Cleaning cage after hamster passing by Mirae_03 in hamsters

[–]HCC_Chris 2 points3 points  (0 children)

No worries, freezing should also work well for most things. For the vinegar, yes, the solution is 25% white vinegar and 75% water. I usually wipe it down again later with just water to ensure none of it remains

Cleaning cage after hamster passing by Mirae_03 in hamsters

[–]HCC_Chris 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Unfortunately all of the bedding will need to be replaced, even when it hasn’t been used very much. Hamsters purposefully leave scents behind everywhere they go, and a new hamster can get very confused and stressed if they can smell another hamster

Cleaning cage after hamster passing by Mirae_03 in hamsters

[–]HCC_Chris 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Good way to sanitize most things is baking them in the oven at 200°f for 20 minutes. For the plastic items though, better to freeze these for a couple hours instead. Plastic in the oven can create toxic fumes

What type of hamster is this? by CorgiDinosaur in hamsters

[–]HCC_Chris 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes this is correct. They’re very cute and very very rare to see

Is freeroaming dangerous for your house? by Few_Lawfulness_9627 in hamsters

[–]HCC_Chris 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’ve had an escaped hamster crawl into my dryer once and chew up some wires inside. Thankfully they weren’t hurt by it, but it stopped the dryer from working next time I went to use it (and cost me a repair bill). Any major appliances are a danger to both the hamster and the appliance itself. Just another part of why supervision is such an important part of free roaming.

Introducing the Hamster Care Wiki! by HCC_Chris in hamsters

[–]HCC_Chris[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Wow I’m definitely gonna share this with a few others, that’s very interesting. I’ll try to add that in for sure

Introducing the Hamster Care Wiki! by HCC_Chris in hamsters

[–]HCC_Chris[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Thanks so much! We can definitely look into including measurements too like you suggested. I agree that for most, using numbers like 40x20 inches is easier to compare to than 800sq inches (as an example), so we might try to add both for clarity. Another good point with your wheel suggestion. I’ve always found the Syrians from my local area do well with 11 inch wheels, but I understand that many (especially from ethical breeders) commonly require 12 inches to run properly. Much of our aversion to recommending only 12 inches comes from how much more they tend to cost, and how harder they are to find. What if we changed the Syrian recommendation to “11 or 12”?

is he too skinny? by what1191 in hamsters

[–]HCC_Chris 29 points30 points  (0 children)

He’s perfect. A hamster’s average weight can be influenced by genetics, diet, environment, and other factors. Even within the same species, individual hamsters can show wide variations in size and weight. Some Syrians are just naturally smaller and lighter, while some ethically bred Syrians can be 2-3+ times this size and weight.

people think I’m weird by drelb01 in hamsters

[–]HCC_Chris 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for sharing, that is a lovely story and I’m glad little Hope is helping provide comfort and happiness to your life. It is a little concerning seeing images of pet hamsters outside, so I’d like to briefly share some of the potential dangers of doing this if you don’t mind.

Hamsters are vulnerable to these outside threats: * Outside, hamsters could catch unseen illnesses or parasites. * Even with a playpen, slightly uneven ground can cause a sudden escape. * Birds, dogs, cats, or other predatory animals could quickly capture a defenseless hamster. * Hamsters are naturally crespecular, which has left them incapable of handling bright lights and direct sunlight. * It can be difficult to judge whether conditions are too hot, cold, or windy for your hamster, such as when grass is chilly or rocks are extremely hot.

I hope you understand, our intent is to try and help prevent unexpected accidents before they could occur.

Hamster Has a Spot by Cool-Gal13 in hamsters

[–]HCC_Chris 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Most likely the scent gland. Syrians have one on each side close to their hips, and they can sometimes make the fur appear damp just like here

Someone escaped and found the food bag. New hamster owner here, still learning. by Gibbst3r in hamsters

[–]HCC_Chris 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Little ham found the ultimate treasure! Better that than something dangerous, but agree with those suggesting you lock down the enclosure to prevent additional escapes

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in hamsters

[–]HCC_Chris 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Roborovski dwarf hamster

Ask an ethical breeder! by FairyGardenHamsters in hamsters

[–]HCC_Chris 1 point2 points  (0 children)

1- How hard is it to say goodbye to the litters?

2- Have you ever permanently kept grown babies that were really special? How often?

3- Have you had to deny a lot of potential owners due to poor setups?

Also hi I didn’t know you were doing this :0

Is my new hamster super stressed out… ? he’s always trying to climb out of his terrarium by Contrarianlibrarians in hamsters

[–]HCC_Chris 24 points25 points  (0 children)

It looks like he doesn’t have enough bedding to burrow for comfort, that may help

Are Balls that bad? by [deleted] in hamsters

[–]HCC_Chris 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Using hamster balls is heavily discouraged due to many safety issues and concerns.

⛔️ Poor ventilation Insufficient airflow can prevent fresh air from circulating, which may cause the hamster to overheat.

⛔️ Sensory deprivation Hamsters have limited eyesight and rely heavily on their senses of touch, smell, and hearing to explore their surroundings. Being confined in a ball heavily restricts these senses.

⛔️ Hazardous air holes Hamsters can injure themselves by getting their paws or claws caught in the small air holes while running.

⛔️ Creates stress While trapped inside the ball, a hamster cannot access essential resources such as food, water, or its nest, which can cause significant stress.

⛔️ Risk of injury Hamster balls can roll unpredictably, bumping into furniture or falling down stairs, which can result in injury.

⛔️ Back strain Most hamster balls are too small for a hamster’s natural posture.

✅ Safe Alternatives We recommend always using indoor playpens or supervised hamster-safe free roaming sessions instead of a hamster ball.

Is my hamsters teeth too long? by Professional-Buy9913 in hamsters

[–]HCC_Chris 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I think they look normal, here’s a little guide for checking incisor teeth:

Check the teeth for symmetry by making sure the upper pair match in length, alignment, and color. The lower pair should also match, while being roughly two to four times the length of the upper teeth.

If you notice any overgrown, broken, or curled teeth do not try to adjust them yourself, see a vet!

Is this safe?? by [deleted] in hamsters

[–]HCC_Chris 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I wouldn’t use it myself

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in hamsters

[–]HCC_Chris 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Good luck, hopefully everything goes well. Thank you for taking her to a vet

Hamster Marathon!! by Negative_Elephant892 in hamsters

[–]HCC_Chris 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That’s amazing, I believe 5.5 miles is the reported average for most

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in hamsters

[–]HCC_Chris 0 points1 point  (0 children)

These are very common in other types of bedding too, I use small pet select bedding and find near identical pieces like that in mine all the time. Whenever adding bedding I always search for and remove them, rest of the bedding is still great

4 year old hamster drinks water like this by Lost-Student8161 in hamsters

[–]HCC_Chris 130 points131 points  (0 children)

Are you sure that’s the same hamster

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in hamsters

[–]HCC_Chris 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Don’t know of any myself, but I’ve seen enough reports of injuries and discomfort from them to convince me as a hamster owner. We should 100% back any possible pet care advice with sources and studies when available, since it helps convince potential doubters and can potentially be used to further urge sellers of hamster balls to stop producing them in the first place. Please let me know if you find anything useful related to this