Hey, I actually worked at Petsmart (a pet store chain in North America) for about 8 months to actually educate customers and even employees on reptiles (in particular) and other pets on how they really should be cared for. So I guess I worked at one to really spread education to others and encourage people to do their research and not just impulse buy an animal that they know nothing about. And I am proud of doing that and had sooo many customers trust my knowledge and sent them home to continue their research before they buy. So there are some good people in that industry that do care. :) I don't work there anymore anyway because of just how toxic an environment it really is. Just thought I would share!!!
As someone who has taken care of multiple hamsters during my time, here's some advice. - Get a bigger enclosure so it has plenty of room to roam. - DO NOT handle it too much, especially in the beginning as it can and will stress out the hamster which can lead to complications. - Do not use wood shavings as bedding, it is very dusty and can lead to respitory infections in the hamster, some woods used in wood shavings is also toxic. Go for safe substrates like aspen, hemp, paper based beddings such as carefresh, etc. - Get a drinking bottle - Always provide hamster with nesting material -> For nesting material, never EVER buy "hamster fluff" or anything that pet stores sell that is cotton like, it can seriously injure and kill the hamster. Just use ripped up toilet/tissue paper. - Dwarf hamsters are very prone to diabetes, so avoid feeding it anything sugary. Stay away from colorful food mixes that pet stores sell, and dont feed it sugary fruits and veggies, there are plenty of lists online about hamster safe foods. When buying food mixes, try and find something with high protein content. - When getting a wheel, make sure to buy a safe one. Do not buy anything like this: i.ytimg.com/vi/fd8vl5LJoM8/maxresdefault.jpg (metal wire type wheels) as they can get stuck, break bones and severly injure themselves. Also make sure to get a big enough wheel so their back doesnt arch too much when they run in it. I used a 20 cm wheel for mine. All that said, best of luck to you and your new hamster, I'm sure you'll provide it with the best care possible. :) Keep up the good work! Cheers!
You should really use a paper bedding. Pine and cedar will kill your hamster over time. You can even use shredded paper towels. Also use the biggest wheel you can find!! The small wheel will hurt your hamster's back. Also make sure that the wheel is solid plastic, wire wheels can cause many problems.
Yes I love you adding a hamster to the mix. You should see the amazing set ups user Hopping Hammy sp? has posted. I hope you also post hamster updates too
I don't think that's a Phodopus sungorus... It's most likely a hybrid of the species Phodopus sungorus and Phodopus campbelli. Very often breeders won't bother to breed "pure" species, so the most Djungarian hamsters you can get in pet shops are hybrids. They're fine though, except they need a little more attention in regards to their diet. Please, use grainless food for this species - not pressed chunks, but stick with various grass seeds and such. It will prevent any health issues like diabetes. Also, please avoid any treats and food that contains honey and/or sugar additives. Also, hamsters, even dwarves, need WAY bigger enclosures with way more "diggable" substrate as they dig huge burrows in the wild. Your baby already started digging after you just put it in the bin, so I would provide way deeper substrate as well. Unless T's they have huge territories and urge to move around a lot, a university in Switzerland actually did research and found out that the dwarf hamster species need an enclosure with at least 0,5 to 1 qm of space, in other words an enclosure with at least 100x50cm in size. One of my female Syrian hamsters has an enclosure which provides 1,2 qm space (120x100cm) and she's still not fully satisfied with it :D Also, they need a decent sized dish with sand, the same one that you use for chinchillas. That's how they keep themselves and their fur clean. And dwarves need a way bigger wheel than the pet shop most probably suggested. I'd go at least with 20 cm in diameter, for bigger fellas of this species even 25. I've kept those beautiful creatures for at least 10 years now and I love them to pieces :) I do like you and your channel very much and I'm only writing you this as I think that you from all the people have an interest in keeping all of your pets as well as possible :)
Also, here's a pretty decent website that I'd recommend for you - you can get various inspiration out of there: hamstergehege.blogspot.de/search?updated-max=2013-03-12T16:49:00-07:00&max-results=5&start=5&by-date=false&m=0
Thanks for the great advise, I wrote a lengthy post myself, I'm very passionate about hammys too =D I too only mean well, I want him and his hammy to be as happy as possible...
If you can find paper bedding or even shredded newspaper, its so much better then wood shaving substrates, they can get respiratory infections on wood shavings alot easier. In the US, we have carefresh and kaytee clean and cozy.
I used to own hamsters and one thing I can tell you is to never mix two males in the same cage, they will fight nonstop for food. Also do not overfeed them when overfed they often waste tons of food. Good luck!
Estabancrafter when I first got given 2 hamsters they were male(from my cousin since he didn't want them anymore) and the hamsters never had a fight for food but when they got mature my hamster ate my brothers hamster even tho I fed them everyday. :( we didn't do any research either but they lived 4 years.
hamster in general are highly territorial and very aggressive and will attack even family.. So hamsters should only be held alone, after a while they will attack even family up to cannibalism as reported.. its also just in general very stressful for them, they move a lot, up to 2km /day and so being in a small room with another (did you at least have 2 of those running-thing?) means they basically annoy each other all the time.. Rarely you may have some who tolerate it but its not really good
Berge even tho I own a corn snake and wanna get a lot more I would own a rat or a mouse as a pet, they're so cute. Obviously I can't help that my pet eats mice but I would never feed live good anyways.
Valiant Faynt good, especially since from what I've heard from my local nature centre director, that it's healthier for them. Apparently live food can stress them out way more and may lead them to be more food aggressive.
For me it depends what animals. Tarantulas (pretty rare in petshops here), reptiles, amphibians.. I wouldn't buy. There was once I didn't know about this, I bought a snake and it died within a week. Not to mention it was overpriced! All they want is money, true.
Having a shop means having rent, employees ect... you pay more for allowing someone to be paid a wage. Also how many T’s have I seen die after being posted to you die? What a silly comment NOT true
The store I get my feeders from (it's a small business) don't let you leave with an animal unless they've talked to you numerous times over the animal and you provide proof you have a suitable enlocsure prepared for it. They are really awesome. I just got into tarantulas and one of the employees has a huge collection of them he's been a big help with my pink salmon pink bird eater and picking out the best species for my next one. Love your videos!
