Hello
- Thread starter GenXPrd
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Hello and welcomeVladimir is very sweet and a lovely colour
Thank you for the invitation as well as Thank you for the compliment on his color that's what drew me to him when I saw him. Yes that is the Oxbow pellets he is eating. I have thought about that as far as a different food mix it is what food he was already on when I got him so I didn't want to do a big shock to his digestive system at the time but now that I'm getting to the end of the bag I have been contemplating a different food mix. Is there a specific one that you recommend? Also is there just a general idea of what's best to stick with for a food mix? This is the first Russian dwarf hamster I've owned and in all honesty he's technically supposed to be my Maine Coon cat''s pet.Hello and welcome
Something for him to watch in his cage, as well as in his exercise ball, & ect. but not to get ahold of and not left unsupervised. Just putting that out there for those that want to try to come at me for that. So any specific tips, tricks or ideas are greatly appreciated also.
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Hi. Yes it's not a great food for hamsters as it contains a lot of roughage and hay, which hamsters don't digest well - that's more for guinea pigs - so it can affect their nutritional uptake. Are you in the US? It can be difficult to find good hamster mixes in the US.
And it depends how much you want to spend as well! There are some very good hamster mixes now with a lot of variety - some are available on etsy. This one is quite popular but it is more expensive than a commercial mix. Also with these "home made" variety mixes, it's still a good idea to add a few science selective pellets to ensure they get all the vitamins and nutrients.
For something cheaper, with good variety, there is Higgins Vita Garden which is sugar free but a bit low on protein so that needs supplementing. It seems harder to get hold of these days as doesn't seem to be on Amazon any more, but maybe a local pet store sells it? It only has 15% protein so it needs a few protein extras giving. They need about 18% to 22% protein. Depending on age - how old is he? 15% protein is ok for a hamster over a year old.
www.higginspremium.com
A couple of important tips though - hamster balls are very bad for dwarf hamsters - they're not recommended any more. It can stress them or they can get a toe caught.
And it's also best to keep a cat away from a hamster. Even if the cat can't get to the hamster, the smell of a cat nearby can still cause a lot of fear for a hamster and cats have been known to pull a cage down or knock it off onto the floor. We usually recommend keeping a hamster in a room where the cat doesn't go at all ideally.
So maybe a few changes needed? What kind of cage is Vladimir in?
And it depends how much you want to spend as well! There are some very good hamster mixes now with a lot of variety - some are available on etsy. This one is quite popular but it is more expensive than a commercial mix. Also with these "home made" variety mixes, it's still a good idea to add a few science selective pellets to ensure they get all the vitamins and nutrients.
For something cheaper, with good variety, there is Higgins Vita Garden which is sugar free but a bit low on protein so that needs supplementing. It seems harder to get hold of these days as doesn't seem to be on Amazon any more, but maybe a local pet store sells it? It only has 15% protein so it needs a few protein extras giving. They need about 18% to 22% protein. Depending on age - how old is he? 15% protein is ok for a hamster over a year old.
Vita Garden Hamster Gerbil — Higgins Premium Pet Foods
www.higginspremium.com
A couple of important tips though - hamster balls are very bad for dwarf hamsters - they're not recommended any more. It can stress them or they can get a toe caught.
And it's also best to keep a cat away from a hamster. Even if the cat can't get to the hamster, the smell of a cat nearby can still cause a lot of fear for a hamster and cats have been known to pull a cage down or knock it off onto the floor. We usually recommend keeping a hamster in a room where the cat doesn't go at all ideally.
So maybe a few changes needed?
What kind of cage is Vladimir in?
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Vladimir is very cute 
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We can get Higgins Sunburst here in the US at Petsmart, Petco, and Chewy.comHi. Yes it's not a great food for hamsters as it contains a lot of roughage and hay, which hamsters don't digest well - that's more for guinea pigs - so it can affect their nutritional uptake. Are you in the US? It can be difficult to find good hamster mixes in the US.
And it depends how much you want to spend as well! There are some very good hamster mixes now with a lot of variety - some are available on etsy. This one is quite popular but it is more expensive than a commercial mix. Also with these "home made" variety mixes, it's still a good idea to add a few science selective pellets to ensure they get all the vitamins and nutrients.
For something cheaper, with good variety, there is Higgins Vita Garden which is sugar free but a bit low on protein so that needs supplementing. It seems harder to get hold of these days as doesn't seem to be on Amazon any more, but maybe a local pet store sells it? It only has 15% protein so it needs a few protein extras giving. They need about 18% to 22% protein. Depending on age - how old is he? 15% protein is ok for a hamster over a year old.
Vita Garden Hamster Gerbil — Higgins Premium Pet Foods
A couple of important tips though - hamster balls are very bad for dwarf hamsters - they're not recommended any more. It can stress them or they can get a toe caught.
And it's also best to keep a cat away from a hamster. Even if the cat can't get to the hamster, the smell of a cat nearby can still cause a lot of fear for a hamster and cats have been known to pull a cage down or knock it off onto the floor. We usually recommend keeping a hamster in a room where the cat doesn't go at all ideally.
So maybe a few changes needed?
