Hamster Flashback: Kanon Haruko

My junior year in high school, while cleaning my room, I came across some of my old hamster stuff. It brought back fond memories of my hammies and I realized that I really missed having a hamster. So I checked my funds and I had enough to get started again into hamster parenthood.

I cleaned a spot on my dresser for the cage and got everything ready for my new arrival. Then, after school on a Friday, I went to Petco to buy some bedding, food, treats, and a new house to set everything up on February 19, 2010. The plan was to buy everything Friday, and get everything set up and ready, and then go back Saturday to buy a hamster. Well it didn't exactly happen that way. I made the mistake of looking at the hamsters. I'd already decided I wanted to try something a bit different than short-haired Syrian hamsters, so I looked at the long-haired Syrians. There was an adorable grey and white one munching on a treat, and a brown and white one running on the wheel. they were both pretty and looked healthy. But suddenly I noticed something moving in the little house they shared. Out poked a tiny little nose, followed by a beautiful light brown and white hamster. She ran over to the food bowl and took a piece of food, which she buried in the corner. She hoarded three or four more pieces of food before running up to her sister on the wheel. The two of them then chased each other around the cage for a minute, until the light brown and white one climbed on top of the house and looked right at me. She was beautiful, obviously healthy, and very active. Her personality was great! I knew I had to have her. But I didn't want to chance her not being there the next day, so I bought the little ball of fur, rushed her home, set up her cage as fast as I could and let her explore her new surroundings. All night long I watched the little one run all over her new cage. She dug through the bedding, ran in and out of her new house, climbed up and down the little ledge  hoarded food, ran on her wheel, and chewed on her chew sticks. The little devil had endless energy! She didn't stop running from the moment I put her in the cage until sometime the next day! Now I know that hamsters are always curious about new habitats and they spend a lot of time exploring them, but this was crazy! I thought she would never stop! But of course she did, and then she slept. And when I say she slept, I mean she, like, passed out and hibernated for what seemed like days! She would only wake up to eat and drink and let me handle her a bit. This made taming her a bit difficult because I was worried waking her might make her mad. So I had to catch her when she was awake, which was rare. I was beginning to think she was sick, or dying, but thankfully she perked up again. She would run on her wheel and let me play with her, but she was a ham that loved her sleep! Of all the ham hams I've ever had or known of, I've never witnessed such a lazy one. She was just as sweet as she could be, and she didn't mind being woken up (as long as it was gently and not loud or rough). She was a very heavy sleeper though! I sometimes thought that she used so much energy the first few days I had her that she exausted all of it and had to spend the rest of her life catching up.

Naming her took a lot of thinking, but on the third day I had her I decided on a name that suited her seemingly split personalty quite well. Her name was Kanon Haruko. I'd named her Kanon after a character from the manga Chibi Vampire. The character was very sweet, but rather hyper. (I can't say exactly who she was in the story because I don't want to give any spoilers to anyone still reading the series!) Her middle name, Haruko, came from the anime Fooly Cooly. I was happy with her name. It suited her.

Kanon was sweet, and slept a lot but I miss her. She was soft and liked me to hold her and cuddle her in my hands. She lived a happy life and was healthy right until the end. I always worried about her though, especially after I started college. She died during my first semester of college and we buried her next to Edward. She was such a good hamster. I miss her.

-Tracy

Kitties and Puppies and Turtles, OH MY!

Guys I did the cutest thing! I made a saddle for my turtle and now Sasha can ride on his back! It's super cute, but super dangerous so I didn't really do it....

Many hamster parents or potential hamster parents have other pets as well, and while you can happily co-exist with many adorable animals, the adorable animals can not always co-exist with each other. Keep in mind that hamsters are tiny creatures and because of this they are prey to many animals.

Larger animals such as cats and dogs may attack or eat hamsters. They may also just try to play with them, but do to the immense size difference the hamster is likely to be terrified and get hurt or killed. Also the noises that cats and dogs make can be loud and unnerving to hamsters.

Small animals such as rats, guinea pigs, ferrets, rabbits, chinchillas, and birds should also never be playmates with hamsters. Though it is highly unlikely to see a hamster on these little guy's dinner plates, there are still other complications that can arise from contact. These animals are classifies as "small animals" but they are sill larger than hamsters and can harm them quite easily. These animals may become aggressive towards each other over territory, mates, toys, wheels, food, or even you!

