Hello

[SouthernGal]

Hello Everyone

Thank you much for accepting me into your group. My daughter wanted a hamster this past Christmas and for almost an entire year, she researched everything about the different hamster breeds, their habitats & how to provide proper care. Of course, like the typical parent of a kid wanting a hamster, I didn't take the time to do the same research until she opened her "big" gift Christmas morning, which was best cage the pet store had with all of the levels and tubes and even the wheel was included! I "thought" I did good until she lovingly informed that cage was bordering on being "inhumane". She insisted that the cage be taken back and that we make a bin cage or get an Ikea case to be converted to an enclosure. For two weeks I researched hamster care and finally got the appropriate enclosure made before we went to get her new hamster. My eyes were really opened as to the care they require and now she and I have 2 other enclosures and we have started rescuing hamsters. I am so grateful for this community to be able to learn more about hamster behaviors. I'm addition, I want to know if anyone knows anything about albino Syrians as we just rescued one. She is truly an albino too with red eyes & pink ears. I've read that they are blind and deaf but she doesn't seem to be. Can anyone give me some information about albinos?
Lastly, I now that I have been learning about these cute little critters, I wanted to know what everyone does when going on vacation? Had I not started researching, I would have been ok with having a neighbor come give them food and water and maybe that is ok for 8 days but our girls are used to being free roamed every night at 10pm for an hour plus they get fresh fruits and vegetables 3 times a week and lean meat twice a week. Will they survive without all of this while we are gone? What do some of you do when going on vacation?