The Dark Den cockroaches arent the cutest things for most people. So it is not as sad when you feed cockroaches to the tarantulas. Thank you for not using the hampster.
parker pancake don't listen to that guy, he's been trolling another comment section where someone gave advice about keeping the hamster. You SHOULD give a water bottle for the hamster and not a bowl because their fur is very sensitive, they need a sand bath to care for it as well. They should have a water bottle so they have the option to drink whenever they want even though most of the water they need should come from their food as it would in the wild.
Very sweet. I feel the same way about the pet shops and educating about all the animals they sell. Guinea pigs and tarantulas get the worst end of it in my opinion. All my pets are adopted from a rescue or animal shelter. What are you going to call him? BTW we call the wood bedding 'shavings' here in Canada. Thank again for the video. My family and I tune in weekly. My daughter Cailee is wondering where you are from. She is the one who started the family with tarantulas after I made her research and answer a tonne of questions about tarantulas, their care tc etc. She's an expert and is still learning all she can. We have 2 Honduran curly hair, a pumpkin patch, an Avicularia avic., a pink salmon bird eater and finally a Mexican orange knee. We will soon be breeding the Avicularia as soon as we are confident in our knowledge base. Your videos are a great help. Cheers
I recently commented on an older video showing Pufi asking about his tail. I'm still wondering why it is so short. I have a friend who has 2 chinchillas and they both have very fluffy long tails. Is Pufi a different species or has something happened to him. I love you videos and I hope you respond 😊😊😊 have a wonderful day!!!
I conpletely agree. Ive been doing tons of research, because of your videos I'm so interested and have decided I want a scorpion. Now I'm going to get it a big enclosure because I cannot have a collection, just one of two of same species, but I am in the works of research so that when I go to buy it/then, I can be full prepared, know what to get it and have it ready for the scorpion(s). Thank you so much for amazing videos and keep up the good work! -Trevor, Ohio, US
About 7k subs a week I hope you can make jake Paul eat his words ' 5 million in 6 months never done before.' Dark Den lets get 6 million in 5 months! 😀 you really deserve it
Our chinchillas look similar and act similarly! Glad you showed him, we talked about it a few videos ago in the comments. You should buy a tea leaf ring for him, mine loves it.
The Dark Den actually, funny thing, "tarantella" is the original way it was spelled. Tarantella was the name of the dance people would do when they were bitten by the wolf spider known as the tarantula to get the venom out.
I used to have two hamsters my mom gave them to the school they were named sweetie and muffin it was like 4 years ago and they were boys and one hated everyone but me when we gave them to the school the first person who got to take it home for the weekend saw that the next day one had bitten the head off the other and I cried now I'm sad):
SOME wood shavings are fine for small mammals such as hamsters. Aspen is fine to use. Pine and Cedar are ones that should be avoided as they could cause harm and shorten their life span. Aubiose, or hemp, or even shredded paper towels or toilet paper are better than using pine or cedar because it gives the hamster less chance of illness. You can use a dish of water, but beware they could spill it, a bottle is generally less mess, but could leak, you'd want to check the bottle you get if you do that. You should also give the cutie a wheel or flying saucer to run on, they make some really quiet ones now. Usually 6-8 inches (about 15 - 20 cm) is fine for this small one, the more important part is that their back doesn't arch while they run. If you can provide more than 3 inches (about 7.5 cm) of substrate, even if it's only on one part of the cage, they would love to dig around in it, and some will prefer that bedding to burrow down in to instead of using their hides to sleep in. Congratulations on your furry addition to your collection. I love these little guys, they're so funny to watch
I rescued my cat at a pet shop via an organization. I support rescues who save pets from high kill rate shelters (in my kitten's case, it was a shelter in Quebec where the animals have 72 hours to be adopted and any pets passed that get gassed in a large chamber by the dozens). The pet shop only houses the animals in order to give them more time to be adopted to forever homes. However, you are right, there are a lot of pet shops out there where the employees are under-educated on more advanced species, there are also good ones out there too. When it comes to reptiles and tarantulas, I would definitely go in the direction of breeders. I just feel more comfortable knowing the people breeding and taking care of the animals specialize in those specific species.
Yesterday, I bought a tarantula in a pet shop and they knew everything about every pet they had in their shop. They also asked me, what size of terrarium I have and I think I'm very lucky to have such a good pet shop near my home! They really care about the animals they're selling and don't see them as an object.
You seem like a caring guy but did you need to have the big bright light focussed on the open hamster box? Introducing him/her to their new environment should be a gentle and calm experience. A small nocturnal animal and a spotlight just do not go together. You have some great film equipment there but maybe not so good for the actual hamster.
Just a tip here (also I personally have my own hamster and he is super cute) use a water bottle for it to drink out of, NEVER use a bowl because if hamsters get too wet they can get too cold and possibly die. Watch your hamsters actions and look them up if your not sure what it means, or watch a video. If your hamster is sneezing look if their is any vents or drafts by his cage, is so move his cage away from the cold area. If he still continues to sneeze look in the corners of his cage for dust. Some cages start collecting dust after awhile. If there is no dust. Take him to a vet. (Just a couple tips) oh and make sure he has plenty of things to keep him company like chews, a wheel, a plastic ball so when you let him out he can roam around, and also make sure to take him out everyday because hamsters need alot of attention (unlike your tarantulas XD.) Also, make sure that if you buy another hamster when you still have this one, DO NOT group 2 hamsters together in the same cage, they are very territorial(exspecually 2 females) there is a possibility that one out of your two girl hamsters will be a boy. Look up what to do if you don't know( I whould tell you but this comment is already really long as it is lol) GOOD LUCK! Edit~ also change the bedding never get cotton or cedar chips, it can kill your hamster
Richards Tech & Games that's what I wanted to say to him He needs to get toys, chewing toys and change the bedding. I have forgotten the name of the best type of bedding.. The only thing I know is the best thing is paper/ cardboard made bedding
Patrick P. Figueiredo I love Care Fresh but its a lil pricey. I currently have Pantee i think. I will be building a custom House for my hamster soon too and then i will start using care fresh might get some camo lol
Richards Tech & Games Is the name Care Fresh? I'll take a look And cool! Will you have it on video? Could be cool teach people how to care and show the best things for hamsters and your own creativity Like the channel Vanilla HamHam and other channels too Maybe less theatrical though lol
Exciting stuff! I found a wild Harpactira Namaquensis female yesterday. First time I see the species but I presume she is mature. Baboon spiders are soooo nice, she spun a web last night and ate a cricket no problem. Try out more of the old world species. They are a treat. Except the OBTs
hi Mr.DarkDen Im David from the philippines . Im so sick today but until a saw your videos about nature makes me feel better and i like how you care about the living things that mothernature gave . keep it up and I also subscribe you .
