The Giant Gerbil!

So awhile back I was wandering through a small family owned pet shop in my city called Papa Jim's Tropical Fish and I came across a very interesting little critter that I just have to tell you guys about!

Despite the pet shop's name, they do not only sell tropical fish. They have a variety of fish, aquatic creatures, both big and tiny, lizards, hermit crabs, snakes, scorpions, birds, puppies, kittens, and small animals. And by small animals I mean everything from hamsters and mice to bunnies and ferrets! While I was checking out a really cool iguana, I overheard these two boys from around the corner talking. "Check it out!" One kept saying. "I've never seen a gerbil that big!" The other exclaimed. So I made my way to the small animal area just in time to see the two boys leaving. I walked up to a tank and instantly knew what they were talking about! It was an animal I'd only ever read about. A South American Degu! I had never seen one in person before, and was hypnotized by it's adorableness. It scurried around the cage and burrowed into the bedding to show off it's cuteness.

South American Degu

The South American Degu
The South American Degu is a small animal that originated in the lowland areas of Chile in South America. They are brown in color and have long thin tails. They closely resemble gerbils-well, if gerbils grew up to five to seven inches long that is. Degus are very social, inquisitive animals, and they can be very vocal, just as Guinea Pigs. The South American Degu has something very unique about it: when threatened  it can disconnect it's tail as a distraction letting it escape predators. Kinda sounds like a lizard, huh? Only, the Degu isn't as lucky as a lizard, and does not grow it's tail back, so this is a one time thing.

Degu Care
Degus are unique little creatures that require special care. When handling them, the handler must be genlt, as their tails are delicate and can be shed. Unless you want a tailless little Degu, you should be cautious when around one.

Feeding: A Degu's diet consists of a combination of hay and pellets. Since they are so closely related to Guinea Pigs, they can be fed Guinea Pig  food. They typically like corn, carrots, and sweet potatoes, but these should only be fed on occasion. Sunflower seeds, peanuts, and raisins make for good treats. Fruits should rarely or never be offered as they can lead to diarrhea and/or diabetes. Small amounts of fresh grass can be provided as well, though the Degu may just use it as nesting materials. Degu's teeth never stop growing so untreated wood blocks should be provided for them to chew on.

Housing: The South American Degu is a small animal that loves to climb, so wired cages are better for them than tanks. They are very active so they require plenty of space to move around. They enjoy playing in PVC pipes, clay pots, cardboard boxes and tubes, and brown paper bags. The bottom of their cage should be filled with a thick layer of aspen wood shavings.

Cleaning: Degus are naturally clean animals and have little odor. Their cage should be cleaned at least once a week and spot cleaned throughout the week when needed. Degus keep themselves clean but enjoy sand baths. Sand baths consist of an inch or so of Chinchilla sand in a shoe box or bath house.

Breeding: Degus should only be bred by an experienced handler. They have a gestation period of 90 days and usually produce up to two litters a year, that may consist of one to ten offspring. Baby Degus are called pups, and are born with fur, and their eyes open.

I hope you all found this interesting! :)) Until next time!

-Tracy

Cold Feet? ....Or Paws?

It's winter! And It's finally getting cold here! (Depending on where my readers are from it may have already been cold....But I'm in Texas. It's just now getting really cold.) So with the dropping temperature, we've all dug out our warm coats and thermal shirts, but wait....What about our hamsters?!

While it is true that hamsters coats may change a little bit to compensate for the colder air, their coats do not thicken up as much as a dog or cat's will. Winter White hamsters have fur that changes white in the winter to help camouflage them in the snow (Although this will not happen to indoor Winter Whites, as the temperatures in you house won't be cold enough and the use of unnatural light masks the flow of time for the furry little things.)

So how do they keep warm?
Hamsters are complicated little balls of fluff, and believe it or not they stay warm the same ways that we do! No they don't wear jackets! (Although that would be adorable!) They hide in their little houses, and they pack on the pounds!

How can I make sure my ham ham warm enough?
The same way you keep yourself warm!
When your cold you dig out extra blankets right? Well your hammie will do the same! Put extra bedding in your hamster's habitat. They will thank you for the extra nesting materials! Also, consider putting shredded toilet paper in there home as well. Paper insulates heat and is soft and comfey. If your hamster does not have a little house to hide in you should get one.

