My little guy passed a few days ago. He was 2 1/2 years old and was the happiest guy ever ! Filled with treats , space , lots of love and everything he could ever need. He passed away peacefully in his sleep as he was older and slowly his big energy went down overtime . This video is excellent to ensure new owners are educated properly, not one of these points should be missed as they are all extremely important ! I disagree always that hamsters are just good first pets for a child. As they need to be taken care of extremely well to have a happy life. I always wanted a hamster as a child but being an adult now makes me grateful I did not get one when I was younger ,I would have been incapable of taking care of them properly. Excellent video ! My guy got a treat or tiny piece of a fruit /vegetable / whole wheat snack etc every other day. One week may be a tad too long , let them enjoy different things in moderation. He always was always happy for this. ❤ love you always Jojo.
So sorry your hammy died we spend so much time caring for them .we form strong emotional bonds/jojo had a happy life.let that be a comfort to you. and i agree hammies are not for kids they are extremely sensitive and need alot of looking after//i am sure the next hammy you get will ease your pain/and just remember the fun you had with your little guy .sadly they dont live long /time goes so fast xx
@@racheldoesacrylic4089 thank you very much your words mean alot. I don’t want another hammie anytime soon. I will cherish my memories with jojo forever and hope I see him again someday. However i would love to give another hammie an amazing life in the future.
I’m so sorry for your loss. Losing a pet is such a hard thing to go through. A bond with a hamster is just so amazing, I’ve had 3 before my little guy now. From what you’ve said, it sounds like your little guy had a good life, and passed peace. Rip jojo sending love ❤
This is great for new owners! I always leave pet stores feeling irritated when the shop assistants start introducing unsafe food and items to the hammies and yet I couldn’t stop them! 😢
Same! I feel awkward when someone tries to tell me something about hamsters and it's not correct information. 🙁Including some shop assistants but even family and surroundings. I've got hamsters for 20 years and am still open to learn new info, but there are people with literally no knowledge, arguing with me. 😆 About the size of a cage, for example. Or, they want to give fresh fruit to hamster so often I need to stop it, but then they're angry about it. My little brother has more knowledge about hammies than some adults who think they already know everything. 😂
Nice video! Just some corrections: - For Syrian hamsters, the wheel needs to be at least 11inch in diameter, not 8inch, that's for dwarves - For the diet, hamsters require at least 18% protein. if they're babies, more is preferred so you can give your hamster add-ons of: meal worms, boiled egg, scrambled egg, cooked plain chicken - For feeding, 2 table spoons every 2/3 days is correct. Ideally you wouldn't want to put the food in a bowl but rather scatter it around the cage. Finding food is an enriching activity for hamsters, taking food from a bowl is not very enriching. Use the bowl for providing fresh fruit, veg and the occasional extra protein mentioned above - For burrowing, 6 inches is not a lot. The recommended is 10/12 inches, if you can give more than that, even better. Some hamsters won't burrow unless they have a lot of bedding depth to do so. - As for cleaning, the advice was vague. Hamster's poop is tiny and odourless, as for pee, if your hamster pees in its bedding, you should remove soiled bedding every 2 weeks (placing your hamster in a playpen or carrier during this process) and replace that soiled bedding with new bedding plus removing the poo. You never clean the whole cage as that would be very stressful and unnecessary since hamsters usually choose a spot in the cage to pee. If your hamster pees exclusively in a sand bath, you can remove the soiled pieces of sand daily and pretty much never touch the bedding unless it smells bad or the hamster peed on it
Wow! This video is incredible! It’s really nice to watch an educational video without “shaming” other hamster owners. I’ve watched so many hamster videos and it just feels like a competition to be the best hamster owner. This video shows it is possible to educate without shaming others! Well done!
When I clicked on this video I expected it to be tons of inaccurate information, but I am so happily surprised! Whoever made this video obviously did their research :)
I’m so happy this information is being pushed more mainstream through this video. Usually accurate hamster care info Is only found in niche hamster communities on RUclips and other social media. But this video will definitely cause people outside of the hamster care community to be more educated on how to properly take care of these little guys! It’s so sad how much small pet care misinformation is commonly known and accepted ):
Concerning #3, I heard that you're not suppose to do a 100% clean on your hamster living environment. Hamster have poor vision, so they often leave scent markers around their enclosure to identify their location. Doing a 100% clean on your hamster's home will remove the hamster's scent markers, confusing the rodent, making him believe he is lost in unfamiliar territory.
@@aiyanadutton1648yeh, they have scent glands on either side of their hips. They like to scent all over there homes so it’s a familiar smell. This is the same for most animals!
My hamster hurt himself because he fell off something in his cage in such a way, that his teeth hurt his food pouch on the inside. Now he's on meds. They are probably sweet because he's very cooperative and doesn't wiggle around when taking them ( it's a bunch of goo that you have to put on the wound ). Also, I think he likes me. When he hears me, he runs up to my hand and sits in it, waiting for pets. He sometimes falls asleep in my hands when I pet him, too :) Hamsters are amazing pets. Many people think they are good to give to children to teach them about caretaking and death. It's...not nice, to say the least. Of course, it's okay if done properly, but hamsters require proper care and love, and not be treated like a kids' toy
Yoooo this information is fantastic! Since hamsters are quite a “staple” pet, lots of people don’t even think to research their care or question the advice given to them. It’s great to see more and more people giving out proper care instructions. Props to y’all for doing all this research, keep at it!
My hammy passed away 2 days ago with 2 years and 7 months age and she was the happiest baby because I made sure everything was right for her. I did a 2 weeks research before getting her from the shelter. This video would help a lot for the beginner hamster owner. Please be kind to your animals, the rely only on you!
So sorry for your loss. My guy passed away about 2 weeks ago. He was 2 and a half years old and had everything he could ever need. He was extremely happy , he had all the space., treats and love he could ever get. Sadly he passed due to old age but he passed peacefully in his sleep. Cherish your memories together with her forever until you see her again .
This guide will be very useful when I get another hamster next year! I had three hamsters when I was a kid and I named all three Lester. My parents bought a small purple cage for him. I didn’t realize how depressed he was. We gave him all his necessities like food and water. Sadly they all passed. Going to name him Lester again and I’m going to own up my mistakes and break the curse!
