After bringing about a new outlook to 'Heavy Petting', with the creepy-crawlies let me move to a slightly more cute category. We have seen that dangerous creatures can be kept as pets in my previous 3 blogs. These are not the only categories that can be listed as Exotic, however. There are a lot of other commonly seen and kept pets which are also Exotic pets. To name one of the most common and widely liked animals; "The Hamsters".
Naturally, these animals are from the rodent family and are mostly crepuscular, meaning they spend very less time awake. They are a burrowing class of animals and feed mostly on dried foods, fruits, nuts, vegetables and the likes. They also tend to eat a few burrowing insects but this is a very rare trait. They can be very easily tamed and domesticated and make great pets to people of all ages. These animals can land quite a bite if they feel threatened, hence, it is very important that they be handled carefully. If you do not make them feel threatened, then in due course of time they will be able to catch your scent.
The hamsters found as pets in majority are listed below:
Long Haired or Fancy Hamster - Also known as the 'Syrian Hamsters', these are the most common breed. They reach a size of up to 6 inches and are the most friendly breed. They get used to humans faster than any other breeds and can follow instructions to a fair level. They can be found in various colours, with the most common being white with gray, brown or black spots. They need not be couped up in a hamster cage, as they would respond to your calls even if they are free. They tend to live in pairs but can survive well alone too. Make sure that you keep two of opposite sex together, because if they are of the same sex; you may find them dead fighting.
Roborovski Hamsters - Are a sub category of Dwarf Hamsters and are quite tiny(as the name signifies). They grow upto a maximum of 4 inches and very quick on their feet. They also can be quite the biters but only if threatened. Despite their speed and agility they can become very friendly with the owner if handled carefully enough. They can be housed in a huge cage with very less squeezing space(these are very small and can squeeze through if not careful). They are a very active breed and need lots of leg space and toys, without which they tend to become agitated and their life span is known to lessen. They can live in groups, so one need not worry about same sex or opposite sex; just bring a bunch of them and keep them all together. Be very careful while choosing these as the sellers can deceive you with this breed.
Campbell Hamsters - Also known as the Dwarf Russian Hamsters, should be chosen only if one is ready for a bit of research and time. These are also a class of Dwarves and grow upto 4 inches. They are a very possessive and territorial animals , so be very careful while housing them. Care needs to be taken to make sure that there is a pair of opposite sexes only left together. If you already have one then try not introduce another one to the same cage(this is regarded as territorial invasion). These hamsters develop an order of hierarchy in a cage where one is more dominant and the other submissive. You will be able to see one of them trying to corner the other submissive counterpart, which usually does not really include much of a physical contact.
Chinese Hamsters - These are the most commonly mishandled breed. They are very timid and fast moving but are of a very good temperament if handled well from the beginning. They usually become very quiet when picked up and hence don't make a great choice for children. But if you want to keep a distance and watch a group of these scurrying around in their own world, they are the best. Like the dwarves they are also a very active breed and require lots of space and toys for their activities unless you want to agitate them.
Hamsters are a friendly class of animals and can be played with very well by people of any age group. While buying a hamster make sure you choose to go to a proper shop. The small disorganised shops which do not have enough leg space for hamsters in the cages, should not be bought from. These shops tend to house too many hamsters in very small cages. This makes the hamsters a bit cheesy to begin with. They are also handled too many times by too many people which confuses them to a large extent. After this kind of a treatment they tend to loose their calm and become a bad tempered lot. This is why they nip and bite.
Once again I thank all the MSians who visited my past blogs, and mention their names in reverence.
@Emptor, @cindy, @earnestaster, @anshumanmaini, @shblr92. Please pardon me if I have not taken any names, its more of absent mindedness than neglect.
