cute little fellas (Hamsters)

Member Name: sparky111

Product:	Hamsters
Date:	30/12/08 (164 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: lots of fun

Disadvantages: noisy at night!!

My daughter was given a hamster as a present this year for christmas from her auntie, it arrived in a box inside the starter kit so setting up was very easy.

The cage itself is plastic at the bottom with a wired top and the starter pack included an exercise wheel, food tray, water bottle and house for it to sleep in.

The other essentials needed ie food, cotton wool for the bedding, sawdust for the tray, tissue for the bedding and a wood roll for them to climb on and chew had to be purchased seperatly so the cost for everything needed came to about £45.00 from the pet shop.

I had never looked after a hamster before so looked online for advice on what to feed and how often to clean out, it stated to clean out the cage once a week and the "house" where it sleeps once a month.

I cleaned it out for the first time at the weekend and have to say it was really easy to do, the house did smell a bit so thought I should clean it, once opened I found the hamster had left all the food it had collected inside and I had previously commented to my friend that it really does eat a lot not realising they store there food!!!

The hamster is not that old yet but is so cute I am not sure if it is male or female but my daughter has named it cutie, it is brown and white in colour with tiny brown eyes and feet and has nipped my daughter a few times which has made her a little wary....me too if I am honest!!

One thing you need to know about a hamster though is it is very noisy at night time, as they are nocturnal they sleep in the day ours wakes up about 9pm and while I am in bed upstairs I can hear it running a marathon on its wheel so I would not recommend it in a bedroom especially if you are a light sleeper.

I am going to purchase a ball next week so it can get some exercise but I have to wait until it is old enough as they are not supposed to go in them until they are two weeks old.

Hamsters also love to play and online a suggestion was to place an empty toilet roll holder, funnily enough I did it that night and the hamster loved it, as soon as I put it in the cage it climbed on the to and started chewing it ( apparantly its good for the teeth as it stops their on growing teeth from getting too long ).

All round in my opinion hamsters make great little pets and are fascinating to watch and are very comical as they whip round their wheel, and when you talk to them they come up to the bars and look at you, they seem very curious to know whats going on.

They also give kids a bit of responsibility as they have to look after them and help to clean them out and make sure they are fed and watered.

Well worth the money.

Summary: great pets for all ages