Pet Tips For You

If you’re a new hamster owner or considering whether or not to purchase a pet hamster, you may be  wondering what hamsters can eat. In reality, however ,   the question to ask is: what should   can hamsters eat ? While they can eat a variety of things, some foods are much better for hamsters than others. Here are some dos and don’ts when it comes to feeding your fuzzy friend. Feeding Your Hamster: General Guidelines The easiest and safest approach to feeding your hamster is to go with a complete meal that you can find at a pet or store. “I recommend one of the complete [hamster] meals that comes in square blocks. They’re a pelleted feed,” said Robyn McGeorge, registered veterinary technician and owner of Robyn’s Nest in Germantown, Ohio. These pellets are preferable to a hamster-formulated seed mixture because many hamsters will pick out what they like from these mixtures, missing some of the nutritional value in the seeds they don’t eat, McGeorge stated. Cindy Cribbs, ow...

  Actinomycosis in Hamsters Actinomycosis is a rare infectious disease caused by gram positive, rod-shaped bacteria of the genus Actinomyces;  more specifically, the A. bovis species .  This bacterium is a common inhabitant of a hamster's mouth. It is only when the animal has an open wound in the mouth that the bacteria is able to enter the bloodstream and cause a widespread infection. This can lead to inflammation and softening of the jawbones, hence the more common name of the condition:  “Lumpy Jaw” in hamsters . Symptoms In the initial stage of actinomycosis, the hamster experiences respiratory difficulties. The heart rate and pulse rate will increase, and the skin may become bluish. In the later stages, pus-filled pockets (abscesses) inside the salivary glands will burst, causing swelling, especially in the jaw region. The jaws will become swollen until the hamster is unable to eat, which leads to weight loss. Causes Actinomycosis in hamsters is due to the bacte...

  Mastitis in Hamsters Mastitis is a condition in which a female's mammary glands become inflamed. To prevent mastitis , keep your hamster's living quarters clean and only buy bedding that does not cause irritation. Infectious germs gain entry into the hamster’s body through cuts on the  mammary gland in hamsters,  which may be caused by the teeth of the suckling young pups. Mastitis is a painful and serious infection and without prompt treatment, the infections may spread to the hamster's bloodstream and cause other complications. Your veterinarian may treat mastitis with appropriate antibiotics. Often due to infectious agents like bacteria of the Streptococcus species, the mammary gland infection usually becomes obvious 7 to 10 days after the female gives birth. Symptoms Some affected hamsters may get a fever and refuse to eat if the infection spreads to other parts of the body. However, it is more common to observe the following symptoms: Enlarged mammary gland(s) Mamm...

  Alopecia in Hamsters Much like in humans, hamsters suffer from alopecia, which causes the animal to have partial or complete hair loss.  There are many causes for  hair loss in hamsters , but it typically occurs on the face or around the tail and hindquarters.   Treatment Alopecia is commonly treated with topical shampoos and antibiotic therapy. Patches with little or no hair may be seen, especially in the face and other parts of the body, like the tail. If the hair loss is due to ectoparasitic infestation (ticks, mites, etc.), the hamster may have severe itching and/or red skin. If it is due to nutritional reasons, the hamster may appear malnourished or have a dull coat. Difficulties urinating plus hair loss, meanwhile, can be a good indicator of kidney problems. Causes They are many things that can lead to hair loss in a hamster, including: Rubbing on metal cage feeders or excessive burrowing (hair loss around the face) Cage overcrowding, wounds from fighting, ha...

  Broken Bones in Hamsters Fractures, more commonly known as broken bones, are actually quite common in hamsters. They mainly occur due to  accidents such as improper handling of the animal or when a hamster tries to dislodge its leg from the cage's wire mesh or exercise wheel. Because hamsters are very small, broken bones are difficult to treat. However, healing of  fractures in hamsters  is quite easy, but the hamster should be properly restrained and given adequate rest to ensure complete healing. Symptoms In addition to exhibiting severe pain and refusing to move -- on account of the pressure and pain when attempting to manipulate the bone -- the hamster may display the following symptoms: Swelling in or around the fractured area Crackling or popping sound from the fractured area (because of rubbing between the broken ends of the bone) An open wound through which the broken end of the bone has pierced out (very rare) Causes Typically, bone fractures in hamsters o...

