Exercise, cage cleanliness, and the hamsters stress level are also factors for your pets longevity. The potential hamster parent will be required to handle it to tame it until it feels comfortable and develops a bond. Even though they are raised as a part of a litter, they do not tolerate the company of another one once they reach the age of 5 to 10 weeks. "Try to be a hamster to pursue nook and corner, In order to snuff out your paucity." Arthu After a few days, once your pet hamster has increased in confidence, you can start to interact by feeding them treats through the bars of their cage. As long as you handle your hamster for a little bit every day, from a young age, they will love interacting with you. Although they are small, the responsibility is not. A teddy bear hamster is one of several names for a Syrian hamster. A Syrian hamster with long hair is often referred to as a teddy bear hamster, due to its cute and fluffy appearance whilst a short haired Syrian hamster is known as a fancy hamster, although the names are interchangeable. Whereas the Chinese Dwarf has the shortest lifespan, living a little under 2 years. I always go around and check on each hamster after my kids have taken care of them to make sure that they have everything they need. Its hard to know exactly how much, because there is no legal minimum size, and pet store cages can be quite small. In the event that you try to handle any hamster during daylight hours, it will be more likely to bite you out of stress. It lives alone in the wild too! Male hamsters, in general, are larger in appearance than their female counterparts. This can mean that a bedroom isnt the best place for their cage, though! Although they are often referred to as nocturnal, most teddy bear hamsters are crepuscular, which means they are more likely to be active at dawn or dusk which fits in perfectly with the school day. Long-haired are known as Teddy Bears, while short-hair are known as Goldens or Fancy Bears. If you want to have more than one hamster, you should consider getting dwarf breed hamsters. Genetic disorders and predispositions can be inherited in hamsters as they can in humans or dogs. Lifespan: 2 to 4 years Syrian Hamster Behavior and Temperament Syrian hamsters sleep during the day and are active at night. Buying a teddy bear hamster doesnt have to be expensive in fact you can give a hamster a home for free if you choose to adopt. They typically weigh around 120 to 125 grams when fully grown. Caring for Teddy Fur How long do hamsters live? Their bellies are often white. A hamsters typical lifespan and how long do hamsters live will be influenced by a variety of circumstances. Holding them for the very first time may feel a little daunting. These cost around $5-$10 depending on the type of material they are made from. This species of hamster is the most common in the world. On our drive home, he was busy in the little cardboard carrier that he was traveling in. Teddy bear hamsters need brain stimulation and are incredibly active (especially at night). Therefore, you should resist the urge to prod them awake as they may not take too kindly to it and may react by biting. Follow our blog as we share our hamster experiences with our lovable Syrian hamster Oscar. If its your first pet, just having one can make things a lot easier, and less intense. Im done with men. Maximum they may live upto 7 years. Despite their poor vision, hamsters have relatively good hearing and can distinguish between and communicate with sounds in the ultrasonic range. There is some debate on the safety of an operating ball. Guinea Pigs: Ranked and Reviewed, How Many Mice Are In My House? You cannot prevent getting a hamster with predispositions, but you can be more careful to prevent your pet from getting a life-threatening illness. Domestic teddy bear hamsters are omnivores by nature, which means they enjoy a diverse range of foods including plants, insects and vegetables. Hamsters will not overeat in quantity, so you can spoil their dinners by giving too many treats. Dwarf hamsters live for 3 years normally, so it has a longer expected lifespan than teddy bear hamsters. The main threat to their lifespans are predators such as owls and other birds of prey. I have a stunning litter of hamster pups all pups are handled daily but children and adults and a suitable for any home , both parents like pups are very handtame and friendly an. Theres no mistaking a Teddy Bear hamster because its hair may look a bit unruly and in need of a good combing. Individual hamsters can live a short or long life depending on their lifestyle, diet and care. Like any animal, teddy bear hamsters can be unpredictable and should always be handled with care. Teddy bear hamsters are low-maintenance and easygoing. He is napping in his hut in his new habitat as I type this. Do not put more than one teddy bear hamster in a cage. Teddy hamsters are a breed of Syrian hamster. The differences are stunning. They have tulip-shaped, paper thin ears and dark, round glassy eyes, symmetrically set on each side of their face. Fancy hamsters are short-haired Syrian hamsters, while teddy hamsters are long-haired. Well, the answer varies quite a lot! While most are black, its not unusual for them to have blackish blue, blackish-red, dark red, or pink. Obviously, we want to care for our hamsters as best we can, so providing them with a large space to burrow and play and spending time cuddling them allows you to better understand their behaviors. Fancy bear hamster sizes generally range between 4 to 6 inches long, though they can grow larger. The first British hamster club followed shortly after, in 1945! When Alex isn't nerdily stalking the internet for science news, he enjoys tabletop RPGs and making really obscure TV references. There are several different breeds and varieties of hamster, varying in size and temperament. Contact the AZ Animals editorial team. In the wild Syrian hamster numbers are declining due to a loss of habitat and the effects of climate change. They are often used to test treatments for various genetic diseases or cancers. Make sure to tell us all about your experiences in the comments below! When they were much younger Id make sure that they learned how to gently handle the hamsters and how to be safe about with them. When it comes to their little ears, they may be pointed or rounded, or dark or light. Although red or pink eyes are considered rare, there is a very rare eye color that consists of two different