Turn on a heater! That's how you keep yourself warm isn't it? Just make sure you do not direct the heater too close to the hamster's cage, because he or she may get too hot. If possible just move them to a warmer room in the house. Heat lamps will also work well but your hammie might not like the constant light. Many people say to place a heating pad under the cage but I do NOT recommend doing this as the bottom of the cage can get much too hot for their little feet. (And in the case of cages with plastic bases they can melt!)

Let them pack on the pounds! Give them a little extra food. Fuller tummies help us all feel warmer!

Keep them away from windows, door and drafts. The wind can cause chills. You can cover part of the cage to prevent drafts.
*Wired/plastic cages: Make sure you do not do this with a towel or blanket, as your furry little friend will pull the material in through the bars and chew it. This is unsafe as they can get caught in the threads, choke on them, or die from trying to ingest them. For this type of cage, I recommend using pieces of cardboard (This is what I do for Sasha, aside from extra nesting materials and keeping her in a warmer room).
*Tanks: Preventing drafts for a small animal in a tank is much easier. Since only the top of the tank is exposed to drafts you can easily drape a blanket or towel over half of the cage, and presto! Your done! You can use a blanket or towel this time because the openings on the wire mesh screen for the tank will be too small to pull fabric through.

Keep them in doors at all times! This should go without saying because hamsters are not outside pets! If you have to transport them somewhere, like for a vet visit, make sure their carrier is well protected from the wind and give them plenty of bedding and shredded toiled paper to nest in.

Won't they hibernate?
No! Hamsters are not bears! Although if they get too cold, they will fall into a state called Torpor. Hamsters originated in climates that were typically warm in the day, and cold in the night, so their tiny bodies can compensate for some temperature fluctuations. But if the temperature drops below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, they may fall into a temporary state of hibernation called Torpor. A hamster in Torpor will build a warm nest, eat as much as they can, and bed down and sleep to conserve energy and stay warm. In small animals this usually only lasts a few hours (Not longer than a day). Hamsters in this state may appear lifeless, but upon close observation will have shallow breathing and twitching whiskers. They will be rather unresponsive  but should be woken up immediately, but GENTLY. To wake a hamster in Torpor you should gently nuzzle them, and warm them. Once a hamster wakes from Torpor it may be groggy and grumpy, so move him or her to a warmer area, give them plenty of food and leave them alone for a bit. If they do not resume normal activities within a day or two, you should consult a vet.


In short keep your ham hams warm! :)) I hope everyone is having a wonderful winter and keeping both themselves and their pets warm.

-Tracy

Puzzle Paradise!

Super Pet has a neat little invention that's been out for quite some time now that just keeps getting better and better. It's called the Puzzle Playground.

What is it?
The Puzzle Playground is just what it sounds like: a playground made of puzzle pieces. These amazing playgrounds are expandable and connectable jungle gyms for hamsters, gerbils and mice! You can make your own configurations and they will always snap into place with each other. The sets generally include square hard-plastic pieces and triangular ones. They also come with round openings that are more resistant to chewing but can also be connected to any Super Pet tubes. Certain sets also come with tubes and ramps.

New VS Old:
The older sets were different colors although they are the same thing. The older sets were red, dark green, yellow, and purple with clear windows and red ramps. As far as I know, none of these sets came with tubes. The newer sets are neon green, blue, yellow, and purple, with colored transparent windows, and purple ramps. The tubes that come with these sets are green and blue.

Sets:
Super Pet currently only has two of these Puzzle Playground sets on their website, but there are more than just two!
+20 Piece Puzzle Playground
+42 Piece Puzzle Playground
+60 Piece Puzzle Playground
+38 Piece Puzzle See Saw
+20 Piece Puzzle Ferris Wheel

42 Pc. Puzzle Playground
The most common set

Why I love them:
Could you imagine living your life in a box with the same furniture and toys over and over? I can't! And no one wants their small pet to have to live such a miserable fate. So you switch out their toys and houses every once in awhile, but eventually they get bored of the same thing. So you go to buy new things but (1) that gets expensive and (2) where do you store all that stuff?!

