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1. into tts full cheek pouch HOW MUCH DOES YOUR PET COST YOU Cost of pet Cost of cage or building materials Cost of feed Kind of Food Date Purchased Cost of reference books Title Other expenses toys bedding medicine etc Item Total Expenses Sales of animals Number Sold Date Sold Amount Received Total Income Difference between total expenses and total income a TE O Expenses 1 2 3 Income 1 MY PET Write a short story about your pet D2. about one inch thick on the floor Place aluminum foil under the cage to protect the shelf or table It is likely that the hamster will use one corner of the cage for a bathroom This corner should be cleaned every few days and new litter added Once a week the cage should be scrubbed with soap and water Wait until it s completely dry before putting your pet back in because a wet cage can cause illness Frequent disinfection with any of the standard creosol disinfectants will lessen danger of disease and help eliminate odors Good ventilation plenty of sunlight the presence of material to absorb liquid excrement and frequent cleaning all work to reduce odors A gravity water bottle can usually be purchased at stores that sell hamsters It should be provided with a quarter inch glass tube four to five inches long and hung on the outside of the cage Be sure your pet always has plenty of fresh water Provide your hamster with an empty cottage cheese carton or a small box with a hole in the side and some tissues Your hamster will shred the tissues and make a nest in the box to sleep in or hide in when frightened Questions Describe your cage Where do you keep the cage Describe your pet s waterer and feeder Feeding The simplest food for your pet is commercial hamster food which can be purchased at most pet stores or in the pet department in your local store An adult hamster will require about a half ounce
3. cage with a heavy cloth sE Check into the prices of metal cages and compare the cost of materials Since it may be cheaper to buy a ready made cage than to make one A bird cage makes an excellent hamster cage 9 Hamsters should be kept in metal cages or wooden cages Protect the insides of wooden cages with hardware cloth to prevent the animals from gnawing through A surplus aquarium makes a very satisfactory cage Cages may vary in size accord ing to the number of animals to be kept together A cage 12 inches wide by 15 inches long and 12 inches high will comfortably house one hamster A cage 35 by 25 by 15 inches will accommodate eight to 10 animals At least one side or the door of the cage should be made of hardware cloth to admit light and provide a means of exercise by climbing The floor of the cage may be either the self cleaning type or solid In the self cleaning type the floor is made of No 6 hardware cloth to allow the droppings to fall through onto a sloping floor Along the lower edge of the floor is a trough for catching the droppings and liquid excrement The slope of the floor should not be less than 30 degrees in order to allow material to slide from it into the trough If the floor of the cage is solid sawdust wood shavings ground corn cobs peanut hulls or other clean absorbent material should be used Wood shavings can often be ob tained from a lumber company The absorbent material should be
4. is provided by green foods What vegetable does your animal like best What is your favorite vegetable Handling Your hamster is really yours It depends on you to feed and care for it The more attention you give your hamster the more fun you can have with it You should have little trouble taming your hamster but it must be handled frequently to remain tame Hamsters will usually bite if they are awakened suddenly Therefore always be certain your pet is awake before you reach for it The best way to tame it is to stroke its back quietly without trying to pick it up When it gets used to your touch gently slide your hand under its body and lift Hold the hamster firmly in your hand and offer a treat When your hamster learns to trust you it will climb over your arm legs and shoulders and into your pockets You will be able to lift it whenever you wish Always remember handle hamsters gently If they are squeezed or grabbed too tightly they will struggle to escape Never tease or frighten them Also always protect them from dogs and cats Many times your friends will want to handle your hamster You may want to demonstrate the correct way to pick it up and carry it Always treat the animals with kindness and move slowly around them so they do not become nervous PARTS OF A HAMSTER 6 14 1 Nose 6 Back 11 Hind foot 2 Eye 7 Rump 12 Belly 3 Forehead 8 Tail 13 Shoulder 4 Ear 9 Scro
5. shorter and more rounded at the back and not as brightly colored as the male Ques tions Did you raise a litter If so how many were in the litter How old were the babies when you first saw them Describe what they looked like The gestation period for hamsters is days What did you do with your baby hamsters Health Care 9 Your pet must be kept in a dry cage and out of drafts Hamsters can catch some human diseases such as the common cold The animal s symptoms may be like yours when you have a cold runny nose sniffles and a lack of activity If this happens clean the cage put in new dry bedding and make sure the cage is in a warm spot You may want to put a newspaper over the cage to be certain it is out of a draft Be sure the water is fresh and give your pet a couple of drops of cod liver oil on a piece of bread Clean the cage after your hamster has recovered Be sure that wild mice or birds cannot get near your hamster s cage as they often carry diseases and parasites If you ever notice parasites such as fleas lice or other insects on your hamster apply an insecticide that can be used on cats Wever use insecticides that are used on dogs Always observe your pet in the evening In the evening a healthy hamster will run around in its cage play on the wheel look for food clean its fur climb on the cage wall and carry its short tail erect Listlessness lack of appetite dull eyes and weight loss mean your hams
