Hamsters make a great pet for those who want a small animal that even children in the home can be responsible for. Follow these steps to prepare and care for your pet hamster.
Step 1: First you need to get all the supplies necessary for caring for a hamster. A cage that is large enough for the hamster to move and grow in is the first priority. You also need material to line the floor of the cage, such as wood shavings. Purchase a sturdy food bowl and a water bottle with a spout that can attach to the side of the cage. Finally, you will need an exercise tunnel or wheel, an exercise ball and chew toys.
Step 2: Choose a location in your home where your hamster will receive a lot of interaction with the people in the home. Hamsters should be kept out of direct sunlight and out of drafty corners. Although many people purchase a hamster for their children's delight, it's a better idea to keep a hamster in a family room vs. isolated in a bedroom.
Step 3: Decide what you will feed your hamster so that you may purchase the food as well. Hamsters may eat a well-balanced commercial food given to them once or twice a day. They should also eat a spoonful of veggies 4-7 days a week and fruit less frequently. Be sure to remove any uneaten food daily. Fresh water should be provided to the hamster every day.
Step 4: Create a sleeping place for your hamster. There are some products on the market that you can purchase to make your hamster feel like he has his own bedroom. If you prefer, you can make a bed out of a small cardboard box that you've cut a hole into and placed in the corner of his cage.
Step 5: Like most pets, your new hamster needs exercise to be healthy. Although you have purchased an exercise wheel or tunnel for your hamster's entertainment, you also need to take him out his cage and provide other stimulus for him. His exercise ball is the perfect activity for him to engage in outside his cage (just keep a firm grip on him while moving him from cage to ball…he might try to escape!)
Step 6: Clean the cage once a week. The cage can be dipped in disinfected water and the shavings should be replaced at this time. Clean the toys, dish and water bottle at this time as well. The good news is you don't have to clean the hamster; he bathes himself!
This article was provided by the authors at discount-pet-mall.com. Visit their website for more great information on pet supplies including: pet beds, pet crates, and pet gates.
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