Anyone know a good hamster info site?

[Princess*Smudge]

Hi Everyone!

It’s been a long time since I’ve been around but tonight I inadvertently took in a hamster. I haven’t had a hamster since I was little and I’m sure we weren’t doing all the right things for them back then. Anyone know of a good resource site for hamsters?

While I’m here I’ll also introduce our little guy who has yet to be given a name. I was at our local store picking up bunny hay and one of the regular girls who works there knows who I am and decided to show me this little guy who was dropped off in a box outside their door earlier today. They’re a pet store that doesn’t sell pets but will take surrenders in certain circumstances and work with a local rescue to adopt them out. However, this little guy was just left outside. They had a cage in the back and gave him some bedding (wood shavings, which I have since changed to the recycled paper kind) but other than that they weren’t sure what they could do. ETA: I will also be getting him a better cage. This one has tubes and doesn’t seem large enough. It was just an old one they had on hand I believe.

The rescues in our area will take dogs, cats, and occasionally rabbits at a select few but none seemed to be able to help with a hamster. Soooo after a quick phone call to the husband I was driving home with a new friend. The first thing I’m going to do is get him on a good food and I’m looking around for some more information as far as what veggies he can eat… I was kind of hoping there would be a “binky bunny for hamsters” type site 

So far we have come up with the possible names:

Reginald Fluffington, Esquire (my husband…)

Theodore Hammington III (also the husband’s idea…)

Catnip (friend’s submission…)

Ron as in Weasley because our bun’s name is Harry (my idea lol)

We’re still undecided and open to suggestions!

  

[BrunosMama]

He’s adorable!

I don’t know of a site per se, but I know there has been good hamster care advice given here. I had a thread asking for hammie advice about a year ago and got some good info. Probably if you do a forum search for hamster, something will pop up. Also, forum leader LongEaredLions has had hamsters, so you could PM her for some advice.

Does he have a name? Our hammie is named Elvis, because he looks like he has sideburns.

[Sindri]

Ahh he is cute. Looks like a Syrian. I just got a Syrian myself. A good site to check out is Hamster Hideout. I got a lot of info there myself. Like for instance most cages they make for hamsters aren’t big enough for Syrians. We built one for ours. For food I use EcoTrition and Hazel Hamster food. I also give him scrambled eggs a couples a times a week to help with the protein he needs. I couldn’t find a food mix that supplied the protein requirements they need. I have fed mine onlt a couple of veggies so far. I have tried carrots, squash and broccoli. Just like rabbits try one veggie at a time in tiny amounts. You don’t want them to get wet tail. For bedding I was using shredded paper and carefresh but found out aspen shavings does better for odor control so I use that now as well as shredded paper.

I hope that site is helpful. Oh and I like the name ideas you chose. Mine is names Hamtaro after a cartoon about hamsters but I call him. Hamu.

[Princess*Smudge]

Thanks for the replies! I will try searching the forum and I’ll check out the website. My main concern was that his cage is too small so that will be the first thing on the list to change. I would also like to get him on a good food, but I’m going to introduce that slowly. One website recommended feeding a little but of alfalfa hay? I know it’s great for baby buns but wasn’t sure about a hamster. And we did come up with a name……. Ham Solo! Inspired by our love for Star Wars and my grade 5/6 students

[Sindri]

I haven’t heard of giving hamsters alfalfa but I did give mine some of the rabbits timothy hay. He wasn’t really interested in it. You can try and see what you hamster will like. I found a lot of good diy cage ideas by searching on the internet. Hamster Hideout website gave me the idea for my cage. If I can figure out how to post my phone pics I can show you the one we built. I used 2 closet shelves to make mine. If I had an Ikea nearby I would have built one with a shelf I see people make there habitats out of. Its called a detolf shelf. There are lots of videos on Youtube of those.

I love the name you picked its really cute!

[LongEaredLions]

Aww, what an adorable hammy!
I second the HamsterHideout forum. Lots of good info there.
Nearly none of the cages sold for hamsters are suitable for them. Hammies require at least 350 square inches of floor space, Aquariums make great hammy homes. DIY cages are also a great option.
As for food, Oxbow, Hazel/Harry hamster, and vitacraft are good brands. Veggies, eggs and meats are great for hammies too. You can download a hamster safe-food list off of HamsterHideout.

[BrunosMama]

Oh my gosh, I am in LOVE with his name!!! How clever!!

Sindriona – I like Hamtaro. I have a stuffed version of the main hammy.

[Sindri]

I also like Erinsanimals channel on youtube if you want to check out hamster care videos. I made these hamster treats from a video she made and my hamsters loves them. They are the easy peasy seedy treats for hamsters video. You can hang them in their cage or just place them around their cage for foraging fun.

BrunosMama I seen a Hamtaro mousepad on Amazon I would love to get.

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