The Adoption Of Dwarf Hamsters Health And Social Care Essay

If you would like to adopt a dwarf hamster as a pet, you should be aware of a number of important things you need to prepare beforehand. One of the first things you should bear in mind is the appropriate age at which you need to adopt a dwarf hamster, where you should determine that it is not less than one month old. A one-month hamster will already have been weaned. It may be even better to adopt a dwarf hamster that has already reached two months, since the females are old enough to become pregnant at that age. Perhaps you are asking yourself why you need to adopt the hamsters at such an apparently tender age. The simple fact is that you will find it easier to discipline and bond with them when they are younger.

How to Select a Dwarf Hamster

If you want to adopt a dwarf hamster, it is better to do it in the afternoon. Given that they are nocturnal creatures, they will usually be in a foul mood during the morning hours. At such a time, they will be more interested in taking a nap than trying to befriend people, hence the afternoon will give you the chance to find them at their best.

Things to Consider When Selecting a Suitable Dwarf Hamster

The following tips will help you in making the best selection.

The hamster's eyes need to be clear, as this will show that it is healthy.

It should not have a dull fur but it should appear shiny.

Look for any unusual lumps on the hamster's entire body.

Healthy hamsters are generally active. A lethargic hamster is likely to be sick.

Although you can buy a hamster that does not appear to be entirely healthy, you should be aware that you would have more responsibility. You will need to seek for professional consultation from a qualified vet in order to restore its health. Apart from that, you need to be more careful when handling such a hamster.

Appropriate Dwarf Hamster to Select

As you venture into the keeping of pet hamsters, you need to determine the type of breed you would like to go for. As we have already seen, you can choose from four different breeds: namely, the Syrian, Chinese, Campbell's, and Roborovski. How are you to know the breed you should select? The following are important considerations.

1. Handling: You should be aware of the level of difficulty you are likely to encounter when handling different breeds of dwarf hamster. For example, the Roborovskis are very small and swift, and if this may give you a challenge in handling them, then you should not choose this breed. They are not only the smallest but also the swiftest breed. Another thing that you should consider is how prone the breed is likely to bite. In such an instance, you will be better off with either the Roborovski or Chinese dwarf hamsters.

2. Lifespan: Another important thing that you should take into consideration is how long the breed you select tends to live. If you want the ones that live long then the Roborovskis are your ideal choice, as they will usually live for between 3 and 3 ½ years. The Chinese breed comes second, living for between 2 and 3 years. The remaining two types both live for between 1 ½ and 2 years.

3. Availability: One of the greatest things you will need to look at when selecting a dwarf hamster is how available the breed is. It is easier to get some types of hamsters than others, and in some instances you will not get the type you are interested in. The most common breed is the Campbell. Finding this breed is very easy. On the other hand, it will be a challenge to find the Chinese dwarf hamsters. You will rarely find them in pet shops, particularly in the US. Indeed, the law forbids the keeping of the Chinese hamsters in some states like California.

4. Physical appearance: In case anyone in your home is afraid of rats, then you should rule out adopting the Chinese hamster, as it is the only breed having a tail, which makes it resemble a rat. Its slender body makes it look even more like the rat family.

Other things you should bear in mind as far as appearance is concerned include the fact that you will be able to find the Campbell's in a variety of colors - right from brown to a blue hue - while the Roborovskis are very tiny, being just half as big as the others.

The above tips will help you in your selection of the dwarf hamster that suits you best, although the fact of the matter is that all the different breeds are special. You can discipline any breed of hamster to avoid biting, you can play with even the swiftest when you handle it well, and all breeds can get older than the stated average lifespan when you take good care of them. In spite of the fact that the tips will help you make a choice, they should never the less not stop you if you have found a hamster that you are interested in.

The number of dwarf hamsters to adopt

If you want to keep a hamster, you should be aware that it will long for its companion. Although you may keep two hamsters of the opposite sexes together, you must be prepared to have quite a large number on your hands very quickly, as the little creatures do not waste time with producing litters. If this is something you are not interested in, you should keep hamsters of the same sex. However, you should understand that it might be difficult to know the real sex of a hamster. We will cover how to determine a dwarf hamster's gender later on.

Although many dwarf hamsters get along well even with those of different breeds since they are quite social, you should let them get used to each other when they are still young.

Such dwarf hamsters tend to be quite gentle and kind and they will do all things together for as long as they live. For example, those that are compatible tend to eat, sleep, and play together. Their vibrant nature makes watching them quite enjoyable, which makes them do well as pets.

