Mice/hamsters

[Chinchilla]

Really really missing owning small rodents at the minute. Found myself on local rescue websites yesterday seeing what they had available, so I need putting off!

I stopped keeping them for good reasons, however much I miss having them around - convince me not to do it, please!

 

[Baywonder]

Oh hamsters are lovely! We have two Syrian hamsters and they are both adorable! Really cute, cuddly and friendly little critters, and it wouldn't be the same without them at home.

I would imagine we will have a third one joining us in the next few months when lockdown ends, because my youngest is begging for a pet hamster now.

We did have mice many years ago, but we much prefer hamsters. Just think of all those little fluffballs waiting patiently for a new home............

Sorry @Chinchilla - I have done a really rubbish job trying to persuade you not to have one haven't I? ??

 

[scats]

Definitely get a rodent or two! I have 2 Syrians and I love them. They are so much fun and full of character.

 

[smolmaus]

Never going to tell anyone not to get hamsters lol ESPECIALLY if it's a rescue situation!

Are the good reasons you stopped keeping them still valid reasons?

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

You will be living in student accommodation soon, I believe, so this is probably not the best time to be acquiring new pets

 

[Chinchilla]

You will be living in student accommodation soon, I believe, so this is probably not the best time to be acquiring new pets

This is a Valid Reason

.....

It's probably just lockdown boredom. I've had hamsters of all species since I was 8, stopped keeping them due to their heartbreakingly short lifespans to focus on the chinchillas. Just miss their little faces ?, and I've still got all the stuff sitting in the shed.

 

[smolmaus]

Oh yeah, student digs is definitely a limiting factor. Trying to fit a decent size cage in the wardrobe when an inspection happens is a mess ?

 

[Chinchilla]

Oh yeah, student digs is definitely a limiting factor. Trying to fit a decent size cage in the wardrobe when an inspection happens is a mess ?

I already know I'm having a (very very small) fish but the waste from a tank can at least go down the toilet.... Not sure I'd be popular if I tried to flush a heap of care fresh ?

 

[smolmaus]

I already know I'm having a (very very small) fish but the waste from a tank can at least go down the toilet.... Not sure I'd be popular if I tried to flush a heap of care fresh ?

?? ah now, any toilet in halls will probably have seen much worse treatment in its time!

A fishy friend is a good idea tho! Tbh I'd be wary of having a ham in halls anyway even if they were allowed. Cute and fuzzies might attract the attention of anyone who's had a few WKDs and wants a cuddle ?

 

[Lois Lame]

I like rodents too. When I was young I had a huge number of mice of all colours. It was a tad out of control but lots of fun.

Hamsters sound lovely. I've never seen one in real life though [insert bawling smiley].

Rats are rather interesting. I've never owned any, just had a few come to visit. Fascinating things. Has anyone noticed that rats are a lot more handsome these days?

 

[scats]

I like rodents too. When I was young I had a huge number of mice of all colours. It was a tad out of control but lots of fun.

Hamsters sound lovely. I've never seen one in real life though [insert bawling smiley].

Rats are rather interesting. I've never owned any, just had a few come to visit. Fascinating things. Has anyone noticed that rats are a lot more handsome these days?

My friend has rats and as lovely as they are, I’ve never known small animals cost so much in vet fees and get so ill all the time. Respiratory infections are very common in rats and they tend to get them over and over and need antibiotics regularly. Friend pays £50 a time when a rat has an infection and she can have 2-3 a month come down with it.

 

[Chinchilla]

My neighbor has rats I've petsat (petsitted?) For for years; funny, chatty, friendly little things, bit smelly though and as scats says quite sickly. They need tons of space as well; neighbor has hers in a liberta second edition explorer, which is what I use for my Chinchillas. I much prefer my chinnies.
If I had to own one species and one species only for the rest of my life it would be the chinchillas! Incredible animals. ?

 

[smolmaus]

Yeah I think all rodents are heartbreakers but rats just seem like they get the worst of it. Like, I love my hamsters, they are fantastic, curious, beautiful little idiots but I know they don't love me back? They have their own little hamster-y lives and I'm just a bit player probably on the level of a friendly work colleague ? Rats can love you back though. They're smart as a dog, or smarter, they know you're a different species but they LOVE you. Everyone I know with rats has such incredible bonds with them. Then they die in 18 months.

I don't know if I could cope honestly.

 

[Chinchilla]

The lifespan was the main deal breaker for me on the rodent species I keep tbh. There's a lot of variables which affect a Chinchilla's lifespan but it's still generally pretty long for something that size.
Plus, they're definitely capable of loving you back (though they're quite selective about who they love lol).

I really couldn't cope with rats and all their health issues ? my hamsters have all been pretty healthy though tbf.

 

[smolmaus]

Yeah 10 years is a pretty damn good lifespan for a rodent! I suppose because they have such long pregnancies and have 1-2 babies they're harder to over-breed so the species maybe isn't as ruined as some others? I know people seem to be doing their best ? but rats and hams and mice are so f-ed up from lab-test-breeding their gene pools are a swamp.

All my hams have come from rodent mills via pet shop rescues and it's really been luck of the draw. The dream is to have a lovely bred-for-health pedigree one day but NI has no real show breeders or breeding society anymore. It's grim!

