HAMSTERS
Alissa Anger
Syrian Hamster
(Mesocricetus auratus)
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Muridae -family
Rodentia –order
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includes other
common rodents
such as gerbils, rats,
mice, guinea pigs
and chinchillas
Hamsters
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weigh about 4 ounces
5 to 6 inches
temperature not much
above 80 F…. WHY?
below 50 F? What
happens?
GROUPS/BREEDS
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Hamsters were first
used for medical
research.
Tame- Pets
Hamsters are native
to the Middle East,
Europe and Asia.
Syrian or Golden
hamster is the most
common.
Breeds (cont)
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#2~~ dwarf hamster
(Phodopus sungorus)
Common colors
include: black,
yellow, silver grey,
light grey, rust and
cinnamon.
Markings include
banded patterns and
speckled or piebald
patterns.
Breeds
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Dwarf hamsters can
be brownish-grey,
opal, black, sooty
grey-brown and
albino.
HOUSING and EQUIPMENT
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Spacious
easy to clean
built to prevent escapes
(gnaw-proof)
Basic Equipment needed:
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Cage
Floor cover/bedding
Food dish
Water dispenser
10 to 19 square inches of
cage floor space per
animal
CAGES
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standard wire
commercial cage
an aquarium with
wire mesh lid
homemade
construction.
Cages should be at
least 10 inches by 16
inches by 10 inches in
height.
Equipment
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Water dispensers (bottles)
are hung on the outside
of cages with the
drinking tube extended
into the cage.
If water bottles are hung
inside of the cage, they
need to be protected from
gnawing by the hamster.
Bedding
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Floor coveringcomfortable place to
dwell and also absorbs
urine.
Bedding is used for
nesting purposes. (wood
chips BEST not Cedar,
newspaper, cardboard,
tissues,cotton)
Hamsters are a nesting
animal and require a
material they can use to
build a nest.
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TOYS
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Hamsters are very active
animals, but they are
nocturnal.
Nocturnal- They sleep
during the day and move
at night.
Need Toys!!!
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Exercise Wheel
Wooden ladder
Seesaws
Merry-go-round
Wooden branches and
twigs
Sand box
NUTRITION
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Feeding hamsters a
nutritious diet is an
important factor in
keeping them healthy.
Hamsters are omnivores,
eating both plants and
meat
But they can grow and
thrive on a herbivorous
diet eating only
vegetables.
Food
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Hamsters' nutritional
needs are best met
through commercially
prepared pellets.
Pellets contain the
recommended levels
of protein, fat, fiber,
energy, vitamins and
minerals.
FEEDING (con’t)
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Hamsters eat about a
tablespoon of pellets
daily
A small amount of
vegetables or fruit
should also be fed
each day.
Treats!!!
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Some example of
supplemental foods
include:
Apples, Carrots,
Parsley, Peas,
Spinach, Bananas,
Broccoli, Corn on the
Cob, Nuts, Cheese,
Dog Biscuits/Pellets,
Bread, Raisins,
Crickets, Potatoes,
Rice, Pasta Chicken,
and Bean sprouts.
Coprophagy
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Hamsters will eat their
own droppings. This is
normal. The droppings
contain B vitamins and
vitamin K produced in
the intestine.
Important for microbes
(small single celled
organisms) that help
break down food.
REPRODUCTION
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Hamsters become
sexually mature at six
weeks of age
Female hamsters
generally produce five to
six litters a year.
Average litter of eight,
but can produce up to 26
per litter. WOW!!!
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come into heat (estrus)
every four days
evening hours between 5
p.m. and 11 p.m.
Gestation in hamsters
averages about 16 days
(15 to 18 days).
Baby hamsters are born
totally helpless.
weigh only 1/4 to 1/8 of
an ounce
Do NOT disturb until 14
days old
weaned at 24 to 28 days
COMMON DISEASES
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Hamsters are
relatively healthy
animals.
The two most
common diseases are
hamster enteritis (wet
tail) and Lymphocytic
Choriomeningitis
(LCM).
Disease con’t
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Symptoms of a problem:
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Loss of weight
Drowsiness
Ruffled coat
Lethargic movement
Fleas, lice and mites are common in hamsters.
Frequent cleaning of the cage and use of an
insecticide prevents flea problems.