Roborovski Dwarf Roborovski Dwarf hamsterhamster

By: Amber NievesBy: Amber Nieves

Why I want a hamsterWhy I want a hamster• I would love another pet and friend.

It gets very lonely in here especially since you don’t like to talk a lot.

• It can show me how to take care of another living thing.

• You don’t even have to look at it, and you should learn to grow comfortable with a pet around.

BehaviorBehavior• They are very social and like to run around a lot and are

fast.• They don’t like to be held very often, but every

hamsters personality is different.• They are active during the night and sleep during the

day.• They should be kept in temperatures under 80 degrees.• There should be one hamster per cage; I only want one

Roborovski dwarf hamster.• For the first 2-3 days that the hamster is home, you

should leave it be so it can get adjusted to it’s enviroment. You don’t want to cause it too much stress.

• The cage may smell, but if it gets too much for you to handle, there are scented bedding which makes everything smell good.

HabitatHabitat• You can put them in a cage or a tank. A cage is

better because in the summer time, they won’t get hot in a tank

• Wired cages are preferred• They can escape, but you can put a lock on to

prevent any escapes• They need bedding and they like to burrow into it.

They pee in it, and you have to change every week to keep it clean and prevent wet tail disease

• You CANNOT use– Cat Litter as bedding, as it is sand like and far too dusty– Scented beddings, they like their own scent and if this

bedding is used, they can get confused

HabitatHabitat• They like to have a little cave like thing to sleep

in. It also keeps them warm during the winter.• In the summer or when it get’s too hot, they like

to sleep under their water bottle to keep cool. You can also keep a window open or place the cage in a cooler area.

• You need to keep the cage out of direct sunlight.• If I feel alright in the house, then my hamster will

feel alright. You DON’T have to leave a fan on or air conditioner when we aren’t there. You can simply leave a window creaked.

HousingHousing• They like to have their little caves like the

picture below. They also make their own burrows so you don’t have to buy this, but they like a cave. A toilet paper roll is their favorite. They like to make holes and chew on it and it’s safe. It’s also good for them to use as a tube.

They need:They need:• A cage that’s wired and has small

gaps between the bar. Like this one

They like to have space and this is the perfect cage for a Robo Hamster. The gaps are small enough so they can’t escape. The only flaw about this is the stairs and the wheel. Of course, the wheel can be replaced by a different one. This one here is $21.99 at PetSmart.

They need:They need:• A wheel to run on. They need

exercise and a wheel is the best thing for them to use in the cage. Some are nosy, others aren’t but in most cages, you can change the wheel if you don’t like it. The wheels you should use for your hamster shouldn’t have large gasps in them, because it could hurt the hamster.

They need:They need:• Bedding which is important for them

to use to pee and to feel comfortable. Target sells cheap bedding for about $5.

This bedding is from PetSmart and costs $2.99 a bag. It’s a easy and cheap bedding and I think it would work best. I choose this one because odor blocking bedding confuses the hamster and the hamster uses smell to identify things.

They need:They need:• A food dish and a water bottle. They

don’t need a lot of food in the food dish and you should change the food around the same time every day. You also need to check the bedding for any food as it can spoil and that’s not good. A water bottle is better than a water dish because in a water dish, particles can get in the water and plus the water will evaporate faster.

Food dish and water bottleFood dish and water bottle

These water bottles are sold at Pet Smart from $3.99 to $4.99 and are very simple.

This food dish ranges from $.99 to $1.99 at Pet Smart and comes in different colors.

BathingBathing• You don’t need to groom a hamster,

so there will be no hairs on the floor. They like to groom themselves and some of them like to bathe a lot. Never, ever, put a hamster in water or let it get wet. They can develop Wet Tail Disease and can die in 24 to 48 hours.

Ceramic Bathing PotCeramic Bathing PotThey use a special form of sand to clean themselves, so they go in the pot, and roll around in it. This one here at Pet Smart costs $6.99 and the sand to re-fill it would cost $3.99 You can also just get a bowl and fill it up with the sand refill and leave it in 24/7. You should always keep about a centimeter of sand in the bowl so the hamster can’t get any into their eyes.

They need:They need:• A little ball to roll around in. It’s

another form of exercise and hamsters love it. You can let your hamster roll around in the ball on the grass if and only if you know the grass wasn’t sprayed with pesticides. You should never leave your hamster in a ball for more than 15 minutes because of too much heat.

Hamster ballHamster ball

This hamster ball is $3.99 at Pet Smart. It’s perfect excersise and good for when you want to clean out the hamsters cage. You know the hamster will be safe while doing something else.

Things to avoidThings to avoid• Feeding them too much fruits and veggies

as it is known to cause Wet Tail Disease. It is a fatal disease in where the hamster has really bad diarrhea. If symptoms like lack of energy, irritability, or not wanting to eat or groom you should take the hamster to a vet immediately. It can be treated if caught early and all the vet does is give the hamster some antibiotics.

• Clean the cage regularly, meaning weekly.• Injuries like big falls or causing it any

stress.

FruitsApple (seedless) Banana Blackberries Blueberries Cantaloupe. Cherries Cranberries Grapes(seedless) Lychee Mango Strawberries VeggiesAsparagus Cooked Ground Beef (Rinse well in hot water to remove any grease) Cooked Chicken or Turkey (Steamed or baked)

Low Fat Cottage Cheese Fish Cod (Cooked removing bones and skin) Grasshoppers (Pet Shop) Mealworms (Pet Shop) Crickets (Pet Shop) Bread(whole grain no white bread) soaked in milk ( Low Fat, Skim, Soy) Eggs ( boiled or scrambled) Plain Tofu Plain Low Fat Yogurt Dog Biscuits (No Garlic, onion, or onion powder) Monkey Chow

Raw Kidney Beans Eggplant Fool's Parsley Grape Seeds Avocado (Contains Cardiac Glycosides) Raw Rhubarb Tomato leaves Oranges or Tangerines(no citrus fruits) No watermelon (the water content is high causes diarrhea) Cherry Stone Peach Stone & Leaves Apricot Stone Lemon or Lime Jams and jellies Spices Garlic Onions Leeks Scallions Chives Pickles

My List of Supplies I Put My List of Supplies I Put TogetherTogether

• All Living Things® 3 Level Hamster Home - $21.99• Super Pet Itty Bitty Igloo - $4.49 (or you can get a old

container and cut like a little door for the hamster to sleep in)

• Nature Ball for Small Pets – $2.99• All Living Things Nibble Bowls - $.99-$.1.99• Super Pet Ceramic Bath House - $6.99 (the refill packs

cost $3.99 and you can just use a small container for the hamster to roll around in)

• All Living Things® Water Bottles for Small Animals - $3.99

• Roborovski hamster - $15.99• TOTAL: $58.43 (the total of the things bought)• TOTAL: $50.94 (the total of the things by using common

household items and cutting corners)

If my hamster gets sick:If my hamster gets sick:• I promise to take it to the vet and

pay for the hamster care with my saved up money.

• The vet will prescribe special medicitions for the hamster.

• You CANNOT use human medicine.• To prevent sickness, I need to keep

the cage clean and make sure my hamster would be clean as well.

ExpensesExpenses• I plan to pay for the animal by saving up

my allowance money.• For vet visits, it ranges from place to

place, but the lowest I found was $30. Now, if every month I save every bit of money up I can pay for vet visits. Plus I’m sure they can negotiate the price for me. The animal hospital is located inside Pet Smart.