Caring For Your Hamster By: Julia R.

Table of Contents Chapter 1- Introduction Chapter 2- Picking a hamster Chapter 3- A healthy hamster Chapter 4- Types of Hamsters Chapter 5- Getting the Proper Materials Chapter 6- Cleaning Chapter 7- Tips Chapter 8- Conclusion Sources Glossary

Introduction Have you ever wanted a hamster? Do you know the responsibilities and tips for caring for a hamster? If you don’t and you have a hamster, it might have an infection or something wrong with its body by the way you are taking care of it. This book provides you with tips, tricks and basic information that your hamster needs to survive. You and your hamster will both be happy

Picking a Hamster I was so excited to pick out a hamster! I ran through the dog and cat section all the way to the back of the shop where the hamsters are kept. There were so many to choose from. I wanted an orange and white one which are the Syrian hamsters. There were 4 of them. The first one had an virus in its eye. The second one had a problem with eating, and he was way too fat and he started to limp in my hands. The third one had really bad fur, and it bit me. The last one was nice, cute, no infections, and I really liked it. I showed him to my mom, and she approved. So, we brought him to the front counter, and we bought him. Furry Fact The smallest hamster is 2 inches long.

A Healthy Hamster Clean Fur Big Black Eyes Pink Dry Nose Strong Firm Ears Not Too Fat

Types of Hamsters You Can Get -Dwarf Roborovski Hamster -Chinese Hamster -Campbell's Dwarf Hamster -Syrian Hamster -Dwarf Winter White Russian Hamster Dwarf Roborovski Hamster Chinese Hamster Dwarf Winter White Russian Hamster Campbell’s Dwarf Hamster Syrian Hamster

Getting the Proper Materials When getting a hamster, you need proper materials. 1. Your hamster needs a cage to live in. The cage should be big, but not too big or you can’t find your hamster in it. It should also not be too small either, or your hamster will be cramped and not feel very good. 2. Tunnels. Your cage should have tunnels so your hamster can move around. They also give your hamster something to move around at night because they are nocturnal animals. 3. Bedding. Bedding is important to have because it is comfortable for your hamster, and they usually do their

business in a corner, and you don’t want that to spread on the plastic everywhere. 4. Exercise balls and playpens. You need to keep your hamster healthy. So, you have to make sure your hamster gets the proper exercise every day. All you need to do for the exercise ball is put your hamster in it, and then watch him/her run around so they don’t get lost. All you need to do for the playpen is, put some of their favorite toys in the pen, and make sure that they don’t find a way to climb up the wall of the pen. 5. Food and water. In your hamsters cage, you need to have a food bowl and a water container. For the food, you just go to the pet store and get hamster food there. You might want to ask the employees to see which food is healthiest or most recommended. You can also get a water container at the pet store that can be attached on the cage. Be sure to change it often. Furry Fact Hamsters belong to a subfamily known as Cricetinae.

Cleaning You and your hamster don’t like a dirty place to live in. So, you have to clean your hamsters cage just like you clean your room. At least once every week. First and foremost, you need to clean your hamsters cage. You first need to put your hamster(s) in a different compartment while you are cleaning. Then, you need to throw out the old bedding and clean the bottom of the cage with soap and water. After it has dried, you simply fill it with new bedding, food, water, and all the other things you put in for your hamster. Second, you need to change your hamsters food at least once every two days. For the water, you need to change it everyday.

Lastly, you need to clean your hamsters other equipment like tunnels, wheels, etc. These should be cleaned weekly as well. Furry Fact Hamsters’ whiskers are used as measuring tools. For example: if a tunnel is too small to fit in.

Tips 1. Never drop your hamster. A little fall can seriously injure him/her. 2. To keep your hamsters teeth clean, and not too long, give your hamster a hard thing to chew on. For example, a piece of wood or a carrot. 3. Talk softly to your hamster. His/her ears are very sensitive. If you talk too loudly, it would be like screaming in his/her ear. 4. After a while, your hamster’s fur can get a little messy. To fix that, you can take a clean toothbrush and stroke the fur as if you were combing your hair. If the fur is dirty or has any disgusting things in it, take a damp toothbrush, and gently stroke. Furry Fact The most popular hamster kept as a pet is the Syrian hamster

5. Finally, when you are petting your hamster, pet very gently, or it will hurt your hamster if you are too rough.

Conclusion Now you have a better understanding of what taking care of a hamster is all about. Learning about the many types of hamsters available, how to recognize a healthy hamster, selecting a loveable pet, getting the proper materials, caring and maintaining a proper cage, plus some extra bonus tips and facts. Hopefully this information has been helpful. If you want to learn more, check out your local library, or search the web. Have fun with it! Furry Fact A hamster can store their food in their cheeks as they collect it and then take it to their homes to eat it all later.

Glossary Bedding- A soft layer of fuzz on the bottom of the cage in which your hamster is most comfortable in. Equipment- Material to help improve something. Exercise ball- A sphere with an opening that you can put your hamster in, and he/she can move around. Limp- When you have a hurt leg and you are struggling to walk. Nocturnal- Animals that sleep during the day, and are awake at night. Playpen- A fence that keeps things or creatures in without letting them escape.

Sensitive- Quick to react to little things. Tunnels- A tube in which you can go and climb in. Virus- A germ that can infect part of your body.

Bibliography Meredith, Susan, and Christyan Fox. Hamsters. Tulsa, OK: EDC Pub., Print.- Some of the information Wright, C. (2009, August 17). Pets. Retrieved May 17, 2015, from - The hamster pictures