All great info! just make sure not to clean your whole cage too often, it's very very stressful for them. It's highly suggested to spot clean and only fully clean their cage once every 2-3 weeks.
hi! Actually,you shouldnt clean ur whole cage at all. only spot clean everyday. edit: You obviously do not have to spot clean EVERYDAY, if your hamster has its pee corner you can spot clean that around 3 times a week. if ur hamster is very very messy and pees everywhere and it stinks you do have to clean the cage every few months, but I would suggest cleaning it 1 by 1, for example 1/3 of it, the other month the next third, so your hamster doesnt get too stressed by it.
If you have a small cage, then every couple weeks, but I expect people not to so like Mary said never clean your hamster cage unless there’s mole or something that can be dangerous for your hamster in your bedding. .
When you have to clean the cage depends on the individual hamster. Some hamsters are a bit messy. For example, some have multiple pee corners, and you can't seem to get the cage smell-free, no matter how much spot cleaning you do. Those messier hamster need whole cage cleaning every now and then. Other hamsters are super clean, and poop and pee in one spot. The Syrian hamster I have now is so clean, that she goes to the bathroom in one area only. She also pushes dirty litter out of her nest. I clean her bathroom area about twice a week, I remove the dirty litter she pushes out, plus I clean her wheel and flying saucer when they start looking a bit dirty. I got her five months ago as of the time of this writing, and I haven't yet had to do a whole cage cleaning.
My father is a vet, and runs a no kills animal shelter that I work for part time. I’m lead filmmaker and I write articles for the magazine. (I write and illustrate children’s books for a living.) However my father would pick up mice from a pet shop as food for a lizard. While He was jabbering away I decided to check out the hamsters. There was a baby hamster, and I wanted to hold it, but the adults were determined to defend it. They didn’t know I only wanted to hold it. I managed to push them aside and picked up the baby hamster. It gave what at the time I assumed to be a silent cry, (it was probably a yawn.) and flipped over as he was on his back. It was then that my dad told me it was time to go. I kind of feel bad because I must have terrified it, and they adult hamsters devotion to protect their young. I was only a child and didn’t know any better. I’m kind to animals. The pet shop closed down years ago and the last time I saw it the building it was falling apart.
@@karicarlisle8796 no, Fully cleaning the cage (at once) will stress the hamster. I think changing the bedding fully every 2 months would be alright (half the first month and half for the second so not all at once). Imo it's always best to leave some old bedding when cleaning so the hamster will recognise the scent! :)
My hamster had a Christmas tree storage bin as a home. It was really long and deep. I cut a large area of the top off and put in mesh so it was open and safe. All my critters get dried meal worms and vegetables as treats. The fluff issue, I told the store worker at a local pet shop about what could happen after he recommended it, he was shocked no one ever told him. My last hamster passed away some time ago and now I just have rats, though a lot of these things to not do, work for both.
i really like this since many of hamster videos are incorrect and actually can hurt the hamster. You havent included a bit of things, but its still a really good video with really good advice!!
Another BIG thing to know is you should Spot clean your hamsters cage regularly and DEEP clean 🫧 it once or twice a month.. It's important to not clean every single thing because it completely wipes off their scent and this causes major anxiety.. They know they're surroundings by their son if their scent isn't there they assume they are in a completely different place.. So when you deep clean if you wash out your Hammy's cage and wheel just leave some things with his scent.. usually though even if you deep clean you don't have to necessarily rinse out the bottom of the cage, you can just clean up all the food and waste and the bedding..
Thank you for these useful information, especially for hamster owners. I'm a new hamster owner, i got him just today and i was kind of worried about his appetite. He was energetic, but he does not eat well, so i searched facts about hamsters 'cause i thought that he might be sick or maybe it's just his personality. I wanted to ensure his health was stable and that he lives comfortably with me. Also, i actually wanted for him to have a hamster friend with him so that he will not get bored or be depressed in anyways about living alone with just me, since i too have work to do. I'm gonna try my best to be a good hamster owner and ensure their safety if i somehow get another one. Thank you again for this video and for the commenters here who shared their experience about their hamsters.
I know this is kinda late but for most types of hamsters, they are aggressive and will kill other hamsters invading their territory, they are just as territorial as dogs, so be careful!
We had a hamster that lived for 4 years he was so cute and we took good care of him and we played with him every day we let him walk in my room we gave lots of love to him
Me at number 14: omg yes! this is all right omg! Lets see how well this video goes. 13: correct again! I personally would argue the min for protein should be 18 but 16 is still good! 12: Correct, but you forgot to mention that if your hamster goes into torpor then you need to take them to the vet because if you don't they will continue to sleep and starve to death. 11:Correct, also it's not good to pile on the food because the food left behind might rot and contaminate the new food you put in if the dish isn't being emptied after awhile. 10:Correct, but be careful with items you let your hamsters chew. It's best to avoid anything with added colors. 9:WTF would people do this? the fact this has to be said is very saddening. Correct, don't take your hamster out!" 8: Correct, but it would have been nice if you put the min amount of space. 450 square inches is the min in the US for an enclosure should be, but it is not still not enough , it's still too small. 600 for dwarfs and 800 for Syrians minimum is better for them 7:Correct, also check for any bloods in their private areas. 6: Correct. But pet safe sand isn't correct, just because it says pet safe doesn't mean it's safe for hamsters. Hamsters have lots of respiratory issues so it must be dust free. And some pet safe sand are very dusty. You have to be careful. 5: Who yells at a hamster? A monster? Correct, don't yell at any animal. 4:correct 3: Correct, you want to spot clean once a week and then deep clean once a month , taking everything out and cleaning it with soap and water and then putting all new bedding in, but please keep some of the old bedding that isn't too dirty and pt it back in with the new one so they aren't stressed by the new scent. But only a little. 2: You skipped 2 lol What happened?XD 1: Correct.
Wonderful video, thank you for making this!! Very helpful information for anyone looking to bring a hamster home I think another thing to add is to have the proper enclosure ready *before* you adopt the hamster. Even if you have a temporary enclosure and are getting the new enclosure the next day, it can cause a lot of stress to hamsters to switch them to different enclosures twice within a short period of time
I had a friend who kept their hamsters in the same enclosure. They thought both of them were female but were worried about them not getting along. Turns out one was male and they got along a little too well.
im pleasantly surprised at the amount of accurate info in this video, as a small pet educator and rescue worker, i am always on the lookout for more factually correct videos that are fun to watch and can show to "beginners!"