colored eyes. Also, youll have to plan ahead for feeding them and otherwise ensuring their wellbeing. At two weeks, hamster babies may be weaned, and this is an excellent time to begin handling puppies destined for a life as a companion. Some of the information on this page is incorrect. They also became popular as pets in the U.K. and between the years of 2011-2017, it is estimated that over 3 million hamsters were owned. Many reputable and ethical hamster breeders ensure that hamster pups are handled to get them acquainted with being held and interacting with humans. Several factors contribute to the hamsters lifespan. Teddy Bear Syrian Hamster - The teddy bear hamster, . Look for any soiled bedding and remove it from the cage. Unfortunately, this is not a factor that can be controlled. Teddy bear is a term used to describe a Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) with long hair. Teddy bear hamsters come in a host of colors, patterns and with different coat types. Syrians are also not childrens pets, they need large cages, they are expensive and are a large commitment. In comparison, unbred females lived an average of 444 days and bred females even less at 357 days. Theres a cage for every budget. The breeding season for Syrian hamsters in the wild occurs during the spring and summer, but domestic hamsters can be made to breed year-round. Costs range from $12-$40. Depending on care and health however, it is possible for teddy bear hamsters to live as long as five years although this is unusual. Occasional treats from the pet store/vet. The Arabic name for hamsters roughly translates to Mister Saddlebags. So, how can this little creature be anything but cute! It is important, however, that we clean their cage regularly and provide them with plenty of chews and toys to stimulate them mentally and physically. We will look at what they need to stay safe, happy and handleable. If your hamster has spent time with a male hamster in the same cage, then there is a chance that the two will have mated. Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker. If we told you that a little hamster has the features of a miniature black bear, would you, Is it a hamster or a mouse? The teddy bear hamster is a great choice for a first time pet, because their care and maintenance is really simple! Try to be a hamster to pursue nook and corner, In order to snuff out your paucity. Arthu. This is a great reason to get a teddy bear hamster, because everyone loves a pet that they can play with and cuddle! Their coat patterns are diverse and can range from no pattern to a hamster with a calico/tortoiseshell look. Alex has a Masters's degree from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Hamsters are excellent diggers and are known to create rather elaborate underground burrows with multiple entrances and exits. Hamsters can even learn tricks and habits, so this is a pet youll interact with a lot. They just arent mature enough. You can always wear gloves if you are worried that they may nip but try to encourage your hamster to run on to and around your hands, moving them in a forward motion. Teddy bear hamsters are a great choice of pet for small children, as they are low maintenance to look after, great fun to play with and easy to train. It is of course tempting to want to hold your hamster immediately after purchasing them, but they are likely to be scared and confused at first, so you should wait a few days to let them relax and adapt to their new surroundings. Syrians are also known as Golden or Teddy Bear and are the largest hamster species. After their domestication and breeding in the Middle East by biologists working in Jerusalem, Syrian hamsters were imported to the United States. Providing you get your hamster used to being handled from a very young age, it will love being held by you. They typically weigh around 120 to 125 grams when fully grown. colors, patterns and with different coat types. Teddy hamsters are also lovingly referred to as teddy bear hamsters. The most important factor in health and longevity for a hamster is diet. Prices of a hamster and all of its necessary supplies will vary depending on where you go. A puppy is vulnerable and utterly dependent on the mother. Chinese hamsters are often mistaken as dwarfs because of their small size. Sometimes my teddy bear hamster wakes up screaming from a nightmare. That you can do several things to make sure your hamster is comfortable and healthy, which will provide the best conditions for long life. Make sure that you remove any hamster wheels and other toys from the cage to prevent your hamster using up all of their energy beforehand. The hair may be solid black, brown, gold, or dark grey. There are some notable differences between males and females. All types of hamsters, including teddy bear hamsters, need a large enough cage to run around in. Although a hamster carrier may not be essential straight away, it is good to have something that you can carry your hamster in if you ever need to take it out of the house for example to the vets. Some people dont care about the history or origins of their pets. Signed: Oldest of eleven children, teacher and grandma. But if you overfeed them they can grow even bigger. Furthermore, the article states that the lineage of all captive domesticated hamsters originated from a wild female and her 12 pups captured in Syria back in 1930. There are over 40 color varieties of these hamsters. A Healthy Schedule, Head may be heavily colored or have no color, Head coloring tapers off, becoming pale or disappearing towards the tail, A white band is present in the middle section of the body, Predominantly white with random patches or spots of color. I had the seat belt over the carrier to keep him safe. So, the long-haired Syrian hamsters, start to have long hair once they reach 3 or 4 inches long. This is why you should never go away and leave your hamster unattended for prolonged periods of time and make sure that their water bottle is always replaced with clean, fresh water. The item breakdown for a new hamster and necessary items dont come cheap. A normal litter for a teddy bear hamster will contain between 6 to 8 pups. with a lifespan of 2-3 years. They even will create specialized rooms meant for sleeping, raising their young, using the bathroom, and hoarding food. It goes without saying that hamsters love having a wheel to exercise and burn off excess energy. 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