Question:
what type of hamster should i have for a pet?
2010-11-15 15:24:55 UTC
im the type of person that likes to hold their pets. i also want a hamster that is active and that if fun to watch. i have a cage and it is kind of small but good enough for one pet. i have a ball a wheel and all other necessities for a hamster... so what kind of hamster should i buy?
Ten answers:
moochi-moo
2010-11-15 18:16:03 UTC
it really depends.



Syrian hamsters - syrian hamsters are the biggest hamsters, although many people think otherwise, they are the same breed as a teddy bear hamster. if this is the first time you've owned a hamster then these guys are what i recomend. they are easy, and so long as you pick them up everyday, they will be very affectionate.



Russian dwarf hamsters - these guys are small and round. they are the most affectionate of all the dwarf hamsters and often beg for your attention from their cages. they love being cuddled and will sit on your hand for a looooong time.



Chinese Dwarf hamsters - these ones are quite thin and quite fast, they can be affectionate, but if they arent in a god mood, and the dont want to be picked up, they can slip from between your fingers. the best thing about these guys is that they cling to your fingers! it doesn't hurt and its adorbale to watch them swing from your hand monkey style!



Robovski dwarf hamsters - these are the fastest and smallest of the hamsters, they are almost like mice. they dart around the cage ad are almost impossible to catch. they are more watching pets than handling, but if you want to see two hamsters run on a wheel at the same time, then theyy are the ones to go for.



remeber if you get a dwarf hamster you must buy them in pairs or small groups, but if you buy a syrian they must live alone.



in my opinion i think you should get a syrian hamster and then when he pops his clogs, you should get a russian.



hope i was helpful!
Deedle
2010-11-15 15:39:09 UTC
Hi

What type of cage is it? If it has bars then you'll need to get a syrian hamster as dwarf hamsters can escape between the bars. Also, have you had hamsters before? If not I'd recommend a syrian as they're a bit easier to handle if you're new to hamsters, but if you have had them before then this won't be a problem. Other than that it's really up to you. Dwarf hamsters are very sociable and like to live in pairs (although I only have one Russian dwarf hamster as she was bullied by her cage mates at a very early age and now can't live with other hamsters - so I have to handle her a lot). They are much quicker than syrians, especially Roborovski dwarfs, and obviously smaller, but some syrians can be really active as well. Syrians have to live on their own. If you want two hamsters and the cage is suitable and big enough then go for dwarf hamsters, but if you just want one then go for a syrian. Any hamster will like to be handled - but I have found that my Russian dwarf does bite if I put my hand in her cage, but is really friendly once she's out and sat on my hand.

Thanks for reading all that!! Hope it helps!
This is my clever name
2010-11-15 17:43:29 UTC
For you I advice a syrian hamster, but get a cage that is at LEAST 2ft by 2ft. You can only have one hamster per cage because 2 or more will fight. Syrian hamsters will live up to about one and a half to three years.

If you get a dwarf hamster they will be smaller and harder to hold. You can have more than one dwarf hamster per cage if they are littermates and have not been seperated. only keep the same gender in a cage. The advantage to dwarf hamsters is that they don't require much cage space.

Hamsters are nocternel! PLEASE get a hamster that is not kept with others of it's gender(especisly if you plan on geting a female.)

Lastly- Thank you for reading my ongoing response!
SmallPetExpert
2010-11-15 15:40:26 UTC
I recommend a Goden/syrian hamster or a teddy bear hamster.There cute and loveable!Although winter white hamster's are pretty good pets too. :P Beffore getting a hamster consider a couple of things and do some reasearch.

Just to let you know hamster arent nocturnal,there just mistaken for nocturnal because of the way the sleep.Hamsters are more active at night and the afternoon.
Connie C
2010-11-15 16:19:13 UTC
winter white dwarf, these are the most friendly of the dwarf hamsters and the easiest to tame and handle. Because you have a single small cage your should not get a syrian who are larger and more friendly due to space constraints. Dwarfs needs lots of exercise though so make sure you have a wheel and preferably some tubes for your new hamster to gets lots of exercise on.
VolleyC
2010-11-15 15:30:18 UTC
A Teddy Bear Hamster! They are a ball of energy and they will run on the Wheel all day if they want to! Teddy Bear Hamsters are so soft too. It's like touching mink fur when you feel them. You will fall in love with you're hamster. Teddy bear hamsters are the best.
2016-04-24 01:42:58 UTC
There are a few things about dwarf hamsters. 1. They will eat as much as syrian, because they have a faster metabolism. 2. Some will live together and some won't. That depends on the hamster itself not breed. 3. There isn't a breed that bite more, or bite less, but there are hamsters that bite a lot and not at all. 4. If you want your hamster to have companions, then better get more than 3. There is a higher chance for 2 hamsters to fight. 5. Better don't get more than one male hamster. One will live fine on its own. 6. In my experience male hamster gets along with you. Most female hamsters don't like to be bother too much, because they may have pups at anytime, and they need to keep the pups safe. Roborovski is the smallest of all hamster, but it can live up to three years like syrian. I would get more than two of this hamster. My friend had 4 female, and they lived fine together. You may hear more people complaining that this type of hamster bite, but this may be true, because robo hasn't been domesticated as long as others. I never have any chinese dwarf, or hear much about it. But, it has a longer tail than other dwarf, so some people will call it rat-like hamster. When you say russian dwarf, there are two types of hamster you are talking about. One is Campbells Russian hamster, and other is Winter White Russian hamster. These two types looks exactly the same, but are totally different subspecies. More people refer the Campbells hamster to the Russian Dwarf, and Winter White Russian to Siberian hamster. The Siberian hamster will turn white during winter, starting from September, and Campbells will not. I had both of these hamsters, and not even the vendor selling the hamster know the difference, because I picked the two hamsters from the same aquarium tank. And it was until winter when one started to turn white I realize that I had bought a winter white. Then I notice that winter white has a rounder nose than Campbells, but most people can't tell the difference. This hamster had never bitten me before, but they did fight even though one is male and one is female. I had to separate them into two cages. My friend owned about 8 Campbells in one storage bin, and all of them live together. She had never heard them fighting or anything. There isn't really a best one, but I love my male Campbell, he lets me hold him and even if he ran away in the house he came out after a while, but if I let my female winter white run away I will have to go and find her. I had my first two hamster when I was about 9 or 10. Hamster as pet wasn't that popular at that time, and hamsters were expensive too. I didn't do any research, so I used to bath my hamster with water, and dog shampoo. But, my hamsters never bite me, and they even swim in the basin! If you want to get one then get a male one. There are more fun with male hamster than female =) If you want to get two, then better buy females, and be willing to buy a new cage anytime if you need to separate them. Edit: Teddy is hamster like those in hamtaro. It's syrian, not dwarf. Good luck!
Boosa
2010-11-15 16:19:12 UTC
I advise not getting a dwarf ham ham. They are jittery and slip out of hands. I like teddy syrians. They generally like to be held and come in many colours and patterns. They are also inexpensive and widley aailable and don't need too much special care unless they are a spcial bred colour. Mine is a special bred panda bear Teddy and I just have to put a towel over his cage if it gets too cold in the winter. There is also the slightly higher matnience long hair teddybear who mut have their fur combed with a toothbrush daily. Although, whatever kind you choose to get, do your research and ask lots of questions that you don't know the answrs to! Drop me an email if you have any questions
katiekat
2010-11-15 15:27:42 UTC
A dwarf hamster is cute and lovable.
Sarah
2010-11-15 15:32:27 UTC
Teddy bear hamsters are very friendly and docile and very very cute.


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