@@karicarlisle8796 i’m not sure you understood my comment. i find correct informational videos on proper care fun to watch:) not improper care. i am an small animal educator- never would i find joy in improper care!
This is a VERY GOOD video for hamster keepers they do mistakes and didn't know like me when i saw the hamster wheel is too small i rushed to my hamster to test it out turns out my hamster wheel was about 3x bigger than my hamsters (i separate my hamsters so they won't kill each other) and i woke them up i said sorry (in Thai because i live in Thailand) and i put then to bed and they rushed to the two blankets that i gave them both(because it's winter in Thailand) that was super cute seeing them be like that
mine passed recently of natural causes but at just a year old. i feel like it was my fault even though i was told by the vet that i didn’t cause her death. i did so much research before i got her. she was happy and seemed healthy up until her last day. i watched her take her last breaths as she laid in my hands. she’s the one in my pfp. i miss her
Hey friend --- one minor correction, Syrians can't use an 8" wheel. That size is only good for dwarf hamsters. (I have an 8" for my smaller dwarf and a 10"for my larger dwarf) Syrians should have at least an 11-12" wheel. Some do better with even bigger than that! Otherwise a fantastic video - thanks 😊
For anyone looking for a good way to give your hamster protein I really recommend mealworm they are easy to find and you can just add them into their food!!!
Ya thank you that is something I've heard of a couple times so far in my research and it makes a lot of sense especially since it might be sort of difficult trying find him insects that are safe for hamsters or what hed naturally eat...being that my little Djungarian dwarf hamster is from what ive learned, Mongolia and i probably don't have the same sort of insects up in the PNW, lol. But I do totally have mealworm :)
I have two dwarf hamsters and I made sure to do all the research needed. But I've notices that they don't really runs round their enclosure much and they don't really burrow or dig around (their enclosure is pretty big as it should be for 2 hamsters), they do go on the wheel though so I keep thinking if there's something wrong with them?
One time when my boyfriend was hamster sitting for me, the hamster had decided to stuff its cheeks full of food before they had laid down. This is when my boyfriend had rushed it into the vet as he had started screaming "hurry up! My girlfriend is going to kill me if anything is wrong with her baby" only to have everyone at the vet start laughing at him as the vet had to break the news that there was nothing wrong with the hamster
Ty for your help, my hamster past away and her name is JoJo, she died at 2year old and almost to 3, I met her every day at the grave, thanks , this really helps me a lot.
I do all of these right to My hammie ❤ Expect that she is a picky eater. 😅She always just take what she thinks taste good from her food, but I will try make it better ❤🐾✨🐹 She is kinda old (2 yrs) but she’s very happy and energetic, I also got a hamster when I was 5 yrs old (ofc my mom helped me having it) but he was around 3 1/2 when he passed away, which is really good, cuz he was fine until the day before he passed away 💞🐾🐹✨🤍☁️ Im really scared My hamster soon pass, but in real life, i Maybe know that theres still time ✨😇💞 Lil reminder: your beautiful and you should know that ❤️✨🍄
I would contribute my part to the video, this is written with translator and carries only my experience. I think that the small wheels are for and really only for dwarf hamsters. They are smaller, but I would still recommend a large enclosure. One without bars, stress and even boredom will cause them to climb up the bars and in a right sized cage, they can fall and break their bones. I did an internship in a pet store and made my experiences there. for hamsters and dwarf hamsters is no recommendation to put them in a pair in a cage. it would be possible just not recommendable. after two months they start to attack each other and eat! They need enough toys, rest and a stress free life. Remember hamsters can die from stress! This can even reduce their life expectancy.
I’m happy to have seen this video because I always thought of hamsters 🐹 as good “1st pets” for school aged children. I have a 9 y/o & I thought it’d be nice to look at some RUclips videos on what to expect with hamsters along with my child. But, after seeing this very informative video, I definitely am going follow these helpful instructions ❤🐹
Wow I'm happy to see this. Most of these popular videos like this have no idea what they're talking about. This video is very accurate and informative! I'm amazed and happy that hamster care is improving and I'm seeing more and more people take good care of them. One thing tho is hamsters need at least 800 square inches of unbroken floor space in their enclosure. As well as 10 inches deeep of bedding. Not 6.
I had a hamster as a child and it passed away 10 minutes after I went to school. He was just so cute, lovely and happy!! I was sad for a long long time but im happy i havent seen when he was dying because for example, my mom did. She said he was walking all across the cage and in one moment he stopped moving. Hope he is in heaven ❤❤
I think each hamster has their own metabolism speeds so I will use my own 2 hamsters for an example One of them eat about 2 bowls a day and is a healthy weight and is quite happy most of the time, my other one eats about 1 small bowl in a day, so i would test how much your hamster eats and what makes them happy by spending the time to get to know their needs as each hamster may or may not have different needs to one another Some hamsters will let you brush them if they look greasy, or scruffy or even just to spend time with them. I would highly recommend only having one hamster at a time as they can get jealous of each other
Excellent video, thank you... No mention of how often to clean their cage though? I'm deep cleaning once a week and picking out their poop whenever I see it?? Thanks for uploading this 😊
usually these style of videos are badly researched and full of misinformation, but this was great! As far as Im aware, it taked about the most important points and didnt get anything wrong (there are some controversial topics but the video represented at least one of the possibly right answers)
This will also be different for each hamster though, because they have different personalities. So some of these things will depend on how they are. I’ve had many different kinds of rodents over at least 12 years and I can’t stress this enough. Some need different diets and some prefer to be in a high traffic area to mention some examples in this video. It entirely depends on your little friend and what they prefer or need.
My three hamsters have 12 inch wheels lots of hides paper bedding up to 10 inches i give them everything their diet needs and their enclosures are over 700 square inches of floor space
I had a teddy bear a few years ago, his name was Bubbles, I miss him a lot, he passed away at 3 years old in his sleep. I got another one two days ago, and I'm still right back to making sure I'm doing the right things. This one's name is Dandyberry.
It's important to keep the living space of your hamster clean, however don't clean it too often. I cleaned my hamster's cage once a week and then his scent gland got infected, as he always had to mark his space over again
GREAT FILM! Watch it BEFORE buying hamster, please. I am happy that my hammy had a good conditions. He in now in a hammy heaven and it is still for me so difficult that I have no more animals. Too difficult to say godd bye to another lovely hammy. But I love to watch them on a Yotu Tube but only in a good conditions.
