We Need to Do Better by Hamsters
Our often overlooked furry friends deserve better than most give them
For many kids, hamsters are a fun and easy first pet, bought after months of incessant wearing down their parents. From there on out, the hamsters are placed in a colorful home, fed seeds and pellets, and lead a happy yet short life. Right? Unfortunately, while this is a cheap and easy way to care for a hamster — it isn’t the right way. As research on hamsters has increased over the years, so has our understanding of their behavior and requirements. As it turns out, they’re a lot more complicated than they may seem. Many of us have spent years doing our hamsters dirty — and it’s time to change that.
There aren’t just different colors of pet hamsters — there are several different species commonly found as pets, and all of them have slightly different requirements. What works for one species of hamster may not be as suitable for another — something that many uninformed new pet owners aren’t aware of.
The most common pet hamster species is the Syrian. Why are they the most common? Besides being the largest (and therefore easiest to hold), they are often the friendliest hamster. They come in many color variations, but often in shades of orange (they are also known as the “Golden Hamster”). You may find Syrian variants marketed…
