The hamster is a full-fledged pet. It can not be started as a toy for children. The hamster needs to provide proper care and balanced nutrition. In addition, he needs a calm long sleep.
Description
Syrian hamster is a rodent from the hamster family. This species is not the largest: its length is 13-14 cm, and weight - up to 140 grams. The ears are medium sized, rounded. The body is elongated, covered with short or elongated hair. Ears and paws are covered with smooth short hair. The tail is very short - up to 1.5 cm.
The colors of the Syrian hamster are diverse: from light and dark solid to colors with different markings. Wool is short, long and wavy, satin and not. Life expectancy is 3-4 years.
The Dzhungar hamster is called a dwarf bony leggy: its length does not exceed 10 cm, and its weight is up to 70 grams. The ears are small, rounded, covered with short hair. The coat is short, soft and thick. Common colors: standard, sapphire, pearls and mandarin.
Feet well pubescent with wool. The tail reaches a length of 1 cm. Life expectancy is 2-3 years.
Both species in nature are good prey for most predators. For this reason, they cannot have their own, pronounced smell. This fact is the answer to the question of whether hamsters stink.
Content Features
Both Dzungarian and Syrian hamsters are solitary animals and live alone in nature. The content of two or more individuals provokes fights, often with a fatal outcome. In addition, heterosexual animals will begin to multiply uncontrollably.
To keep these types of hamsters, dunes or cages with horizontal rods are used. The floors in it are extremely undesirable, since these animals do not have a sense of height and regularly fall. You can build a large terrarium with conditions close to natural.
A running wheel is required in the cage (for Syrians - from 18 cm in diameter, for dzhungariks - from 14 cm). Minimum cell size: 60 × 40 × 30 cm (length, width, height).
The house is chosen from wood or ceramics, and white napkins are placed inside. The feeder should be ceramic or metal, and the drinker should be automatic.
Hamsters are active in the evening and at night. Sometimes they can be seen in the early morning.
Hamster Care
With proper care, the question of whether Syrian hamsters stink does not arise. These animals, like the dzhungariki, choose one "toilet" corner and use it for its intended purpose.
Sawdust of non-coniferous trees, wood or plant granules, and corn filler are placed as a litter in a cage. Once a day, you can clean the "toilet" corner and add fresh litter there. Completely wash the cell once a week. The drinker and feeder are washed daily.
Do Jungar hamsters stink? The animal does not smell by itself, but if the cage is not cleaned, the filler does not change, the animal absorbs the smell of dirty sawdust.
It is categorically impossible to bathe hamsters. After changing the dirty litter to a clean animal, it will stop stinking.
Proper nutrition
Proper nutrition for a hamster involves feeding with quality ready-made mixtures, fresh vegetables and fruits, herbs. Dzungarian hamsters are prone to diabetes, so fruits do not give them.
What you can give a hamster :
- zucchini, cucumber, pumpkin;
- apple, pear;
- cauliflower, broccoli;
- fresh greens;
- low-fat cottage cheese (1-2 times a week);
- a slice of boiled chicken without salt (1 time per week);
- insects (feed crickets);
- feed mixtures.
What should not be given to a hamster:
- white cabbage;
- bread and other flour products;
- leftover food from your table;
- almonds and peanuts;
- food for cats and dogs;
- onions, garlic, citrus fruits;
- houseplants;
- sugar products;
- food and treats with dyes;
Drinking water is changed daily. Food is given 2 times a day in small portions. If the bowl is empty, this does not mean that the animal has eaten everything. Each hamster has a “pantry” where all food supplies are hidden.
Do hamsters stink
A healthy hamster can smell only of its litter, for example, sawdust or paper napkins. One of the possible odor variations is spoiled food in the hamster’s “pantry”. If this happens regularly, you need to reduce the number of servings, especially fresh food.
If all hygiene rules are observed, and the litter changes regularly, there is reason to think about where the smell came from and whether hamsters stink at all.
Sometimes the smell emanates from the female during estrus and disappears after her termination. In other cases, the unpleasant odor from the animal indicates possible health problems. In this case, you need to consult a veterinarian - a specialist in rodents.
Is it worth a hamster
The most common questions of potential owners: do the "dzhungariki" hamsters stink and is there a smell from the "Syrians"? The answer to both questions is no. The smell comes from a dirty litter and an unclean cage.
If there are predators at home (cats, dogs, ferrets), there is a great risk of injury to the hamster. If it is not possible to isolate the animal, it is better to refrain from buying.
If there is no money to buy a good spacious cage and high-quality food, it is better to postpone the purchase of a hamster until better times.
A hamster is only partially suitable as a pet for a child. Most of the time he sleeps, and at night he likes to make noise. He does not play with people, but with his hands can fall and break.
If the room does not have a quiet, peaceful place, protected from draft and direct sunlight, it is better to choose another pet. Putting a cage in the bathroom, kitchen and on the windowsill is not recommended.
Thus, it turns out that getting a hamster is a responsible matter. Finding out if a pet hamster stinks is easy. It is enough to take him by the hand and inhale the smell of his coat. This will help to find out if the smell comes from the cage or the hamster smells.