I don't know if anyone's said this BUT DON'T GET A SMALL WHEEL. The wheel has to be really big compared to the hamster's size, the hamster's spine mustn't bend at all when running! A small wheel will cause back problems. And remember to have a safe wheel, open front and solid back that leaves no chance for the hamster to get their leg stuck or even break their spine. Hamsters like to dig so they need lots of substrate, some recommend more than 10 inches, and many hamsters I've seen also like to climb. They need lots of hides because they want at least one for sleeping, one for hiding food, and one to "do their business" in. They also need something else than just bedding, you can toss her some toilet paper and she should rip it into pieces to make her nest! And a sand bath! They are omnivorous, so you can occasionally feed her the same bugs you feed your spiders, you also shouldn't feed her too much of those pellets because I suspect they're the same we have here which is: lots of sugar, little nutritional value. I at one point had to make a presentation about hamsters and I included information about 4-5 different species and if I remember correctly the one you have is actually one that isn't a loner but one that lives in big communities like guinea pigs. I have to go check if I still have that powerpoint saved somewhere because there were lots of information on it and I can't remember it all... Hamsters are more difficult than many think, I thought they're the easiest about a year ago!
I agree entirely. Just last night I rescued a juvenile B. Albopilosum from a local store. They had the poor thing in a small steel case with a green felt floor and empty water dish. I hated giving them my money, but small price to pay for getting the poor thing out of there.
hey! I'm not sure if someone already said this, but please don't use scented bedding for your hamster. Their nose is really sensitive and the smell will bother them. And just a tip I use with my dwarf hamster, scatter the food around the cage and even put it under the bedding, it's really fun to watch the hamster sniff around the cage to find it and it's more natural to them. I stopped using bowls a long time ago and my hamster is really happy about it :) And hamsters need a big enough wheel, so be sure to get that. Toilet rolls, or whatever the cardboard tunnels are called, are an amazing toy for dwarf hamsters. Have fun with your new pet, it's very cute! :)
i worked at a pet shop, not a chain tho, and they were amazing. unfortunately the business went bust as people didnt bother going to them as they were questioned about the animal. we were told that if they dont know enough to keep the animal healthy show them but dont sell the animal to them. the pet shop also wanted to see a picture of the enclosure and then wanted the person in the photo too to get an idea of size. they were amazing and went through everything. the people who worked there also had to have experience of keeping these animals too. down side was that the people who were refused sale didnt come back and they lost a lot of money. i just wish all pet shops were like that.
Very cute! We don't have Hamsters here in Australia, as well as Gerbils and Chinchillas. Adopting an animal from a rescue/shelter is also a great option too 👍
love your videos dude, you have made me convince myself to start a tarantula collection! going to do my research first and going to get either the chilean rose or chaco golden knee, not sure what one to start with haha
Wow. impressive pets. Please be sure to teach me how to take care of scorpions and targets. I am very amazed at you and how you can take care of your pets.
Hey 1) I want free tarantulas 2) the substrate is called wood shavings 3) do not use a dish for water beacause it will always be full of substrate as the hamster digs around the enclosure..prefer a water bottle ( you will find it in petshops) and just do a diy on a stand for it ( search in youtube ) 4) this tub is better than cages it will be more than ok in there ...just put a lid or something 5) Love vids
I work in a pet shop in the U.K. I do agree with what you say that there are places that just want money but we make sure the customers know what they are buying and have done research first. Animals deserve the best that we can give them if we are going to keep them. Always check what an animal requires before getting one.
I ended up picking up my first turantula a Honduras curly hair on friday very docile there was a few bald spots on her abdomen maybe premolt or hair kicking but plan on taking good care of her
agreed!! last week i went to a pet shop~ there's a dead tarantula (either Cobalt blue or Singapore Blue sp.) and the workers did not even notice it~ the dead ts is literally outside of it hide~
I bought wood shavings last summer and with it came three large black and slim spiders shipped inside. Never bought wood shavings again and I'm pleased to see that they aren't good for my hamster anyway!
Hi, love your videos, and beautiful collection! Q: How did you learn to speak such good English? I dislike hamster, the one we got for my son bit a lot, but he was a "mini size". I am so glad that I read a whole book on T care before I bought my first tarantula, and boy am I glad that I did! I bought my daughter a guinea pig from a pet store and it gave her ring worm, then died of diarrhea! I have since learned that they need to be fed in a certain ratio of food to hay, and do not do well alone, you should buy at least 2, as they are communal/social animals. She was pretty heart broken, so I agree about pet-shop animals. There are so many resources locally online you shouldn't need a pet-shop nowadays.
You make me want a centipede from a previous video I watched from you but I would not have peace of mind during the night, AWESOME VIDEOS by the way !!!!
Would you recommend slings for a "beginner"? I won't be holding it just feeding it and watching it, I am scared of spiders but I seem fine with the thought of tarantulas since watching your channel.
I have a local pet store I've bought several tarantulas from. They start to talk to me about how to care for it then say, "oh, you know this stuff. I don't have to tell you!" Love them there! Give him the rest of that box. They love to shred them. That is a nice hamster. It's hard to find one in the states that isn't so scared of people you can barely handle it. I still prefer gerbils though. Sorry for rambling!
dude, i really like your videos, enough for me to try to start my collection.. what advices do you have for a starter like myself (specie, enclosure, etc) thanks.. keep up the vids..
I agree that big chain pet shops dont know what there talking about but i worked in a small pet store and i or the other person who worked there have kept every animal in the shop at some point so we new what we where talking about
That Chinchilla is so cute, looks just like mine. Oh and I will be purchasing my first tarantula soon hopefully, not going to a pet shop but rather a reptile expo nearby. Any terrestrial species that aren't too run of the mill that you can suggest (I've seen your begginer species video but I feel like everyone has brachypelmas)?
