New To This!!

[MadAsAHatter]

Hey, so soon I will be getting two little female Russian Dwarves and as I have not looked after a hamster for a LONG time I was wondering if anyone can advise me on what food/treats to get and how to get them used to being handled and getting tame.
Just anything really woud be a huge help!
I wanted to get an imac fantasy cage for them but some people have said they aren't suitable and some say they are - this is defintly a cage I would love to get and the best I've seen as it is also buildable. Some say putting wire around would be ok?
Another thing is that I'd love to be able to build tube extensions out of the imac and into other cages and I was wondering if this is possible and has any one done it.
Also any play pens that are usable would be nice to know about and just any information :D
Thanks for any help!! :D :D

[Mona's Humans]

i dont personally keep russians, so i guess i'm not the best person to advise you... but seen as nobody else has commented so far... i will give you some advice based on my basic knowledge of them :) (but please wait for more experienced members advice before making any decisions)

See the WIKI (top left) for taming advice, and i'm not sure on treats, though i'd minimise sugar, but i'll let others advise you on that point :)

Pairs of any dwarf should ideally be kept in a one level cage, as shelving and tubes can cause territorial behaviour, which can lead to them falling out, so i wouldn't recommend the imac fantasy tbh. You also need to be prepared and have a spare cage instead of fall outs. Common used cages for pairs are bin cages (see DIY and housing sections) as these are quiet cheap, but Zoozone 2's with the lids meshed, or even the alexander cage (with only 0.7mm bar spacing) would be fabulous choices too.

you asked about connecting with tubes, and whilst it isn't advisable, there is info here http://www.hamstercentral.com/community/housing/5513-how-connect-cages-tubes.html on how best to do this, should you choose to.

Lastly playpens, you can get purpose built SAM playpens, but they are often climbed out of. We use a cardboard box, many use a paddling pool (not inflatable one) and some people make correx playpens (http://www.hamstercentral.com/community/housing/6837-playpen-how-make-correx-playpen.html), but there are some more ideas here (http://www.hamstercentral.com/community/housing/25768-playpens-post-pics-yours-2.html)

Hope this helps, and welcome to HC :)

[MadAsAHatter]

Thank you very much - ok I won't be getting an imac most probably - unless getting a different breed of hamster would be better as its my first time with a hamster - do you have any advice on this? As in which to first get? :)

[Mona's Humans]

I personally would avoid a pair for a first time hamster (or first time in a while) owner. I love syrians personally, they are easy to tame, and easier to handle. And if you got an imac fantasy with at least one extension, then a syrian could happily live in their. I'd advise looking through the hamster species sections and doing your research on the care of each.

I would also advise, getting either a rescue ham (as they really need homes), or ham from a breeder, as their health and temperaments are better.

[MadAsAHatter]

Ok, I will defiantly look into Syrians - though I have heard very mixed reviews from them I do think they are very lovable. I could always get a second in a different cage if I was comfortable with one - or different breed :D
So what advice on that or shall I put a new post on the Syrian section?

[Hammymad]

Hi there.I have dwarf hams and syrians (all separate) and I think that syrians can be as loving as dwarf hams and vice versa,it all depends on the individual hammy and how it responds to you taming and handling.
I would also maybe say just try and keep a single hamster until you're abit more experienced,as I know getting a pair can be very challenging if they start fighting and can be very difficult for less experienced owners.Ive had hams in the past and started caring for them again nearly 2 years ago,best thing I ever did :)
Cages that I have for my Syrians are Hamster Heavens by Savic and for my dwarf hams I have the Mickey max 2 XL and a Ferplast Kios,both very spacious for dwarf hams x

[Erin Loves Dwarf Hamsters]

Hi :) I have a "Russian" dwarf hamster (they are actually called hybrids) so can give you a bit of advice.
Because they are hybrids you will need to stay well away from sugary treats, any yellow food (like corn/maize) and fruit as hybrids are at risk of developing diabetes. Only the pure hamster species avoid the risks of diabetes.

Like Charli has pointed out for a pair you would require a large single level cage at a minimum size of 70x40cm :) There are numerous cages available that meet these criteria but if you want something cheap a bin cage would be the best option.

Most of the playpens available on the markets are quite easy to escape from once a ham figures out how, but these are the two most recommended :)
- Outdoor run for small animals, galvanized, 6 elements of 48 × 25 cm: Amazon.co.uk: Pet Supplies (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Outdoor-small-animals-galvanized-elements/dp/B000WFCG0A/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1334597520&sr=8-4)
- Supreme Hamster Fort Hamster House Toy: Amazon.co.uk: Pet Supplies (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Supreme-Hamster-Fort-House-Toy/dp/B000NE3LN6/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1334597559&sr=1-1)


Personally, I would recommend you research all 5 hamster species (hybrids are not counted as a species) before making the decision of which to get, the other hamsters are;
Syrians, Winter white dwarfs (obtain from breeder), Campbell's dwarf (again from breeders), roborovski dwarfs and chinese hamsters.

I have a Syrian, 4 robos, a winter white and Hybrid and out of all of these for a first time owner I would really suggest a Syrian (these are beautiful and so friendly especially if you get them from breeders) or a pure Winter white :)

The reason I suggest against hybrids is because they have very high risks of having poor health and tend to live shorter lives than other hams because of bad breeding. Though most people with hybrids find that they are lovely pets there is still the chance that you may get one with neurological problems and you really don't want this with you "first" hamster, my hybrid needs a ridiculous amount of attention because of her health and frequent vet visits which can be expensive.

Good luck choosing which species you would like! :D

[MadAsAHatter]

Thank you all so much :D