4:00 I realized my hamster is really a picky eater, cause he only eats the sunflower seeds, corn seeds and nuts, he leaves the other food and I end dumping it
I have two hamsters together, though they don't fight at all . They love sleeping together and eating in their food bowl at the same time, they even snuggle in their small house inside their enclosure .
@@sherrie553 They've been together for a long time already, sometimes they get mad at eachother and play fight, but overall their all fine. But thank you for this reply.
Wow an accurate video for hamster care! One more thing to add, since pet hamsters originates from being lab hamsters, they NEED to eat daily lab blocks. It’s a great source of additional protein and are hard enough to also grind down their teeth
The video is great but i want to add that you should NOT use a dish. Just sprinkle the food in the cage so they will search for it similar to the nature. Greetings from Germany :)
We all have "off" days when we are a bit poorly, tired etc so we cannot be bothered to look for our food. Sometimes our small pets will have days like these too so it's a good idea to keep some food in a dish just in case! Just my thoughts.
@@Laura_Suzanne hi thank you for your answer A Hamster is actually Kind of a"wild" animal because it is not domesticated for so long. There is a difference to cats/dogs etc. They do not have days off because that would mean they wouldnt survive in nature. But typically hamsters bring a lot of food in their house so they have enough "at home" just in case they wouldnt find anything tomorrow. Hamsters are bored sooo incredibly fast so it is better for them keeping them busy all the time.
@@hannahf2862 That's a good point. I know it's important to keep them busy and scatter feeding is a form of enrichment. I just worry about my mice becoming ill from not getting enough nutrition as they have a high metabolism.
Hamsters from the same liter are fine together because they aren't threatened by each others scents. If it were different litters or breeds they'd fight to the death
Try to get a big enclosure but also look up free roaming because they love that Also I use eco washing up liquid mixed with water in a bottle to wash their stuff (and my own) it's cheaper than the sprays they sell just for hamsters and pretty much the same thing, maybe safer
About the animal proteins. It is not a must for goldhamster. My hamster refuses to eat any insects or worms (dried or living) and it is a fifty-fifty if it comes to other sources like egg. So I asked my vet and she says goldhamster don't need the extra source. It can be more complicated if it comes to dwarf hamster.
This video is amazing! I’ll be sure to recommend this to customers that gets a hamster. They can refer to this video for answers incase they forget! Thank you!
My little guy passed away today. She was 1 and a half year old. She were so happy! She really liked to sit with me and evetryhing i really loved her. Well today is my worst day of 2023 life is empty without him. Well Imma buy a new hamster soon, well a dwarf hamster i had the other sort of hamster I dont remember what its call on english tho. But I hope I get lucky and 2 happy little girls later on. I loved her so much she made me so happy and she meant alot to me. Now life's empty
Thanks for the info! The hamster I have is my first (he litteraly appeared in my house one day. We think he was a runaway because he was well feed and was used to humans), and I thought fruit would be ideal to feed him. I'm switching his diet. Also, I feel bad because I think his cage is too small, but it was the largest I could find on Amazon. It's like 16 inch height, 9 wide and 11 large. I try to always play with him, but these days work has been crazy and I can't pet him as I used. I'm sad that he could get depressed. I will follow your recommendations, great video
My little guy passed a few days ago. He was 2 1/2 years old and was the happiest guy ever ! Filled with treats , space , lots of love and everything he could ever need. He passed away peacefully in his sleep as he was older and slowly his big energy went down overtime . This video is excellent to ensure new owners are educated properly, not one of these points should be missed as they are all extremely important ! I disagree always that hamsters are just good first pets for a child. As they need to be taken care of extremely well to have a happy life. I always wanted a hamster as a child but being an adult now makes me grateful I did not get one when I was younger ,I would have been incapable of taking care of them properly. Excellent video ! My guy got a treat or tiny piece of a fruit /vegetable / whole wheat snack etc every other day. One week may be a tad too long , let them enjoy different things in moderation. He always was always happy for this. ❤ love you always Jojo.
So sorry your hammy died we spend so much time caring for them .we form strong emotional bonds/jojo had a happy life.let that be a comfort to you. and i agree hammies are not for kids they are extremely sensitive and need alot of looking after//i am sure the next hammy you get will ease your pain/and just remember the fun you had with your little guy .sadly they dont live long /time goes so fast xx
@@racheldoesacrylic4089 thank you very much your words mean alot. I don’t want another hammie anytime soon. I will cherish my memories with jojo forever and hope I see him again someday. However i would love to give another hammie an amazing life in the future.
hamster balls
I’m so sorry for your loss. Losing a pet is such a hard thing to go through. A bond with a hamster is just so amazing, I’ve had 3 before my little guy now. From what you’ve said, it sounds like your little guy had a good life, and passed peace. Rip jojo sending love ❤
I’m so sorry, mine passed in august and I know how it feels. He had a stroke and died at one. R.I.P Chewy❤️❤️🐹🐹
This is great for new owners! I always leave pet stores feeling irritated when the shop assistants start introducing unsafe food and items to the hammies and yet I couldn’t stop them! 😢
Same! I feel awkward when someone tries to tell me something about hamsters and it's not correct information. 🙁Including some shop assistants but even family and surroundings. I've got hamsters for 20 years and am still open to learn new info, but there are people with literally no knowledge, arguing with me. 😆 About the size of a cage, for example. Or, they want to give fresh fruit to hamster so often I need to stop it, but then they're angry about it. My little brother has more knowledge about hammies than some adults who think they already know everything. 😂
@@rowena_nmart thank you!! How old should fruits/veggies be till its okay to feed it to them?
Nice video! Just some corrections:
- For Syrian hamsters, the wheel needs to be at least 11inch in diameter, not 8inch, that's for dwarves
- For the diet, hamsters require at least 18% protein. if they're babies, more is preferred so you can give your hamster add-ons of: meal worms, boiled egg, scrambled egg, cooked plain chicken
- For feeding, 2 table spoons every 2/3 days is correct. Ideally you wouldn't want to put the food in a bowl but rather scatter it around the cage. Finding food is an enriching activity for hamsters, taking food from a bowl is not very enriching. Use the bowl for providing fresh fruit, veg and the occasional extra protein mentioned above
- For burrowing, 6 inches is not a lot. The recommended is 10/12 inches, if you can give more than that, even better. Some hamsters won't burrow unless they have a lot of bedding depth to do so.