 

[scats]

An ex-boyfriend bought me a hamster years ago and after about 2 months, it developed a large tumour. I took it to the vet assuming it would be put to sleep but the vet was quite optimistic as hamsters cope well under anaesthetic and said he was happy to give it a go if I wanted. I decided to give the little hammy a chance and he had surgery. Honest to god, if that was a human they’d have been laid up in bed for weeks- the scar went right from his neck down to his bum (huge tumour that grew very fast).
Hamster was up and about after surgery, as if nothing had happened, and lived a further 2 and a half years! Tumour never returned. I’ll see if I can dig out the pictures post-surgery.

 

[Chinchilla]

Ooh yes please scats. If I can't have my own pics of other people's are always appreciated.

 

[Griffin]

I love hamsters (well any rodent really) and I currently have two rescued Campbell's Dwarf Hamsters.

However, it seems impossible to buy species appropriate food for dwarf hamsters in this country these days (Burgess stopped making it), so I have to import it at great cost from Germany. They are absolutely thriving on it though, so I am loath to change but the food difficulties has put me off having dwarf hamsters again after these two.

 

[smolmaus]

An ex-boyfriend bought me a hamster years ago and after about 2 months, it developed a large tumour. I took it to the vet assuming it would be put to sleep but the vet was quite optimistic as hamsters cope well under anaesthetic and said he was happy to give it a go if I wanted. I decided to give the little hammy a chance and he had surgery. Honest to god, if that was a human they’d have been laid up in bed for weeks- the scar went right from his neck down to his bum (huge tumour that grew very fast).
Hamster was up and about after surgery, as if nothing had happened, and lived a further 2 and a half years! Tumour never returned. I’ll see if I can dig out the pictures post-surgery.

Hamsters coping quite well under aneasthetic seems to be dependant on the vet! All vets have told me the opposite but i know a lot of people who have heard differently. Thats one thing about exotics I really don't enjoy. I can tell immediately when my hamster is the first hamster a vet has seen all year

Would love to see photos! They are such hardy, sturdy little survivors underneath what terrible things humans have done to their genes.

I love hamsters (well any rodent really) and I currently have two rescued Campbell's Dwarf Hamsters.

However, it seems impossible to buy species appropriate food for dwarf hamsters in this country these days (Burgess stopped making it), so I have to import it at great cost from Germany. They are absolutely thriving on it though, so I am loath to change but the food difficulties has put me off having dwarf hamsters again after these two.

I miss the burgess too Are you using rodipet? I prefer the bunny dwarf mix from zooplus (also from Germany but shipping is okay!). My wee hybrid got very fat on the rodipet mix although I know it is very high quality, he was like a little ball. He's a bit lean on the bunny alone but I supplement with mealworms.

 

[Griffin]

I miss the burgess too Are you using rodipet? I prefer the bunny dwarf mix from zooplus (also from Germany but shipping is okay!). My wee hybrid got very fat on the rodipet mix although I know it is very high quality, he was like a little ball. He's a bit lean on the bunny alone but I supplement with mealworms.

Yes, I am giving them a mix of half Rodipet and half Bunny Dwarf mix. I tend to scatter the Rodipet around the cage so they need to work for it. I add a few mealworms in too. I agree on the chunkiness factor of Rodipet! One of mine is a little fat on it but the other is leaner (she is also more active generally).

 

[scats]

Hamsters coping quite well under aneasthetic seems to be dependant on the vet! All vets have told me the opposite but i know a lot of people who have heard differently. Thats one thing about exotics I really don't enjoy. I can tell immediately when my hamster is the first hamster a vet has seen all year

Would love to see photos! They are such hardy, sturdy little survivors underneath what terrible things humans have done to their genes.


I miss the burgess too Are you using rodipet? I prefer the bunny dwarf mix from zooplus (also from Germany but shipping is okay!). My wee hybrid got very fat on the rodipet mix although I know it is very high quality, he was like a little ball. He's a bit lean on the bunny alone but I supplement with mealworms.

I’ve been told by a few vets now that hamsters cope well, but guinea pigs don’t, which is weird when you think of the size difference. I suppose a lot depends on the vets experience too, and whether they feel comfortable doing a hammy surgery.

 

[Chinchilla]

You can make up your own foods - a fruity rabbit muesli, budgie mix, science selective hamster pellets and mealworms, supplemented with fresh veggies obviously, used to be what I fed my dwarves as it was the best I could do from the local independent pet shop, and I thought that was better than buying from pets at home (HATE that company?).... Also, check out rat rations.

 

[Griffin]

You can make up your own foods - a fruity rabbit muesli, budgie mix, science selective hamster pellets and mealworms, supplemented with fresh veggies obviously, used to be what I fed my dwarves as it was the best I could do from the local independent pet shop, and I thought that was better than buying from pets at home (HATE that company?).... Also, check out rat rations.

Thank you I dimly remember before Burgess made (and then stopped making) Dwarf Hamster mix, that I used to use cockatiel mix and take the groats out for hamster pouch safety. I can foresee a few few experiments coming on!

 

[lukenash]

Maybe get one to start with and if you adapt well get more