Although the Chinese hamsters are grouped as dwarf hamsters because of their small sizes, this is strictly a misnomer. While they sometimes live together in harmony, this is not usually the case. Hence, if you select the Chinese hamsters, you should preferably keep them separately.

You should never keep different hamster species together.

How You Can Know the Gender of Dwarf Hamsters

You may find it very challenging to know the gender of a dwarf hamster, particularly when they are tender, or when there are no other hamsters of the opposite sex to compare them with.

The general differences are common across all the different species of dwarf hamsters.

Place the hamster on its back so that you can have a better look at its belly. Put your hand over the hamster and turn it on its back gently, or you may get hold of it by its scruff. If you want to determine the presence of testicles, you should hold the hamster a little upright, as if it is sitting.

Anogenital Distance

The anogenital distance will significantly help you in determining the sex of a dwarf hamster. The anogenital distance is that distance between the anus and genital opening. The anogenital distance in the females is relatively shorter. The two openings may be so close in the females that it may be difficult to tell them apart, while the distance between them in males is about half an inch apart.

Other important differences

The male dwarf hamsters usually have elongated back-ends and they appear more round than their female counterparts do (and this is more apparent in the Chinese breed).

When the male dwarf hamsters get to one month of age, the scrotum and testicles usually become visible, although the testicles will still retract.

You will notice nipples in the females only.

Important Tips

You should preferably try to determine the sex of a dwarf hamster when it is more than four weeks old, but at least you should not do it when it is less than three weeks old.

If your dwarf hamster turns out to be stubborn, use a clear dish to hold it in and then look beneath the dish.

Important Advice if You Have Kids

Given the great interest that kids usually show towards pets, parents tend to get confused as to which pet they should choose. Many children who are less than ten years old can have small, cuddly pets, such as the hamsters. Indeed, this is why many children beg their parents to give them hamsters as pets.

The dwarf hamsters are not just interesting creatures for the kids to keep as pets but they are also good for educational purposes. The kids will enjoy the fact that hamsters do not enjoy it when they hold them, but love to be watched instead. So long as you teach your kids how to handle the pets well, without placing their heads or faces against them, they will have a unique opportunity to learn a variety of things, including communication skills.

The things that a kid will be able to learn from a dwarf hamster are numerous so long as you watch and guide them appropriately.

Learning about treating pets respectfully, taking their lives in high regard, and hence being more humane.

Discovering the routine of the pets, including their sleep cycles and how they behave during play.

Learning about how responsible the hamsters are by watching how the pets take care of their families.

The children themselves will learn to be more responsible as they take care of the pets by providing food and water, as well as cleaning the cage.

The pets may also be used to teach the kids principles of science, such as exercise patterns and color genetics.

The older children will as well discover about animal behavior as they watch these tiny creatures.

Given the relatively short lifespan of the dwarf hamsters, your kid will not need to make long-term commitment.

In many cases, the first death that your kid will come to terms with is that of the pet hamster. You should therefore prepare the kid to deal with and overcome such a loss well beforehand.

You can help your kids to learn from such a loss to help them become more mature when you handle the situation with skill and compassion. You can use the topic to start discussing such important issues as love, life cycle, and illness among others. The experience is also likely to assist your child to develop his or her character.

Kids who are below five years

If you have children who are below five years old, then you should not give them hamsters for pet. Remember that these animals are nocturnal, and will sleep for a good part of the day, which makes them useless for such small children. Such small children are also not likely to handle the hamsters gently, and they may end up receiving bites.

Another thing that you should bear in mind is the possibility of infection of the small children, as the hamsters may also have dangerous germs just as other unconventional pets. While everybody will face such a risk, the children's immune systems are still weak, and they tend to suck their hands - or at least touch their mouths. Health professionals warn that the hamsters have germs that can cause serious fever, stomach cramps, and diarrhea in the kids. Take extra precautions whenever your children handle hamsters, and ensure that you clean both the hamsters and their cages frequently. You should also teach your children to wash their hands regularly. Learn as much as you can about these tiny creatures.

Small children

The dwarf hamsters are very good as pets, since they are tiny, demand less, and are quite entertaining. However, these pets will tend to be active at nighttime when the small children are asleep. They are also more likely to bite the kids, who may handle them roughly or wake them up. The pets are very fragile, and rough handling from small children is enough to injure them. The hamsters may also be used as pets for the classroom.

So far, you know about the benefits and disadvantages of giving your children the dwarf hamsters as pets. While they are generally good for the kids, you should keep them away from very little children, particularly due to the possibility of being infected by a variety of diseases.