Hamsters make wonderful pets. Unlike a dog or cat, they won’t be running around the house, and you don’t have to worry about locking them up when guests come over. Hamsters are also great for teaching your kids how to take care of a pet before moving them to a dog or cat. Now hamsters are cute but imagine having a hamster that’s half a normal hamster’s size. How cute would that be? Well, there is an option to get a tinier hamster.
These tiny versions of hamsters are called dwarf hamsters. There are many different kinds of dwarf hamsters, and each one has its features and temperament. Dwarf hamsters are energetic little creatures and they love to sleep during the day and be up all night. They aren’t recommended for light sleepers because they will be up all night doing their thing; running on the hamster wheel and making tunnels.
How To Take Care Of A Dwarf Hamster
The different species available in dwarf hamsters are Campbell Hamster, Robo Hamster, and Chinese Hamster – to name a few. The Campbell hamster is very curious. But when compared to other dwarf hamster species, they are way easier to handle. The Robo hamster loves to sleep more than other dwarf species. And the Chinese hamster is a tunnel-digging maniac; they legit love tunneling.
These cute little things are easy-to-handle pets, but it’s important to know how to take care of them. Below you will find information on how to take care of a dwarf hamster. But first, let’s discuss dwarf hamster behavior in a bit more detail so you know what you’re dealing with.
Dwarf Hamster Behavior
Hamsters are friendly creatures, but you can’t expect them to bond with their humans like dogs or cats. Overtime they might become familiar with you and may move towards you in their cage, but other than that, don’t expect them to run to you or want to jump out of the cage to meet you. That’s just not going to happen. Generally, dwarf hamsters don’t have an issue being picked up, but if you disturb them during their sleep to pick them up, they might bite. Also, if they feel uncomfortable when being picked, they’ll bite.
Dwarf hamsters don’t need hamster companionship; they do fine independently. But they may feel a lot more comfortable if they are in a small group of dwarf hamsters, only because of their instincts. They also love to make tunnels, so you need to provide bedding that can allow them to make burrows.
Make sure never to surprise the hamster because they might bite if they get startled. However, the Chinese and Robo species are known to be less likely to bite. Also, be very cautious if you have kids, and consider a species less likely to bite.
Always hold your dwarf hamster very gently; using too much force may injure them, and in return, they might bite you. This habit of biting stems from the fact that they tend to chew and gnaw. So make sure they have some chew toys or wood chips to chew on.
Taking Care Of A Dwarf Hamster: A Guide
Now that we have discussed Dwarf hamsters’ behavior, you can understand better how to handle them. A few important things to manage when taking care of your hamster are: habitat, diet, and exercise.
Let’s take a look at these factors in detail below.
Habitat
The first thing to remember is that hamsters love to run around and play. So the housing that is made for them needs to be as large as possible. Preferably get a glass aquarium or a wired cage but make sure the hamster can’t get out through the cage’s bars. In the cage, you need to provide at least 2 inches of bedding, crumbled paper or wood shavings. Though crumpled paper is preferred over wood shavings because wood shavings might cause gastrointestinal problems if eaten, whereas paper would digest easily.
Make sure you place chew toys in the habitat because hamsters’ incisors keep growing, so they have an urge to chew all the time. An exercise wheel needs to be placed in the cage for the hamster to run on. And if you want to please your hamster, make a hiding space in the habitat for it; they love those.
Make sure to keep the habitat clean. You need to get rid of uneaten food daily and remove solid bedding daily as well. Clean and disinfect the contents of the habitat at least once in 6-7 days. You can use bleach to clean the content of the habitat, but don’t return the hamster into the habitat till everything is completely dry.
Remember always to keep water and food in the habitat because hamsters are awake during the night. The hamster may get hungry or thirsty at night during playtime. And their playtime is your sleep time, so you need to arrange the food before going to sleep. Other than these instructions, dwarf hamsters don’t need much.
Let’s take a look at the kind of food they require.
Food
Hamsters are herbivores, and dwarf hamsters are no exception to that. So you can feed them small amounts of vegetables and fruits. Other than this, you can buy pelleted food for hamsters available at pet stores and supermarkets; these commercially available options have the right nutrients for maintaining their health.
Exercise
Hamsters love running around and playing, so all that energy needs to go somewhere. This is why they need exercise wheels in their cages to run on when they’re in a playful mood. And the cage or enclosure needs to be large enough to allow room to run around. There are hamster balls available that allow hamsters to roam around outside the cage safely.
How To Keep Your Hamster Clean
Hamsters are fairly clean creatures and don’t require any cleaning efforts. You don’t need to bathe your hamster because they keep grooming themselves. However, if you notice that the hamster’s fur has gotten dirty, you can clean it with a damp cloth, but remember to be gentle.
Conclusion
With that, we conclude our article on how to take care of a dwarf hamster. We hope this article helped you get educated on how to take care of a dwarf hamster properly. Make sure to visit the vet if something is wrong, provide quality food and exercise options for the hamster, and we are sure you will have fun with these tiny furballs!
