A: Yes; but normally not without just cause, or maybe if they think you are a tasty sunflower seed.

A: No, they are not blind; but studies indicate that they are extremely near-sighted, only seeing objects within a couple of inches. Past that point they are only able to detect large objects.

A: The Syrian hamster was introduced to the scientific community around 1930. A mother hamster and her pups (babies) were found in the Syrian desert by a zoologist and brought back to Hebrew University in Jerusalem. They were bred and, due to their remarkable ability to have a litter of pups every month, and because they are so friendly and easy to handle, were used in labs all over the world as guinea pigs, er, I mean "test subjects". So you see, if an animal is friendly scientists have an easier time planting electrodes in it's brain. And if it has lots of babies scientists can make more "mistakes" as there is always a fresh batch on the way. Syrian hamsters were first brought to America in 1932 for laboratory research. At some point a scientist thought "Hey these guys are kind of cute before we dissect them" and the first very lucky hamster got to leave the laboratory in one piece. I smell a Disney movie.

A: The first laboratory colony was formed in Leningrad from a group of hamsters captured in Tuva, Mongolia. Later one female and two males were sent from Leningrad to the Institute of Experimental and Clinical Oncology in Moscow. Soon afterwards the offspring of these hamsters were exported to laboratories all over Europe. The capitalists in these countries soon saw the potential for profit in these cute little "pocket pets" and now they are the most common dwarf hamster in pet stores around the globe!

A: A Black Bear hamster is a long haired Syrian hamster that has black fur.

A: Hamsters are crepuscular, which means they like to sleep during the day and party all night long. If you don't believe me try putting your hamster's cage in your bedroom one night and see how much sleep you get. This doesn't mean you'll never see them. If you give your hamsters a treat when you get home they'll come to expect it and be waiting for you!

A: Eighteen. Four on each front foot and five on each back foot.

A: Adult Syrian hamsters are generally between 6 and 7 inches in length and adult Dwarf hamsters are between 3 and 5 inches in length.

Try using a very small amount of petroleum jelly (Vaseline). It stops the squeaks and is not toxic unlike many other lubes like WD-40. (You might also check out Wodent Wheels).

A: That's a naughty word in the hamster world; hamsters don't like water sports. Nature has provided hamsters with a natural oil to maintain the condition of their fur. That's why they spend so much time grooming. Although they can swim, water baths are not recommended. If a wet hamster becomes cold, it can lead to flu and possibly death.

A: Debatable. There are those who say their hamster is trained; but observation leads to the question: is the hamster trained or has the hamster trained the human? If you have a hamster that can do tricks please let us know!

A: Chances are if you bought a "Dwarf" or "Russian" or "Siberian" hamster in a pet store it's a Campbell's Dwarf Russian hamster, also occasionally known as the Djungarian. You can check out our explanation of the differences and see pictures that compare them by clicking here.

A: These are called "hip spots" and are scent glands used for marking his territory.

A: If you have a Syrian hamster, often called the "Teddy Bear Hamster", the answer is "no". Syrian hamsters are solitary, if you try to keep two together one will eventually kill the other. If, on the other hand, you have Campbells dwarf Russian, or Winter White Siberian hamsters the answer is "usually". If you buy a pair of young hamster siblings from the pet store then they will most likely be fine. If your dwarf hamster has been on it's own for a while then it is much less likely to accept new company. I do know of one case where a older male who had lived alone for almost a year was introduced to a young female and they now have babies of their own.

A: Syrian's (teddybear hamster) usually live about three years.The smaller varieties, like the Siberian and Campbell's, not quite as long, usually around two years. The Roborovski is the dwarf hamster exception, and has been raised to three years in captivity.

A: Get used to it, you're about to find out who your real friends are. Of all non egg-laying or marsupial mammals hamsters have the most compressed reproductive cycle of any mammal on this planet! So here are some tips. If you have Syrian hamsters get the male out fast if you haven't already. Syrians shouldn't be kept together anyway, as they are loners. If you have Dwarf hamsters (except for the Chinese Dwarf) you can let the father stay, he will actually help with the rearing of the young by bringing the mother food and even keeping the babies warm when the mother goes out to stretch her legs. But be warned! Dwarf hamster will usually breed again within 24 hours of the babies being born! So if you don't want endless hamster pups get him out. The mother may eat the babies but don't let it bother you, it happens. We don't always know why but it seems to happen mostly if the mother is young or agitated. Try to leave the little family alone the day of the birth. If you let the mother bond with the pups without disturbances the babies will have a better chance of surviving. The mother may have the pups all over the cage, but she'll round them all up after she's done and begin taking care of them all. You should find them homes as soon as possible, but don't separate them from mom until they're four weeks old. And of course read our section on breeding hamsters. Which gives a more thorough explanation.

