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 Make sure you are prepared for your hamsters arrival in advance. You will need the following items: A cage suitable to the species of hamster with a exercise wheel (this should have a solid finish not caged) and other toys to explore, Floor covering for the cage, Shredded Paper bedding/nesting material (Avoid the fluffy cotton wool type bedding should as this can cause harm if eaten by the hamster and the fine fibres can become caught around the hamster's limbs causing injury), water bottle, food dish, food and gnaw sticks. Other items can include, a house box, nesting boots, wooden blocks, plastic tube tunnels, see-saws, sand baths, salt and mineral blocks.
When choosing a hamster, take a good look at all the hamsters in the cage and the conditions they are kept in. The hamsters should be in a healthy condition and not confined in overcrowded cages. Hamsters should be alert and inquisitive when awake, bright eyed and not too nervous. Avoid any hamster that is displaying a runny nose, sticky eyes, wheezing, has a wet/dirty bottom, has matted fur or seems lethargic, as these can indicate illness. The cages should be clean with easy access to food and water and the hamsters should be separated by gender with males in one cage and females in another. If buying from a pet shop and the staff cannot guarantee the gender of any hamster, then take this as a bad sign and buy from another source, as you may end up purchasing a pregnant female. The ideal age to purchase a hamster is between 5-6 weeks of age, but any age above this is acceptable. However, hamsters should not be sold younger than 5 weeks old. You should be allowed to handle your chosen hamster to assess how tame it is and to check it closer for any health conditions. If the person selling the hamsters is reluctant to do this, then it is recommended that you buy elsewhere.
Your new hamster should be transported to its new home in a safe travel box. These are usually a cardboard box with airholes. However, hamsters do have a habit of chewing their way out of these which makes them unsuitable for long journeys. In this even you can buy small plastic travel boxes from pet shops. The travel box should contain a handful of woodshavings, some bedding, a handful of food and a slice of cucumber which can provide moisture until a water can be supplied. Some people simply prefer to take their new hamster home in its cage. However do remember to remove the water bottle to prevent spillage soaking the cage.
When you arrive home, place your hamster in its cage (if not used for transporting) and leave him/her to settle in, as your hamster will be feeling stressed. Settling in will take a couple of days for your hamster to adjust to the new sounds and smells, so don’t be tempted to take your hamster out and play with it. Stress can lead to the condition ‘wet tail’, especially in young hamsters, so be patient. After a few days when your hamster has relaxed you can then begin to introduce handling.
Handling Your Pet: Hamsters have poor vision, so do not startle your hamster by approaching from the rear or side and never grab at your hamster as this will encourage biting. Make sure your hands are clean and odour free as the smell of a recently eaten bad of crisps can also encourage biting as your hamster will think your fingers are food. Before picking up your hamster, always gently talk to him, then either by letting him get onto a tray or into a tube then onto your lap or hands, or by gently scooping your hamster up into the cup of your hands, you can pick your hamster up safely and without worrying your pet. Children should always be supervised and should sit on the floor incase they drop their pet to avoid injury.
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