6. MSU Extension Publication Archive Archive copy of publication do not use for current recommendations Up to date information about many topics can be obtained from your local Extension office Pocket Pets Hamsters Michigan State University Cooperative Extension Service 4 H Club Bulletin Ohio State University Issued April 1980 18 pages The PDF file was provided courtesy of the Michigan State University Library Scroll down to view the publication 1 1 7 200 000 1 1 E 15 09 or ARN i vat 4 This manual is a reprint with minor changes from an Ohio State University Cooperative Ex tension Service manual on this subject We are indebted to Ohio State University for granting permission to reprint this material Michigan 4 H Youth educational programs and all other Cooperative Extension programs are available to all without regard to race color or national origin Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work acts of May 8 and June 30 1914 in cooperation with the U S Department of Agriculture Gordon E Guyer Director Cooperative Extension Service Michigan State University East Lansing MI 48824 Price 40 cents 2P 5M 4 80 UP MSU isan Affirmative Action Equal Opportunity Institution Michigan State University Printing 0 0 0 POCKET PETS Hamsters Hamsters can be fascinating company They c
7. Pledge Word List Nocturnal 9 Hibernation Pouches Estrous cycle Malocclusion In 1930 Professor Aronin a scientist from Hebrew University was studying and collecting small native animals of Syria Syria is a country located north of Israel at the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea One day after watching a hamster playing and burrowing in the sand the scientist decided to dig into the sand to find out more about the hamster s living habits Aronin had to tunnel eight feet before he found the mother and her nest The hamster had 12 babies which he took back to the Hebrew University When he arrived in Jerusalem all but three of the hamsters had either died or escaped from the cage The three remaining babies were well cared for and grew rapidly It was soon discovered that two hamsters were females and one was a male Within four months one of the females gave birth to a litter of eight More hamsters were raised As the animals became more plentiful they were used by scientists in laboratories Some were sent to England in 1931 and to the United States in 1938 A11 hamsters that are now used as pets or laboratory animals are offspring of that original litter of eight The name hamster is derived from the German word hamstern which means to hoard or to hide This describes what hamsters are like as they store large amounts of food in their cheek pouches When cheek pouches a
8. after the hamsters are placed together and the female should be removed after an hour or two 4 If the pair starts to fight and continues to do so remove the female until the next evening You should try placing the female with the male each evening until they mate Since the heat cycle is four days mating gt should occur within a week after the first attempt Usually when the female is in heat she will freeze as soon as she is placed in the male s cage and stare straight ahead with her tail and hindquarters slightly higher than her shoulders 7 Make a record of the date when mating takes place The young will be born 16 days later usually at night Mark the date on a calendar If you have a scale that will weigh your female accurately weigh her daily and keep a record Her weight may nearly double as the young develop within her body The litter averages seven young although as many as 12 to 13 babies may be born The female does not require special care during pregnancy It is wise not to handle her too much after the twelfth day always be extra careful not to drop her You may wish to give her a small dish of milk along with her regular food Keep this up until after the newborn hamsters are able to take care of themselves The female will build her own nest Give her scraps of cloth tissues paper or cotton to line her nest Don t handle or disturb the mother for several days after her babies are born Don t e
