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Fluffagrams · 11-06-2017, 06:43 AM

I can see where your worries are coming from and I've known of several people to have the same concerns so don't worry.

Often people choose to enter the Pet Class at their first show as it allows them to get a feel of how things will work whilst not requiring them or their hamsters to be there all day like they would have to be in the main show and hamsters are also able to be shown on the substrate they're used to, in a carrier that they're familiar with. However I will say that there are often more onlookers during Pet Class judging and they're not kept at the same distance as they are with the main show judging which can cause some nervy hamsters to be a little bit more jumpy than they may usually be at home.

In the main show, hamsters will have to be shown in the required pens, and only authorised substrates and foodstuffs are permitted. They will need to be at the show from 'benching' until the show secretary has given permission for them to be 'lifted' but I have found that most of the hamsters that enter in the main show just spend the day snoozing anyway. Judging literally only takes a couple of minutes per hamster and the only person who will be handling your hamster will be the judge and it is the pen steward's job to make sure that no one else is allowed to move or touch your hamster's show pen.

I've shown in both the Main Show and Pets before and the hamsters that make up my main showing team aren't bothered at all by the experience. Having been bred by well-respected club breeders (although my show team lead was bred by me), often from several generations of show hamsters, their temperaments are well suited to the experience and they are used to being handled from an early age which is often an advantage in this situation.

11-06-2017, 06:43 AM
Fluffagrams Moderator Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Bath, UK Posts: 3,640	Re: Are Hamster Shows stressful? I can see where your worries are coming from and I've known of several people to have the same concerns so don't worry. Often people choose to enter the Pet Class at their first show as it allows them to get a feel of how things will work whilst not requiring them or their hamsters to be there all day like they would have to be in the main show and hamsters are also able to be shown on the substrate they're used to, in a carrier that they're familiar with. However I will say that there are often more onlookers during Pet Class judging and they're not kept at the same distance as they are with the main show judging which can cause some nervy hamsters to be a little bit more jumpy than they may usually be at home. In the main show, hamsters will have to be shown in the required pens, and only authorised substrates and foodstuffs are permitted. They will need to be at the show from 'benching' until the show secretary has given permission for them to be 'lifted' but I have found that most of the hamsters that enter in the main show just spend the day snoozing anyway. Judging literally only takes a couple of minutes per hamster and the only person who will be handling your hamster will be the judge and it is the pen steward's job to make sure that no one else is allowed to move or touch your hamster's show pen. I've shown in both the Main Show and Pets before and the hamsters that make up my main showing team aren't bothered at all by the experience. Having been bred by well-respected club breeders (although my show team lead was bred by me), often from several generations of show hamsters, their temperaments are well suited to the experience and they are used to being handled from an early age which is often an advantage in this situation.