Smaller animals such as gerbils and mice should never be allowed to share a cage or be playmates with hamsters. They may be around the same sizes, but they can still be dangerous to each other. These animals may become aggressive towards each other over territory, mates, toys, wheels, food, or even you! And while a hamster's diet and needs may be similar to a gerbil's or mouse's they are still very different.

While I'm sure this goes without saying, hamsters should also be kept away from fish, turtles, frogs, snakes, lizards, spiders, scorpions and any other pets of this nature.

While it would be cute to let your hamsters and other pets play together, it's not the best idea. Animals can even smell other animals on your hands so wash them in between care and handling of different animals. Also, keep hamster cages on a high shelf or table, well out of the cat or dog's reach.

I know you often hear stories of cats and mice getting along or a dog nursing orphan lion cubs but while these amazing animals were able to pass their differences, not all can. It it better not to chance it and keep your pets separated for their and your own safety.

My cat Berlioz inspecting my hamster Sasha.
(Sasha is in her food dish on the top floor to the right)

Personally, at the moment, I have dogs, cats, a turtle, and my hamster Sasha. My dogs completely ignore her presence, but my cat took interest in her right away. She was in her cage digging in bedding and my cat Berlioz heard her. He sat on the end of my bed watching her for a few minutes and then went back to sleep. I supervised the two of them the whole time and made sure my cat stayed a reasonable distance from Sasha's cage. He never paid any attention to her after that, but I still never left him alone in my room with her. (Of course now she's with me at my boyfriend's place where he has a dog who completely ignores her too.)

I wish everyone the best, rather they have no pets or many!

-Tracy

Sick Day....Or Week....

Hello everybody! I'm sorry I kind of dropped of the face of the earth for awhile, but I got a very bad cold, and then I had a lot of college work to catch up on once I got better and then with it being September there were Birthdays galore and I was designated cake-maker for half of them. So I've been extremely busy and haven't been posting to Hamster Talk! Well with the exceptions to my Twitter and Pinterest if you follow me on those, but there more personal than directed at Hamster Talk!

So anyways, since I was sick I decided I would do a post on how to care for a hamster if your sick, and how to care for one if it's sick.

Caring for your hamster when your sick:
Everyone get's sick now and then, but you still have to care for your hamster! But how do you do that? Can your hamster catch your cold or virus?

There is a lot of debate about hamsters contracting human illnesses, but the bottom line is if your sick you should treat your hamster as you would another human being. I don't mean to ask your hammie to play video games with you and nom on some ice cream sandwiches....Though that would be cool! Just use caution when your around them! If your going to come in contact with your ham ham, make sure to wash your hands first, just as you would with another human. If you can, try to avoid contact with them. You don't have to quarantine them, but maybe ask a parent, sibling of close friend to feed them and change their water for you. At least until your feeling better.

Since I was sick with a cold I had my boyfriend feed her most days.

Caring for your hamster when it's sick:
Caring for a sick hamster can be tricky. Since animals can not talk then can not tell us when they are feeling sick, and we might not notice it until it's too late. And when we do notice that they are not quite themselves, they can't exactly tell us what's wrong. Knowing what warning signs show us our furry friends are sick can help us get our hammies back up and on their little feet in no time!

Healthy Hamsters:
-Are alert and active (Remember hamsters are most active in the mornings and evenings)
-Have clean fur free of debris and droppings
-Have a clear nose, mouth and eyes that are free of mucus
-Are slightly plump in weight and eat well
-Groom themselves regularly
Signs your hamster may be sick:
-He or she is lazy and disinterested
-He or she has a messy coat, or is not regularly bathing itself

-He or she is loosing fur

-He or she has mucus coming from it's nose, mouth, and/or eyes
-He or she is loosing weight and/or not eating
-He or she has a strange lump or swelling on it's body
-He or she is sneezing and/or wheezing and/or has labored breathing
-He or she cannot move or cries when it moves
-He or she is shaking or shivering
-He or she has diarrhea
-He or she is bleeding
-He or she is scratching excessively
-He or she eats or drinks an excessive amount

If your hamster has any of the above listed warning signs he or she is probably sick or wounded. If any of these symptoms continue for more than a day you should take your hammie to a vet that sees hamsters. (This can be a challenge as many vet offices do not accept hamster patients due to their small size. Make your you have a vet lined up for your ham ham even before it get's sick.) The vet will tell you what to do from there. They may prescribe medicine, direct a change in diet or bedding materials, or in some rare cases call for surgery. Whatever the vet tells you, try your best to follow his or her orders and hopefully your ham ham will be back on his or her feet and running in it's wheel in no time!


