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Old 05-10-2020, 10:25 PM  
viper88
Newborn Pup
 
Join Date: Apr 2020
Location: India
Posts: 7
Default Re: Help - Dwarf Hamsters' Gender Identification

Quote:
Originally Posted by Vierville View Post
Viper88, firstly a HUGE "thank you" for rescuing them from the bad conditions they were kept in. You did a wonderfully good deed and I applaud and commend you.

As far as accomodation for them goes, that is quite difficult. I also don't know how far-reaching your lockdown is, for example here in South Africa pet stores are only open for pet food, until last week no hardware stores were open and supermarkets are limited etc so I don't know if you can get the required things I'm suggesting but here goes...

I'm not sure how familiar you are with the different options but have you considered 'bin cages' for them? Basically a plastic storage bin with some ventilation windows cut out and mesh safely applied over the cutouts. The nice thing about bin accomodation is that you can stack them and they are nice and deep allowing the hamsters to burrow.

They provide an easy alternative to a cage.

For bedding, torn up toilet paper is a good alternative and will definitely work, they like a deepish layer at least 3-4 inches deep.

Food-wise, there are a few options that you can definitely mix from supermarket-available things. They will love the following and it will provide the nutrition they need: you can try giving them a mixture of millet seeds, sunflower seeds and hemp seeds with a few pumpkin seeds in the mixture, as well as a small amount of fresh vegetables each day. A portion the size of your thumbnail of broccoli, green beans, cucumber, cauliflower will definitely be appreciated by them. You can also give each one a tiny piece of carrot the size of a pea. Foods such as tomato, avocado and citrus fruits must be completely avoided. They also cannot eat foods that are too high in sugar as dwarves are prone to diabetes.

If you can get some more photos of their undersides, I can try again to determine their sex but it really is not easy, especially with young hamsters.
Thank you. I did what I thought was important at that moment.

Like I mentioned above on Ria's comment, no stores here are open, especially the hardware ones. I'm aware of the bin cages as I find them better suitable than the traditional cages. As of now, I've housed the mother and the three pups in an aquarium that's around 3 1/2 foot in length. Ample space,even for four of them. And I've housed the male in a cardboard box that I could manage to get hold of from my store room. The box would be around 2 foot in length.

Stacking the bedding is a big problem because of lack of toilet paper as well these days. I mean they can't burrow as they're supposed to.

With respect to food, I'm aware of the dos and don't. My hamsters are really picky, they don't eat everything. Here's a small list of things they don't eat, Carrot, cabbage, celery, muskmelon, cucumber, apple(without seeds), banana, green beans, boiled egg or potato and list goes on. Only thing that they love is Cilantro and the traditional hamster food mix that you get in pet store. Even for the food mix, they only eat select items, not everything, spoilt brats.

I'll share few images of their current enclosure and will try to get few more pictures of their underside today.

Thank you again

P. S - I was wondering if you guys have an instagram account? Both you and Ria?
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