  Why Do Hamsters Eat Their Babies? Breeding and reproduction in hamsters, as in other animals, can be a natural , easy process or may undergo serious complications resulting in an inability to reproduce successfully. Breeding females, for example, may have smaller litters or become infertile due to old age, malnutrition, a cold environment, not having enough nesting material, and not having a normal estrous cycle. However,  infertility in hamsters  can occur in both males and females. A poor or improperly balanced diet, for example, may cause the female to look for nutrients elsewhere. Though the underlying reasons have not been studied thoroughly, there are a few theories. Pregnant females have also been known to abandon or eat their offspring. Also, a crowded or noisy environment or excessive handling of the young may lead to abandoning. Symptoms Infertility (males and females) Abortion or miscarriage (females) Abandoning of litter after birth (females) Eating their yo...

  Proliferative Enteritis in Hamsters Proliferative enteritis is a medical condition that causes inflammation of the small  intestine and subsequent diarrhea. More commonly found in hamsters with compromised immune systems, it is due to an infection with the bacteria Lawsonia intracellularis. Stress, overcrowded conditions, and changes in diet have all been found to compromise a hamster's immune system, especially in young hamsters, which can be ravaged by proliferative  enteritis in hamster  quickly. To prevent infection with the causative bacteria, you are advised to separate sick hamsters from those that appear healthy. In addition, maintain the hamster cage(s) clean and sanitized. Symptoms Unfortunately, many hamsters with proliferative enteritis become sick and die quickly. Some early signs to look out for include: Diarrhea Abdominal pain Wet, matted fur around the tail and belly (due to diarrhea) Loss of appetite (anorexia) Depressed and dull appearance Causes ...

  Hamsters are first pets for many families, and when cared for properly, they may be great pets. Hamsters are typically nocturnal , so they sleep during the day, but are very active in the evening and require time out of their cages to run around and exercise. To meet their needs for physical exercise, many hamster owners purchase  hamster balls -translucent plastic balls that typically come as two separate halves that screw together. When the hamster runs inside the ball, the ball rolls across the floor. When these balls are used properly, they can be a fun way for pet hamsters to exercise; however, when used improperly, they may be dangerous and hazardous to the safety of these small pets. How Can Hamster Balls Be Used Safely? Before hamster owners place their furry friends into hamster balls for exercise, they must learn about the dangers of the seemingly harmless hamster toys. Hamster owners should take the following precautions before allowing their pets to entertain the...

  Наmѕtеrѕ аѕ fаmіlу реtѕ аrе kіd-frіеndlу. Наmѕtеr hаѕ thісk ѕіlkу fur, ѕhоrt tаіlѕ, ѕmаll еаrѕ, ѕhоrt lеgѕ, wіdе fееt, аnd  lаrgе еуеѕ thаt аnу kіd wоuld lоvе. Нumрhrеу’ѕ nоw drоwnіng іn guіlt bесаuѕе Міrаndа іѕ blаmеd еvеn thоugh ѕhе’ѕ dоіng а fаntаѕtіс јоb іn tаkіng саrе оf thе реtѕ. Іt’ѕ рrоbаblу thе ѕіmрlеѕt сrеаturе thаt уоu саn tаkе саrе оf. Аlthоugh nо mаttеr hоw ѕіmрlе, thеіr dау-tо-dау lіvіng ѕсеnаrіоѕ соuld tеll а lоt оf lіfе-lеаrnіng ѕtоrіеѕ. Кіdѕ hаvе а nаturаl fаѕсіnаtіоn wіth fuzzу сrеаturеѕ аnd nаturе. Nоw, mіѕfоrtunеѕ соntіnuе tо hарреn іn Нumрhrеу. Тhеу lоvе bеdtіmе ѕtоrіеѕ ѕо muсh, а lоt оf thеm соuld nоt gо wіthоut thеm bеfоrе ѕlееріng. Наmѕtеrѕ аrе thе ѕіllіеѕt аnd саn bе rudе аt tіmеѕ, mаkіng аnу ѕtоrу еnјоуаblе but ѕtrаіghtfоrwаrd. Аrе уоu rеаd? Неrе’ѕ а lіѕt оf thе  bеѕt hаmѕtеr ѕtоrу bооkѕ  fоr kіdѕ оf аll аgеѕ. Аlѕо, іf уоu lіkе соlоurіng bооkѕ, tаkе а lооk аt оur fаvоurіtе hаmѕtеr соlоurіng bооkѕ fоr kіdѕ аnd аdultѕ. ВЕЅТ НАМЅТЕR ЅТОRY ВОО...