- As for cleaning, the advice was vague. Hamster's poop is tiny and odourless, as for pee, if your hamster pees in its bedding, you should remove soiled bedding every 2 weeks (placing your hamster in a playpen or carrier during this process) and replace that soiled bedding with new bedding plus removing the poo. You never clean the whole cage as that would be very stressful and unnecessary since hamsters usually choose a spot in the cage to pee. If your hamster pees exclusively in a sand bath, you can remove the soiled pieces of sand daily and pretty much never touch the bedding unless it smells bad or the hamster peed on it
nerd🤓
Good to know thanks man
jk
Wow! This video is incredible! It’s really nice to watch an educational video without “shaming” other hamster owners. I’ve watched so many hamster videos and it just feels like a competition to be the best hamster owner. This video shows it is possible to educate without shaming others! Well done!
When I clicked on this video I expected it to be tons of inaccurate information, but I am so happily surprised! Whoever made this video obviously did their research :)
I’m so happy this information is being pushed more mainstream through this video. Usually accurate hamster care info Is only found in niche hamster communities on RUclips and other social media. But this video will definitely cause people outside of the hamster care community to be more educated on how to properly take care of these little guys! It’s so sad how much small pet care misinformation is commonly known and accepted ):
Fully agree !
Great response!
As a owner of an adorable hamster 🐹 I FULLY agree
My hamster was a Russian dwarf hamster and she lived 4 years. She was violent and paralysed but she clearly wanted to live
Loved her SO MUCH
Thats impossible, it would be 3 years only honestly. You took a very good care of your hamster
4?
@@HardPaws YES
IM AS SHOCKDD SS YOU
I'm gettinf one too
Concerning #3, I heard that you're not suppose to do a 100% clean on your hamster living environment. Hamster have poor vision, so they often leave scent markers around their enclosure to identify their location. Doing a 100% clean on your hamster's home will remove the hamster's scent markers, confusing the rodent, making him believe he is lost in unfamiliar territory.
Yeah bl
They do not leave scent marks
@@aiyanadutton1648 they have scent glands, so they do
@@aiyanadutton1648yeh, they have scent glands on either side of their hips. They like to scent all over there homes so it’s a familiar smell. This is the same for most animals!
@@opheliajocelyn no they don’t. They are one of the few animals that don’t have scent glands idiot
My hamster hurt himself because he fell off something in his cage in such a way, that his teeth hurt his food pouch on the inside. Now he's on meds. They are probably sweet because he's very cooperative and doesn't wiggle around when taking them ( it's a bunch of goo that you have to put on the wound ). Also, I think he likes me. When he hears me, he runs up to my hand and sits in it, waiting for pets. He sometimes falls asleep in my hands when I pet him, too :)
Hamsters are amazing pets. Many people think they are good to give to children to teach them about caretaking and death. It's...not nice, to say the least. Of course, it's okay if done properly, but hamsters require proper care and love, and not be treated like a kids' toy
Yoooo this information is fantastic! Since hamsters are quite a “staple” pet, lots of people don’t even think to research their care or question the advice given to them. It’s great to see more and more people giving out proper care instructions. Props to y’all for doing all this research, keep at it!
I did 3 months of research and I couldn’t be happier with my baby ❤
I have two hamsters
@@phoophoo68 me too
My hammy passed away 2 days ago with 2 years and 7 months age and she was the happiest baby because I made sure everything was right for her. I did a 2 weeks research before getting her from the shelter. This video would help a lot for the beginner hamster owner. Please be kind to your animals, the rely only on you!
So sorry for your loss. My guy passed away about 2 weeks ago. He was 2 and a half years old and had everything he could ever need. He was extremely happy , he had all the space., treats and love he could ever get. Sadly he passed due to old age but he passed peacefully in his sleep. Cherish your memories together with her forever until you see her again .
@@01guitardude thank you so much 🙏😔
Sorry for your loss
@@thebusybees2006 thank you 🙏
@@anastasiagalitsyna0207 you are welcome
This guide will be very useful when I get another hamster next year!
I had three hamsters when I was a kid and I named all three Lester.
My parents bought a small purple cage for him. I didn’t realize how depressed he was. We gave him all his necessities like food and water. Sadly they all passed.
Going to name him Lester again and I’m going to own up my mistakes and break the curse!
Good luck! I’m also getting a hamster next year. It’s my first proper pet! 😊
who the fuck names a hamster lester
@@dijunsnarwhal Congrats! Not sure if you have your little pet yet, but enjoy them if you do!
All great info! just make sure not to clean your whole cage too often, it's very very stressful for them. It's highly suggested to spot clean and only fully clean their cage once every 2-3 weeks.
Fully clean is every 3-6 months
@@AGULL Well I guess that makes my point lmao
hi! Actually,you shouldnt clean ur whole cage at all. only spot clean everyday.
edit: You obviously do not have to spot clean EVERYDAY, if your hamster has its pee corner you can spot clean that around 3 times a week. if ur hamster is very very messy and pees everywhere and it stinks you do have to clean the cage every few months, but I would suggest cleaning it 1 by 1, for example 1/3 of it, the other month the next third, so your hamster doesnt get too stressed by it.
If you have a small cage, then every couple weeks, but I expect people not to so like Mary said never clean your hamster cage unless there’s mole or something that can be dangerous for your hamster in your bedding. .
When you have to clean the cage depends on the individual hamster. Some hamsters are a bit messy. For example, some have multiple pee corners, and you can't seem to get the cage smell-free, no matter how much spot cleaning you do. Those messier hamster need whole cage cleaning every now and then. Other hamsters are super clean, and poop and pee in one spot. The Syrian hamster I have now is so clean, that she goes to the bathroom in one area only. She also pushes dirty litter out of her nest. I clean her bathroom area about twice a week, I remove the dirty litter she pushes out, plus I clean her wheel and flying saucer when they start looking a bit dirty. I got her five months ago as of the time of this writing, and I haven't yet had to do a whole cage cleaning.
Thankyou for this 🥺 Lot of people can have an awareness for giving our hamsters a quality life that they deserve 💙
🐹🐭🥀🥺
My father is a vet, and runs a no kills animal shelter that I work for part time. I’m lead filmmaker and I write articles for the magazine. (I write and illustrate children’s books for a living.) However my father would pick up mice from a pet shop as food for a lizard. While He was jabbering away I decided to check out the hamsters. There was a baby hamster, and I wanted to hold it, but the adults were determined to defend it. They didn’t know I only wanted to hold it. I managed to push them aside and picked up the baby hamster. It gave what at the time I assumed to be a silent cry, (it was probably a yawn.) and flipped over as he was on his back. It was then that my dad told me it was time to go. I kind of feel bad because I must have terrified it, and they adult hamsters devotion to protect their young. I was only a child and didn’t know any better. I’m kind to animals. The pet shop closed down years ago and the last time I saw it the building it was falling apart.
