Hamsters are wonderful pets for children; they are cute, cuddly and easy to care for. With the right care and lots of affection, a hamster can live up to five years.

 

Buying a hamster: Ideally, a hamster should be between 4 and 7 weeks old when you buy it from a pet shop. Young hamsters become trusting more easily. Golden hamsters are particularly trusting and, contrary to their name, come in many colours.

The hamster needs a hamster cage that offers it enough space and exercise, but whose bars are close enough together that it cannot fit between them. The cage should be placed in a draught-free corner out of direct sunlight. The cage should be located in a place where you can frequently pass by and pay attention to it.

 

The cage floor should be strewn with a thick layer of sawdust. Special small animal bedding is non-toxic and absorbs moisture quickly and is relatively odourless. Place a layer of fresh hay on top so that the hamster has something to nibble on and sleep on.

A water drinking bottle for small animals should be attached to the side of the cage so that the hamster always has fresh water. Make sure that the hamster can reach the water easily and that the bottle does not drip or touch the floor covering, as wet bedding rots quickly. A water bowl is less suitable as the hamster will defecate in the water and throw litter into it as it walks past, making the water undrinkable. The drinking bottle should be topped up regularly with fresh water.

 

The hamster needs lots of toys as it is an active animal. A hamster wheel should not be missing, as well as some cardboard rolls of empty toilet paper for him to chew on. A piece of untreated wood ensures that it can sharpen its gnawing teeth.

 

the hamster needs a den or box to sleep in. The den only needs to have a 5 centimetre opening through which the hamster can enter. It will fill its den with hay and litter itself and expand its sleeping area. A hamster does not usually use its sleeping area as a toilet, so it does not need to be cleaned too often.

 

The hamster should be given a portion of hamster food once or twice a day. Ready-mixed hamster food has all the nutrients the hamster needs. In addition, you should still feed your hamster small portions of fresh fruit and vegetables. Hamsters like carrots, cucumbers, lettuce, apples and pears. Citrus fruits are not suitable for hamsters. Similarly, cabbages and pulses should not be fed. If the hamster is given a new piece of fruit or vegetable that it is not yet familiar with, it should only be given small portions so that its digestive system can get used to the new food.

 

The hamster should occasionally be taken out of its cage so that it can move around. The exercise area should be enclosed and fenced off so that the hamster cannot hide behind cupboards or escape through an open room door.

 

The hamster cage should be cleaned once a week. During this time, the hamster should be moved to a safe place. The cage should be completely emptied and cleaned with a little household cleaner and warm water. The cage should be dried thoroughly before filling it with fresh litter and hay.

 

Every two days, uneaten pieces of food should be removed from the cage to prevent putrefaction, which can make the hamster ill.

 

A hamster cleans itself and does not need to be bathed. Hamsters only smell bad if the cage bedding is dirty.

 

If you go on holiday, you should either take your hamster with you or find someone to look after it for the duration. Under no circumstances should you leave a hamster alone for more than two days.