Ok. I have 2 gerbils and one of them died recently, the other one going to die soon cuz it wasnt far off from the other gerbils age.:X:X:X:X:X!!!!! But I was wondering, wen she goes would it be better to buy another two gerbils or two hamsters. I have never had hamsters before, so it is here i ask 4 ur advice. What are hamsters like? wat food do they eat? are they easy to handle? what kind of cage do they need? and other stuff, plz just leave me a message plz, i really need some advice!
I really need some advice!
- Thread starter Emma.L
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Snuggys Mom
Well-Known Member
Syrian hamsters can not be kept together. They will fight. You may be able to keep two dwarf hamsters together, but I don't know anything about them.
Here's a great site:
www.hamsterific.com
Here's a great site:
www.hamsterific.com
Crisi1987
Well-Known Member
i have two dwarf hamsters, i dont keep them together because.. well they hate eachother pretty much. ive had tons of dwarf hamsters, mainly because when i got my first hamster the petstore sold me a pregnant hamster... they forgot to mention that when they sold her to me, and i couldnt even tell she was pregnant. hamsters at first can be pretty grouchy, especially if you try to pet them in the mornings to the afternoon. they sleep during the day and dont like to be disturbed. never keep a boy and a girl together, they sure can have a lot of babies, some of them can have up to 21. and if they have more babies than they can handle, theyll kill the "extra" ones and eat them, its pretty gross to see that happening. they eat hamster food thats sold at petstores. mine love sunflower seeds. i always read that dwarf hamsters get along in groups the best, but whenever ive had groups they were always fighting with eachother, and can kill eachother. once they get use to you their really easy to handle. dont squeeze them hard or anything or pick them up by their feet or heads. just let them crawl up your hand and make sure they cant fall. as for a cage, you can use an aquarium tank or a wired cage... but make sure the wires arent too far apart. wired cages for me never worked out, they like to climb on them and then chew on the bars a lot, it makes a loud noise when your trying to sleep. they need a wheel to run on everyday. they run alot and if you dont let them run, theyll get fat and could end up dying. you have to give them things to chew on so they can keep their teeth short. i have a regular cambells dwarf hamster and an albino dwarf hamster. my albino dwarf hamster is very moody, and always runs at my hand and tries to bite me. shes very territorial and will only let me pick her up and hold her if i get her to climb on something else and bring her out of the cage and then hold her, shes also a female so that could be a reason shes moody, im not sure.my other hamster is really nice and has never once bitten me, he jumps on my hand when i put it in his tank and just sits there licking me. if you get a tank for them, i would put a cover on it because ive noticed they try to get out and always jump off of things to get out. you should clean their cages out about every 2 weeks. you can litter box train them, they sell a special litter for hamsters that works pretty good. when you feed them give them enough to last a week, you dont necessarily have to feed them again if their food looks almost gone during a one week period because hamsters collect food in pouches that are in their cheeks, and when they do that they find a spot in their cage and hide their food until their ready to eat it later. besides having normal bedding in with them, i always give them a couple sheets of toilet paper, they love chewing it up and making a bed with it. thats all i can think of right now, i hope i helped.
My mom had 2 dwarf hamsters she had gotten from a local petstore and also wasnt warned that one of them was preggy. So 3 days later a litter of babies. She had her two together until she found out one was male and one was female. They didnt fight, but unless you want to deal with babies I wouldnt suggest it! Sometime's females can be kept together, but in that case I would get two that are in the same cage at the petstore. That way they already know each other. I would suggest introducing 2 strangers together. Other than that they are fairly easy to care for.
charlottes mum
Well-Known Member
hamsters just eat normall hamster food and they could live in your gerbils cage and they are easy to handel unless it is a russian hamster they are very fast lol
!!
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cheryl
Well-Known Member
Ohh i would really love to see a gerbil or a hamster in real life,but they are illegal here in Australia
cheryl
cheryl
pamnock
Well-Known Member
Here's a good site with hammie info.
http://www.hamsters-uk.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=Sections&file=index&req=viewarticle&artid=147&page=1
I love the little dwarf hamsters! We keep ours in a dirt terrarium (never have to clean the cage!). She also has a wheel to run on.
Few people realize (including our pet store)that hamsters are omnivores (not herbivores), and they enjoy a wide variety of insects. They are ferocious little hunters! We give our little girl crickets that we buy at the pet store, but she also enjoys butterflies, grasshoppers, and worms. She absolutely relished the cicada we gave her a couple days ago (it was as big as she was and she devoured it within a short time!).