You are clearly not an animal person 🙄
not so fun fact: if you touch a hamsters baby, they will eat it…
came here to roast the misinformation, and am now seriously impressed. thank you for actually doing your research!
I hope more people see this video! It's so nice to see more people promoting proper hamster care!
So your saying that more people should do bad care do not fully clean the cage
@@karicarlisle8796 no, Fully cleaning the cage (at once) will stress the hamster. I think changing the bedding fully every 2 months would be alright (half the first month and half for the second so not all at once). Imo it's always best to leave some old bedding when cleaning so the hamster will recognise the scent! :)
My hamster had a Christmas tree storage bin as a home. It was really long and deep. I cut a large area of the top off and put in mesh so it was open and safe. All my critters get dried meal worms and vegetables as treats. The fluff issue, I told the store worker at a local pet shop about what could happen after he recommended it, he was shocked no one ever told him. My last hamster passed away some time ago and now I just have rats, though a lot of these things to not do, work for both.
i really like this since many of hamster videos are incorrect and actually can hurt the hamster. You havent included a bit of things, but its still a really good video with really good advice!!
Another BIG thing to know is you should Spot clean your hamsters cage regularly and DEEP clean 🫧 it once or twice a month.. It's important to not clean every single thing because it completely wipes off their scent and this causes major anxiety.. They know they're surroundings by their son if their scent isn't there they assume they are in a completely different place.. So when you deep clean if you wash out your Hammy's cage and wheel just leave some things with his scent.. usually though even if you deep clean you don't have to necessarily rinse out the bottom of the cage, you can just clean up all the food and waste and the bedding..
Thank you for these useful information, especially for hamster owners.
I'm a new hamster owner, i got him just today and i was kind of worried about his appetite. He was energetic, but he does not eat well, so i searched facts about hamsters 'cause i thought that he might be sick or maybe it's just his personality. I wanted to ensure his health was stable and that he lives comfortably with me. Also, i actually wanted for him to have a hamster friend with him so that he will not get bored or be depressed in anyways about living alone with just me, since i too have work to do. I'm gonna try my best to be a good hamster owner and ensure their safety if i somehow get another one. Thank you again for this video and for the commenters here who shared their experience about their hamsters.
I know this is kinda late but for most types of hamsters, they are aggressive and will kill other hamsters invading their territory, they are just as territorial as dogs, so be careful!
We had a hamster that lived for 4 years he was so cute and we took good care of him and we played with him every day we let him walk in my room we gave lots of love to him
Wow 4 years! You cared for him so much ❤ I hope mine lives aswell
Wonderful video with thoughtful research 👏 You’re doing hamsters everywhere a service.
P Yuku @
Yeah i didnt even know hamsters also eat lizards and larger prey such as frogs
Me at number 14: omg yes! this is all right omg! Lets see how well this video goes.
13: correct again! I personally would argue the min for protein should be 18 but 16 is still good!
12: Correct, but you forgot to mention that if your hamster goes into torpor then you need to take them to the vet because if you don't they will continue to sleep and starve to death.
11:Correct, also it's not good to pile on the food because the food left behind might rot and contaminate the new food you put in if the dish isn't being emptied after awhile.
10:Correct, but be careful with items you let your hamsters chew. It's best to avoid anything with added colors.
9:WTF would people do this? the fact this has to be said is very saddening. Correct, don't take your hamster out!"
8: Correct, but it would have been nice if you put the min amount of space. 450 square inches is the min in the US for an enclosure should be, but it is not still not enough , it's still too small. 600 for dwarfs and 800 for Syrians minimum is better for them
7:Correct, also check for any bloods in their private areas.
6: Correct. But pet safe sand isn't correct, just because it says pet safe doesn't mean it's safe for hamsters. Hamsters have lots of respiratory issues so it must be dust free. And some pet safe sand are very dusty. You have to be careful.
5: Who yells at a hamster? A monster? Correct, don't yell at any animal.
4:correct
3: Correct, you want to spot clean once a week and then deep clean once a month , taking everything out and cleaning it with soap and water and then putting all new bedding in, but please keep some of the old bedding that isn't too dirty and pt it back in with the new one so they aren't stressed by the new scent. But only a little.
2: You skipped 2 lol What happened?XD
1: Correct.
Wonderful video, thank you for making this!! Very helpful information for anyone looking to bring a hamster home
I think another thing to add is to have the proper enclosure ready *before* you adopt the hamster. Even if you have a temporary enclosure and are getting the new enclosure the next day, it can cause a lot of stress to hamsters to switch them to different enclosures twice within a short period of time
Not a hamster fan, but may her surrounding keep her pampering and safe forever. Saddy hamster.
I had a friend who kept their hamsters in the same enclosure. They thought both of them were female but were worried about them not getting along. Turns out one was male and they got along a little too well.
Aha Oh noo!
I hate hamsters
im pleasantly surprised at the amount of accurate info in this video, as a small pet educator and rescue worker, i am always on the lookout for more factually correct videos that are fun to watch and can show to "beginners!"
So it is fun to watch wrong care ya right
@@karicarlisle8796 i’m not sure you understood my comment. i find correct informational videos on proper care fun to watch:) not improper care. i am an small animal educator- never would i find joy in improper care!
Loved!! Simple graphics, illustrations all at one go. Thank you
This is a VERY GOOD video for hamster keepers they do mistakes and didn't know like me when i saw the hamster wheel is too small i rushed to my hamster to test it out turns out my hamster wheel was about 3x bigger than my hamsters (i separate my hamsters so they won't kill each other) and i woke them up i said sorry (in Thai because i live in Thailand) and i put then to bed and they rushed to the two blankets that i gave them both(because it's winter in Thailand) that was super cute seeing them be like that
The thumbnail literally broke my heart
Me too, I would never scold my hamster. I know he would never understand what I'm saying, just hearing me being mean to him.
mine passed recently of natural causes but at just a year old. i feel like it was my fault even though i was told by the vet that i didn’t cause her death. i did so much research before i got her. she was happy and seemed healthy up until her last day. i watched her take her last breaths as she laid in my hands. she’s the one in my pfp. i miss her
@@stra998 and why do you think that?
