Dwarf Hamsters/Pocket Pets

Dwarf hamster lovers will tell you that this is the best pet they have ever had. They will tell you about the quirks of each one and laugh and giggle about the individual personality that every hamster has.

Proper care for your Hammy is the most important thing to keep him happy, healthy, and long living. Having the proper hamster home is the first thing to consider. Many people will use a large fish aquarium or a wire mesh cage. I prefer the Habitrail OVO Dwarf Hamster Habitat. It offers the abilitity to expand your pets home as his family grows. You can see him run through the tunnels and he has lots of places to hide which is in a hamsters nature.

Keeping your dwarf hamsters home clean is of utmost importance. They can get deadly diseases from having a dirty cage. There are some great bedding options available. Do not use pine or cedar wood chips as these are dangerous for your little buddy. Also avoid things that are dusty as Dwarf Hamsters are prone to respiratory infections. Shredded paper or unscented tissue are favorites of mine. Another option I have used is Crittertrail Natural Burrowing Material from Amazon. I suggest cleaning the section of his cage that he uses for his neccesary business everyday.
Hamsters are also festidious groomers, (they love to keep themselves clean,) and you can purchase a cleansing sand from the pet store or online. Please make sure to purchase the correct product though as regular sand could have bacteria in it causing respritory issues.

Hamsters are constant water drinkers. Always keep him with fresh water. A little know fact about Dwarf hamsters is that they love to hoard food. They will hide it everywhere and sometimes if his cage isn't cleaned often he may be moving around old rotten food. this of course can cause sickness.

Playtime is esspecialy important to keeping a hamster healthy. Some hamsters will run as much as three miles a night. I give our hammy many fun oportunities such as tubes, tunnells, hamster wheels, and hamster balls. anything I can think of that might keep him entertained.

There are five types of dwarf hamsters. Each particular breed of dwarf hamster has their own personalities and specific needs. It as suggested that you get to know everything you can about your little buddy. I have an ebook titled Dwarf Hamsters in a Nutshell that outlines a complete guide on raising them. This comes from 20 years of discoveries and some mistakes. It also contains information that only insiders with intimate knowledge of these critters would have.

The type Russian dwarf hamster usually refers to a few different species. This species includes Winter White Russian Dwarf hamster and the Campbell's Russian Dwarf hamster. The Dwarf Russian Hamsters are the smallest and the fastest of all the hamsters. The average size is 2.5 inches. This little guy can escape from normal wire cages so keep this in mind when purchasing. The gestation period, (number of days they will be preganant before giving bith to pups) is 20-23 days.

The Campbell Dwarf Hamster averages just aproximately 3.5 inches. Gestation period for Campbells is 21-23 days. You will notice her belly getting extremely large just four days before birth. Another variation of campbells is the Winter White. they have an average size of just under 4 inches.

Dwarf Chinese Hamsters originaly come from the deserts in China and Northern Mongolia. This breed has a long tail like rodents. This is not as common as other breeds. They have an average size around 4 inches, not counting the tail. Gestation period is also 21-23 days.

The Syrian Dwarf Hamster, not really a dwarf but still called one, is the largest. He grows to around 7 inches long. The Syrian is also the most common among hamster breeds. They have a gestation period of exactly 16 days.

There are lots of common mistakes pet owners make that I have witnessed over the years. One of the most common is believing that hamsters come cuddly and welcome handling. This is not the case, however, with a few pointers little Hammy will enjoy being handled and actually look forward to it.

If your little buddy is new to your home I suggest a couple simple techniques that will help him to become familiar with you and prevent nipping and biting.

Remember your hands are large compared to his body and can look threatening. In the beginning wash your hands before handling to remove food smells and any other unfamiliar odors. Bring with you a treat such as a carrot, an piece of apple, or maybe a fresh leaf of lettuce. Slowly lower your hand into his home and hold the treat a little ways off so Hammy has to come and investigate. Repeate this process for several days until your pocket pet recognizes you as being non-threatening and being a treat giver.

The next step to get Hammy to walk onto your palm. Once he is comfortable with you, place your hand palm up on the bottom of his home with a treat in your palm. He will eventually climb on. You will want to continue practicing until he is comfortable with you. I have many more tips, tricks and secrets in my FREE 10 part eMail course here at Dwarf Hamster Site.