Dark Den you should get a warrior beetle ( Or any type of beetle ). If you search " Warrior Beetle " on RUclips, you will know why. The genus is Pasimachus.
I had a hamster from Pets at Home in the UK, it was a horrible experience. It could not be picked up unless you're OK with a deep bite to blood on your hand. They're nocturnal and mine was in a metal cage, making horrible noise as he tried to bite trough the bars. They like to do their toilet in one place, and if you dont clean and change the substrate like every week, their pee will stink horribly. None of the tips on internet helped to make him more friendly, he finally escaped when my aunt was taking care of him during my holiday. I also agree with the pet shops part, usually the animals are not kept properly and not in good condition. Their main point is to SELL, without caring about the animals. I hate that they sell for example goldfish requiring at least 80 litres to tiny 5 litre unfiltered fish bowl. And they will often try to sell you a heater for goldfish too, even tho goldfish is a coldwater fish and does not require one, their lack of knowledge is astounding. And if we consider a typical customer that believes them, he buys a goldfish in a bowl, it dies after a week or less, and he goes back to get another one and so on, pet shops like that type of people because they will keep buying. Before you get an animal I recommend learning about it so you can take proper care, and reading reviews/opinions about the pet shop or other place where you want to buy it.
Man, I thought we were going to get to meet Mama Dark Den. Oh well. Lol. My local pet shop is one of those rare exceptions you mentioned. They're pretty knowledgeable, and if it's something they don't know offhand they do their best to try to find out for you. They always ask me for tarantula advice, especially when they get new species in. "How big do these get? Are they a more aggressive type? Do they need humidity or are they a more dry species? Is there anything special we need to know about them?" I'm always glad to help them out and they've cut me some pretty good deals a few times for it as well.
Reminds me of when I starting getting into tarantulas I bought a few and didn't know what I was doing so they didn't last long. After that I really do my research for months before getting something new. My animals are all doing good now though.
Daw great pet! some quick advice for the little guy(or girl lol) id say a paper base bedding would be better, make sure not to get a to small wheel, small wheels tend to hurt theyre backs so make sure it can properly run in it, also make sure to hide some food around to make sure the little guy explores :) ps. im sure ive heard they like to take sand baths, and can even be trained to go potty in them so they wont mess up theyre surroundings to much, id look into it more :) Good luck!
I got my sulcata tortoise from a local breeder. The pet shop nearby sells them, too, but tells everyone to keep them in sand and that pyramiding of the shell is an ideal situation. They're wrong ... and it hurts me when I go there to buy mom's dog food and I see all the baby sulcatas that I know are going to be raised wrong and be in a lot of discomfort and pain as they grow ... I hope they stop getting sulcatas altogether ...
Hi there everything its ok but change the water dish and buy on watter bottle for rodents, and maybe another substrate will be better than that. If you put a weel (made of plastic with no holes ) the hamter will be living good and out of stress
A friend had a chinchilla I baby sat her she’s so cute, sadly she got out of her cage and died a terrible death, they blocked their fridge, he got wedged between the wall & fridge and died ..
I am actually really enjoying these videos. I have arachnophobia however I wish to pursue entomology as my career path. Even though it is the study of insects, arachnids play a big part in the science. I must say I am finding a new appreciation for these specimens and I can see you are very passionate about your pets. Keep it up, I look forward to your future videos.
It's true they don't know. I went to pick up crickets for my reptiles and the associate was pushing calcisand for a leopard gecko. It was insane. I immediately informed the customer after associate left.
Bravo Petko samo nastavi secam se pre valjda 2 ili 3 nedelje tako nesto imao se 25 000 suba a sada jos malo pa 100 000 i samo tako nastavi, inace da li bi mogao da snimas jos klipova o zabama dosta su interesantne? 😀😉
Pufi is adoooraableeee
Hey, I actually worked at Petsmart (a pet store chain in North America) for about 8 months to actually educate customers and even employees on reptiles (in particular) and other pets on how they really should be cared for. So I guess I worked at one to really spread education to others and encourage people to do their research and not just impulse buy an animal that they know nothing about. And I am proud of doing that and had sooo many customers trust my knowledge and sent them home to continue their research before they buy. So there are some good people in that industry that do care. :) I don't work there anymore anyway because of just how toxic an environment it really is. Just thought I would share!!!
Yeah, I said that there are exceptions, you were definitely on of them :)
As someone who has taken care of multiple hamsters during my time, here's some advice.
- Get a bigger enclosure so it has plenty of room to roam.
- DO NOT handle it too much, especially in the beginning as it can and will stress out the hamster which can lead to complications.
- Do not use wood shavings as bedding, it is very dusty and can lead to respitory infections in the hamster, some woods used in wood shavings is also toxic. Go for safe substrates like aspen, hemp, paper based beddings such as carefresh, etc.
- Get a drinking bottle
- Always provide hamster with nesting material -> For nesting material, never EVER buy "hamster fluff" or anything that pet stores sell that is cotton like, it can seriously injure and kill the hamster. Just use ripped up toilet/tissue paper.
- Dwarf hamsters are very prone to diabetes, so avoid feeding it anything sugary. Stay away from colorful food mixes that pet stores sell, and dont feed it sugary fruits and veggies, there are plenty of lists online about hamster safe foods. When buying food mixes, try and find something with high protein content.
- When getting a wheel, make sure to buy a safe one. Do not buy anything like this: i.ytimg.com/vi/fd8vl5LJoM8/maxresdefault.jpg (metal wire type wheels) as they can get stuck, break bones and severly injure themselves. Also make sure to get a big enough wheel so their back doesnt arch too much when they run in it. I used a 20 cm wheel for mine.
All that said, best of luck to you and your new hamster, I'm sure you'll provide it with the best care possible. :) Keep up the good work!
Cheers!
Every man needs something fluffy in his life
Joseph Daniel this comment is gold
💖💖luv the comment if only all men thout like you besos y abrazos from puerto rico
Joseph Daniel no matter what it is
😂lol
hello man he had alot of fluffy Ts
Like handcuffs
You should really use a paper bedding. Pine and cedar will kill your hamster over time. You can even use shredded paper towels. Also use the biggest wheel you can find!! The small wheel will hurt your hamster's back. Also make sure that the wheel is solid plastic, wire wheels can cause many problems.
