Looking after a hamster is great fun, and a very satisfying experience. The more acquainted you become with your pet's personality and needs, the more you'll both get from the relationship. Keeping hamsters is pretty straightforward compared to a lot of pets, but there will still be those moments when - no matter what your level of hamster expertise - you will appreciate a bit of extra advice. That's what this section is all about.
Hamster ownership may throw up some surprises
This section of our Hamster Guide includes some commonly asked questions on a variety of topics, from how to prevent biting to recovering a lost pet. Happy hamstering!
Comments
Traci, 27 August 2021
My daughters hamster Pebbles is the sweetest little creature I have ever know. She is a 2 year old red bell dwarf hamster. For the last couple of days we have noticed that both her eyes are popping out a little. Enough to be noticeable. Her belly looks like it has urine on it all the time. She has been squeaking and chattering. Other than that she is still eating and still sweet when we hold her. Does anyone know what this could possibly be and is it treatable. We love her so much, please help!
Kat, 13 January 2020
When you hold him and he crawls up your arms, gently push him down or put him down. This will show him that going up your arms is not a place where he is going to be able to walk on. You could also try to give your hamster a treat while he is in your hands to make him sit still (at least for a while). It depends if your hamster is running out of fear or just because they are excited. If he is scared, you should get him used to being held but if he is just active, you should use the methods above. However, the method also varies with different types of hamster so if your hamster is less speedy than a robo dwarf, it will be easier but I've owned many robos who do this and it is just a matter of showing them where they can and can't go.
Katie, 22 August 2019
My hamster loves to run up my arms when I try to hold him. Is there a way to get him to sit still in my hands without trying to race off?