She also gets hamster food and various greens as well as small carrot pieces.
As you've noted, they are extremely territorial! My son picks our girl up with a toilet paper roll
A word of advice on posts -- please don't type one long-running paragraph. Very hard to read and follow on a computer screen. Break your post up into small paragraphs stating your main points.
Pam
http://www.hamsters-uk.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=Sections&file=index&req=viewarticle&artid=147&page=1
I love the little dwarf hamsters! We keep ours in a dirt terrarium (never have to clean the cage!). She also has a wheel to run on.
Few people realize (including our pet store)that hamsters are omnivores (not herbivores), and they enjoy a wide variety of insects. They are ferocious little hunters! We give our little girl crickets that we buy at the pet store, but she also enjoys butterflies, grasshoppers, and worms. She absolutely relished the cicada we gave her a couple days ago (it was as big as she was and she devoured it within a short time!).
She also gets hamster food and various greens as well as small carrot pieces.
As you've noted, they are extremely territorial! My son picks our girl up with a toilet paper roll
A word of advice on posts -- please don't type one long-running paragraph. Very hard to read and follow on a computer screen. Break your post up into small paragraphs stating your main points.
Pam
Linz_1987
Well-Known Member
Ive had experiences with both rodents, and I would say I had more fun with Gerbils as they seem to be more active and fun to play with. I wouldnt regret getting my hamsters though.
It depends what you want. If you want a really active creature like you had then get another gerbil (or two), but if you want an animal that only comes out at night time, and isnt that jumpy or bouncythen get a hamster. I just think Gerbils are more interesting to watch and are really fun when its play time. They jump all over the place and are the most hilarious creatures.
But thats just my experience. Up to you in the end You might want a change in animal
It depends what you want. If you want a really active creature like you had then get another gerbil (or two), but if you want an animal that only comes out at night time, and isnt that jumpy or bouncy
then get a hamster. I just think Gerbils are more interesting to watch and are really fun when its play time. They jump all over the place and are the most hilarious creatures. But thats just my experience. Up to you in the end
You might want a change in animal jojo
Well-Known Member
I LOVE HAMSTERS and thoughrally recommend! I have had 3 when I was younger and they were a joy, really cute, quite sleepy, but quite active when you play with them.
I have also had gerbils which i really liked too, but my hamsters were just extra special to me (never had any pregnant hamster dilemmas) -
My first one was called Bumbles and will never forget her xx:inlove:
I have also had gerbils which i really liked too, but my hamsters were just extra special to me (never had any pregnant hamster dilemmas) -
My first one was called Bumbles and will never forget her xx:inlove:
TrixieRabbit
Well-Known Member
I have had both hamsters and gerbils.
Gerbils are friendlier, and more active than hamsters.
I had3 long-hairedSyrian hamsters(not at the same time)...they were the BIGGEST mushes ever!
BUT...I also had a small russian dwarf hamster who used to bite and was extremely fast and territorial.
If you want a hamster, I recommend a Syrian hamster. They just seemed to be more people-friendly and easy going.
Gerbils are awesome, too...I had 11! lol...but I started out with 2.....yikes!
Gerbils are friendlier, and more active than hamsters.
I had3 long-hairedSyrian hamsters(not at the same time)...they were the BIGGEST mushes ever!
BUT...I also had a small russian dwarf hamster who used to bite and was extremely fast and territorial.
If you want a hamster, I recommend a Syrian hamster. They just seemed to be more people-friendly and easy going.
Gerbils are awesome, too...I had 11! lol...but I started out with 2.....yikes!
Thank you all for all your comments but i think i have decided over all ur comments and i think i am going to get two gerbils again, because i would like to have a pet that does not sleep n the day and i talked to my mum who previously had a hamster and she said she wished she had got a gerbil.thank u all for ur comments when i get them ill let u know!
Pipp
Well-Known Member
Gerbils are cute!:colors: Let us know when you get them and what you name them.
sas
sas
missyscove
Christina - Moderator
Wow! Congratulations.
:bunnydance:
:bunnydance:
pinksalamander
Well-Known Member
Woo congrats! I love hamsters, i don't have onebut i've had about 10 in the last year. A good site ishttp://www.hamsterhut.co.ukandi can also recommend some forums if you like which i'm a big member of,and clsoe friends with the admin and most of the moderators too Hamsters are lovely creatures. If you havn't had a hamster beforeirecommend u get a syrian because they are easier to learnabout than dwarves, which are better for more experienced hammy owners.