Hey friend --- one minor correction, Syrians can't use an 8" wheel. That size is only good for dwarf hamsters. (I have an 8" for my smaller dwarf and a 10"for my larger dwarf) Syrians should have at least an 11-12" wheel. Some do better with even bigger than that!
Otherwise a fantastic video - thanks 😊
this really depends on the size of your hamster! male Syrians are smaller and could maybe use a 8" but definitely a 9"
I was so expecting you to say to get a critter cage and other awful things but this is sooooooo amazing.
As a long term hamster owner this is an amazing video!!!
For anyone looking for a good way to give your hamster protein I really recommend mealworm they are easy to find and you can just add them into their food!!!
Thank you! This is really helpful.
Ya thank you that is something I've heard of a couple times so far in my research and it makes a lot of sense especially since it might be sort of difficult trying find him insects that are safe for hamsters or what hed naturally eat...being that my little Djungarian dwarf hamster is from what ive learned, Mongolia and i probably don't have the same sort of insects up in the PNW, lol. But I do totally have mealworm :)
I have two dwarf hamsters and I made sure to do all the research needed. But I've notices that they don't really runs round their enclosure much and they don't really burrow or dig around (their enclosure is pretty big as it should be for 2 hamsters), they do go on the wheel though so I keep thinking if there's something wrong with them?
90% of the people watching don’t even have a hamster
I have.6hamster
I have one named walnut and walnut is my favorite
@@mayorjodywhat about all their names
Not anymore :)
Not anymore :)
This is brilliant. I absolutely love this. Pets at home/petsmart need to use this advice
One time when my boyfriend was hamster sitting for me, the hamster had decided to stuff its cheeks full of food before they had laid down. This is when my boyfriend had rushed it into the vet as he had started screaming "hurry up! My girlfriend is going to kill me if anything is wrong with her baby" only to have everyone at the vet start laughing at him as the vet had to break the news that there was nothing wrong with the hamster
Haha, at least he went to check. You have a good boyfriend.
Ty for your help, my hamster past away and her name is JoJo, she died at 2year old and almost to 3, I met her every day at the grave, thanks , this really helps me a lot.
My hamsters passed out today 😢 he was 2 years old he never bite my hand he was a good friend
I’m so sorry for your loss 😢😢😢
I'm sorry😢
Im so sorry i wish you liked him why you had him im crying rn😢😢😢😢😢
Ok i good
@@HAMBURGER-hamI’m sure they liked the hamster if they kept it for two years 😂😂
I do all of these right to My hammie ❤
Expect that she is a picky eater. 😅She always just take what she thinks taste good from her food, but I will try make it better ❤🐾✨🐹
She is kinda old (2 yrs) but she’s very happy and energetic, I also got a hamster when I was 5 yrs old (ofc my mom helped me having it) but he was around 3 1/2 when he passed away, which is really good, cuz he was fine until the day before he passed away 💞🐾🐹✨🤍☁️
Im really scared My hamster soon pass, but in real life, i Maybe know that theres still time ✨😇💞 Lil reminder: your beautiful and you should know that ❤️✨🍄
I would contribute my part to the video,
this is written with translator and carries only my experience.
I think that the small wheels are for and really only for dwarf hamsters. They are smaller, but I would still recommend a large enclosure. One without bars, stress and even boredom will cause them to climb up the bars and in a right sized cage, they can fall and break their bones. I did an internship in a pet store and made my experiences there. for hamsters and dwarf hamsters is no recommendation to put them in a pair in a cage. it would be possible just not recommendable. after two months they start to attack each other and eat! They need enough toys, rest and a stress free life. Remember hamsters can die from stress! This can even reduce their life expectancy.
This is great advice all the way through
I’m happy to have seen this video because I always thought of hamsters 🐹 as good “1st pets” for school aged children. I have a 9 y/o & I thought it’d be nice to look at some RUclips videos on what to expect with hamsters along with my child. But, after seeing this very informative video, I definitely am going follow these helpful instructions ❤🐹
Excellent video
Very informative and will help many people be good hamster guardians 👍 💯
Wow I'm happy to see this. Most of these popular videos like this have no idea what they're talking about. This video is very accurate and informative! I'm amazed and happy that hamster care is improving and I'm seeing more and more people take good care of them. One thing tho is hamsters need at least 800 square inches of unbroken floor space in their enclosure. As well as 10 inches deeep of bedding. Not 6.
Finally some good advice !
I had a hamster as a child and it passed away 10 minutes after I went to school. He was just so cute, lovely and happy!! I was sad for a long long time but im happy i havent seen when he was dying because for example, my mom did. She said he was walking all across the cage and in one moment he stopped moving. Hope he is in heaven ❤❤
I think each hamster has their own metabolism speeds so I will use my own 2 hamsters for an example
One of them eat about 2 bowls a day and is a healthy weight and is quite happy most of the time, my other one eats about 1 small bowl in a day, so i would test how much your hamster eats and what makes them happy by spending the time to get to know their needs as each hamster may or may not have different needs to one another
Some hamsters will let you brush them if they look greasy, or scruffy or even just to spend time with them.
I would highly recommend only having one hamster at a time as they can get jealous of each other
When I had hamsters, I loved them so so much, and loising them was always devastating.
Great info!
i love you for making this oh my god people NEED to know about these things
Great video, many great points shown in a digestible way, like for younger audience, excellent job!
Excellent video, thank you... No mention of how often to clean their cage though? I'm deep cleaning once a week and picking out their poop whenever I see it?? Thanks for uploading this 😊
also if you keep your hamster in a dark place they can die from stress because they don't know whether it is day or night
usually these style of videos are badly researched and full of misinformation, but this was great! As far as Im aware, it taked about the most important points and didnt get anything wrong (there are some controversial topics but the video represented at least one of the possibly right answers)
This will also be different for each hamster though, because they have different personalities. So some of these things will depend on how they are. I’ve had many different kinds of rodents over at least 12 years and I can’t stress this enough. Some need different diets and some prefer to be in a high traffic area to mention some examples in this video. It entirely depends on your little friend and what they prefer or need.
All of thie information in this video is correct.
1:41 iswhat ive been doing! i have a big thing of bugs! (big for hamsters that is) and i feed her Edible Leafs, Grains, and more!
