9781422280911

Understanding and Caring for Your Pet

Hamsters

Understanding and Caring for Your Pet

Hamsters

Written by Dr. AnneMcBride BSc PhDCert.Cons FRSA

Mason Crest 450 Parkway Drive, Suite D Broomall, PA 19008 www.masoncrest.com Developed and produced by Mason Crest

© 2017 by Mason Crest, an imprint of National Highlights, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the publisher.

Printed and bound in the United States of America.

First printing 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Series ISBN: 978-1-4222-3691-8 ISBN: 978-1-4222-3699-4 ebook ISBN: 978-1-4222-8091-1

Every reasonable care has been taken in the compilation of this publication. The Publisher and Author cannot accept liability for any loss, damage, injury, or death resulting from the keeping of hamsters by user(s) of this publication, or from the use of any materials, equipment, methods, or information recommended in this publication or from any errors or omissions that may be found in the text of this publication or that may occur at a future date, except as expressly provided by law. No animals were harmed in the making of this book. You may gain access to certain third party content (“Third Party Sites”) by scanning and using the QR Codes that appear in this publication (the “QR Codes”). We do not operate or control in any respect any information, products or services on such Third Party Sites linked to by us via the QR Codes included in this publication, and we assume no responsibility for any materials you may access using the QR Codes. Your use of the QR Codes may be subject to terms, limitations, or restrictions set forth in the applicable terms of use or otherwise established by the owners of the Third Party Sites. Our linking to such Third Party Sites via the QR Codes does not imply an endorsement or sponsorship of such Third Party Sites, or the information, products or services offered on or through the Third Party Sites, nor does it imply an endorsement or sponsorship of this publication by the owners of such Third Party Sites. Words in bold are explained in the glossary on page 127. QR CODES AND LINKS TO THIRD PARTY CONTENT

Understanding and Caring for Your Pet

Guinea Pigs Hamsters Kittens Parakeets

Aquarium Cats Dog Training

Ferrets Gerbils Goldfish

Puppies Rabbits

Educational Videos: Readers can view videos by scanning our QR codes, providing them with additional educational content to supplement the text. Examples include news coverage, moments in history, speeches, iconic moments, and much more!

Words to Understand: These words with their easy-to-understand definitions will increase the reader’s understanding of the text, while building vocabulary skills.

Contents Perfect pets.  08 Special requirements.  10 What is a Syrian hamster?.  14 The human link.  24 The hamster’s world.  26 Coat varieties.  32 Setting up home .  42 Playtime.  52 Finding your hamster.  58 Signs of a healthy hamster. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Making friends.  66 Handling.  68 Other pets .  72 Food, glorious food.  74 Hamster care.  84 Daily tasks.  86 Weekly tasks.  88 Monthly tasks .  90

Grooming.  92 Hamster behavior.  98 Health. 108 Know your pet hamster . 124 Find out more / Words to understand. 126 Index. 128

Perfect Pets Golden, or Syrian hamsters make delightful pets and have been popular with families for many years. T here are lots of reasons why hamsters are attractive animals to keep: • If treated gently, they rarely bite and like to interact with their owners. • Hamsters are not expensive to buy or to keep. • They are clean creatures and, providing they are kept well, they do not smell. • Hamsters are small, with males weighing between 3-4.5 ounces (85‑130 g) and females between 3-5 ounces (90‑150 g), so they do not need a lot of space, compared to other pet animals such as rabbits, guinea pigs, dogs, and cats. • Syrian hamsters come in a range of different colors and coat types. • They are happy to live on their own, so you only need to keep one.

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Special Requirements Syrian hamsters are lots of fun, with their rounded bodies and inquisitive nature. But, like all animals, they have their own specific needs that you need to know about before buying your first hamster. This is important so you can have a good relationship with your hamster, and it can live a long, healthy and happy life. If you are buying the hamster for a child, please remember that it is still the adult’s responsibility to ensure your pet is well cared for and properly handled. • You will need to handle your hamster gently, as they are easily frightened, especially when picked up. For this reason, young children should be supervised.

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• You need to give your hamster the right food to stay fit and healthy. • Long haired hamsters will need grooming every day. • You will need to clean out your hamster’s home regularly. • You need to provide a cage that is large enough for them to exercise properly. Hamsters are very energetic and must have appropriate things to do to keep them occupied. • Syrian hamsters are most active at night, and find bright lights and noise distressing. • You will need to make arrangements for someone to look after your hamster if you go away on vacation. • You will need to check over your hamster every week to make sure it is healthy. • You will need to commit to looking after your hamster throughout its life, which may be 2 years.

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What Is a Syrian Hamster?

Hamsters are members of the rodent family. This is the largest group of mammals, and contains over 2,000 different species of varying shapes and sizes. The word rodent comes from the Latin word rodere (to gnaw), and gnawing is one thing all rodents have in common. They gnaw to get their food and to make their homes. Rodents have four big front teeth, the incisors, that are evolved for gnawing. These sharp chisel-shaped teeth meet together like pincers and are very effective. They grow continually throughout the animal’s life.

What is a Syrian hamster?.

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Hamsters

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