Yes I love you adding a hamster to the mix. You should see the amazing set ups user Hopping Hammy sp? has posted. I hope you also post hamster updates too
I don't think that's a Phodopus sungorus... It's most likely a hybrid of the species Phodopus sungorus and Phodopus campbelli. Very often breeders won't bother to breed "pure" species, so the most Djungarian hamsters you can get in pet shops are hybrids. They're fine though, except they need a little more attention in regards to their diet. Please, use grainless food for this species - not pressed chunks, but stick with various grass seeds and such. It will prevent any health issues like diabetes. Also, please avoid any treats and food that contains honey and/or sugar additives.
Also, hamsters, even dwarves, need WAY bigger enclosures with way more "diggable" substrate as they dig huge burrows in the wild. Your baby already started digging after you just put it in the bin, so I would provide way deeper substrate as well. Unless T's they have huge territories and urge to move around a lot, a university in Switzerland actually did research and found out that the dwarf hamster species need an enclosure with at least 0,5 to 1 qm of space, in other words an enclosure with at least 100x50cm in size. One of my female Syrian hamsters has an enclosure which provides 1,2 qm space (120x100cm) and she's still not fully satisfied with it :D
Also, they need a decent sized dish with sand, the same one that you use for chinchillas. That's how they keep themselves and their fur clean.
And dwarves need a way bigger wheel than the pet shop most probably suggested. I'd go at least with 20 cm in diameter, for bigger fellas of this species even 25. I've kept those beautiful creatures for at least 10 years now and I love them to pieces :)
I do like you and your channel very much and I'm only writing you this as I think that you from all the people have an interest in keeping all of your pets as well as possible :)
Also, here's a pretty decent website that I'd recommend for you - you can get various inspiration out of there: hamstergehege.blogspot.de/search?updated-max=2013-03-12T16:49:00-07:00&max-results=5&start=5&by-date=false&m=0
Thanks for the great advise, I wrote a lengthy post myself, I'm very passionate about hammys too =D I too only mean well, I want him and his hammy to be as happy as possible...
If you can find paper bedding or even shredded newspaper, its so much better then wood shaving substrates, they can get respiratory infections on wood shavings alot easier. In the US, we have carefresh and kaytee clean and cozy.
I used to own hamsters and one thing I can tell you is to never mix two males in the same cage, they will fight nonstop for food. Also do not overfeed them when overfed they often waste tons of food. Good luck!
Estabancrafter when I first got given 2 hamsters they were male(from my cousin since he didn't want them anymore) and the hamsters never had a fight for food but when they got mature my hamster ate my brothers hamster even tho I fed them everyday. :( we didn't do any research either but they lived 4 years.
faynts That's sad to hear I was lucky enough to catch them fighting
hamster in general are highly territorial and very aggressive and will attack even family.. So hamsters should only be held alone, after a while they will attack even family up to cannibalism as reported..
its also just in general very stressful for them, they move a lot, up to 2km /day and so being in a small room with another (did you at least have 2 of those running-thing?) means they basically annoy each other all the time..
Rarely you may have some who tolerate it but its not really good
Very cute!!
You should put music to when you feed that one spider and it looks like it dances. It'll look like its having a dance party.
Really impressed with you set up. It's fun to watch your videos , always excited when you upload a new video.
this reminds me of when my girlfriend moved in with her mouse and hamster. Meanwhile I own 5 snakes, haha!
Berge even tho I own a corn snake and wanna get a lot more I would own a rat or a mouse as a pet, they're so cute. Obviously I can't help that my pet eats mice but I would never feed live good anyways.
Thats true. Now we got 8 snakes, 2 cats, 1 dog, 3 hamsters, 2 mouses, 2 birds, a rabbit and fish... pretty much a mini zoo, haha! Cheers
Berge haha that nice you are a real animals lover :) what your dog breed?
golden retriever :) named Shadow (after the disney movie, the incredible journey)
Valiant Faynt good, especially since from what I've heard from my local nature centre director, that it's healthier for them. Apparently live food can stress them out way more and may lead them to be more food aggressive.
For me it depends what animals. Tarantulas (pretty rare in petshops here), reptiles, amphibians.. I wouldn't buy. There was once I didn't know about this, I bought a snake and it died within a week. Not to mention it was overpriced! All they want is money, true.
Harsh
Having a shop means having rent, employees ect... you pay more for allowing someone to be paid a wage. Also how many T’s have I seen die after being posted to you die?
What a silly comment NOT true
Can you collect beetles?
The store I get my feeders from (it's a small business) don't let you leave with an animal unless they've talked to you numerous times over the animal and you provide proof you have a suitable enlocsure prepared for it. They are really awesome. I just got into tarantulas and one of the employees has a huge collection of them he's been a big help with my pink salmon pink bird eater and picking out the best species for my next one. Love your videos!
i hope dark den doesnt use this hamster for his tarantulas :D
Uhhh, never...I know it is how food chain works but this is where I draw the line ^^
i hope so... :D
glad u replied :)
love your vids bro
The Dark Den cockroaches arent the cutest things for most people. So it is not as sad when you feed cockroaches to the tarantulas. Thank you for not using the hampster.
You're growing so fast, nearly at 60k! Love your videos man :)
dark den you need a hamster water bottle for it to drink
parker pancake you don't NEED it its just another thing the pet store got you to buy.
oh ok i didnt know thanks for telling me
he's had that chinchilla for 15 years if that's what you're talking about but I haven't been watching the video
parker pancake don't listen to that guy, he's been trolling another comment section where someone gave advice about keeping the hamster. You SHOULD give a water bottle for the hamster and not a bowl because their fur is very sensitive, they need a sand bath to care for it as well. They should have a water bottle so they have the option to drink whenever they want even though most of the water they need should come from their food as it would in the wild.
parker pancake ii
I recommend a Ferret or a Rabbit or a Guinea Pig they re great specially if you like playing with a fluffy animal
Your channel is awsome! Keep making vidoes and you will be bigger than YOU are now!
