking to see if it’s stressing them out and see if there’s any way you could deflect the noise.

With bedding, I use wood shavings for the main substrate and carefresh for bedding in the corners but I’ve had a couple of issues with carefresh recently (I’ve seen this somewhere else on the forum as well) that it’s a bit coarse. Kaytee Clean and Cosy has been recommended a few times.

I love that you’re making a wheel yourself but you have to make sure it’s big enough for the ham you’re getting so they don’t arch their back and injure themselves so if I were you, I’d decide on the species first and then make it accordingly. I’ve got a flying saucer wheel from Pets at Home which I love because it was easier for when they were babies and a lot quieter than a standard wheel

Yes, I decided against getting two hamsters as I want to devote a lot of attention and care to just one. I don’t trust pets at home with animals — a lot of my friends have had gerbils/hamsters/rabbits/rats and unfortunately a few from the shop had died a couple of weeks after. (Of course I cannot confirm that they died because of the store but it seems suspicious for it to happen repeatedly). I think I would only buy the kaytee bedding and Harry Hamster base food from there.

I still have chicken wire from the chickens I used to have so I will probably use that, but my dad suggested getting melamine and plexiglass from the local BnQ.

My room is away from the noise of the hoover and tv, especially when the door is closed. My dog has a fear of ‘the broom’ so maybe I will prop the broom outside my door and hopefully she will get the message. (It’s not that I use the broom on my dog but she has acquired a fear of it; more so than the hoover!) The dog doesn’t bark consistently but when she does it is usually because the corgi across the street is playing up or someone is outside.

I was going to make the wheel fit a Syrian size, but would that still be okay with a dwarf? I am really indecisive and the person I am probably buying from is going to let me look at the hamsters to see which one is the most ‘friendly’. I have researched on all species so I have general knowledge on how to care for either a Syrian or Dwarf. My cage theme is probably going to be natural/organic, but offer a range of possibilities for my hamster so I can see what it likes most and then slowly develop the cage to its liking.

Thank you for replying

[AmityvilleHams]

I would be very careful with the chicken wire and check the spacing first. Hamsters cannot have 1 inch mesh which is typical of chicken wire, but it if was 1/2 inch x 1/2 inch square mesh that would work very well. If not suitable for hamster use it may end up being a perfectly useful crafting material, providing you'd like the more rustic aesthetic it would provide if left showing!

If you're going to use plexiglass(or any sort of acrylic or non-glass material), do be aware that aquarium silicon sealant alone is not enough to secure that sort of material to melamine or anything else. Silicon doesn't bond with acrylic and will inevitably fail, which could lead to a serious injury or escape. Carefully screwing the acrylic will be the safest and most reliable choice. It'll need to be constructed outdoors with proper ventilation of course, and if you do choose to use any silicon inside for waterproofing purposes that needs to cure outside for 24-48 hours to keep your hamster and any other pets as well as yourself safe from the fumes(there aren't any when it is cured but while curing silicon does produce harmful fumes).

For wheel size, the ideal size for a dwarf would be 8-9 inches in diameter as it isn't too large or too small. A good solid upright wheel of 12 inches that spins easily could potentially work for larger dwarf species however some smaller species and younger hamsters may not do so well with such a wheel.

[OliverS]

Sounds good. You’ve definitely done some proper research, I can’t really add anything to what you or AmityvilleHams except that I’d keep an eye out for them trying to use the wheel the first time if it’s a dwarf and when it’s a baby and have a backup plan if they can’t get it to move. I had to pop back to the shop to get one after they couldn’t move theirs. They will probably grow into a bigger one when they’re fully grown so that should be fine but I would keep in mind that a larger wheel may be annoying for them at the start

[ootchia]

Originally Posted by AmityvilleHams

I would be very careful with the chicken wire and check the spacing first. Hamsters cannot have 1 inch mesh which is typical of chicken wire, but it if was 1/2 inch x 1/2 inch square mesh that would work very well. If not suitable for hamster use it may end up being a perfectly useful crafting material, providing you'd like the more rustic aesthetic it would provide if left showing!

If you're going to use plexiglass(or any sort of acrylic or non-glass material), do be aware that aquarium silicon sealant alone is not enough to secure that sort of material to melamine or anything else. Silicon doesn't bond with acrylic and will inevitably fail, which could lead to a serious injury or escape. Carefully screwing the acrylic will be the safest and most reliable choice. It'll need to be constructed outdoors with proper ventilation of course, and if you do choose to use any silicon inside for waterproofing purposes that needs to cure outside for 24-48 hours to keep your hamster and any other pets as well as yourself safe from the fumes(there aren't any when it is cured but while curing silicon does produce harmful fumes).

For wheel size, the ideal size for a dwarf would be 8-9 inches in diameter as it isn't too large or too small. A good solid upright wheel of 12 inches that spins easily could potentially work for larger dwarf species however some smaller species and younger hamsters may not do so well with such a wheel.

I think the hamsters the seller owns are roughly 10 weeks old, both Syrian and dwarf. The seller does a travel cage bundle with a wheel so I could construct the wheel at home according to the hamsters size, and in the meantime, the hamster can use the wheel from the travel cage (how good the wheel is, I don’t know).

I will ask my dad to screw the plexiglass if we use it. I don’t know if it’s particularly bendy but I guess it depends on the thickness you get.

Thank you for your response!

[Maker]

I’m looking forward to seeing your set up and new ham when they arrive

[ootchia]

Originally Posted by Maker

I’m looking forward to seeing your set up and new ham when they arrive

Thank you ^^