Adopting a Hamster

This is a guest article by Ashley.

Hamsters are fuzzy and adorable. They make excellent first time pets for children, as they are easy to care for, quiet, and generally very docile creatures. Many hamsters that end up in rescue centers are there because their previous owners said that they were mean, due to biting them or their children. In most cases, the biting was due to inappropriate handling. If you know what signs to look for, and the proper way to handle these fuzzy little fellows, you can prevent biting behaviors easily.

Creamsicle is one of many hamsters currently available for adoption at petfinder.com.

Adopting a hamster is a great way to teach your children about responsibility. Involve them in the selection process. Teach them how pet adoption saves the life of an animal, and reduces the population of unwanted animals that are put to sleep each year. They will be proud of themselves for helping out, and feel a sense of accomplishment in rehabilitating their new pet.

It’s very important to teach them proper handling techniques. Young children often become excited, and squeeze or shake their hamster. This can cause physical harm to the hamster, and is very frightening. It’s this squeezing or shaking that leads to most hamster bites. If your child is bitten, let them know why they were bitten and how to avoid it. The hamster is not mean, it’s just hurt or scared. Children have a tendency to overreact to a hamster bite out of fear, throwing the hamster, or smacking it. This can lead to physical injury and, in severe cases, death.

When you bring your new hamster home, don’t let your child handle it unless you are there to supervise. Instruct them to hold the hamster gently. Tell them that it’s okay to pet their hamster, but to do so lightly, and to avoid pressing down hard or “smacking” the hamster.

Teach them how to care for their new pet. Show your child how much food the hamster should have, and how often. Have them help you clean the cage and replace the shavings. Show them how to fill the water bottle. Stress the importance of a clean environment, food, and water. Hamsters also need exercise. Most hamster cages come with an exercise wheel. These treadmill-like toys are an endless source of entertainment, for both the hamster and your family. Even after your child gets into the habit of caring for his or her hamster, make sure that you check behind them. Children can be very forgetful, and a leading cause of death in pet hamsters is dehydration, starvation, or disease due to unclean living arrangements.

t’s also essential that you regularly check your hamster, looking for any signs of common health issues. Hamsters are prone to parasites like mites and ringworms. Often, signs of illness or injury can go undetected due to their small size, so careful observation is needed. If you suspect that your hamster is sick, take them in to see a veterinarian immediately. Signs of illness include, but are not limited to, sneezing, unkempt coat, loss of appetite, hair loss, and diarrhea.

Hamsters may be small, but they require the same level of care and love as any other pet. Hamsters are indeed excellent pets for children, but adult supervision should always be practiced to make sure that they are getting proper care. Watching your child play with their new hamster, and knowing that you’re teaching them compassion for animals, is a very rewarding experience.

“Life is as dear to a mute creature as it is to man. Just as one wants happiness and fears pain, just as one wants to live and not die, so do other creatures.” ~ His Holiness The Dalai Lama

Bugsy Didn’t Deserve This

Bugsy was a chubby hamster, a birthday gift from one teenager to another. But, instead of love and affection, Bugsy was on the receiving end of a cruel experiment by two teenage girls in California. They shoved him in the microwave and turned it on, intent on seeing Bugsy run around in circles on the plate. The second time they turned the microwave on, Bugsy’s feet began to burn and to turn black.

His pain from the burns too much to bear, Bugsy chewed off three of his burned feet, leaving him with one leg to move around on.  Bugsy endured the abuse in December but was not rescued by authorities until the following March, an eternity for an injured animal with only a two year lifespan.

Bugsy is only one of many hamsters who have been abused and subsequently rescued. Often considered “pocket pets,” hamsters can be wonderful pets. Unfortunately, because they are considered pocket pets, some people view hamsters as disposable. It’s not uncommon for hamsters who are no longer wanted to simply be thrown out with the trash or let loose in the wild to fend for themselves.

Other hamsters are mistreated, not intentionally, but by children who simply do not how to handle such a small pet and who are not properly supervised by an adult when “playing” with the hamster.

Many animal shelters take in abused, neglected, and unwanted hamsters, and there are a plethora of hamster rescues across the country, making it easy to adopt a rescued hamster. But, there are some things you should know before you bring your new family member home.

Practice patience, quiet and calm: You might not know your hamster’s history, so it’s important that you’re patient with him.
Hamsters who have been traumatized or who are frightened will scream. Don’t be afraid and don’t yell at your hamster if he begins to scream. Talk to him in a calm voice to try to calm him down.

Create a safe haven: Make sure your hamster has a place or several places to hide in his cage, so he has

somewhere to go where he can feel safe. You also want to avoid using synthetic bedding in your hamster’s home because his feet and legs can easily become entangled in the bedding, causing injuries.

Be understanding: Give your hamster time to become adjusted to his new home, and stay calm if he bites you. A hamster will bite because he’s afraid, not because he wants to hurt you. A hamster who has been rescued from a home with a child who hurt him will likely be wary of being held.

Develop a relationship slowly and gently: It’s important that you have interaction with your hamster every day. You might want to start slowly by petting him then pick him up for a few minutes at a time. Do not get angry when your hamster bites. As time passes and you continue to hold him, he will learn that you’re not going to hurt him and the biting should stop.

Rehabilitating a hamster who has been through trauma is possible. Bugsy went on to live with a teacher and, by all accounts, regained his health. Just be prepared for the time and the patience that will be needed when you bring your rescued hamster home.

The girls who so cruelly and callously abused Bugsy were arrested and charged with felony animal cruelty. They admitted to microwaving Bugsy but, according to a police spokesman, they don’t think they did anything wrong. Punishment could range from probation to a maximum of one year in the California Youth Authority, which is unlikely. The girls’ parents claim to have been unaware of what had happened to the hamster and it seems to me that such ignorance should also be punishable. Where were they during the months that Bugsy suffered in pain? They failed in their responsibility to teach basic human kindness to their daughters. Oh! But why would that be a surprise? After all, they completely failed Bugsy by not having enough human kindness themselves to ensure his safety and well-being.

Source of Bugsy’s case:

http://www.pet-abuse.com