Nantucket Hamstery - Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I keep two hamsters together? What if they are littermates?
- What kind of cage do you recommend?
- What should I bring my new hamster home in?
- Can I hold my hamster when I get home?
- How long do hamsters live for?
- What kind of wheel should I get?
- What kind of water bottles do you use?
- How often should I clean my hamster cage?
- What can I use to clean my hamster cage with?
- What fresh foods should I NOT give my hamster to eat?
- What kind of water should I give my hamster?
- My hamsters teeth are yellow - Is that normal?
- I found two patches on my hamster's back - What are these?
- What color should my hamsters urine be?
- Do you ship hamsters?
- We live very far away from Illinois. Do you have any recommendations for ethical hamster breeders near me?
1. Can I keep two hamsters together? What if they are littermates?
Answer: No, you should never keep more then one Syrian Hamster in a cage. Syrian Hamsters are solitary animals. If kept with another hamster they will fight which can cause seriously injury to each other and can even result in death. Even if they are littermates they will still fight.
2. What kind of cage do you recommend?
Answer: We recommend a hamster home that is at least 450 square inches. The bigger the home the better which results in a happy hamster. Please click on our "Proper Care" tab on our website and look under "Housing" for more details.
3. What should I bring my new hamster home in?
Answer: Please bring a suitable hard plastic carrier to bring your new hamster home in. I do have cardboard boxes, but the hamster can chew their way out if it is a long car ride home. If you do opt to use the cardboard box please bring a second person along to keep an eye on the hamster in the box. If bringing the hamster home in winter, we recommend keeping the car warm and bringing a blanket to drape over the take home carrier when bringing the hamster to the car to help prevent the hamster from getting chilled.
4. Can I hold my hamster when I get home?
Answer: We recommend waiting a couple of days to let the hamster get settled into their new home. Hamsters have poor eyesight. They use their scent of smell to orient themselves. When they are placed in a new cage they can get confused so it is best to let them settle into their new home for a couple of days before handling them.
5. How long do hamsters live for?
Answer: Hamsters live on average 18 months to 2 years of age. Some of the factors that affect how long a hamster will live for are: genetics, their diet, exercise, their living environment, and their quality of care. You can help a hamster live longer by feeding a well balanced diet that includes fresh foods. Making sure they get handled daily and that they get time to play outside of their cage. Giving them a nice clean home with fresh water daily. Lastly, watching for signs of illness and treating any problems quickly and effectively.
6. What kind of wheel should I get?
Answer: Any solid plastic wheel that is at least 8 1/2", but we recommend either a 10" or 12" wheel. Please click on our "Proper Care" tab on our website and look under "Wheels and Toys" for more details.
7. What kind of water bottles do you use?
Answer: We use All Living Things Small Animal Bell Bottle Value Pack, 4-Ounce., found at Petsmart. The same water bottle can be found on Amazon. On Amazon look for Kordon/Oasis Bell Bottle and Hold Guard Small Animal Value Set, 4-Ounce.
8. How often should I clean my hamster cage?
Answer: Every 3-4 weeks for a full cage cleaning including cleaning all toys at that time. After doing a full cage cleaning I return a little of the nest back into the cage for some comfort for the hamster. The hamsters will pick one corner to urinate in. I recommend cleaning the urine corner daily and spot clean the cage as needed.
9. What can I use to clean my hamster cage with?
Answer: Vinegar and hot water. I also use a scrub brush to clean the urine corners.
10. What fresh foods should I NOT give my hamster to eat?
Answer: You should NOT give your hamster: garlic, onions, citrus fruit, potato leaves, uncooked potatoes, rhubarb leaves, tomato leaves, rhubarb leaves, sweets, and uncooked kidney beans .
11. What kind of water should I give my hamster?
Answer: Give your hamster the same water you drink. If you drink tap water then give your hamster tap water. If you drink filtered water, your hamster can also have the filtered water.
12. My hamsters teeth are yellow - Is that normal?
Answer: Yes, yellow teeth are normal for hamsters. If the hamsters teeth are white, that could mean your hamster has a health problem and a vet should be seen.
13. I found two patches on my hamsters back - What are these?
Answer: Those are the hamsters scent glands and are completely normal. Hamsters mark their territory by running their glands against objects. They also use the glands for mating.
14. What color should my hamster's urine be?
Answer: Hamster urine is naturally milky white or cream colored and is concentrated. Some food can stain the urine. Urine should never have blood in it or be clear water, that could mean your hamster has a health problem and a vet should be seen.
15. Do you ship hamsters?
Answer: I am sorry, but we do not ship hamsters at this time.
16. We live very away far from Illinois. Do you have any recommendations for ethical hamster breeders near me?
Answer: Here is a list of ethical hamsters breeders that we highly recommend:
Holmden Hill Haven in Ohio
Poppy Bee Hamstery in Virginia
Pearl Hamletry's Hamsters in Maryland
Cheeks and Squeaks Hamsters in California
Happy Paws Hamsters in California
Hubba Hubba Hamstery in Portland, Oregon
Strongbrew Hamstery in Ontario, Canada
Silversage Hamstery in British Columbia, Canada
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