u can tell he looks after all his animals with the same care since he treated the hamster like the spiders
Its so cuteeeee, shout out from London and Poland
dyzior64 im from poland :D
Very sweet. I feel the same way about the pet shops and educating about all the animals they sell. Guinea pigs and tarantulas get the worst end of it in my opinion. All my pets are adopted from a rescue or animal shelter. What are you going to call him? BTW we call the wood bedding 'shavings' here in Canada. Thank again for the video. My family and I tune in weekly. My daughter Cailee is wondering where you are from. She is the one who started the family with tarantulas after I made her research and answer a tonne of questions about tarantulas, their care tc etc. She's an expert and is still learning all she can. We have 2 Honduran curly hair, a pumpkin patch, an Avicularia avic., a pink salmon bird eater and finally a Mexican orange knee. We will soon be breeding the Avicularia as soon as we are confident in our knowledge base. Your videos are a great help. Cheers
OH MY GOD SO CUTEEEE
it's so beautifull to see the love you have for those creatures ♥
I recently commented on an older video showing Pufi asking about his tail. I'm still wondering why it is so short. I have a friend who has 2 chinchillas and they both have very fluffy long tails. Is Pufi a different species or has something happened to him. I love you videos and I hope you respond 😊😊😊 have a wonderful day!!!
Was wondering that myself, my male chins have long fluffy tails (Everything about them is so F*****G cute!).
He commented on another Video that He Bit of His own tail :)
I conpletely agree. Ive been doing tons of research, because of your videos I'm so interested and have decided I want a scorpion. Now I'm going to get it a big enclosure because I cannot have a collection, just one of two of same species, but I am in the works of research so that when I go to buy it/then, I can be full prepared, know what to get it and have it ready for the scorpion(s). Thank you so much for amazing videos and keep up the good work!
-Trevor, Ohio, US
About 7k subs a week
I hope you can make jake Paul eat his words ' 5 million in 6 months never done before.'
Dark Den lets get 6 million in 5 months! 😀 you really deserve it
Our chinchillas look similar and act similarly! Glad you showed him, we talked about it a few videos ago in the comments. You should buy a tea leaf ring for him, mine loves it.
First here grate vid man I recently got a tarantella
You mean "tarantula" ? :P
The Dark Den actually, funny thing, "tarantella" is the original way it was spelled. Tarantella was the name of the dance people would do when they were bitten by the wolf spider known as the tarantula to get the venom out.
I used to have two hamsters my mom gave them to the school they were named sweetie and muffin it was like 4 years ago and they were boys and one hated everyone but me when we gave them to the school the first person who got to take it home for the weekend saw that the next day one had bitten the head off the other and I cried now I'm sad):
JPs VlogUK I got a Golden Baboon Tarantula and no it was not my first I have 8 :3
ItsYaBoyMattHere is it hatd I want one
SOME wood shavings are fine for small mammals such as hamsters. Aspen is fine to use. Pine and Cedar are ones that should be avoided as they could cause harm and shorten their life span. Aubiose, or hemp, or even shredded paper towels or toilet paper are better than using pine or cedar because it gives the hamster less chance of illness.
You can use a dish of water, but beware they could spill it, a bottle is generally less mess, but could leak, you'd want to check the bottle you get if you do that.
You should also give the cutie a wheel or flying saucer to run on, they make some really quiet ones now. Usually 6-8 inches (about 15 - 20 cm) is fine for this small one, the more important part is that their back doesn't arch while they run.
If you can provide more than 3 inches (about 7.5 cm) of substrate, even if it's only on one part of the cage, they would love to dig around in it, and some will prefer that bedding to burrow down in to instead of using their hides to sleep in.
Congratulations on your furry addition to your collection. I love these little guys, they're so funny to watch
I just like smoking a blunt and watching your videos at the same time
FortnitePlays me too lol
10 years old boy commenting be like:
i love this, cant wait to see the enclosure you build for him/her
I want a free tarantula !
I rescued my cat at a pet shop via an organization. I support rescues who save pets from high kill rate shelters (in my kitten's case, it was a shelter in Quebec where the animals have 72 hours to be adopted and any pets passed that get gassed in a large chamber by the dozens). The pet shop only houses the animals in order to give them more time to be adopted to forever homes. However, you are right, there are a lot of pet shops out there where the employees are under-educated on more advanced species, there are also good ones out there too. When it comes to reptiles and tarantulas, I would definitely go in the direction of breeders. I just feel more comfortable knowing the people breeding and taking care of the animals specialize in those specific species.
I want a free tarantula!😉👍
Yesterday, I bought a tarantula in a pet shop and they knew everything about every pet they had in their shop. They also asked me, what size of terrarium I have and I think I'm very lucky to have such a good pet shop near my home! They really care about the animals they're selling and don't see them as an object.
Please buy a guinea pig
what / you shouldnt buy only one guinea pig. they are happy in groups
Gotta love the underrated channels :D
You seem like a caring guy but did you need to have the big bright light focussed on the open hamster box? Introducing him/her to their new environment should be a gentle and calm experience. A small nocturnal animal and a spotlight just do not go together. You have some great film equipment there but maybe not so good for the actual hamster.
Just a tip here (also I personally have my own hamster and he is super cute) use a water bottle for it to drink out of, NEVER use a bowl because if hamsters get too wet they can get too cold and possibly die. Watch your hamsters actions and look them up if your not sure what it means, or watch a video. If your hamster is sneezing look if their is any vents or drafts by his cage, is so move his cage away from the cold area. If he still continues to sneeze look in the corners of his cage for dust. Some cages start collecting dust after awhile. If there is no dust. Take him to a vet. (Just a couple tips) oh and make sure he has plenty of things to keep him company like chews, a wheel, a plastic ball so when you let him out he can roam around, and also make sure to take him out everyday because hamsters need alot of attention (unlike your tarantulas XD.) Also, make sure that if you buy another hamster when you still have this one, DO NOT group 2 hamsters together in the same cage, they are very territorial(exspecually 2 females) there is a possibility that one out of your two girl hamsters will be a boy. Look up what to do if you don't know( I whould tell you but this comment is already really long as it is lol) GOOD LUCK! Edit~ also change the bedding never get cotton or cedar chips, it can kill your hamster
NEVER GET WOOD BEDDING FOR THEM
Richards Tech & Games that's what I wanted to say to him
He needs to get toys, chewing toys and change the bedding. I have forgotten the name of the best type of bedding.. The only thing I know is the best thing is paper/ cardboard made bedding
Patrick P. Figueiredo Carefresh , fitch or clean and cosy . All are great and paper based
Patrick P. Figueiredo I love Care Fresh but its a lil pricey. I currently have Pantee i think. I will be building a custom House for my hamster soon too and then i will start using care fresh might get some camo lol
Richards Tech & Games Is the name Care Fresh? I'll take a look
And cool! Will you have it on video? Could be cool teach people how to care and show the best things for hamsters and your own creativity
Like the channel Vanilla HamHam and other channels too
Maybe less theatrical though lol
Patrick P. Figueiredo yes I should be able to get it on camera!!