This is where the genius of the Puzzle Playground comes in! You can buy one or two sets and your good to go! You set up a simple design and your furry friend plays in it awhile and then when it's time to switch out furniture, you can just redesign the house! You save money and storage space and both you and your furry little friend have something fun to do!

Ever buy something for your pet that they didn't like? With Puzzle Playgrounds, if they don't like it you can just rebuild it until you find a way they do like it! Ever buy a house that was too big or too small? Rebuild! Ever scour the globe for the perfect home for your pet to no avail? Build it!

Oh, well you and your friend are tired of the Puzzle Playground and you decide your gonna take a break from it. Oh no! Now where are you gonna put it?! Pop the pieces apart and throw them in a box. Simple!

Where can I buy these?
Usually pet stores sell them. Petco and Petsmart do. You can also find them online. I know for sure ebay.com and amazon.com sell them. The Puzzle playgrounds are usually easy to come by, but the hard ones to get are the Ferris wheel and see saw.

Bad Reviews:
I always hear and see a lot of bad reviews from people. I personally haven't had a problem with them and I've been using them since my first two hamsters. And I was in middle school then!

They don't stay together: This is probably the biggest complaint from everyone. But the thing is you have to make sure the pieces are locking into place right. If they don't then of course there not going to stay together. Personally I've never had this problem. I've been using them for years. I still have the same set from when I was in middle school and they still work fine.

There only good for dwarf hamsters: Not true! Sasha is my first dwarf hamster. Before her I had Syrian ham hams and they all fit in the playgrounds just fine! But that is part of the playground: build it the way your hamster (or gerbil or mouse) will like it.

My gerbils ate them: Well that's gerbils for ya! Small animals have teeth that are continuously growing and they need to chew to keep them from getting over grown-gerbils especially. While it's true that these aren't completely chew proof, they are somewhat resistant, and as long as you provide your pets with other chewing materials they should last a while.

They get dirty: Everything in an animal's cage gets dirty! And in my opinion these are super easy to clean because you can completely demolish them!


So there! I LOVE the puzzle playgrounds! (I'm sorry I know I sound like I'm trying to sell this to you but I'm not. I just really like this product.) Currently I have an old set and the 60 Piece Puzzle Playground. (I've also got the 42 Piece Puzzle Playground in the mail, but that's part of Sasha's Christmas present.)

I'm going to start a segment where I post photos and videos of puzzle playgrounds that I have built or that have been sent to me from ham fans! It will be called Puzzle Paradise! Feel free to email your designs to me at winryyuzu@yahoo.com! Happy Building!

-Tracy

White Butt, So What?!

So. As you may or may not know, Sasha is a Djungarian hamster. Djungarians are also known as Winter Whites and Siberian Hamsters. They've earned these unique names for a very special reason! In the wild, Winter Whites' fur turns completely white to help them hide from predators. Cool huh? I know! However Winter Whites that are kept in captivity almost never change their fur color because there is no need to and their bodies do not tell their fur to change.

Why do they change color?
These adorable hamsters get their winter coat because their tiny little bodies get very cold from the low winter temperatures and they need to blend in with the snow that will be on the ground. Hamsters are prey so it is important that they are able to hide from predators and a little ball of grey fur would be like a bulls eye against the white snow!

Why don't they change in captivity?
In the winter we like to keep our homes warm, and of course there is no snow in a captive Winter White's cage so they do not feel the need to change. There is no threat and they do not get cold enough. It's as simple as that.

Why am I telling you this?
Well many of you may have already had this fun fact in your arsenal of ham ham information, but what you may or may not have noticed in my recent pictures and videos of Sasha is that her fur is changing! I'm not sure why, but it is! It's not a lot, but it's defiantly there. The fur on her butt is slowly getting lighter. It is a lighter shade of grey than it used to be. I'm sure she won't get any lighter than this, especially since she never gets cold enough, but I wanted to let everyone see her cute little white butt! Haha.

Sasha's butt before....

Sasha's butt now!

I hope everyone finds this interesting. :)) Until the next post! Bye~

-Tracy

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