I hope this helps everyone, and I hope any sick ham fans or hamsters get better soon! <3 Until next time!

-Tracy

What The Heck Is It? (Sexing Hamsters)

So you have this adorable ball of fluff in your hands and suddenly the question pops into your head: is this a boy or girl hamster? And now your freaking out because your worried the pet shop didn't sex them right, and you don't know rather to call it "he" or "she" and you can't name it until you know! Calm down....Breathe. It's going to be ok....Because this post is about sexing hamsters!

While you can always ask the pet store or breeder what the sex of your new furry friend is, you should keep in mind that they may be wrong! The pet store may have mixed up the hamsters or the tags on the cage and the breeder may not be as experienced as they say they are. However, regardless of how trustworthy your pet store or breeder is, it is always a good idea to know how to sex hamsters.

Sexing hamsters can be a bit of a challenge, especially if they are young, untamed, you don't have one of the opposite sex to compare it to, or you are inexperienced. But don't get discouraged. Remember, be gentle and patient with the ham ham in question, because you don't want to frighten of force it. Cup your hamster in your hand and gently position it on it's back, so you can see it's tummy. Hold the hammy in a slightly upright position and look for the below mentioned things.

The Easiest Way
The simplest way to distinguish between sexes in any species of hamster is the anogenital distance. This is the distance between the genital openings (In male: penile, in female: vaginal) and the anus. In female hams this distance is much shorter. Male openings are about half an inch apart, while females are so close they almost appear to be one.

Sexing Syrian Hamsters: Syrian hamsters are usually much easier to sex, because the difference between the male's and female's appearance is more obvious.

Once they are four weeks old, male Syrian hamsters have noticeable testicles that hang from their rear (Keep in mind, these can be retracted or may be hidden in fur).

 In female Syrians, if their fur is short enough, they will have visible nipples for nursing pups.

Sexing Dwarf Hamsters: Dwarf Hamsters are usually harder to tell apart.

Male dwarf hamsters have testicles as well, but they are less noticeable (Keep in mind, these can be retracted or may be hidden in fur). Male dwarves also have a scent gland on their tummies.

Female dwarf hamsters, just as Syrian hamsters, have nipples, but they are less noticeable and are often to small to feel and are well hidden in fur.

Just something else to think about:

*The rump of male hams is often rounder and longer compared to a female's back side. This is especially noticeable in Chinese hamsters.

*Male hamsters will often have a very small yellow urine stain on their tummies. This is not a definite way of telling the sex of your ham, but it can be a helpful aid.

I hope this helps! If you have any questions feel free to contact me! The fastest way to get in touch with me is through facebook! http://www.facebook.com/HamsterTalk

-Tracy

Bedding for Burrowing

Bedding is a very important part of your small animal's habitat. Your furry friend needs bedding to nest in, burrow through, play in, and use the rest room in. There are many types of small animal bedding on the market, and with so many choices it can be very hard to decide which one your going to use. This post will be about what choices of bedding are right for your small animal and which should never be used.

Aspen Wood Shavings: Aspen is all natural and free of toxins. It is odorless and contains no dust. Aspen is soft on feet and good for nesting.  It is biodegradable and can be used as compost.

Carefresh Paper Bedding: Carefresh bedding comes in many varieties and colors. It is made if paper pulp and is very soft. It makes for excellent nesting materials and is very soft on their feet. It's odor control isn't exactly off the charts, but it makes up for that in absorbency. It can be flushed when dirty.

Shredded paper: You can make your own bedding by shredding clean paper. It must be free of toxic inks and dyes and should be free of sharp edges. It is extremely cheap, but does nothing for odor control.

Pellet Bedding: Pellets can absorb moisture without falling apart. They are easy to clean and dust free, however they can be a bit rough on the feet and other nesting materials are required.

Sand: Sand can be used as long as it's clean and doesn't smell. It stimulates natural burrowing instincts, however other nesting materials must be provided. Sand is very heavy, and this makes it hard to clean.

Ground Walnut Shells: While ground walnut shells are intended for reptiles, some hamster breeders and caretakers are starting to use it for their small furry friends as well. It is light weight, dust free, and stimulates natural digging. Other nesting materials must be provided. It won't scratch glass and plastic cages, and it can be composed with everyday yard waste and used in gardens.

