Maintaining a hamster’s health requires attention to multiple aspects, including environment, diet, daily care, disease prevention, and interaction/exercise. Below are detailed recommendations:
I. Optimize the Living Environment
Cage Selection
Space: Choose a cage based on the hamster breed. Syrian hamsters (teddy bear hamsters) must be housed alone, with a cage at least 40 cm long. Dwarf hamsters (e.g., Campbell’s dwarf, Roborovski) can be kept in groups (same-sex only) in a cage at least 30 cm long.
Material: Avoid plastic cages. Prioritize wire cages or acrylic cages for good ventilation and easy cleaning.
Setup: The cage should include a running wheel (diameter ≥17 cm; slightly smaller for dwarfs), a sleeping nest, a food bowl, a water bottle, and a bedding area.
Temperature & Humidity
Temperature: Maintain 20–28℃. Keep the cage away from direct sunlight or direct air conditioning drafts. In winter, use a ceramic heat lamp (placed away from the hamster) or hand warmers (placed outside the cage layer) for warmth.
Humidity: Control between 40–60%. Excessive humidity can cause skin diseases, while extreme dryness may lead to hair loss.
Bedding Choice
Recommendations: Use dust-free wood shavings, paper cotton, corn cob, or hay. Avoid pine or cedar bedding (contains aromatic hydrocarbons that may cause respiratory issues).
Thickness: Bedding should be at least 5 cm thick to allow hamsters to burrow and build nests.
II. Scientific Diet Management
Staple Food Selection
Specialized Hamster Food: Choose branded food (e.g., Oxbow, Bunny) to ensure balanced nutrition (15–20% protein, 4–6% fat).
Avoid Homemade Diets: Human foods (e.g., chocolate, onions, garlic) and sugary snacks (e.g., candy) can be fatal.
Supplementary Foods
Protein: Offer cooked chicken breast, shrimp, or dried mealworms 2–3 times a week (dried mealworms are safer).
Vegetables: Provide a small amount of washed and dried broccoli, carrots, or cucumber daily. Avoid spinach (contains oxalic acid).
Fruits: Give apples (seedless) or blueberries 1–2 times a week. Avoid citrus fruits (too acidic).
Drinking Water Safety
Water Bottle: Use a ball-point water bottle; avoid bowl-fed water (easily contaminated).
Water Quality: Replace with boiled/cooled water or purified water daily. Never use tap water directly (contains chlorine).
III. Daily Care Essentials
Hygiene Maintenance
Cage: Thoroughly clean once a week. Wipe with pet-specific disinfectant (e.g., F10) and let it dry completely.
Food Bowl/Water Bottle: Clean daily to prevent spoiled food residues.
Bath Sand: Provide specialized bath sand (e.g., volcanic ash) and replace it once a week. Never bathe hamsters in water (prone to colds).
Nail & Teeth Care
Nails: Check once a month. Trim overgrown nails with pet nail clippers (avoid cutting the quick).
Teeth Grinding: Provide apple sticks, chew stones, or hamster-specific chew food to prevent overgrown teeth from hindering eating.
Behavior & Physical Observation
Healthy Signs: Active movement, shiny fur, bright eyes, and black granular feces.
Warning Signs: Lethargy, loss of appetite, sudden weight loss, diarrhea, or rapid breathing. Seek veterinary care immediately if these occur.
IV. Disease Prevention & Response
Common Diseases
Wet Tail: Caused by bacteria or stress; symptoms include diarrhea and foul-smelling feces. Isolate the hamster, provide electrolyte water, and feed antibiotics (e.g., enrofloxacin).
Skin Diseases: Triggered by damp bedding or fungi; symptoms include hair loss and redness. Replace with dry bedding and apply pet-specific antifungal ointment to affected areas.
Colds: Caused by sudden temperature changes; symptoms include sneezing and runny nose. Keep the hamster warm and feed a small amount of Isatis root granules.
Vaccinations & Deworming
Vaccinations: Hamsters do not require vaccinations, but avoid contact with wild animals (e.g., mice) to prevent infections.
Deworming: Use pet-specific dewormers (e.g., selamectin) topically every 3–6 months to prevent external parasites.
V. Interaction & Exercise
Moderate Interaction
Timing: Spend 10–15 minutes daily, choosing active periods (evening or night) for the hamster.
Method: Guide the hamster with food in your hand; avoid forced handling (easily scares them). Wash hands before interaction to prevent transferring human bacteria.
Enrich Exercise Equipment
Running Wheel: Choose a silent wheel; avoid metal grids (risk of foot entrapment).
Tunnels/Bridges: Build with paper tubes or wooden bridges to satisfy the hamster’s natural burrowing instinct.
Toys: Provide a hamster ball (supervise use to avoid getting stuck) or puzzle toys (e.g., treat-hiding balls).
VI. Special Precautions
Separate Caging: Roborovski hamsters can be group-housed (same-sex only), but Syrian hamsters must be kept alone—otherwise, they will fight to the death.
Avoid Scares: Hamsters are timid; avoid sudden noises or bright light stimuli.
Pregnancy Care: A female hamster’s gestation period is about 18–22 days. Provide more protein (e.g., mealworms) and a quiet environment. Do not disturb her after giving birth.