Hello everyone, hope you've been having a good day!
I am in need of some tips and guidance regarding to care of Russians. Wish I could say it's for a Russian I plan to get, but sadly it's not. A good friend of mine has decided to dive into the world of hamsters, and I immediately volunteered to help them start up and maintain. This will be their first pet and they're very excited for it, as am I to be honest! I've directed them to here, not sure if they'll join or not, but I've been helping them to get some supplies as with all newbies, there were a few things they planned to buy that wouldn't be suitable. Here is a list of things we've decided on, to all Russian owners, let me know if I missed something or suggest anything else
-40 gallon breeder with screen lid
-bathing sand
-decent sized wheel (9 inches I believe?)
-kaytee clean and cozy
-several chew toys
-Hazel hamster (I suggested Burgess but they did not want to order online)
-fresh not too sugary vegetables
-Water bottle
-wooden huts and shoeboxes with bottoms cut out
-nail trimmers (made for pets)
-bowl to hold sand
-whimzees
-food bowl (though we may skimp on this and choose to scatter feed)
-driftwood and grapevine (possibly cork bark too)
-designated play area
-other misc toys
All tips are appreciated. I have tried my best with instructing them, but I've never had a Russian so there will be things that can only be taught through experience so if there's any noteworthy things, don't forget to mention them.
I explained that personality wasn't typically based on gender (especially in non-Syrian species) but they wanted to know whether you'd recommend males or females? I said that a female might be better since (though it's quite an insignificant detail) male Russian scent glands can build up oils and if not maintained, this can cause infection so I figured it wasn't something they'd want to deal with.
Thanks all