9. aking your selection Examine the hamster s ears nose eyes and teeth Sometimes hamsters bite so they should be handled carefully The insides of the ears of a young hamster will be covered with tiny white hairs As the animal becomes older these hairs gradually disappear until the ears are hairless and shiny Be sure there are no patches of fur missing since this may be a sign of a disease called mange Avoid animals with runny noses watery eyes or wet tails Some breeders mark their hamsters by nicking the ears The ears may also be nicked as the result of a hamster being in a fight Regardless of the cause This plump bright eyed hamster would make a good pet The coat shows no signs of disease and the face shows a healthy nosy or tnquisttive expression the marks have no 111 effect It is generally considered best to buy one hamster at a time since two may fight These animals are used to living by themselves and do not need companionship therefore if you only want a pet and do not plan on raising any litters do not feel that more than one hamster is necessary If you give it lots of love it will be perfectly happy to live by itself How ever if you do buy a pair be sure that you have two cages so they can be separated after they are eight weeks old Males seem to make nicer pets due to their temperament As they grow older they remain tame and in a good mood Females often have a tendency to grow less friendly e
10. an ride around in your pocket and they can be trained to do many tricks For a little work cleaning the cage and providing fresh food and water each day and a little patience you can have a healthy and active friend 4 H 4 H projects are designed for youth groups by members of the Cooperative Extension Service Information concerning projects is available to your group from your county Extension Service office The 4 H Pledge is I pledge My HEAD to clearer thinking My HEART to greater loyalty My HANDS to larger service and My HEALTH to better living for My club my community My country and my world Project Requirements The purpose of the 4 H Pocket Pet project is to give you an opportunity to learn about and care for an animal It will be your responsibility to feed water clean and play with your pet To learn how to care for your hamster it is important to read this book To answer the questions in this book you will need to read it thoroughly and talk with your fellow members your group leader and any local resource people available As a 4 H member you will want to try to attend all of the meetings of your group and you will want to take an interest and help plan activities for the group Questions What is the name of your 4 H group Who is your 4 H leader Who is your Extension 4 H Youth agent Have you met your Extension 4 H Youth agent Where is the 4 H office located Do you know the 4 H
11. l to eat Malocclusion is a con dition that frequently prevents the teeth from meeting properly and from wearing down evenly It may be necessary to clip the teeth occasionally Animals with this deformity should not be used for breeding since the condition is often inherited Too much growth of the teeth may be due to a lack of hard food and gnawing materials Is your group planning a tour this year Plan on visiting your local veter inarian Find out what the doctor does Find out whether you would like this career 12 TEN RULES TO FOLLOW FOR RAISING HAMSTERS 7 1 Clean the cage and equipment at least once a week 2 Disinfect the cage and equipment 3 Be sure the cage ts dry after cleaning 4 Keep hamsters out of drafts 5 Feed your animal a balanced diet of dry and green foods 6 Remove all uneaten green food 7 Provide for elean fresh water 8 Provide adequate light and ventilation 9 Do not overhandle pregnant females and avoid disturbing the mother for at least nine days after the babies are born 10 Always check for parasites such as lice and fleas if you discover parasites immediately treat your pet with an insecticide used for cats Questions How often do you clean and disinfect your animal s pen and equipment Did you have any disease problems this year If so what were they How would you treat your animal if you found fleas Thts hamster stuffs the last little bite of food
12. ly 16 days A single female may give birth to from 30 to more than 100 young a year and be fore the year is over many of these young will be having young of their own Decide how many cages and how much feed you would need if you went into the business of raising hamsters Unless you are very well equipped it is best to keep the male and female separate and only breed them when you have a market for their young The hamster will breed throughout the year but the most litters are produced between May and November A female rarely produces young after the age of one year The hamster on the left stands to reach a dangling cord The hamster on the right leaves a hamster ball The female s estrous cycle period of sexual heat is repeated every four days Hamsters usually mate in the evening Since the female will often fight the male these directions should be followed 1 For several days place the hamsters cages close together so the animals can see each other 2 Hamsters are nocturnal animals and prefer to mate at night Observations in laboratories have shown that most mating occurs between 9 and 10 p m Therefore place the female tuto the male s cage one evening Never put the male into the female s cage she may fight to protect her home and kill the male When handling the animals at this time it is best to wear gloves In case of a fight you can separate the two easily and remove the female 3 Mating should follow soon