Exciting stuff! I found a wild Harpactira Namaquensis female yesterday. First time I see the species but I presume she is mature. Baboon spiders are soooo nice, she spun a web last night and ate a cricket no problem.
Try out more of the old world species. They are a treat. Except the OBTs
I want a free tarantula! 😁
hi Mr.DarkDen Im David from the philippines . Im so sick today but until a saw your videos about nature makes me feel better and i like how you care about the living things that mothernature gave . keep it up and I also subscribe you .
Can I get a shout out 😊😊love your videos #joshua
I don't know if anyone's said this BUT DON'T GET A SMALL WHEEL. The wheel has to be really big compared to the hamster's size, the hamster's spine mustn't bend at all when running! A small wheel will cause back problems. And remember to have a safe wheel, open front and solid back that leaves no chance for the hamster to get their leg stuck or even break their spine. Hamsters like to dig so they need lots of substrate, some recommend more than 10 inches, and many hamsters I've seen also like to climb. They need lots of hides because they want at least one for sleeping, one for hiding food, and one to "do their business" in. They also need something else than just bedding, you can toss her some toilet paper and she should rip it into pieces to make her nest! And a sand bath!
They are omnivorous, so you can occasionally feed her the same bugs you feed your spiders, you also shouldn't feed her too much of those pellets because I suspect they're the same we have here which is: lots of sugar, little nutritional value. I at one point had to make a presentation about hamsters and I included information about 4-5 different species and if I remember correctly the one you have is actually one that isn't a loner but one that lives in big communities like guinea pigs. I have to go check if I still have that powerpoint saved somewhere because there were lots of information on it and I can't remember it all... Hamsters are more difficult than many think, I thought they're the easiest about a year ago!
I agree entirely. Just last night I rescued a juvenile B. Albopilosum from a local store. They had the poor thing in a small steel case with a green felt floor and empty water dish. I hated giving them my money, but small price to pay for getting the poor thing out of there.
Jesus. This channel is growing so ridiculously fast.
hey! I'm not sure if someone already said this, but please don't use scented bedding for your hamster. Their nose is really sensitive and the smell will bother them. And just a tip I use with my dwarf hamster, scatter the food around the cage and even put it under the bedding, it's really fun to watch the hamster sniff around the cage to find it and it's more natural to them. I stopped using bowls a long time ago and my hamster is really happy about it :) And hamsters need a big enough wheel, so be sure to get that. Toilet rolls, or whatever the cardboard tunnels are called, are an amazing toy for dwarf hamsters. Have fun with your new pet, it's very cute! :)
i worked at a pet shop, not a chain tho, and they were amazing. unfortunately the business went bust as people didnt bother going to them as they were questioned about the animal. we were told that if they dont know enough to keep the animal healthy show them but dont sell the animal to them. the pet shop also wanted to see a picture of the enclosure and then wanted the person in the photo too to get an idea of size. they were amazing and went through everything. the people who worked there also had to have experience of keeping these animals too. down side was that the people who were refused sale didnt come back and they lost a lot of money. i just wish all pet shops were like that.
Very cute! We don't have Hamsters here in Australia, as well as Gerbils and Chinchillas. Adopting an animal from a rescue/shelter is also a great option too 👍
you're gaining subs really fast congrats petco you'll be at 100k in no time!
"It is a Chaco Blue-legged... bird eater" -The Dark Den in his pet shop video
Congrats on getting almost 60,000 subscribers!
Aww it’s so oddly adorable to see you, who owns intimidating animals like tarantulas and scorpions, to own a cute little fluffy hamster too!
love your videos dude, you have made me convince myself to start a tarantula collection! going to do my research first and going to get either the chilean rose or chaco golden knee, not sure what one to start with haha
Wow. impressive pets. Please be sure to teach me how to take care of scorpions and targets. I am very amazed at you and how you can take care of your pets.
Hey
1) I want free tarantulas
2) the substrate is called wood shavings
3) do not use a dish for water beacause it will always be full of substrate as the hamster digs around the enclosure..prefer a water bottle ( you will find it in petshops) and just do a diy on a stand for it ( search in youtube )
4) this tub is better than cages it will be more than ok in there ...just put a lid or something
5) Love vids
I work in a pet shop in the U.K. I do agree with what you say that there are places that just want money but we make sure the customers know what they are buying and have done research first. Animals deserve the best that we can give them if we are going to keep them. Always check what an animal requires before getting one.
I ended up picking up my first turantula a Honduras curly hair on friday very docile there was a few bald spots on her abdomen maybe premolt or hair kicking but plan on taking good care of her
agreed!!
last week i went to a pet shop~ there's a dead tarantula (either Cobalt blue or Singapore Blue sp.) and the workers did not even notice it~ the dead ts is literally outside of it hide~
my personal view...
pet shop owner should hire the workers with a lot of interest (with knowledge is a plus) in animals~
I bought wood shavings last summer and with it came three large black and slim spiders shipped inside. Never bought wood shavings again and I'm pleased to see that they aren't good for my hamster anyway!
Hi, love your videos, and beautiful collection! Q: How did you learn to speak such good English? I dislike hamster, the one we got for my son bit a lot, but he was a "mini size". I am so glad that I read a whole book on T care before I bought my first tarantula, and boy am I glad that I did! I bought my daughter a guinea pig from a pet store and it gave her ring worm, then died of diarrhea! I have since learned that they need to be fed in a certain ratio of food to hay, and do not do well alone, you should buy at least 2, as they are communal/social animals. She was pretty heart broken, so I agree about pet-shop animals. There are so many resources locally online you shouldn't need a pet-shop nowadays.