Toilet Paper: I know, it sounds odd, but toilet paper makes for excellent nesting materials.You can shred a bit of it and stuff it in their house. I do not recommend using only toilet paper in a cage though.

Litter: Many small animals can be potty trained! Potty training your ham can reduce cage clean up by at least 30%, though you do still need to regularly clean it. You can purchase small animal outhouses from pet stores and fill them with litter. Litters that are safe to use are only ones that specify they are small animal friendly. Cat litters can be cheaper but are often scented and can be harmful if swallowed. If you do not want to use a litter, you can use sand or walnut shells instead.

NEVER EVER NEVER use these beddings:
Pine, ceder, saw dust and any wood chips other than aspen. Aspen is the only acceptable wood based bedding because many other wood types have too much saw dust which can cause to vision problems and respiratory problems. Some wood types can even splinter and be rough on your hammy's feet.

Scented bedding and litter is a definite no-no! The perfumes may be toxic.

Corn Cob, while not completely unacceptable, is not recommended. Recent studies have shown that Corn Cob has toxins in it that can lead to respiratory problems. Corn Cob is also very dangerous because if it is swallowed, it can get stuck in the throat and the small animal can choke to death. It also quickly grows mold and rots when wet.

Cloth materials are dangerous and should not be used because hams may chew and swallow the threads which can lead to digestive problems. Loose threads can also get wrapped around legs and tails and can cause injuries.

There are also many types of bedding that are mixed, such as aspen and paper mix, and paper and pellet mix. You can also buy and make your own mixes if you like. Just remember to change your pet's bedding often, and keep in mind that the bigger your pet is and/or the more you have in a cage, the more frequently you need to clean their habitat.

When choosing beddings or experimenting with new ones, keep in mind that some small animals may have allergies or be allergic to a certain type or brand, so keep an eye on them for a while once they have been exposed to new bedding.

Personally, my favorite types of bedding are aspen and an aspen Carefresh mix. The wood shavings are more natural, but the paper pieces give my pets something softer to sleep in. I hope everyone finds just what they are looking for!

-Tracy

Hamster Flashback: Edward Naruto

Summer break before high school I really got into anime. The Japanese had this amazing way of animating and telling stories that instantly drew me in. So my Freshman year of high school was an odd one to say the least. What with a new school, new friends, and now an odd new interest. A close friend of mine and I were hanging out one day when she asked me about hamsters. We were friends from middle school and she remembered I'd had two hamsters. She wanted to know what they were like and if they were hard to take care of. So we spend a week or so talking about the pros and the very few cons of hamster adoption and she decided she was ready for a ham ham! But there was one problem: her mother. I though her mom was going to have a heart attack when she told her she wanted a hamster. It took days of convincing from both of us, but we finally broke her! My friend's brother dropped us off at Petco so she could buy a cage and supplies ahead of time. We stopped to look at the hamsters. Suddenly I missed Tickles and Chewy really bad. "You should get one too!" She suggested. I thought about it. I had the funds from saved Birthday money and dog sitting for my neighbor and I'd love to have another hamster. There was just the problem of convincing my mom again. I called my mom and told her I wanted a hamster. I was completely dead set on my argument and surprisingly I quickly convinced her. As with my first adoption, there was the condition of it being my hamster, my money, but with one more: I could only get one! Since I'd gotten my facts about Syrian hamsters fighting as adults I'd already known I would only get one. So I was in the clear! We both picked out our cages and supplies and headed back to my house to set up. She spent the night and the next day we were back at Petco to pick up our Hams!

My friend went straight for the dwarfs, and chose a grey male, which she later named "Pugly". I took a bit longer to choose. Since in the back of my head all I could think of was Tickles and Chewy, I knew I wanted a Syrian. And the male Syrians all just laid around the habitat like lazy frogs, so it looked like I was going for a female Syrian. Petco only had four female Syrians at the time. two of them were hiding in their house and one was sitting in the corner munching on seeds. The fourth, a yellowish one with white paws, was madly running on the wheel. I'd never seen a Syrian run so fast on a wheel before! I put my face close to the glass and she stopped. She wobbled over to the glass and put her paws on it. "That one!" I said. I bought a new hamster ball for her to play in and the Petco lady put her in that for the ride home, instead of a box. Since I was still technically underage and no adult was present, I had to call my mom to give verbal consent over the phone for both of us. While we waited outside the store for our ride, a passing stranger asked me what her name was. For some reason two anime flashed into my head and I replied "Edward Naruto". Yes my new little hamster was named after the main characters from Fullmetal Alchemist and Naruto.

