I might own a chinchilla, but the first pet I've owned is my little Peanut hamster. I got Duncan through a breeder, but I got Peanut at a small town pet store. Since Hamsters are easy to find, all you should need to know about one before you buy it is when it was born. This is important because dwarf hamsters only live 1 1/2 to 2 years, if they don't have any health problems. Peanut was born on April 22, 2001, so she's just over 9 months old now. She's gray with a dark gray stripe down her back, and her full-grown length isn't even 5 inches! She also has diabetes (yes, even the smallest of creatures can have diabetes). Below are some things I use for Peanut in case you want a pet hamster instead of a chinchilla right away.(Sorry there are no pictures, but I have to find a scanner still...)
Peanut's approved hamster supplies
Cage-since she's so small, she would be able to squeeze through just about any bars, I keep her in a 10 gallon glass tank with a wire mesh lid. The lid lets in the right amount of ventilation, and the tank is very easy to clean.
Food dish and water bottle- The dish is made of ceramic, and even though it looks small, she can curl up in it to pouch her food. Her water bottle isn't anything fancy, it looks like a small test tube. Since she has diabetes, she drinks the whole tube empty at least twice a day.
The wheel- If she didn't have this, she would probably die of boredom! Her wheel is small (keep in mind everything has to be scaled down from regular to dwarf hamster size), and the wheel is solid so her feet don't fall through the cracks. Because her cage does not have bars, the wheel has a stand. This also cleans very easy.
Her house- It's a two-story plastic house that can be taken apart to use each level seperate, and has holes to add tubes onto. She uses this to hide during the day.
Bedding and Nesting- her bedding is the same as Duncan's-pine shavings. Never use Cedar shavings with small animals, the fumes cause respiratory problems and may cause death. Kind of makes you wonder why they even make the stuff! As for nesting material, I give her these little compacted squares made of cotton that she can rip apart and fluff up.
A ball- I got her the smallest exercise ball they make, let her climb inside, snap the lid into place, and let her take off across the floor. She likes the vinyl flooring in the kitchen best, because she can be a real speed demon!
Other toys- I got a kit that includes a lid that fits over her tank, and tubes that reach down into the tank so she can climb out into other tubes. All you do is connect the tubes to form kind of a maze, and she loves to go explore. I also got a lookout tower that can be connected to the tubes, and she likes to eat in it. Mostly all the brands of tube units are universal, so if one brand is cheaper and another has something more interesting, you can go with either one.
Bringing home a dwarf hamster
First I have to mention that hamsters are not expensive. They don't need a special sleeping house, just a cardboard tube, and they don't need much more than an excerise wheel- but it is more fun to spoil them! When you bring one home, it's best to set the cage up ahead of time. The pet store will probably put the hamster in a box for you to take home. Put the whole box in the cage, open one end, and let the hamster come out on its own. It will eventually want to explore its surroundings.
When you fill the food dish, make sure the food you use is for hamsters and that it is healthy. Healthy means little or no seeds and extra treats. They love sunflower seeds, but too many can make them very pudgy very fast. Too many seeds might also make their fur greasy.
Make sure you handle the hamster often every day. This way it gets used to you. Just don't let it get away! Their short little legs and tiny feet can be very speedy. Hamsters are also natural escape artists. If they find a crack, they can squeeze through it.
If the hamster nips you (ye-ouch!) then it could be for a few different reasons. Did you wash your hands after eating? Did you wake it up from a deep sleep (this makes them extra cranky)? Or maybe it just has a bad attitude. Peanut is often grouchy, the vet said it's her diabetes, but either way, everyone knows by now to keep fingers out of her reach.
Make sure you empty the contents of the cage and wash it at least once a week. Then be sure it is rinsed well and completely dry. Toys and dishes need to be cleaned, too. What to do with hammy? I put Peanut in a cardboard box with some old bedding, her wheel, and water until I get her cage clean and set up. Since dwarf hamsters are tiny, they don't gnaw through cardboard too fast (if at all).
Peanut.....aka 'Badness'
Peanut may be tiny, but she can be very mischievious! For example...If I put her two-story house in her cage, I have to take the two levels apart. If they are together, she climbs up to the roof, stands up, and picks at the lid with her teeth. Once I even caught her crawling upside down across the lid! To keep her from breaking free, I have to put either the top or bottom half in the cage only.
I used to feed her food that had pumpkin seeds in it. No matter what is in her food, she likes to pouch it eventually. So in went a pumpkin seed! Only I didn't see her put it in, but I noticed her left cheek was bulging-and it was like that for a week! Finally I took her to the vet, who extracted a pumpkin seed from her cheek and other food that had been caught. Because pumpkin seeds have a point on one end, it had got jammed and stuck. A bacterial pouch infection was the result. I had to give her 2 medicines, 3 times a day-with an eyedropper. No, it was not fun. As soon as you notice anything that could be wrong with your hamster, get it checked out very fast. It might even be a good idea to find a vet first, because hamsters are considered exotic and most vets don't take in exotics.
By now, everyone in my house knows Peanut is not to be touched. She draws blood, she bites so hard- and she has fast reflexes. But one night my dad thought it would be funny to tease her by having her chase his finger around the inside of her cage. She decided she'd had enough and wanted to go eat. My dad began to pet her back with his finger- Until out of nowhere she whipped around and latched on! He yelled and went to pull his finger back quickly. Peanut was still attached, so she got a free ride until she let go mid-sling and flew into the cage wall. Of course, dad's finger was bleeding, and he never teases her anymore.