You can use a tank fill 3/4 way with sand or dirt and watch them borough
You make me want a centipede from a previous video I watched from you but I would not have peace of mind during the night, AWESOME VIDEOS by the way !!!!
Would you recommend slings for a "beginner"? I won't be holding it just feeding it and watching it, I am scared of spiders but I seem fine with the thought of tarantulas since watching your channel.
I have a local pet store I've bought several tarantulas from. They start to talk to me about how to care for it then say, "oh, you know this stuff. I don't have to tell you!" Love them there! Give him the rest of that box. They love to shred them. That is a nice hamster. It's hard to find one in the states that isn't so scared of people you can barely handle it. I still prefer gerbils though. Sorry for rambling!
I have a friend, who go to the pet shop to buy fish. and when we retunde he had two birds..... that was a wird day..
dude, i really like your videos, enough for me to try to start my collection.. what advices do you have for a starter like myself (specie, enclosure, etc) thanks.. keep up the vids..
I agree that big chain pet shops dont know what there talking about but i worked in a small pet store and i or the other person who worked there have kept every animal in the shop at some point so we new what we where talking about
That Chinchilla is so cute, looks just like mine. Oh and I will be purchasing my first tarantula soon hopefully, not going to a pet shop but rather a reptile expo nearby. Any terrestrial species that aren't too run of the mill that you can suggest (I've seen your begginer species video but I feel like everyone has brachypelmas)?
Dark Den you should get a warrior beetle ( Or any type of beetle ). If you search " Warrior Beetle " on RUclips, you will know why. The genus is Pasimachus.
I had a hamster from Pets at Home in the UK, it was a horrible experience. It could not be picked up unless you're OK with a deep bite to blood on your hand. They're nocturnal and mine was in a metal cage, making horrible noise as he tried to bite trough the bars. They like to do their toilet in one place, and if you dont clean and change the substrate like every week, their pee will stink horribly. None of the tips on internet helped to make him more friendly, he finally escaped when my aunt was taking care of him during my holiday.
I also agree with the pet shops part, usually the animals are not kept properly and not in good condition. Their main point is to SELL, without caring about the animals. I hate that they sell for example goldfish requiring at least 80 litres to tiny 5 litre unfiltered fish bowl. And they will often try to sell you a heater for goldfish too, even tho goldfish is a coldwater fish and does not require one, their lack of knowledge is astounding. And if we consider a typical customer that believes them, he buys a goldfish in a bowl, it dies after a week or less, and he goes back to get another one and so on, pet shops like that type of people because they will keep buying. Before you get an animal I recommend learning about it so you can take proper care, and reading reviews/opinions about the pet shop or other place where you want to buy it.
Man, I thought we were going to get to meet Mama Dark Den. Oh well. Lol. My local pet shop is one of those rare exceptions you mentioned. They're pretty knowledgeable, and if it's something they don't know offhand they do their best to try to find out for you. They always ask me for tarantula advice, especially when they get new species in. "How big do these get? Are they a more aggressive type? Do they need humidity or are they a more dry species? Is there anything special we need to know about them?" I'm always glad to help them out and they've cut me some pretty good deals a few times for it as well.
Reminds me of when I starting getting into tarantulas I bought a few and didn't know what I was doing so they didn't last long. After that I really do my research for months before getting something new. My animals are all doing good now though.
Daw great pet! some quick advice for the little guy(or girl lol) id say a paper base bedding would be better, make sure not to get a to small wheel, small wheels tend to hurt theyre backs so make sure it can properly run in it, also make sure to hide some food around to make sure the little guy explores :) ps. im sure ive heard they like to take sand baths, and can even be trained to go potty in them so they wont mess up theyre surroundings to much, id look into it more :) Good luck!
I love your new friend, too sweet you are so right short life span, I had many, gerbils too.
I'm so happy that u saved a cute little hamster
That hamster is so adorable 😍😍😍
I got my sulcata tortoise from a local breeder. The pet shop nearby sells them, too, but tells everyone to keep them in sand and that pyramiding of the shell is an ideal situation. They're wrong ... and it hurts me when I go there to buy mom's dog food and I see all the baby sulcatas that I know are going to be raised wrong and be in a lot of discomfort and pain as they grow ... I hope they stop getting sulcatas altogether ...
I want a free tarantula.
Hope your video's never stop.
A week without The Dark Den is a lost week.
I work in a pet shop and I research proper husbandry for all the animals we sell and ones we don't.
I have aracnifobia but your really helping me with it thank you
I love how a hobby of raising animals can be more than a hobby. :)
It's a Djungarian hamster!!!!! Same as my lil hamster!!! She's currently turning white! It's a seasonal thing.
Hi there everything its ok but change the water dish and buy on watter bottle for rodents, and maybe another substrate will be better than that. If you put a weel (made of plastic with no holes ) the hamter will be living good and out of stress
Pufi is possible the most adorable chinchilla in Europe =D I love how he lifts his arms for you to scratch him! Soooo lovely...
Got a tarantula today. All the credit does to you for helping me with my fear. And great vid
I only purchase animals from specialist shops, I would rather buy from breeders but it's can be tricky in the uk, for me at least
I just love how down to earth he appears in his videos
please get a hercules beetle larvae. would be so fun to follow it through its life. plus they're just super badass
Yes
A friend had a chinchilla I baby sat her she’s so cute, sadly she got out of her cage and died a terrible death, they blocked their fridge, he got wedged between the wall & fridge and died ..
Make another vid for your hamster dark den. Please. Really love your vids
I'd recommend getting a gerbil next time, they're more fun and have longer lifespans than hampster
I am actually really enjoying these videos. I have arachnophobia however I wish to pursue entomology as my career path. Even though it is the study of insects, arachnids play a big part in the science. I must say I am finding a new appreciation for these specimens and I can see you are very passionate about your pets. Keep it up, I look forward to your future videos.
PS= You have no idea how happy I am that you include the scientific names
It's true they don't know. I went to pick up crickets for my reptiles and the associate was pushing calcisand for a leopard gecko. It was insane. I immediately informed the customer after associate left.
Bravo Petko samo nastavi secam se pre valjda 2 ili 3 nedelje tako nesto imao se 25 000 suba a sada jos malo pa 100 000 i samo tako nastavi, inace da li bi mogao da snimas jos klipova o zabama dosta su interesantne? 😀😉