Edward Naruto
July 20, 2007-July 26, 2009

Edward Naruto: Edward was a Robo hamster trapped in a Syrian hamster's body. I say this because she was fast, and she loved to run. All night long she'd go at that wheel. But her favorite thing in the world was her exercise ball. I think she would of lived in it if she could of. One day I got a flyer from Petco. They were having a Hamster Ball Derby, where you take your hamsters in their balls and let them race.  My friend and I thought it sounded fun so we entered out two little hams. The derby was divided into categories by small animal type and species. For example, there was a separate race for gerbils, and hamsters, and a separate race for Syrians hamsters and Dwarf hamsters. The hamsters raced in their balls that were placed on race tracks. The whole thing was adorable! There was a winner from each category that then competed in an over all race for first place over all the small animals. Betcha' can't guess who won first place! Edward! Edward came in first place and won a tiny hamster-sized trophy and a round race track. I was so proud of my little speed demon! Edward was a rather picky eater. She didn't like treats or  any fruits or vegetables I tried to give her. But she was very sweet and loving. All of my friends loved her, and my mother even lost a lot of her rodent hatred because of Ed-O. But sadly, all good things must come to an end. Edward Naruto died late at night a few days after turning two. The next day we had a small funeral consisting of my parents, and three friends (one of them being my boyfriend though we weren't together at the time) and buried her in her hamster ball.

I like to think there is a hamster heaven where all hamsters can get along, regardless of sex, species, and all other factors. If so, them I'm sure Tickles and Chewy welcomed Edward with open paws.

NEXT TIME IN HAMSTER FLASHBACK: Kanon Haruko! My first long haired!

-Tracy

Convincing The 'Rents

"Let me get this straight?! You wanna' bring a RAT into this house young lady/man?!?!" Ah, haven't we all heard that line? I know I have! When I first told my mom I wanted a hamster I thought I would never hear the end of it. Many kids and teens ask their parents if they can adopt a hamster, but their parents say no because of ridiculous reasons or because they are misinformed.

Misconceptions about hamsters:
-There rats
-There dirty and they stink
-There way too expensive
-They bite and there mean
-There boring, they sleep in a cage all the time

Truths about hamsters:
-While they are rodents, they are not rats
-They are actually very clean animals and as long as you clean their cage they do not stink.
-While starting up (buying cage and starting supplies) can get a bit pricey, upkeep is relatively cheap
-Most hamsters are easy to tame and while they may nibble, the won't draw blood unless threatened
-They very active, and there are other activities you can do with them

First of all, show them your interested in a hamster! You can't just ask for a hamster out of the blue and expect them to say yes. Bring it up one night at dinner. "Mom, dad, you know hamsters? They can store food in their cheeks! Cool, huh?" Showing them that your interested will get them interested too.

Many parents will say no to the idea of a pet, because they feel the child or teen is not responsible enough to properly take care of it. If you are responsible enough then show them! This may sound silly but get a practice pet. It can be a bean bag or small stuffed animal or anything and place it in a shoe box. Put a bottle of water and a small bowel next to or in the box and let your parents see that your changing it's food and water every day (well pretending to at least). Doing this will help show how serious you are about hamster adoption too.

When you ask them for permission to adopt a hamster, you should try not to ask "Can you get me a hamster?" This implys that you want them to buy it and supply it with everything for it's needs and they most likely won't like the idea of that. Instead ask "Can I get a hamster?"

The biggest thing: RESEARCH!!!! You need to educate yourself on any pet before you adopt! Find out everything there is to know about hamsters, and don't be afraid to share your knowledge! The more your parents know, there more likely they are to agree. You have to show them you know what your getting into.

Personally I think hamsters are too underrated as pets. They are small, easy to handle, quiet, don't smell, and they are clean. Hamsters are smart too! You can train them to do tricks and respond to their name! Who wouldn't want to share their home with that? In short, if you feel you are responsible enough t care for a ham ham properly, then go for it! I wish you the best of luck! And remember, you can find everything you need to know in this blog!

-Tracy