Hi there

Hi

I am planning a hamster for my daughters birthday at the end of October. As a breeder and exhibitor of rabbits I thought I would check out properly bred hamsters before I go off to the local petshop.

My next problem is Dwarf or Syrian I was planning a Syrian but what do you think?

Jayne

[suga]

jayne
I have only kept syrians - they are quite easy to handle, not too fast on small hands...

the next question will be male or female?

Hopefully others will be able to comment more.. good luck

[SnuggleHam]

Hello Hazelrigg! Welcome to HC! Im sure you will find all the help you need here. We have friendly and experienced members on the forum Im glad to see you doing your research first, that always makes me happy to see people acting responsibly, its refreshing!

For first time hamster owners, especially children, the syrian hamster is always recommended for the reasons Suga already gave. They are easy to handle and tame, you can cuddle with them and they arnt to fast.

As far as sex goes in hamster it doesn’t really matter. I find both act the same, no sex is different then the other in my opinion.

Id definitely look into finding a hamster breeder if you plan on breeding the hamster. Most store hamsters are mass bread for money, so standard isn’t really a important thing in that case. Also they may be prone to more health problems. If your not looking to breed then I highly recommend checking out a local animal shelter and adopting a hamster. There may be rescue organizations in your area.

[Minicooper]

Hi Hazelrigg! Glad you could join us!!

Syrians are solitary, so never put two syrians in the same cage as they will fight to the death.

You can keep Dwarfs in pairs but keep a eye out for them as they might fight.

Here are a few articles about The syrian hamster, The dwarf Campbell’s Russian hamster and the dwarf Roborovskis hamster by snuggleham.

Syrian-
http://hamstercentral.com/user.php?a...iewArticle&a=4

Dwarf Robo- http://hamstercentral.com/user.php?a...iewArticle&a=7

Dwarf Campbell’s Russian hamster - http://hamstercentral.com/user.php?a...iewArticle&a=5

[AndreaS]

Originally Posted by hazelrigg

Hi

I am planning a hamster for my daughters birthday at the end of October. As a breeder and exhibitor of rabbits I thought I would check out properly bred hamsters before I go off to the local petshop.

My next problem is Dwarf or Syrian I was planning a Syrian but what do you think?

Jayne

Hi Jayne,
I would say that a male Syrian is usually the easiest to handle, though there are always exceptions (both ways) to the rule! How old will your daughter be?
Andrea

[racinghamster]

Welcome to you hazelrigg! Nice to see another member educating themselves before purchasing or rescuing a hamster(s).

I would agree with what has already been said about a Syrian for a child. I own two dwarfs species, a lone winter white and two Roborovski. You definately don`t want Roborovskis for a child as they are not really easy to handle and are TOO fast!

The dwarf winter white and the dwarf Campbells are the next size up and can be kept in pairs, unlike the solitary Syrian.

Chinese hamsters are again, best kept in pairs or small groups, but are more `mouse like` in look.

There are so many avenues to getting a hamster and if you can, try and get in touch with a hamster breeder, or someone who takes in rescues and has baby Syrians looking for a pet home.

Nice to see you here! I hope you enjoy the forum.

[jayne]

Hi there,

Nice to see another Jayne with a 'y'

I would say that Syrians are best for children due to them being easier to handle etc. How old is your daughter and has she ever had one before?

I have 2 chinese hamsters but they are VERY fast and can be difficult to handle at times because of this. I have never had a syrian before, but they seem to be the best first time hamsters and ideal for kids.

I know a few people who havent done their homework first and just bought the one that looked the 'cutest'. All hammies are cute but i would keep doing your research first and match the correct species/personality/needs to what your daughter can provide.

This is a very informative forum, i am sure you will find all you need here and if you have any further questions just drop another post

[souffle]

Great to have you with us Hazelrigg. I would agree with the others regarding a Syrian for a child. They are easier to handle and a bit slower than the Dwarf Species. However it does depend on the age of your daughter as a couple of dwarfs or Chinese will provide endless hours of entertainment for an older child who will enjoy watching them busying around. They can also be tamed very nicely with patience and got from a breeder they will have been handled from a young age so should not pose any problems. I personally prefer a male for a child as we have always found them to live just a little longer and they do not succumb to some of the female health problems like pyometra. You also do not have your child begging you to let them breed some babies I hope you find the right hammy for you and we will meet them in due course when you have decided.

[babyboos]

I would probably go male shorthaired Syrian in a good standard colour to begin with and then if your daughter wants she can go to a hamster show or two and compete for rosettes