13. n 100 pounds of grain have been found in the burrows Conse quently the U S Department of Agriculture has issued the following warning CAUTION Breeders of hamsters are cautioned to prevent the escape of any of these animals Such release under favorable conditions might establish the hamster in the wild and thereby create a serious rodent problem since they are destructive to growing crops gardens and other agricul tural enterprises Purchasers should be aware of the danger of escapes and make every effort to prevent the establishment of a wild colony Questions Hamsters are rodents True False What is the scientific name for hamster _ Where did hamsters originally come from Who took the first hamsters to the Hebrew University 5 When List two reasons for raising hamsters today J 22 2 Selecting Your Hamster Purchase your hamster from a reliable source It is wisest to select a healthy young animal and train it yourself Older animals that have been mis treated are often ill tempered and may be difficult to handle Select an animal between five and eight weeks old Signs of good health are soft silken fur a plump body and prominent bright eyes Avoid select ing long or skinny hamsters If at all possible buy one that has been kept in a separate cage Many pet stores keep animals all together If selecting one from a group you may end up with a pregnant female Take time in m
14. ns A D E and K and some of the B group are essential Lack of vitamin E will result in death in four to 18 weeks Most prepared hamster feed is well balanced and contains the essential vitamins and minerals T Just as you obtain your vitamins hamsters obtain many of their vitamin and mineral requirements from the vegetables and fruits they eat Foods which are deep green deep yellow or orange in color are very rich in vitamin A The deeper the color the more vitamin A a vegetable contains Lettuce broccoli spinach and carrots are just a few of the vegetables which are good sources of vitamin A This vitamin is needed for growth normal vision and healthy con dition of skin and other body surfaces The other vitamins listed are just as important to your pet as they are to you It is just as necessary for your pet to eat a balanced diet as it is for you Water is essential for your hamster at all times Lack of water will cause your hamster to lose weight and eventually die However when plenty of fresh greens are provided the animal can get along with less water Make sure the water bottle is filled frequently The bottle should be washed disinfected and thoroughly rinsed at least once a week If you give fresh milk to a pregnant female be sure that you do not allow the milk to sour Sour milk and spoiled food can cause your pet to have a stomach ache Ques tions What do you feed your hamster What vitamin
15. of food each day The natural food of the hamster consists of grains seeds and vegetables A diet of corn oats or wheat mixed with some prepared dog food is also satis factory Place the dry feed in a dish that can be removed for cleaning When the hamster is active in the evening and you feed it it will begin to stuff the food into its cheek pouches As soon as the pouches are full the hamster will disappear to hide the food and quickly return to get another load When you clean the cage you will find this stored food Remove any food that is spoiling but otherwise replace it where you found it p This hamster ts eating a food biscuit and putting most of the food into tts cheek pouches You may also feed your hamster small amounts of lettuce carrots celery and other vegetables and fruits However do not feed citrus fruits to your hamster because citrus may cause stomach upset Dry bread may also be fed to your pet You may discover that your animal prefers certain vegetables just as you prefer certain ones When giving a new vegetable be sure to give only a small amount until your pet becomes accustomed to it Many of the above foods are used by your family and may be shared with your animal Always remove and throw away any of the green vegetables remaining in the cage at the end of the day Your animal could become ill from eating decayed vegetables The vitamin requirements of hamsters have had some study Vitami
16. re full the hamsters appear to have mumps Thts golden hamster has been alerted by a sudden noise The golden or Syrian hamster Cricetus auratus is a rodent belonging to the family Cricetidae Members of this family are found in Europe Asia 2 Africa and America The hamster is reddish gold in color with the stomach area nearly white and with black markings on the head and cheeks The eyes are black The golden hamster has a short stubby tail and well developed cheek pouches in which it transports grain and other food The adult animal is about six inches long A larger form the black hamster is about nine inches long and black except for the feet tail nose upper lip and margin of the ears which are covered with white hair There is a reddish tinge behind the ears and near the tail The black variety is found in Europe as far west as the Rhine River It is more fierce than the Syrian hamster and has not been domesti cated for laboratory use In their native habitats hamsters burrow into the ground and make one main tunnel with numerous side chambers in which food is stored Hamsters are nocturnal animals which means they sleep during the day and are active at night In Europe hamsters often cause heavy damage to crops This tiny rodent will stuff its cheek pouches full of grain and hurry to its burrow where with a quick movement of its front paws it empties the grain into a storage pile Sometimes more tha
