In many houses today you can meet a miniature animal of a Syrian hamster, and care and maintenance for it must be carried out according to certain rules, so that the rodent pleased the owners with good health and complaisant morals. These pets are hardy and clean, great for keeping in the apartment.
How many live Syrian hamsters at home?
Small rodents are considered among the most enduring among their relatives. When asked how many Syrian hamsters live in captivity, experienced breeders give an unambiguous answer - an average of 2.5 years, but with proper care and maintenance this term can increase to 4 years. After that, pets die a natural death. But even a short period of life does not detract from the popularity of these quick and cheerful animals.
Syrian hamster colors
Decorative Syrian hamster is a large representative of its kind, in size it approaches the guinea pigs. The length of his body reaches 13 cm, and weight - 120 grams. Zverek has a stocky torso, short paws and a muzzle, rounded standing ears, eyes - black small "beads" and a short tail, which is barely visible under a thick pile.
It features a pet and a monophonic beautiful golden-sandy coat color, sometimes dark or light spots may be present on the body. The abdomen of the animal is lighter than the back. Breeders and other colors of Syrian hamsters - white, brown, silver, black. Initially, the breed was short-haired, but now there are many long-haired varieties on sale.
Contents of the Syrian hamster
A miniature Syrian hamster is unpretentious, keeping and caring for it does not cause trouble. The house should be located away from direct sunlight and drafts, which are very dangerous for the pet. For the home you need to find a quiet secluded place, where the hamster will be comfortable. Temperature fluctuations should not exceed 3-4 ° C, otherwise the rodent will go into hibernation. Home Syrian hamster is very agile and dexterous - when keeping it is important to watch so that it does not slip out of the house outside. If the prankster still escaped, you can return it with a bait left in the open.
Cages for Syrian hamsters
Perfectly feels like a Syrian hamster, care and maintenance behind which are produced in a medium-sized cage - 40x30x30 cm with metal rods and a deep plastic pallet. An aquarium made of organic or ordinary glass 30 cm high can also serve as a home. The contents of the Syrian hamster - what to put in the house:
- Toilet for small rodents with a special absorbent material;
- litter - sawdust, pieces of paper, hay, straw 3-4 cm thick, for longhaired breed it is better to purchase wood filler and combine it with paper napkins;
- a house fixed on the walls of the cage - in it the animal hides and makes its supplies;
- Drinkers in volume of 50 ml, meat bowls in width of 3-10 sm;
- a large wheel with perches for active life, which will help keep the pet health;
- stairs, twigs, steps, driftwood.
How to care for a Syrian hamster?
The main care for a Syrian hamster is reduced to feeding and cleaning the cage. The rodent is very clean and clean his pile, he can perfectly himself. Syrian hamster - care:
- You can not bathe an animal, the animal can overcool and get sick. Strongly soiled pile is allowed to wipe with a damp cloth. Long-haired breeds can sometimes put a swimsuit with sand, so that they clean their wool.
- The cells are cleaned once in five days - the inhabitant is ceded, and the house is cleaned with disinfectant, the litter is changed.
- Once a month the dwelling needs a more thorough care - the house and all the equipment is treated with bleach, then rinsed and dried.
- The drinking bowl and feeder are cleaned every day.
How to feed a Syrian hamster at home?
The nutrition of the rodent directly affects its health, it must be varied and qualitative. The pet is fed twice a day in the morning and in the evening. The amount of food should be such that the animal remains a little food the next day. What to feed the Syrian hamster :
- the main component - grain feed (millet, oats, flax, corn);
- cooked meat;
- nuts - walnuts, peanuts;
- dried fruits;
- bean grasses - clover and alfalfa;
- Tradescantia;
- vegetables without rot - salad, carrots, pumpkin, zucchini, radish, turnips;
- white bread, cereals, pasta;
- milk;
- fruit - apples, pears, persimmons, raspberries.
It is forbidden to include in the ration of the rodent:
- citrus;
- salty and sweet;
- lard, cod liver oil;
- mushrooms;
- chocolate and sweets;
- fried and fatty.
