Torn ear

sharonc · 06-09-2018, 12:59 PM

I've been looking at hamsters today and found a lovely long haired Syrian but noticed a rip in it's ear, apparently it could have been born like that or it's been fighting it also bit the pet shop owner but could this be it's just not tame or aggressive?

cypher · 06-09-2018, 01:06 PM

Tears in ears or small holes aren't uncommon in pet shop hams, most likely from sibling squabbles.
Biting the pet shop owner is most likely just a sign of stress or fear.

Drago · 06-09-2018, 06:20 PM

As Cypher said, it’s pretty common. I’ve had two hams now who have had torn ears. It’s perfectly normal, and there’s no special care needed for it.

As for the biting, it could be fear, lack of human interaction (needs taking), or stress. It could be a combination of all three as well. Try not to be hasty when choosing a ham

Take the time to see as many options as you can.

Best wishes!

sharonc · 06-10-2018, 12:50 AM

Thank you, I was unsure about it so I didn't buy it, I'm taking my time with this so going to look around a bit more. There's a local pet shop that gets their hamsters from a breeder so I'm going to try there.

Drago · 06-10-2018, 07:38 AM

That’s a good idea! It’s always best to buy from a breeder if you can

This helps to support a person who is dedicated to their hamsters, and the bettering of their species. Whenever you do get your new ham, share some pics if you can!

dreamtree1234 · 06-10-2018, 10:14 AM

Wishing you the best of luck in choosing the right ham for you. I look forward to discovering which one stole your heart and chose you as well. Have fun!

sharonc · 06-10-2018, 11:50 AM

Thank you, I will share when I finally get one. I have contacted some breeders which are 2 - 3 hours drive, if I have any luck do you think that is too long a journey for the new hamster will it be stressed?

Fluffagrams · 06-11-2018, 01:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sharonc

Thank you, I will share when I finally get one. I have contacted some breeders which are 2 - 3 hours drive, if I have any luck do you think that is too long a journey for the new hamster will it be stressed?

I just wanted to add a bit of reassurance to this point.

I have found that the hamsters I've got from other breeders (or have bred myself) have travelled very well. All of my show team travel 1-2 hour journeys for shows and several have travelled for longer than that. Alexander for example did an 8 hour journey via train and then car when he was 8 weeks old to a show (it wasn't meant to take that long but traffic led to delays) and Charlotte did a three hour journey when I brought her home from her breeder and I find that they just go to sleep.

I think the key is to make sure that you've got a suitable carrier for them and you've got everything they need to be comfortable in there. Sometimes mine travel in show pens which have specific rules about how they're set out but if I'm using a standard carrier then I'll usually put a cardboard box in the carrier for them to make a nest in plus plenty of substrate, a dog biscuit and a chunk of cucumber. If I'm travelling by public transport then I'll usually put the carrier in a canvas bag to prevent onlookers disturbing them.

Good luck with finding a breeder. There may also be the option of visiting a hamster show to see what is available on the sales table from other breeders too. There is a list of shows here: List of NHC Shows 2018

Coco61 · 06-10-2018, 12:22 PM

That amount of time is not a problem so long as you are well prepared. A proper pet carrier will be needed. A good amount of substrate inside for the hamster to dig down for sleep. Since you cannot have water, a chunk of cucumber is the best substitute. Tear up some basic white toilet paper into strips in case the hamster want some to nest with this. Then you can transfer the strips into the cage for bedding. Perhaps a cardboard tube as a hiding place.
I had my hamster in his carrier for about 5 hours yesterday as I took him to a hamster show. He slept virtually all of the time except when the judge woke him up for judging time. He was still asleep when we came home and had to be woken up to go in his cage.

Drago · 06-10-2018, 02:20 PM

As Coco said, that time will be perfectly fine as long as you’re prepared for it. Do you know the name of the breeders you’ll be buying from?? There are actually some breeders that browse these forums!