Q. My dwarf is very nervous and tries to bite
every time I put my hand in the cage. What should I do?
A. There are many dwarfs like this,
and it is mostly due to lack of being handled. In order to make your dwarf less frightened, start by making a fist and putting
it in front of your hamster. This will allow him to get use to your scent without getting nervous about being touched or picked
up. After you after you feel your dwarf is more comfortable, start holding food in your hand for him to naw on. The last step,
is trying to hold him again. Once he is use to you, continue holding him, because if they are not handled then they will sometimes
become aggressive again.
Q. Can I house my Syrian and Dwarf together?
A. Unfortunately these animals cannot
live together. Syrians can ONLY live by themselves, where as dwarfs can live together in small groups.
Q. My hamster is drinking a lot of water,
and has very bad diarrhea. What is wrong with her?
A. Commonly confused with "wet tail"
in dwarfs, this is diabetes. Many campbells today suffer from it, due to the excessive inbreeding. The statistic is 1/2 of
the pet stores stock is infected. You must keep your hamster on a strict diet with no fruits. This should help the problem,
but it will not cure it. This is something that the animal will more then likely live with for the rest of its life until
it gets the best of them (which tends to be quickly). Sometimes it may seem that the symptoms have gone away, but it is only
temporary. We must look at this as warning when breeding our animals to take more caution.
Q. How much do Dwarf Hamsters cost?
A. When purchasing from a pet store they range from $10-$15. If you buy from a personal breeder,
the cost may be slightly higher since the animals are usually better quality.
Q. How old does my hamster have to be before it can have babies?
A. Dwarfs can start reproducing as early as 8 weeks, but this is not recommended. For the overall
well being of the babies, mother and father, I would wait until they are at least 4 months of age.