17. specially if they become pregnant they are often snappy during pregnancy Ask the dealer to take the hamster from the cage and place it on a table so you Can watch it move around Place your hand near the animal and see if it becomes nosy Do not reach down from above and pick it up suddenly since the hamster may become frightened and bite After making your final decision carefully take the hamster home in a wire cage or box Be sure you have a cage ready Ques tions Describe your hamster s Do you have a male or female What did you name it Did you take a picture of your pet s If so place it here Date Name Housing Hamsters should be kept in an environment with a temperature between 55 and 80 F Adult animals can stand temperatures considerably lower but newborn hamsters will die at lower temperatures A temperature drop to 45 F causes the animals to go into a state of hibernation While they sleep the body be comes rigid and the body temperature falls below normal If this should happen to your pet do not become frightened and destroy it because you think your hamster is dead The hamster may feel cold to the touch and lie still in your hand Warm it gently with your body heat by carrying it around with you cupped in your hands When it begins to move feed it warm milk one drop at a time from a medicine dropper Pick it up from time to time to warm it When it revives and you return it to its cage cover the
18. ter is either sick or becoming sick Check its teeth to be sure they are not too long or broken which causes the inability to eat Remember always give your pet some hard food such as rabbit pellets or dog biscuits or put a piece of hardwood such as oak in the cage Droppings also give clues as to how your pet feels Loose watery droppings may mean your hamster is eating too many fresh vegetables and fruits hard dry droppings indicate your pet is not eating enough of these foods The condition known as cage paralysis is due to improper feeding lack of vitamin D sources and insufficient exercise Symptoms include inactivity the hamster s inability to raise its head and the manner in which the hamster crawls around pushing its nose along the floor of the cage If a hamster falls from a cage when the door is open or from a hand while being handled the fall could be fatal Females may die giving birth due to malformation of the pelvis This is common with runty females Only well developed vigorous animals should be used for breeding l Hamsters are curious creatures This one ts trying to find out tf a watehband ts edible Make sure your pet can t nibble on something that might cause a stomach ache Broken teeth resulting from falls or from biting the wire of the cage may cause inability to eat and consequent starvation Unbroken teeth may be clipped so that they mesh evenly and enable the anima
19. tum male 14 Forepaws 5 Nape of neck 10 Thigh 15 Cheek pouch Tricks Sometimes when you handle your hamster put a piece of its favorite food in your hand so that it will get in the habit of coming to you Whenever it does something that you like give it a special treat peanuts cashews or other nuts To get your pet to sit up hold the special treat higher than its head You may have to support your hamster with one hand Teaching hamsters tricks takes a lot of time and patience Don t ever try to teach more than one trick at a time When one trick is finally learned begin another one Always repeat the trick it already knows while you are teaching a new trick In time your hamster may stand and walk on its hind feet climb a ladder go down a slide and turn in circles while standing dancing As you work with your hamster think of various tricks you might wish to teach it Read books about hamsters from your library and pet shop Remember take plenty of time and patience always reward your hamster with a special treat and never mis treat your hamster What tricks did you teach your pet s Breeding If you decide to raise hamsters be sure your female is at least eight 9 weeks old before being bred Many owners do not breed them until they are three months old At this age the hamster is better able to stand the strain of raising a family Remember the gestation pregnancy period for hamsters is on
20. ven try to look at her nest since the mother might resent the scent from your hands Sometimes a frightened mother may kill and eat her litter especially if it is her first The family should be left alone except for feeding the first nine days after birth After this you may resume cleaning the cage and caring for your hamster as you did before her family arrived Baby hamsters are born naked blind and very tiny A litter of eight to 12 babies weighs less than one ounce Hamsters grow rapidly and within three days the skin begins to darken and hair begins to appear Since hamsters are This pregnant hamster shreds tissues to make a nest born with teeth they will begin to nibble on solid food when they are eight days old At two weeks of age each baby will weigh about one ounce and can be weaned taken from the mother The mother should be allowed to rest at least one week before remating As the hamsters grow it will become easier to determine which are the males and which are the females The sexes should be separated before they are 35 days old After weaning handle the animals often so they become tame Lift 7 and hold them so you can examine their undersides As they grow older you should begin to notice a difference in the shape of the rear of the body Near the 35th day you should see a definite difference The testicles of the male right at the base of the tail give the body a tapering shape The female is
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