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Vladimir is adorable. Welcome!
I agree wit Maz about the cat - maybe a quiet room for Vlad and "kitty tv" for the Maine Coon?
I agree wit Maz about the cat - maybe a quiet room for Vlad and "kitty tv" for the Maine Coon?
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I think consensus was that Higgins Vita Garden was supposed to be better than sunburst as it was sugar free And had more variety. Is the Vita Garden not easily available now?
Some people buy the Getzoo hamster food from Germany (via Etsy). It costs a bit more though.
And had more variety. Is the Vita Garden not easily available now?Some people buy the Getzoo hamster food from Germany (via Etsy). It costs a bit more though.
Thank you for all your advice and recommendations I greatly appreciate it. Vladimir is still a young hamster he's under your old. I've only had him for a month or two.Hi. Yes it's not a great food for hamsters as it contains a lot of roughage and hay, which hamsters don't digest well - that's more for guinea pigs - so it can affect their nutritional uptake. Are you in the US? It can be difficult to find good hamster mixes in the US.
And it depends how much you want to spend as well! There are some very good hamster mixes now with a lot of variety - some are available on etsy. This one is quite popular but it is more expensive than a commercial mix. Also with these "home made" variety mixes, it's still a good idea to add a few science selective pellets to ensure they get all the vitamins and nutrients.
For something cheaper, with good variety, there is Higgins Vita Garden which is sugar free but a bit low on protein so that needs supplementing. It seems harder to get hold of these days as doesn't seem to be on Amazon any more, but maybe a local pet store sells it? It only has 15% protein so it needs a few protein extras giving. They need about 18% to 22% protein. Depending on age - how old is he? 15% protein is ok for a hamster over a year old.
Vita Garden Hamster Gerbil — Higgins Premium Pet Foods
A couple of important tips though - hamster balls are very bad for dwarf hamsters - they're not recommended any more. It can stress them or they can get a toe caught.
And it's also best to keep a cat away from a hamster. Even if the cat can't get to the hamster, the smell of a cat nearby can still cause a lot of fear for a hamster and cats have been known to pull a cage down or knock it off onto the floor. We usually recommend keeping a hamster in a room where the cat doesn't go at all ideally.
So maybe a few changes needed?
Thank you for the information on the hamster ball I was unaware of that situation. I guess I'm one of the people that just didn't cross my mind to think about the fact that their little paws can get stuck in those holes. That being said do you have any recommendations for an alternative. I did spot a cute little hamster wheel toy that PetSmart had that can be stationary or free rolling. I hadn't gotten it yet but I did find a picture online of it for reference sake.
Thank you for everybody's advice on the cat and Vladimir combo. Truthfully my cat Zeus doesn't really pay him any attention whatsoever or even tend to go around him. The only time he ever really gets close to his cage is when he sees me spending some time there which is usually cleaning the cage and once he realizes what I'm doing after a few minutes he goes off on his own and does his own thing again. However I will take everybody's advice and recommendations to heart and consideration.
As far as his habitat goes it's currently a temporary habitat as I classify it. I'm planning on upgrading to something different. That has more options, space, and ect.
Also one last request for some advice. He's very sketchy still on handling him. For example trying to take him out of his habitat he tends to run and hide from me if I try to grab him and take him out. I tend to have to resort to sneaky tricks. Once I'm able to get him out and go to hold him he's somewhat okay in my hands. I've been trying all the basic usual advice. I talk to him in a quiet calm voice daily multiple times a day, as well as bring him out and spend time with him holding him to get him used to it but I still have the same problem.
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You're welcome Your cat sounds like a big softy I wouldn't get the little car wheel - it does look cute but it would be frightening for a hamster. What people tend to do now, instead of a hamster ball, is have a playpen area. So the hamster can enjoy running around in an enclosed space, maybe wth some cardboard tubes or boxes or other hides to play in (tissue boxes make good hides). That's also a time when they can get used to you or being handled or you could even sit inside a playpen with him and him run over you
Some people just use the dry bathtub as a playpen. I can see the concern about wanting the hamster safe in something enclosed if there's a cat around but most of these toy-like items sold for hamsters are actually bad for them. Hamsters are very prone to stress as well. If using a playpen area or bathtub (or even just a hallway in the house as a secure playpen area if you can block of doors), the key then would be to ensure the cat was shut out of the room while the hamster was out and be vigilant about that. The hamster would maybe only want to come out every 2 or 3 days though.
Final thing - and I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the cage isn't really suitable for the hamster either. It's really bad that stores sell these tall cages with lots of tubes. There is no law against it unfortunately. They look fun and colourful and we fell into that same trap when we got our first cage.
Hamsters need lots of deep bedding to dig in and build tunnels and burrows and have normal habits and a cage like that doesn't have enough space at the bottom for that. Does he use the tubes at all? Because generally dwarf hamsters aren't very good at going up in tubes - only on a level.
There is a bit of a fall risk with it as well as if he went up to one of the higher levels and jumped or fell off he could get injured.
