Take home a new hamster
You should educate yourself a little bit about caring for new hamsters before deciding to purchase one from a pet shop or breeder. You may prepare yourself and your hamsters for success by being aware of a few key guidelines and comprehending some new hamster care advice. These hamster handling suggestions will, in short, make the transfer for your new hamster from its previous habitat at the pet shop to its new habitat at your home as stress-free as possible.
Frequently, newly acquired pet owners are not given instructions on how to care for their hamster. That’s not to say that many trustworthy pet shops won’t offer you advice on how to get your new pet home and put it in its new cage. However, if you are reading this before going out to buy any new hamsters, please take note of the following guidelines. If you already own a hamster, you can still follow these guidelines moving forward.
Purchase a new hamster residence from a pet shop
- Depending on where you get your hamsters, they will almost certainly give you a little pet carrier to make it easier for you to bring your furry friend home. These, nevertheless, might be sufficient and end up stressing your new pet. These boxes may also be quite simple for a hamster to chew its way through, particularly through the air openings. The last thing you need is a scurrying hamster under your brake pedal or in your car’s seats. If you are concerned about this, get a large, robust cardboard box, poke some air holes in the top of it, and then put the smaller pet carrier inside. You will have a second line of defense because of this. It will require a day or two to adjust to and feel at ease in its new surroundings. The smells they are accustomed to will calm them.
- Put your hamster in its new home as soon as your new pet is in the temporary travel carrier.
- Don’t talk loudly or listen to loud music while driving home. Loud noises stress out hamsters.
- On the walk home, avoid trying to take your hamster out and hold it in your hand or lift the box to look inside. Additionally stressful.
- Keep the hamster away from sources of intense light, such as the sun. By nature, hamsters don’t go outside during the day.
Let a hamster get used to its new home
You might wish to try using gloves to pick up and place down your hamster into its new cage while moving it from its carrier to its new habitat. The carrier should be put inside the cage, the lid should be opened, and your hamster should be allowed to escape on its own. Only if you have a cage or habitat with an aperture large enough to fit the carrier through is this alternative feasible. Whatever choice you make, keep in mind how much stress a hamster will be under and aim to keep that to a minimal.
Let your hamster be once it is settled in its new home.
Advice for taking hamsters on vacation
Put a small amount of the hamster’s old cage’s bedding in your temporary hamster carrier. It’s preferable to let it move at its own pace through every area of its new home. Hamsters are under a lot of stress right now, which might cause illnesses or shorten their lives.
You should refrain from doing any of the following at this time:
- Only the food dish and water bottles should be changed inside the cage. This would only result in additional uncertainty and tension.
- Do not attempt to pick up your hamster, remove it from its cage, or even try to capture it by chasing it.
- Reduce the amount of loud noises and interruptions.
Increasing and modifying your hamster cage
You can securely move the cage as often as you like after your hamster has had a few days or a week to become used to its new surroundings. A hamster frequently cannot live a healthy life in the basic cages and kits you get from the pet store. If that is your environment, don’t worry; you can gradually expand it till it is large enough. For enrichment or exercise, you might think of adding extra Critter Trail tubes and tunnels, extensions, Habitrail modules, vertical levels, and toys.
The hamster is really a perfect pet when you get to know it. There are many good tips in our articles about hamsters, and if you get one, you’ll likely figure out that this is just the tip of the iceberg and there are so many more things you are able to do to make both you as well as your hamster bond and have a great relationship.
Have we missed anything? What did you prepare before taking a new hamster home? Add a comment below to let us know!
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