A: It is very difficult to tell. She will only look more fat than usual about 2 days before giving birth. She may be building a nest and will usually be more active than usual. Dwarves are pregnant for around 19-21 days (Syrians only 16 days) so the best thing to do is to wait and see! When she does give birth, consult the breeding pages of hamsterific, and remember not to touch the babies.
Answer provided by vixytrixy

A: Hamsters can be regular little escape artists, but don't fret, hamsterama has the perfect solution. The first thing you should do is close all the doors, and get any other animals such as cats or dogs out of the house if possible. Put piles of your hamsters usual food mix in the corner of each room. Observe which pile of food gets eaten to determine which room your hamster is in. Once you know which room he is in, you can trap him. Take a bucket and put some bedding and some strong smelling food (such as cheese) inside. Then, using books, build steps up to the top of the bucket. The hamster should clamber up to the top, smell the delicious food and fall in, but not be able to get out!
Answer provided by vixytrixy

A: When two or more dwarves are kept together, fighting is usually a fairly common occurance. This is part of their normal play and should not be interfered with. In my opinion, fighting hamsters should only be separated if the fight results in any blood being shed by either hamster. This is defined as serious fighting. If your hamsters do seem to fight, keep in mind that many fights occur through lack of space and food. Fights can also occur where hamsters are establishing the dominant hamster in a pairing or colony. Remember, if your hamsters are Syrians, they should NEVER be kept together. They will always fight, whatever the circumstances. They should be separated immediately, as the fighting will always eventually lead to death.
Answer provided by vixytrixy

A: The best treats for hamsters are foods that are similar to what they might eat in the wild. Fresh (rinsed with water) veggies are good, for example, carrots, squash, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, romaine lettuce, spinach and other greens. Fresh fruits (rinsed in water) are good too, for example, apples, pears, bananas, grapes and most berries. But remember never to give any citrus fruits like oranges, limes, lemons, grapefruit, etc.
In addition to fresh fruits and veggies you can also offer many whole grain foods and cereal. They love whole grain bread, and you can give it plain or dip it in plain yogurt or skim milk. Cereals like Corn Flakes, plain Cheerios, Kashi, and other low salt and low or sugar free cereals are fine to give too, NO Fruity Pebbles! Plain oats are very nutritious, and they can be given dry or soaked in skim milk.
Protein is an important part of a hamster’s diet as well. Plain scrambled or boiled eggs are a nice treat. Hamsters also love the occasional, pet store bought, meal worm or cricket.
The thing to remember when fixing your hamsters' dinner is that moderation and variety are very important. Always provide the standard seed and pellet mix daily, and only offer some of these treats in addition to it.
Answer provided by LunaBug

A: The wet/soiled areas should be scooped out daily. The acessories should be cleaned at least once a month or whenever they get dirty. The cage should be cleaned once a week with soap and water. However if you have a potty or something similiar that hamster urinates in the bedding can be dumped out an replaced weekly while the cage can be washed and dried once a month but that's only if the hamster hasn't urinated anywhere else.
Answer provided by DreamStar

A: Let the cage base soak in hot water and vinegar for awhile. Then scrub the area and rinse it out with soap and water really good. It may need to be repeated a few times but it should take off the stain pretty good.
Answer provided by DreamStar

A: The bedding should be 2 in. (5 cm) deep, so hamsters can make nests/burrows to sleep in.
Answer provided by EvilDragon

A: Excessive peeing and drinking aren't normal for any hamster; these symptoms could point to several possibilities:

1. Urinary tract infections: these are more common in female than male hamsters, but males can get them too. you might also notice a bit of blood in the urine. to treat this, you'll need to make an appt. with a rodent-experienced vet who'll give you hamster-safe antibiotics such as Batril, or Albon. the infection should clear up in a week or so.

2. Diabetes: an increasingly common disease in dwarf hamsters. it's diagnosed through a urine test, which can be done either by your vet or yourself at home, using urine test strips such as Bayer Diastix.

If you hamster tests positive for diabetes, you'll immediately need to make adjustments in his diet. find a sugar-free seedmix such as Harry Hamster or Small World. you'll need to remove the corn and peas from the seedmix. and also remove any fruit from the diet as well as any treats that include sugar in the ingredients.
Your vet may be able to help you treat your diabetic hamster using a med called 'Glipizide' which has successfully treated diabetic guinea pigs as well. but you need to have a vet experienced with hamsters who will know how to weigh your hamster and come up with a Glipizide dosing based on the hamster's weight.
Answer provided by missPixy