You just have to make sure the cage is nice and big, i've never hadgerbils before but my friend did and they were adorable! Hamsters arestill better though!
A few of my old hamsters:
Crumpet:
Dorothy:
#
Tolouse:
Marmite:
Has many more but there is a selection!
Hamsters are lovely creatures. If you havn't had a hamster beforeirecommend u get a syrian because they are easier to learnabout than dwarves, which are better for more experienced hammy owners.You just have to make sure the cage is nice and big, i've never hadgerbils before but my friend did and they were adorable! Hamsters arestill better though!
A few of my old hamsters:
Crumpet:
Dorothy:
Tolouse:
Marmite:
Has many more but there is a selection!
pinksalamander
Well-Known Member
Congrats! Whats the cage like?
Kadish Tolesa
Well-Known Member
Anyone planning to see " Ratatouille" ??? (not sure on the sp.) It's a Pixar film coming next year.Ijust thought of it after reading thispost.
Now and then I watch movies with my youngest sonthat he likes. Our favorite part in "Hoodwinked" was the "bad"bunnie's line..." Oh, you'd best be fearing the ear !! ":bunnydance:
Now and then I watch movies with my youngest sonthat he likes. Our favorite part in "Hoodwinked" was the "bad"bunnie's line..." Oh, you'd best be fearing the ear !! ":bunnydance:
Hollie
Well-Known Member
Hamsters can be such rewarding, fun pets! I'vehad Syrians in the past and I've currently got dwarves (they'reCambells/winter white hybrids; no, not ideal, but I didn't realise thatwhen I bought them).
Dwarf hamsters can be diabetic and so shouldn't be fed sugar. They canbe kept together, but I started out with a group of five and two ofthem were killed - and, it's pretty gruesome, but one was partiallyeaten. So I seperated the remaining three, and have one in one cage andtwo in another.
I found the Syrians to be much nicer as pets than the dwarves, whoaren't as friendly; I've got one out of three who likes to be handledand will run to my hand to be picked up, but the other two aren't sokeen - one bites me every opportunity he gets, and the other just wantsto escape all the time.
I had three Syrians at one time, all in seperate cages. They were allvery friendly, and Tuxedo was super-friendly... as soon as she heard memoving around, she'd climb to the top of her cage and hang there untilI picked her up! Apparently she grew to be the size of a rat, accordingto my mum (I had to move back to Bahrain, so my grandparents took thethree in).
If I was going to get more hamsters, I'd definitely get a Syrian, as I've had the best experiences with them.
This was Ash, my first Syrian. She was a gorgeous grey -
This was Houdini, so-called because he was an amazing escape artist (hewas going to be snake food, so I bought him). He's tucking intoscrambled eggs in this pic! -
And this is my beautiful little Tuxedo. She was very timid when I tookthis picture of her, because she was only a tiny baby when I broughther (sold to me as a him) home; she cried for two days! -
This is Jack Sparrow, one of my dwarves... he's a naughty little thing.He attacks the other two and therefore lives on his own:
And here's a house full of hammies, the first time I cleaned them out:
Dwarf hamsters can be diabetic and so shouldn't be fed sugar. They canbe kept together, but I started out with a group of five and two ofthem were killed - and, it's pretty gruesome, but one was partiallyeaten. So I seperated the remaining three, and have one in one cage andtwo in another.
I found the Syrians to be much nicer as pets than the dwarves, whoaren't as friendly; I've got one out of three who likes to be handledand will run to my hand to be picked up, but the other two aren't sokeen - one bites me every opportunity he gets, and the other just wantsto escape all the time.
I had three Syrians at one time, all in seperate cages. They were allvery friendly, and Tuxedo was super-friendly... as soon as she heard memoving around, she'd climb to the top of her cage and hang there untilI picked her up! Apparently she grew to be the size of a rat, accordingto my mum (I had to move back to Bahrain, so my grandparents took thethree in).
If I was going to get more hamsters, I'd definitely get a Syrian, as I've had the best experiences with them.
This was Ash, my first Syrian. She was a gorgeous grey -
This was Houdini, so-called because he was an amazing escape artist (hewas going to be snake food, so I bought him). He's tucking intoscrambled eggs in this pic! -
And this is my beautiful little Tuxedo. She was very timid when I tookthis picture of her, because she was only a tiny baby when I broughther (sold to me as a him) home; she cried for two days! -
This is Jack Sparrow, one of my dwarves... he's a naughty little thing.He attacks the other two and therefore lives on his own:
And here's a house full of hammies, the first time I cleaned them out:
