The hamster is the general name of the hamster subfamily animals. *** seven genera and eighteen species, mainly distributed in Asia, a few distributed in Europe, of which there are three genera and eight species in China. In addition to the distribution of small hamsters in Central Asia, other species of hamsters have cheek pouches on both cheeks, extending from the side of the molars to the shoulder. It can be used for temporary storage or carrying food back to the hole for storage, hence the name hamster, also known as gills, moving hamster.
: Golden bear
Short-eared hamster (Allocricetulus) Gansu hamster (Cansumys) European hamster (Cricetus) Hamster (Cricetulus) Golden hamster (Mesocricetus) Pygmy hamster (Phodopus) Great hamster (Tscherskia) Hamster has a pair of constantly growing teeth. The hamster has a pair of growing incisors and three pairs of molars, type 1 0 0 3, arranged in a staggered trigonometry. The molars are either rooted or not rooted and can grow throughout life. Introduced first by Japan for dental research, then kept as pets, followed by three lines of wild hamsters
and spread to the world. Various species of this family are basically small and medium-sized rodents. The body length is between 5 and 28 centimeters, and the weight is between 30 and 1,000 grams. The body is short and thick. The tail is short, generally not more than half of the length of the body, some species not more than half of the length of the hind legs, or even basically invisible. The main food is plant seeds, preferring nuts, but also eat young plant stems or leaves, and occasionally small insects. Most do not hibernate and live on stored food in winter. A few species will enter a less active quasi-hibernation state in cold weather! Hamsters are mainly active at night and have poor eyesight and can only recognize shapes vaguely. Colors can only be distinguished between black and white. Hair color is complicated. Some varieties of hamsters have become popular pets in recent years because of their closeness to people, such as the Syrian hamster (commonly known as the Golden Bear), the Gachalia hamster (commonly known as the third line), the Campbell's pygmy hamster (commonly known as the first line), and the Lobrovsky's hamster (commonly known as the male and female, the little Lubao). Hamsters (Hamster) was discovered in 1829 in a city near Siberia, they are rodents (Rodent), the scientific name Rodentia, from the Latin gnawing (gnawing), which means that the teeth continue to grow and need to keep grinding. Hamsters belong to the hamster family (Cricetidae), which is then divided into several classes: Mesocricetus, Cricetulus, Phodopus and Calomyscus. Chinese hamsters belong to Cricetulus; Syrian hamsters (golden rats, golden bears) belong to Mesocricetus; and the Campbell's hamster (Phodopus campbelli) belongs to Mesocricetus. Phodopus campbelli, Phodopus sungorus and Phodopus roborovskii are all of the genus Phodopus.
Editing Appearance
The most common color of hamster's fur is white on the cheeks and brown on the back. is white with a brown back, but there are also spots formed by darker and lighter shades of brown, and the fur is mostly gray, and diverse varieties such as blonde and splotchy, and even long-haired, have been bred. The various hamsters all look alike, with only slight differences in size and coat color, and similar personalities. Among them, the Roborovski rat is the smallest hamster in the Dovav category, with fast movements and a timid personality, and the color of the fur on its back changes from black to teal when it grows up. The hamster is a very cute pet, so many children or women will fall in love with it when they see this kind of "live furry doll". The hamster is 5-12 centimeters long and has cheek pouches. The upper and lower jaws have a pair of sharp incisors. The hair on the back of the body is light yellow-brown or brownish-yellow, and the sides of the belly, forelimbs, and the inside of the hind limbs are black. The lateral sides of the body have three white or pale earthy yellow spots on each anterior side. The feet are white with a slight yellowish tinge. Unlike rats, they have only a short tail, or even no tail. With the exception of the Chinese hamster, which has a long tail, other hamster species have tails of less than a centimeter. The most interesting thing about hamsters is that they know how to hide their food on both sides of their gills and spit it out only when they are in a safe place, which is why some people call them hamsters with big cheeks. The name hamster comes from the German word hamstern, which means to store. Sex Discrimination Hamsters can be distinguished from males and females in a simple way: male hamsters generally have large rumps and long, large anuses; female hamsters generally have inverted triangular rumps and small, closed anuses. Individuals can be seen with rounded objects.
Edit Growth and reproduction
Multiple litters are produced each year. Each litter produces 1 to 20 litters. Lifespan is 2 to nearly 3 years. (Breeds from April to October each year, producing 4 to 5 litters of 4 to 8 litters each.) They have a short life span, averaging about 2 years, with male hamsters becoming sexually mature at 1 1/2 months and females at 2 months. Male hamsters are sexually mature at 1.5 months and females at 2 months. Of course, the lifespan of different hamster breeds may vary slightly. Comparatively speaking, the Roborovski hamster has the longest lifespan, 3 to 3.5 years.
Edit Range
Currently, most of the hamsters are dwarf hamsters and golden rats. Native to Syria, Lebanon, and Israel, the golden rat was introduced to the United States in 1938 before it officially became a pet, and is also known as the Syrian hamster, the bear, and so on. Other pygmy hamsters in the Canberra hamster , also known as the maple leaf rat, short-tailed squirrels, plopping rats, a line of rats, native to the eastern Lake Baikal, Mongolia, Heilongjiang Province, Hebei Province, Inner Mongolia; Gakaria hamster, also known as the maple leaf rat, short-tailed rats, plopping rats, three line of rats, native to the eastern part of Kazakhstan, southwestern Siberia; Loborovsky hamster, some people call the old man, native to Russia, Kazakhstan, Xinjiang, southwestern Mongolia and other places. , Xinjiang, southwestern Mongolia and other places.
Edit Life Habits
Hamsters are nocturnal animals, sleeping during the day and active at night. They are usually most active until 7 to 10 p.m. (partly 0 to 4 p.m.). So keepers should give hamsters a good rest during the day and play with them at night. Arbitrarily changing the habits of nocturnal animals can easily lead to a short life span. Why do hamsters always hide? Because hamsters live in burrows in desert areas, they sleep in their burrows during the day to avoid attacks from wild animals. It is their instinct to hide in the dark, and they believe that darkness is the only way to feel safe. However, hamsters are a little less alert when they have been around people for a long time, and it also changes their wilderness instincts to huff and puff anywhere. Hamsters inhabit deserts and other areas. Nocturnal. Good at digging burrows. Like to hide food on the sides of their gills before walking to safety and spitting it out, hence the name hamster. Their incisors will keep growing, so their upper and lower incisors must constantly gnaw on something hard to sharpen their teeth, on the one hand, to avoid the incisors growing too long, hindering chewing, on the other hand, to maintain the sharpness of the incisors. They feed on weed seeds and insects. Hamsters are solitary animals, unlike pack animals. Hamsters are solitary and territorial, especially females. Only during the breeding season do hamsters mate in pairs. However, hamsters only live in couples for a few minutes during mating, after which they go their separate ways. The mother takes on the responsibility of caring for the babies on her own, and the babies are forcibly evicted by the mother after 20 days or so to start living on their own. Hamsters are strange-looking, small, lively and sensitive, very amusing, and odorless, with ornamental value, suitable for pets to keep indoors, so they are regarded as pets in all parts of China.
Edit this section of the feeding manual
Precautions for hamsters
Hamster reproduction is very strong, if you don't want your hamster has been breeding, please decisively for the hamsters divided into cages, the best is a rat a cage - put different sex two hamsters together eventually the situation is Keep having babies and babies and babies ......
Why do hamsters bite?
Why do cute hamsters bite? There are a few reasons. 1. Your hands smell of food. A hamster's sense of smell is very sensitive, so if you've taken food that it loves, it's likely to smell it and think you're food so it'll bite you. It is recommended to wash your hands before and after touching your hamster. 2. Your hamster was originally bred in a pet store and often fights with other rats and mice, so it has a short temper and is wary and hostile to other creatures. It is recommended that you follow a schedule to get along with your rat and eliminate its hostility. 3. You are not familiar with your rat, but you often manipulate it and scratch it with your hands, making it feel insecure. It is still recommended that you follow the schedule to eliminate your rat's hostility towards you. 4. Rat's eyesight is not so good and it mistakes your fingers for food. When you touch the rat on your hand, if your fingers are not together, the rat will probably bite your finger as food. However, the bite is usually not too heavy, but just a "kiss". Therefore, it is best to put your rat's fingers together when you put it in your hand, but not too tightly, as it will catch the rat's feet. It is also best not to tease the rat with your fingers to reduce the risk of being bitten. 5, the rat's sense of territory is very strong, if you have touched other hamsters, hands stained with the smell of other rats, then the hamster will have no problem expelling unfamiliar rats - in fact, it's your hand - so, touched another hamster was bitten by mistake is also a common thing. So it's not uncommon to be bitten by mistake after petting another hamster. It is advisable to wash your hands after touching another hamster before touching your own. We hope that if you are aware of this, you will not be bitten by your hamster.
What to do if a hamster bites you
Many people have been bitten by hamsters, and they ask if they need a rabies vaccine. Hamsters can also be infected with rabies (perhaps unlikely, but rabies has a 100% mortality rate), and it is up to you to decide whether or not to vaccinate. If you are concerned about rabies, treat the wound and administer the rabies vaccine. This can be found in the Rabies Exposure Prevention Protocol, which can be searched online. If you don't want to get vaccinated, it is also recommended to treat the wound at least according to the norms. But if the bite wound is red and swollen or there are other uncomfortable symptoms, then you should immediately go to the hospital to check.
How to pick a hamster
How can you pick a healthier hamster? Here are a few ways for you to consider: 1. Choose a hamster with good eyes and no eye droppings. 2. 2, see if the hamster has runny nose, don't pick if it has. 3, whether the shape of the ear is intact, there is no trace of being bitten. If there is, it means the hamster is too weak or sick and has been bullied and bitten by other hamsters. 4, the teeth are not sticking out, the fur is shiny, check if there is any hair loss or tumors. 5, the tail can not have spots, the stomach of the neighborhood is not good, that this hamster may have diarrhea. 6, walking is not normal, there is no feeling of stiffness, limbs healthy or not is also the focus. If it looks good, there should be no problem. 7, there can not be urine stains on the buttocks, if there is, do not pick. Don't pick it if there is any, because it is likely to be sick. 8, whether the nose is bitten, whether it is red, swollen or even bleeding. If there is it means that this hamster is not too healthy and strong to be bullied by other rats and mice. 9, To choose a glowing and spirited hamster means it is healthy. A floppy wilted poorly spirited mouse must be sick. 10, the nose of the mouse should be pink and tender, ears of the same size, eyes watery, the back of the hair is not bitten marks. You can also observe whether the mouse is running around energetically, if so, it means that the mouse has a strong body and is not easy to get sick. The last thing you need to do is to choose a hamster that you like. In addition to the color of its fur, you should also consider whether it will be close to people. Generally speaking, Syrian hamsters and Carcharias are easy to get along with after a period of time, while Campbell's hamsters and Roborovski's hamsters are a bit more difficult to get along with, especially Roborovski's hamster is a very timid and sensitive animal, so it may take a bit more time to gain its trust in you. Newbies are advised to get a purple hamster because it has a better temperament and is very docile and affectionate. After successful mating, the female rat will be grumpy due to pregnancy, and it is best not to touch her at this time to avoid being bitten by her. Of course, if she is docile enough and listens to you, then she will be fine. Don't put male and female together during the maternity period. If you put male and female rats in the same cage, it may make the female rats nervous, which may lead to premature labor and other consequences.
The Eleven Taboos of Hamster Feeding
(1) It is forbidden to feed human food, which is too high in salt and too heavily seasoned, and will increase the burden on the rat's body. Especially snacks and other foods. But unprocessed roughage can be fed, corn, barley are allowed. (2) Prohibit direct contact with the sun, rats are very afraid of heat, summer is here, please use a heat sink or marble to cool them down. (3) Prohibit washing hamsters in water if not necessary. It will make the hamster catch a cold, and if it is serious, it may die. (4) Please know the species of your hamster, except for the male and female hamsters, which are not allowed to be kept in a cage together, and the male and female hamsters, which must be kept in separate cages if they don't get along. (5) If you are not psychologically prepared or financially capable, please do not combine female and male hamsters in a cage, as the reproduction ability of the rats is very considerable. (6) Prohibit the use of feed of unknown origin. Please discard any insect or moldy feed and do not feed them! (7) Do not let the rats drink raw water, please let them drink boiled cold water, or mineral water or pure water. (8) Prohibit the use of bamboo chopsticks, popsicle sticks and other things for the rats to grind their teeth, please use the special teething products and feeds for rats on the market. (9) Prohibit the use of newspaper and tissue paper as bedding material. Newspaper has too much ink, and Kleenex contains bleach. (10) Do not keep your hamster in a space that is too small. The space should have at least a wheel, a water bottle, a bathroom, a small nest (except for bears), and other supplies. (11) Try to avoid letting the hamster stay in the air-conditioned room, so as not to cause the rat's cold.
Hamster feeding environment
The optimal temperature is 20 to 28 ℃, avoid direct sunlight or direct windy places, but pay attention to ventilation. Don't be too close to the TV, stereo, computer, hamsters can hear the sound that humans can't hear, should avoid radiation and noise. Summer: it is best not to open the air conditioner, because when you go out to turn off the air conditioner, and come into the house and open the air conditioner will make the temperature difference inside the house is too big, the hamster is very sensitive to the temperature, easy to catch a cold. Winter: don't put it outside, hamsters will pseudo hibernate because it's too cold. Spread more wood shavings and other bedding materials, and configure a wooden or grass hut for the hamster to keep warm. Or give more cotton for the hamster to make its own nest. Skimmed cotton is fine, preferably natural cotton. The easiest way to do this is to put the whole cage in a cardboard or plastic box, but keep an eye on the ventilation. Don't give them cotton thread woven items to use as nests. It's warm but hamsters are burrowers by nature and they will chew the woven cotton items out of shape and burrow into them to sleep. However, some unbroken threads can become entangled in their feet or other parts of their body, and some can become dangerously entangled in their necks, causing them to suffocate and die. So don't put any threads in there.
Basic Hamster Supplies
Cage In summer, please use a ventilated wire cage or a half-iron, half-glue cage, such as a field cage; in winter, please pay attention to the rat's warmth, and a full-glue cage is more suitable in winter. Please don't use wire mesh on the bottom of the cage, as the rats will easily break bones and get injured. Hamster food If you don't have good financial condition, please choose Hamada fruit food around 20, or around 50 in Belgium if it's good. Food bowl Most of the cages come with food bowl. If you need to buy your own, you can choose any small container, as long as it is not easy to knock over, and the edge is not too high, otherwise the hamster can't climb into it. Commonly used containers: glass cigarette jar, soy sauce dish, various types of small bowls, microwave oven box, small preservation box. Drinker Most cages come with a drinker, and it's best to install one when DIYing because hamsters need to drink water. The general design of the water dispenser has stainless steel beads on the front end, so be careful to test whether it leaks or not when you buy it. Don't take a bowl to hold the water directly, because the hamster will wet its fur when drinking water or swim in it, so it is easy to catch a cold and get sick. If you don't have one for a while, feed your hamster some vegetables and fruits first.
Hamster Living Supplies (13 photos) Toilet A regular plastic box filled with cat litter is a simple toilet. Remove the clumped litter or change it all out every day, depending on your personal hygiene habits. Some hamsters will use it, not necessary. Bathroom Some hamsters will use cat litter to bathe in the toilet, although it is not hygienic, but it is the hamster's preference, and at this time there is no longer a need to bathe in the room. However, some hamsters love cleanliness, so the owner should buy a bathroom for it, and put in the bath sand so that the hamster can roll and play with the holes to its heart's content. Please buy hamster-specific products. Running Wheel Most of the cages come with a running wheel, because wild hamsters run 20 kilometers a day, so a moderate amount of exercise is very important for hamsters, without adequate exercise, hamsters will be overstressed and bite the cage. So careful owners should give hamsters a running wheel. At the same time, because nowadays owners give hamsters very good nutrition, often make hamsters overweight, easy to make hamsters also get cardiovascular disease, so even hamsters should have a normal and healthy body. Be careful when you buy, you should choose the running wheel without seams, the hamster is not easy to be injured. Current price: $10-80. Wood shavings/corn cobs As a bedding material for rat cages, many materials are available, such as wood shavings or skimmed cotton. However, most people will choose wood shavings because it is cleaner and easier to buy. The purpose of wood shavings/corn cobs is to deodorize and absorb moisture, they are very absorbent and can remove individual dirt from the hamster. It is recommended to use corn cob in summer as it is cooler and wood shavings in winter so that the rats will feel warm. Teething Stones / Teething Rods Hamster teeth will continue to grow, so a teething rod is needed to grind off overgrown teeth. Many hamsters grind their teeth in other ways, such as chewing on the cage. Don't worry if you don't use the teething stones/bars you provide. Huts Huts can be made of ceramic, wood, grass, or plastic, all of which hamsters love, because hamsters are animals that love to live in holes. If you have the means, you should give your hamster a hut that can be DIY. DIY The first one: you can keep hamsters in a 50cm-square tank that is used for keeping tropical fish, with a cover made of barbed wire (in summer it is easy to get hot and stuffy, so pay attention to it). When using a wire cage, the hamster grabs the wire and climbs upwards, risking a fall, so it's best to keep the cage not very high and to remove the wire from the bottom of the cage before using it. Line the bottom of the cage with straw, hay or sawdust. The feeding bowl can be made of pottery, preferably heavier. Some twigs can be provided for gnawing to prevent the teeth from growing too long. Nest boxes can be made of wood or paper, etc. Bird nest boxes can be utilized in addition to those that come with the cage. The nest box is lined with hay, sawdust, rags, etc. The sink will not scrape your feet, but it tends to accumulate moisture, so be careful to keep it dry. Also, the sink is deep enough to put in plenty of straw, hay, and other cage substrate that will allow the hamster to dive in, put in dirt, and then lay hay on top. Create a very natural environment where hamsters can dig holes for nests. For drinking water, use a water feeder, mounted at an easy-to-drink height, and add water to a vessel-type pitcher. You can let your hamster play with water in the summer, but don't make the cage too wet. Hamsters have the habit of defecating in a fixed place. Put a potty in the place where it often defecates and put urine or feces in it to make the potty smell bad, so it will use it as a toilet. If you don't use the toilet, don't force it to do so, just clean the cage regularly. In summer, the temperature inside the tank will rise easily, so it is best to move it to a cage. Keep the cage in a well-ventilated place and be careful not to let direct sunlight in. When it's hot, hamsters don't like to eat solid food, and should be fed water-rich foods such as vegetables. Store food in the fall, and don't forget to check the nesting box frequently to prevent the hamster from going into hibernation due to low temperature. When placing it in a heated room, take care that the temperature difference between day and night is not too big. You can put a plastic bag over the cage or put the cage into a paper-shell box to keep warm. The second one is to make a stencil with three-dimensional embroidery. It is very good for hands-on ability, breathable in summer and warm in winter. For more information about the materials purchased and production, please refer to Expanded Readings. The third type: purchase a finishing box. As long as the wood shavings, put a good nest, food bowl, running wheel, bathroom, on the line, do not need to cover the lid, easy to clean
Schedule
The hamster to bring home, because it has left the environment has been living, there will be a long time to seem very sensitive, nervous, sometimes will appear to bite, bite the cage, do not rest, refused to eat, etc., and this period is the time to establish trust between you and the hamster! This is the key period to build trust between you and your hamster! Below is a timetable, don't be in a hurry, get along with your hamster little by little: Day 1: Let it get used to the new environment, don't harass it at all, don't touch it, and don't take it to and from the cage. It's best to cover the cage with a rag, as hamsters are less likely to get nervous in a dark environment. Try not to harass them when you put the food bowl in, too. Day 2: You can feed it with your hand and talk to it softly to familiarize it with your smell and voice. Day 5: You can pick it up gently and hold it in the palm of your hand (don't let it fall or run away). Day 10: You can play with it as much as you like. Be careful when picking up your hamster: Sleeping hamsters don't like to be disturbed and are prone to biting you, so make sure it's awake before you pick it up. You should carefully spread its nest so that it can see you, then pick it up gently, and don't force it to do so if it's reluctant to be bitten.
Hamster food
The hamster is an omnivore, you can give it yellow-green vegetables such as pumpkin, cabbage, lettuce and other light-colored vegetables; potatoes, beans (do not eat more, it will be gas and bloating), fruits, weeds, seeds and so on. There are also hamster-specific feed grains. However, it is important to pay attention to feeding some vegetables and fruits when the feeding diet is the mainstay. As a source of protein,, hamsters have the habit of storing food in their cheek pouches. Be careful to change the water regularly. The food bowl and water feeder should be cleaned and replaced with fresh food and water daily. Replace the nesting material as well. Check the nest box and leave some food such as fruit or solid feed for the hamster in the area where the hamster accumulates food. Change the cage bottom dressing once a week and clean and sterilize the cage 1-2 times a month. Hamster food
Note: (1) Please do not look at the rat is too cute, give too much sunflower seeds or high-calorie food, the rat is prone to lipoma, but also prone to fat, nutritional imbalance. Too fat rats, easy to heat stroke in summer, skin fat is too thick, easy to hair loss. (2) Please do not think that rats do not need to drink water! Water must be supplied and the drinking water should be changed once every two days. (3) Please do not feed too much fruits and vegetables at one time, as it may cause wet tail death. Most fruits and vegetables contain pesticides, so please wash and dry them with water before feeding. Do not feed fruits and vegetables with too much water. (4) Match the snacks with the main food, increase the number of snacks and reduce the number of main food, do not give too many snacks, as the rats that get fat will easily get sick. (5) Please keep the feeds and snacks in sealed cans, or put them in the refrigerator, and throw away the food that breed insects and ants. Edible food: hamster food, breadworms, barley worms, small dried fish and shrimp for pets Feeding amount: the amount of food supplied to hamster is easy to be more and not easy to be less, because hamster has the habit of storing food, if the food is less, it will be very disturbed. Therefore, if you find the food bowl is always empty every time you add food it means that the food is added too little, and also pay attention to clean up the uneaten food in time, especially fruits and other things with moisture to prevent deterioration.
Hamster Emotions
Hamsters are less likely to communicate with their owners than dogs and cats. However, it is still possible to understand the emotions of hamsters if you observe them carefully every day. Moreover, hamsters can express their emotions, so watch these actions and messages carefully to understand the hamster's emotions. Tidying up the body hair (washing face) When hamsters tidy up their body hair, they are in a relaxed state. Otherwise, it is the state when the hamster's own smell disappears after the owner strokes the hamster and wants to apply the smell on the body again. Hamsters love their own flavor. Turning over When the owner's hand reaches inside the cage, the hamster will turn over. This is because the hamster is startled or annoyed when the hand is pushed in. The hamster has little or no weaponry to fight the enemy, so it will roll over and use all four feet to resist. At this time, just go over slowly and reassure the hamster. Especially when the hamster is sleeping, don't scare the hamster. Rolling up in a circle You can tell that this is the hamster's sleeping posture, so keep your voice down. However, they will also roll up when they are not in good health, so be careful. When the weather is cold, they will also roll up, so they are trying to keep warm. Cage chewing When a hamster chews on the wire of the cage, it may be that the hamster is trying to escape, and some hamsters will rub the hairs on the top of their nose between the wires, making the top of their nose bald. This behavior is to allow the hamster to grind its teeth and control the length of its teeth. It is best to purchase a teething stone for your hamster, as chewing on the cage can cause minor damage to the nose and may distort the hamster's teeth. Droopy Ears The easiest thing to see to understand the mood of a hamster is the ears. If the ears are drooping, it must be when they are feeling annoyed or frightened, and they are also drooping when they have just woken up from a nap. Stiffness After spinning on the wheel, the hamster will suddenly stand still. This is because the hamster is trying to use the wheel to move to a faraway place, and stopping and standing still is to make sure that it has arrived at the right place. Standing up and shaking Standing up is to get to know the situation in the distance, feeling to observe the surrounding, paying attention to the sound, and also standing up when reacting to the sound of the feed bag. Lying on the floor When coming out of the cage, the body is scrunched up, lying on the floor and sniffing around. This is a sign of nervousness about a new place and wanting to sniff around. Do not make a lot of noise at this time. Hiding in narrow places Hamsters were originally wild animals that lived inside narrow tunnels. When playing indoors, hamsters will always look for narrow and dark places in order to feel at ease, so be careful if the hamster runs to the corner of the room. In addition, the hamster is a small animal, you must put more food in its cage, slightly more than its own needs, it will feel comfortable and happy. On the contrary, because hamster has the nature to collect food, food shortage will cause it to panic, even if the food is enough to survive, it will cause it to be upset and irritable.
Purchasing should pay attention to
1. As they are nocturnal animals, they sleep for 12 to 14 hours a day, and then move around and eat in the evening, so it is best to buy them in the evening or at night, so that you can see the active side of the hamster. 2. Generally speaking, a healthy hamster is characterized by sound limbs, eyes, normal ears without secretions, average and soft fur, and dry, hard, granular feces. 3. Hamsters are also afraid of strangers, and when they first come home, they seem to be sensitive and need two or three days to get used to it before they can have "close contact" with you. On the first day of purchase, it is best to cover the cage with a piece of cloth, because hamsters are less likely to be nervous in a dark environment. Try not to disturb them when you put water and food in the cage. Hamsters are nocturnal animals that like to sleep during the day and come out at night, so don't wake them up when they are sleeping! Unlike rats, hamsters have a short tail or even no tail at all. The most interesting thing about hamsters is that they know how to hide their food in the sides of their gills and spit it out only when they are in a safe place.
Medical Matters
Precautions for Mothers During Labor: (1) During the pregnancy of a female rat, remember to separate the cage from the male rat. The male rats may eat the babies; most importantly, the male rats may still be in heat at this time, so if they are not separated from each other, they will cause the female rats that are still nursing to become pregnant again, which will affect their health and even lifespan. The female rats still have the ability to store sperm, and there is a possibility that one litter will be followed by a second litter. Therefore, it is necessary to separate the male rats from the cage in time. (2) Please help the mother rat to take good care of her body, as it is very hard to give birth to a baby and the mother rat will eat part of the baby if she does not have enough nutrients! You can use flaxseed, nutrient water, dried small fishes, yellow mealworms, barley worms, etc., so that the mother rat can increase her nutrition. (3) Please do not change the arrangement of the mother's cage or the matting material between the first and second month of life of the mice. It is easy to scare the mother mouse and cause her not to breastfeed her babies or to recycle (eat the mice). Don't touch the mice before they are weaned, or the mother mouse will eat her own babies. (4) When the mice are weaned, they can leave their mother after they have reached the age of one month, when their fur grows and their eyes open, so you can try to touch the babies! (5) It is best for mice to wait until they are full term before feeding them breadworms, which have shells. At this time, the baby's digestive system is not yet complete, please do not feed breadworms, as it is easy to get indigestion. Mothers will feed the mice themselves, please do not intentionally help the mice to feed. (6) During the pregnancy, please remember to pick up the roller, sometimes the mother will neglect to breastfeed in order to play with the roller.
Check your mouse's body yourself
(1) Teeth: Mouse's incisors are constantly growing, and sometimes the teeth are too long, which can prevent them from eating. At this time, you can cut your own teeth, please use a small animal tooth cutting utensil, if you are afraid to cut, you can bring it to the doctor to cut the teeth. (2) Scent gland: male rats only have it, in the middle of the abdomen, there is a yellow grain of something, that is the scent gland, when the male rats are in heat, the smell here will be particularly heavy. Sometimes the scent glands will be too much, so remember to use hydrogen peroxide mixed with saline at a rate of 1:10 to help them wipe it off! If there is too much, please take them to the veterinary hospital and ask the doctor to clean them. (3) Eyes: If the rat is healthy, its eyes should be very bright and shiny. If they are red, oily, or have eye droppings, it is time to pay attention to them and take them to the doctor. (4) Poop: The rat's poop should be a little hard, the size of a grain of rice, black and odorless. Sometimes it may turn green or red, don't be too nervous, please recall if there is any green or red color in the rat's feed, if there is, it is normal for the poop to be green. If there is, it is normal for the stool to be green. If the stool is soft or has a foul odor, please send it to the doctor as soon as possible. (5) Buccal sacs: Sometimes you have to pay attention to the buccal sacs to see if the food has been eaten, if not, please don't give them any more food. If the food in the bursa is rotten and smelly, it may lead to bursitis. Regularly monitor the cheek pouches for the odor of rotting food and help him to remove the food from the cheek pouches at regular intervals. Use a cotton swab to probe into the cheek pouches carefully and do not rotate it! The rat will spit out all the food in the cheek pouches on its own. Or use a feeding syringe (with the needle removed!) to rinse out the cheek pouches using saline mixed with water in a 1:3 ratio. Stick it in the cheek pouch and rinse it out. (6) Coat color: Rat's coat is usually soft and shiny. If there is any hair loss, please note if it is an allergy and bring it to the doctor for examination as soon as possible. (7) Body temperature: The body temperature of the rat is usually slightly higher than ours by touching it with your hand, but it is not obvious, if it is obvious that the rat's body temperature is too high, please send it to the hospital immediately, as it is very likely to be the precursor of heatstroke!