Why am I watching it I don’t even have a hamster? 🐹❌
Me to l want one
😂😂😂
Thank god
3am
I'm watching bc If I ever want to buy a hamster I will know the things that csm harm them so in future I won't do it
@@PrishaRobloxContent bro in 20 years ur probably gonna forget ab it.
My three hamsters have 12 inch wheels lots of hides paper bedding up to 10 inches i give them everything their diet needs and their enclosures are over 700 square inches of floor space
Thank You so much for this video, i hope more people see it!!!
My hamster just hates me and I try everything to make her happy 😢
Why do you hate me
this video is a gem, so glad i found your channel!
Amazing video with great research done!
I had a teddy bear a few years ago, his name was Bubbles, I miss him a lot, he passed away at 3 years old in his sleep. I got another one two days ago, and I'm still right back to making sure I'm doing the right things. This one's name is Dandyberry.
Are you stupid a teddy bear is not a pet
@Ash-x9m They are talking about a Teddy Bear Syrian.
Lets be more empathetic towards them.
It's important to keep the living space of your hamster clean, however don't clean it too often. I cleaned my hamster's cage once a week and then his scent gland got infected, as he always had to mark his space over again
If anyone yells at Hampster they dont need them!!!!
Your right
Yeah 😊
Who is watching this informative cute video , because hamsters are so ADORABLE ? 🐹🧡
thanks for this! I own. 2 hamsters and this really helped!
Thank u for making this video. Too many people r abusing hamsters
it's really sad that hamsters often get mistreated :( save hammies!
Me when I don't have a hamster: 👁👄👁
Hey the treat thing I had had little bugs in it, but they were alive. Do you live feed hamsters, or did the bugs get in by mistake?
0:19 Number 14
Great video! Good to see proper advice given!!
my hamster died a year ago
me too
I’ve lost 3 little buddies so far
Ho my, poor hamsters, I would give them lots of love😭😭
GREAT FILM! Watch it BEFORE buying hamster, please.
I am happy that my hammy had a good conditions. He in now in a hammy heaven and it is still for me so difficult that I have no more animals. Too difficult to say godd bye to another lovely hammy. But I love to watch them on a Yotu Tube but only in a good conditions.
4:00 I realized my hamster is really a picky eater, cause he only eats the sunflower seeds, corn seeds and nuts, he leaves the other food and I end dumping it
Same here
same here. I've started making my own food mix now because of it lmao
I have two hamsters together, though they don't fight at all . They love sleeping together and eating in their food bowl at the same time, they even snuggle in their small house inside their enclosure .
They could potentially fight the older they get
@@sherrie553 They've been together for a long time already, sometimes they get mad at eachother and play fight, but overall their all fine. But thank you for this reply.
Wow an accurate video for hamster care! One more thing to add, since pet hamsters originates from being lab hamsters, they NEED to eat daily lab blocks. It’s a great source of additional protein and are hard enough to also grind down their teeth
Great graphics, hope some hammies out there benefit from their keepers watching this!
The video is great but i want to add that you should NOT use a dish. Just sprinkle the food in the cage so they will search for it similar to the nature.
Greetings from Germany :)
We all have "off" days when we are a bit poorly, tired etc so we cannot be bothered to look for our food. Sometimes our small pets will have days like these too so it's a good idea to keep some food in a dish just in case!
Just my thoughts.
@@Laura_Suzanne hi thank you for your answer
A Hamster is actually Kind of a"wild" animal because it is not domesticated for so long. There is a difference to cats/dogs etc.
They do not have days off because that would mean they wouldnt survive in nature.
But typically hamsters bring a lot of food in their house so they have enough "at home" just in case they wouldnt find anything tomorrow.
Hamsters are bored sooo incredibly fast so it is better for them keeping them busy all the time.
@@hannahf2862 That's a good point. I know it's important to keep them busy and scatter feeding is a form of enrichment. I just worry about my mice becoming ill from not getting enough nutrition as they have a high metabolism.
Me not having a hamster:
OH NO! IS MY HAMSTER DOING WELL?! LEMME CH- oh wait
Whenever I clean my Hamster's cage I use Vinegar, it's natural and doesn't leave a strong smell after cleaning.
9:32 I have two female hamsters and they Love to hug,sleep and live together bc they are sisters❤
That’s good if they are sisters but brothers often hurt each other also make sure your watching your hammy cuz they may start to fight over food
Hamsters from the same liter are fine together because they aren't threatened by each others scents. If it were different litters or breeds they'd fight to the death
4:57 : "or hawks"
Video: *shows a bald eagle*
Me: wait, what? 😕🤔
thank you for spreading awareness! 😁
Great video! helped with some dilemmas I was having. Thank you!
Try to get a big enclosure but also look up free roaming because they love that
Also I use eco washing up liquid mixed with water in a bottle to wash their stuff (and my own) it's cheaper than the sprays they sell just for hamsters and pretty much the same thing, maybe safer
About the animal proteins. It is not a must for goldhamster. My hamster refuses to eat any insects or worms (dried or living) and it is a fifty-fifty if it comes to other sources like egg. So I asked my vet and she says goldhamster don't need the extra source. It can be more complicated if it comes to dwarf hamster.
This video is amazing! I’ll be sure to recommend this to customers that gets a hamster. They can refer to this video for answers incase they forget! Thank you!
Great information. Thank you so much.
My little guy passed away today. She was 1 and a half year old. She were so happy! She really liked to sit with me and evetryhing i really loved her. Well today is my worst day of 2023 life is empty without him. Well Imma buy a new hamster soon, well a dwarf hamster i had the other sort of hamster I dont remember what its call on english tho. But I hope I get lucky and 2 happy little girls later on. I loved her so much she made me so happy and she meant alot to me. Now life's empty
Thanks for the info! The hamster I have is my first (he litteraly appeared in my house one day. We think he was a runaway because he was well feed and was used to humans), and I thought fruit would be ideal to feed him. I'm switching his diet.
Also, I feel bad because I think his cage is too small, but it was the largest I could find on Amazon. It's like 16 inch height, 9 wide and 11 large.
I try to always play with him, but these days work has been crazy and I can't pet him as I used. I'm sad that he could get depressed.
I will follow your recommendations, great video
These have been very helpful... especially because my cousins who are watching my hamster put my poor baby in a new environment...
Tysm for making this
Thankyou for this so I can take care of my hamster better!