How to tame a Syrian hamster?
A lot of fun brings behavior and communication with nimble animals. They are kind beings, do not bite and quickly tame themselves. It is advisable to purchase a baby at the age of 1.5-2 months, then it will easily get used to the owner. How to tame a Syrian hamster to your hands:
- the first day or two do not need to touch the pet - let it adapt to the new dwelling, calm down, get used to the smells;
- then begin the process of domestication - first through the bars it is necessary to give delicacies from the finger (cottage cheese, kefir). Do this every day, so that he gradually gets used to the hand, and talk with the baby;
- in a few days the animal can be planted in the palm, but it is necessary to keep it low (for example, over the sofa), since the brisk hamster will first try to jump off;
- it is better to keep it in the open hand, and not clamp it in the fist. A little sit, then let him take a walk on the couch, put on his shoulder;
- To put a hamster in a small house back it is necessary two palms that it was not terrible to it;
- these simple techniques must be done every night (in the daytime he sleeps). Soon the animal will start taking without fear food and enjoying the warmth of the host's hands without showing any aggression;
- during walks it is necessary to watch, that the favorite has not got into a hard-to-reach place, not gnawed wires, has not got to someone under legs or foots or has not fallen from height.
Reproduction of Syrian hamsters
When tying Syrian hamsters, we must take into account that the female must reach four months of age, and the male - three months old. Before birth, complete disinfection of the home. If Syrian hamsters live in the house, they multiply happily three times a year. To protect offspring from cannibal attacks of the mother, you need:
- put the cage in a shaded place, the female in it should be without other adult relatives;
- the girl and the offspring can not be taken in hand, ironed and touched.
How to determine the gender of a Syrian hamster?
Decorative Syrian hamsters are not group animals. Such rodents lead a single way of life, protect their territory from strangers. Keep girls and boys better in separate cages and reduce only if breeding is necessary. How to determine the sex of a Syrian hamster:
- outwardly the girl is larger than the boy, behaves more actively;
- if you look at the male from top to bottom, you can see a pointed up end of the back. The female is more rounded;
- the boy in the genital area has noticeable almond-shaped testes;
- in the genital area of females, the apertures are located closely, and in males - at a distance of 1-1.5 cm;
- the boy has two imperceptible nipples on the abdomen, and the girl - four pink, symmetrical.
Pregnancy of Syrian hamsters
After conception, the female needs careful care. Pregnant Syrian hamsters need special nutrition, they need:
- low-fat cottage cheese;
- boiled yolk;
- boiled chicken meat.
The duration of pregnancy is 18-21 days, after which the female leads in one litter from four to fifteen naked, blind young. The next three weeks they are fed only by mother's milk. When the monthly age is reached, the children become independent and need resettlement - they are already perceived by the woman in labor as competitors, it can conflict with them.
Diseases of hamsters Syrian
Decorative Syrian hamster, care and maintenance behind which occurs correctly, active and curious. If the pet is sick, he is listless, does not eat, does not drink, tries to seclude himself. The wool becomes dull, disheveled, the eyes are slightly covered, the rodent loses weight. Syrian hamster disease often occurs due to illiterate diet, poor maintenance, stress. If possible, you should avoid the wrong location of the house, sleep disturbance of the animal, long trips, unwanted neighborhood in the cage, which causes fright in the animal. Syrian hamsters are sick:
- colds;
- abscesses;
- abscesses;
- diabetes;
- cystitis;
- eczema;
- inflammation of cheek pouches;
- obesity;
- baldness;
- pneumonia;
- conjunctivitis.
Especially dangerous for the Syrian hamster is the infectious disease "wet tail". The entire back of the body becomes wet, the animal has diarrhea and dehydration. Half of the patients do not survive, they should be looked after with gloves, in case of death of the animal, the cell is thoroughly disinfected and 2-3 months in it do not settle. With any illness and the appearance of unpleasant symptoms, the hamster should be shown to the veterinarian, and not treated independently.