Looking for a Chinese breeder in/near Northants

[Jemima]

I have just lost my beautiful Jemima, at the age of 27/28 months. She was bought from P@H as a pet for my children, "hamsters" by which I mean Syrian hamsters were not my thing. Jemima was a normal Chinese who was sold to us as a male. When she started to pass blood at the age of 3 months, the vet told us she probably had a womb infection so she wasn't a boy. That cleared up quick with Baytril but I really bonded with the little critter when she was sick. She was very intelligent and would nip just lightly to tell you something. If you walked past her cage in the middle of the night she would pop up to say hi. She would stand at the bars of her cage and beg if she heard you nearby. She had a stroke at the weekend and died in my hands, so I am very upset at this time.

I said I did not want to replace her as she was so perfect anything else would only be second best. Now I feel I am weakening but I don't want a hamster that looks like a "replacement". I adore Chinese hamsters now and am thinking of getting either a male or a dominant spot female, when I have had time. We had a couple of scares about possible pyometra but that wasn't what killed her, so is this common in female Chinese? - as I found these scares very difficult to cope with. I would like to get one from a breeder as we were lucky with our P@H hamster girl but they can be sickly and vicious I know. Can they get on with guinea pigs, obviously not in the same housing - as my children want guineas - or should they be kept apart?

We are in Northants. I would just like to know what possibilities there are, I don't want a "new" hamster immediately. Also does anyone know a good guinea pig breeder, presumably they are more common than Chinese breeders?

[Queen Of The High Teas]

I am sorry for you loss Chinese hammies are awesome little critters, they have a 'magic' about them that just captures you - they are wonderful hamsters. I have had 3 now from pets@home, all have been healthy, friendly and no problems whatsoever, I wouldn't hesitate to get another from there, especially as it's far easier to get to a store than a breeder from where I am!
The only thing about them is they come in just 2 types, normal and dom spot, so yes I can see why you feel you'd be 'replacing' her. I felt the same about it, with a syrian, if your last one was golden, your next could be black or white or long coated, so it would look totally different and not look like a 'replacement'. I eventually realised though, that if I ever wanted another Chinese I'd have to get over this, and as P@H didn't have dom spot girls in, I got another normal. Yes she looked like my previous one, but her personality and character was totally different, which let me see her as another hammy not a 'replacement'. Unfortunately she died at just 7 months old due to an awful accident, and I was so heartbroken, I just wanted my sweet little Chinese girl. I got another one, again a normal due to no dom spots, and she looks like my last 2, but again, her personality is different so I don't see her as a replacement either. 3 girls, all looked basically the same, but each one with a different enough character to make them individual rather than 'clones'. Their all totally different, all unique - yes they look similar, but that's where it ends.

[p_anda]

To my knowledge, the only Chinese breeders in the whole country are Vectis Hamstery and Forever Hamsters.

Home - Forever Hamsters
Home - Vectis Hamstery

If anyone knows of any more, please correct me, because I'm hopeful that I'm wrong and there are more than two.

[Bekki2308]

For a guinea pig please get a pair from a rescue there are thousands in rescues needing homes and if you rehome them you get a good healthy pair who wont fall out

[Vectis Hamstery]

Forever Hamsters no longer breeds hamsters and hasn't for a year or so.

There is Wellington Hamsters near London and Lilliput Hamstery near Birmingham. Severn Vale also breeds Chinese in Bristol. Pick n Mix(Wales), Nooboo(Manchester) and Duncton(Birmingham) Hamsteries sometimes have Chinese too.

[Jemima]

Hi Vectis, I would be very grateful if you could pm me with a contact for Lilliput & Wellington, we are somewhere in the middle. Thank you.

[Silver]

Iv'e found the wellington hamsters website, I do not know if it is up to date though. There is a contact me on there

Home - Wellington Hamsters

Silver xxx

[Jemima]

Thank you for that Silver, I have sent a message but, as you say, not sure if their website is up-to-date. I have added an avatar of my Jemima who is sitting on my arm. RIP little one x

[Silver]

Arrrhhh

She was a pretty girl, play well at the bridge Jemima

Silver xxx

[p_anda]

Originally Posted by Vectis Hamstery

Forever Hamsters no longer breeds hamsters and hasn't for a year or so.

I hate it when websites don't get updated...half of the time you can't even tell when someone is still active or not.