Is it worth getting a hamster?

• You don’t need a lot of space.

A hamster is not a Rottweiler. It is not necessary to buy a private house to start one. And even the size of the apartment does not matter. A tiny cozy corner in your home is suitable for a hamster, where you can set up a cage. Everything!

• Easy care.

Hamsters do not need to be walked twice a day. It does not need to be bathed, combed out, accustomed to the tray – and you don’t even need to teach commands. It is enough to keep the cage clean and properly feed the crumbs – this is the main care.

• No behavioral issues.

A friend complains that the cat ripped off all the wallpaper in the house? Does your neighbor’s dog bark loudly and disturb your sleep at night? Hamsters won’t have this problem. This baby lives quietly in his cage, does not claim your property and does not dream of “marking” your slippers. The worst thing a hamster can do for you is make a little noise at night. He is still a nocturnal animal – he can!

• You can easily go on vacation.

Hamsters are hardy pets. They don’t need your attention 24/7. You can safely leave for a couple of days on business or go on vacation, and the pet will have a great time alone!

Just purchase a special automatic feeder and drinker for the rodent, into which you can pour food and pour water with a margin. And arrange with relatives or friends that they run for 5 minutes a couple of times a week: clean the cage and just visit the baby.

• economic content.

Before the hamster arrives at the house, you will have to spend a little money: buy a cage, a house, a drinker, a feeder, food, a mineral stone, a variety of toys and a bedding filler. This will end the main item of expenditure. In the future, you will only have to buy food and filler.

These are the main arguments in support of hamsters. And we didn’t even begin to mention that they are just wildly cute and interesting to watch their habits. You yourself know this!

• The hamster is not human oriented.

Hamsters are not human oriented. They do not get much pleasure from communicating with us and do just fine without it. Of course, a well-mannered, tamed hamster can, for decency, sit on your palm, climb onto your shoulder and let yourself be stroked. But at this moment, he will most likely dream of running back to the cage and staying in the best company – himself!

A hamster is an animal that is best watched from the sidelines and minimally interfered in his life. If you are dreaming of a pet that will be happy to contact you, it is better to opt for a guinea pig, a degu or … a cat. “Zamurchators” are champions in this business!

• Hamster can bite.

Hamsters are often adopted as the first pet for a child. But there is a pitfall here: a cautious rodent can easily bite an obsessive owner. You can’t explain to him that you can’t offend children. And it is difficult for children to restrain themselves so as not to cuddle the cheeky baby. To avoid trouble, parents should always be on the alert, regularly explain the rules for handling a rodent and not leave children and pets unattended.

• Hamsters are easily injured.

If you have a hamster at home, you need to turn into a superhero to save this crumb from all dangers. This is especially true for families with children. The child still does not know how to measure his strength and can accidentally injure the baby.

Other pets are a separate issue. If you have a cat or dog, the hamster must be securely isolated from them. A metal cage is good, but it’s not just about direct contact. If a cat and a dog will “circle” around the cage all the time, guarding their little neighbor, such living will turn out to be a huge stress for the hamster. Do not condemn the animal to this. 

• The hamster can get lost in the apartment.

Of course, this is not as scary as if a dog or cat ran away. On the other hand, a baby running around the apartment faces a huge number of dangers. He can eat something he shouldn’t, get stuck somewhere, something can fall on him … Perhaps, we’ll dwell on these horror stories. 

The main thing is to try to prevent escape. And if you let the hamster out of the cage, do not leave him unattended.

• The hamster makes noise at night.

Hamsters are nocturnal animals. Be prepared that during the day they sleep, and at night they rustle and rush around the cage. Of course, this is not as serious as the night howl or May songs at 5 am. But if you’re a sensitive sleeper, nighttime hamster vigils can be a problem.

• Hamsters don’t live long.

And this is perhaps the main disadvantage. Hamsters live from 1,5 to 4 years. It will be difficult to part with a beloved pet.

If you still decide to get a hamster, remember two main rules.

First. Hamsters should be liked by all members of your family who will live with a pet in the same house. If rodents are unpleasant for someone from the household, it is better to think about another pet. And even more so, you should not start a hamster if the child “begs” you, and you yourself do not like hamsters. The main concern for the rodent will still fall on you. You will have to overpower yourself to interact with him. And this will not bring happiness to either you or the fluffy baby.

And the second. Hamsters are tiny, unpretentious pets. But they are by no means toys. Yes, a hamster does not require as much attention as a dog or cat. But he is also part of the family. He also needs to be taken care of, he can also get sick and need your help, he also needs to be loved and protected. Then everything will be fine!