Should I get a hamster?

[squaddie]

As the title says, should I get one?

If so, what type? Syrian? Dwarf? Others?

And, roughly how much per month would say say they cost on things like treats / food etc.

[LiamRatSnake]

Originally Posted by squaddie

As the title says, should I get one?

If so, what type? Syrian? Dwarf? Others?

And, roughly how much per month would say say they cost on things like treats / food etc.

To be honest, the cost of keeping a hamster is negligible, food wise. I'd go for a normal Syrian hamster to be honest, dwarfs are lovely and really good fun, but are more prone to bite.

[corny girl]

Agree, go for a Syrian. I have always had Females & never ever had a bite from any of them .

[LiamRatSnake]

Originally Posted by corny girl

Agree, go for a Syrian. I have always had Females & never ever had a bite from any of them .

My boy was brilliant.
Just as a guide, 1kg of hamster muesli from pets at home is £1.99 and it recommends to feed 7-12g a day. I make that at 83 days, at 12grammes.
Wood shavings are cheap too as well as bedding.

[luvcats22]

i keep both,i have two dwarfs and one syrian, the dwarfs are great fun to watch,but ow they nip, not too bad for an adult to take,but if its a child then it hurts.
my syrian is lovely, friendly,cuddly....i know i am biased.
he suffers from sticky eye now as he is 2 yrs old,and every day he comes to the front of the cage,waiting for me to get him out and bathe his eye for him so it opens up. even my vet adores him and gives him a sneaky cuddle when we go in for his check-ups.

cost wise, the cage was the most expensive as a lot of pet-shop cages are rubbishly small,i got this one Great Deals on Hamster Cages at Zooplus: Hamster Cage Jack 72

seems expensive but it will last your hamster a lifetime (and many other hamsters after)all you need to add really is a wheel.
food, well the hamster muesli is cheap,sawdust is cheap,and i give my ham treats from my cupboard/fridge. a little scrambled egg if im having some,or a bit of pasta.

cant really think of anything else to say

[Mikeysm]

Get a rat or fancy mice

100x more friendly and tameable than any hamster

[Kerriebaby]

^^^

Get a pair of Gerbils...much nicer pets x

[LoveForLizards]

Originally Posted by Mikeysm

Get a [pair of] rats or fancy mice

100x more friendly and tameable than any hamster

Fixed it for you.

[Twiglet]

To be honest, the cost of keeping a hamster is negligible, food wise. I'd go for a normal Syrian hamster to be honest, dwarfs are lovely and really good fun, but are more prone to bite.

Just to clarify.. campbells russian hamsters are the species known for biting but like anything if its well bred from nicely tempered animals and handled regularly they'll be fine.
Winter whites (if you can find pure ones which wont be easy) are highly disinclined to bite. Infact, the only times I have ever been bitten by a WW have been heavily pregnant females or the odd over excited baby. And no, it doesnt hurt.
Hybrids of the above two species (so any 'dwarf' hamster purchased from a pet shop) can either be lovely in temperament towards the handler like a WW or a mini pirhana like the campbells. These hybrids can exhibit random traits from either species and look like one or the other or somewhere in between. Pure Campbells are best kept in single sex pairs or trios, winter whites in singles - females in particular have a nasty habit of suddenly deciding to kill each other if kept together.
I can go into this all further for you if you decided that dwarfs are for you.
Another species not mentioned is the Roborovski hamster, another dwarf species and hugely cute! My old house mate (and fellow breeder) and I used to refere to them as 'Furry Fish' for their uncanny ability to not just 'swim' through their substrate but to be like trying to grip a wet bar of soap. yes they can be handled but are quite fast and appear to have zero depth perception and so will merrily leap out of your hand from any hight...
Not great if you want something cuddly.
Chinese hamsters are the other species worth mentioning. Friendly, pretty and not especially hamster shaped. Again I generally suggest keeping females singly as I had a lot of very unsociable girlies. the boys are (generally) fine together provided they cant smell female.

Syrians are ideal if you want something simple and pretty, there are so many colour mutations and coat types. Females are a little more lively and in all honesty (sorry boys) rather less stupid. However males dont come into season and smell every four evenings like the girls (although not everyone even notices... its not a strong smell) and are a bit slower and more sedate.

The choice is yours!

As for weather or not you should get one... so long as you can clean out a cage once a week, spot clean if nessesary, afford any vet fees and feed a decent diet... then yes, you'll be fine.

Kat

p.s... ooops on the epic post!

[Shell195]

Ive got a single Chinese hamster and she is amazing. Mimi was an impulse buy but everyone loves her to bits. Weve had her about 3 months now and she has never bitten and is quite happy to sit on your hand and wash herself. Very pretty little thing and very cute the way her longer tail bends round your finger