It's really difficult to find affordable suitable cages in the US. There are some good ones but they are really quite expensive. A lot of people in the US just get a glass aquarium. And you can get mesh lids for those. The smallest size you'd want would be a 40 gallon breeder tank which is about 3 foot long by 18" deep. And in that you'd put 6 to 8" of substrate/litter (something like carefresh or kaytee clean and cosy, a wheel and a house and some tunnels and hides. Hamsters are really ground dwellers and not really climbers.
I think it's Petco have $1 per gallon sales so you could get a 40 gallon breeder tank for $40 dollars during one of those sales.
It would also make it easier to interact with him if he's in a tank and he'll be able to eat from your hand and probably be a lot more relaxed as he'd be able to have normal habits. They are big diggers!
Have a look at the "Show us your cages" thread for some ideas I'll link it below. It doesn't have to be expensive - you can make a lot of things from cardboard! A shoebox with the base cut out is ideal for a house.
He'll be fine for now if it means saving up a bit, and I can see you've got a good pile of bedding in the bottom so he should have a soft landing if he fell from a height. Does he hang from the bars or chew at them at all?
Honestly, most of us have been there I had to upgrade our first hamster within a couple of weeks when he got depressed in an awful plastic rotostak thing with tubes - which looked amazing but clearly wasn't suitable for a hamster to live in.
They are really energetic little things who can run about 10 miles a night in the wild (or on their wheels) and need plenty of space in a cage or enclosure to be active - especially at night when it's their most active time and we are asleep.
www.thehamsterforum.com
This is a 40 gallon breeder tank - you'd need a meshed lid to fit it as well which they sell separately.
www.petco.com
Your cat sounds like a big softy I wouldn't get the little car wheel - it does look cute but it would be frightening for a hamster. What people tend to do now, instead of a hamster ball, is have a playpen area. So the hamster can enjoy running around in an enclosed space, maybe wth some cardboard tubes or boxes or other hides to play in (tissue boxes make good hides). That's also a time when they can get used to you or being handled or you could even sit inside a playpen with him and him run over you Some people just use the dry bathtub as a playpen. I can see the concern about wanting the hamster safe in something enclosed if there's a cat around but most of these toy-like items sold for hamsters are actually bad for them. Hamsters are very prone to stress as well. If using a playpen area or bathtub (or even just a hallway in the house as a secure playpen area if you can block of doors), the key then would be to ensure the cat was shut out of the room while the hamster was out and be vigilant about that. The hamster would maybe only want to come out every 2 or 3 days though.
Final thing - and I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the cage isn't really suitable for the hamster either. It's really bad that stores sell these tall cages with lots of tubes. There is no law against it unfortunately. They look fun and colourful and we fell into that same trap when we got our first cage.
Hamsters need lots of deep bedding to dig in and build tunnels and burrows and have normal habits and a cage like that doesn't have enough space at the bottom for that. Does he use the tubes at all? Because generally dwarf hamsters aren't very good at going up in tubes - only on a level.
There is a bit of a fall risk with it as well as if he went up to one of the higher levels and jumped or fell off he could get injured.
It's really difficult to find affordable suitable cages in the US. There are some good ones but they are really quite expensive. A lot of people in the US just get a glass aquarium. And you can get mesh lids for those. The smallest size you'd want would be a 40 gallon breeder tank which is about 3 foot long by 18" deep. And in that you'd put 6 to 8" of substrate/litter (something like carefresh or kaytee clean and cosy, a wheel and a house and some tunnels and hides. Hamsters are really ground dwellers and not really climbers.
I think it's Petco have $1 per gallon sales so you could get a 40 gallon breeder tank for $40 dollars during one of those sales.
It would also make it easier to interact with him if he's in a tank and he'll be able to eat from your hand and probably be a lot more relaxed as he'd be able to have normal habits. They are big diggers!
Have a look at the "Show us your cages" thread for some ideas
I'll link it below. It doesn't have to be expensive - you can make a lot of things from cardboard! A shoebox with the base cut out is ideal for a house.He'll be fine for now if it means saving up a bit, and I can see you've got a good pile of bedding in the bottom so he should have a soft landing if he fell from a height. Does he hang from the bars or chew at them at all?
Honestly, most of us have been there
I had to upgrade our first hamster within a couple of weeks when he got depressed in an awful plastic rotostak thing with tubes - which looked amazing but clearly wasn't suitable for a hamster to live in.They are really energetic little things who can run about 10 miles a night in the wild (or on their wheels) and need plenty of space in a cage or enclosure to be active - especially at night when it's their most active time and we are asleep.
Show us your cages 2023 onwards
A new thread for 2023 to show cage set ups :) Some may have changed or be new but feel free to add your existing set up again. It's mainly so all current ones are viewable in the same place.
www.thehamsterforum.com
This is a 40 gallon breeder tank - you'd need a meshed lid to fit it as well which they sell separately.
Aqueon Standard Glass Aquarium Tank 40 Gallon Breeder | Petco | 40 Gallon Tank, 40 Gallon Fish Tank, 40 Gallon Breeder Dimensions
Save 10% with curbside pickup at Petco! Aqueon 40 Gallon Standard Glass Aquarium Tanks are made with care to assure that it can stand up to almost any application.
www.petco.com
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