Jill Foran Weigl Publishers Inc.
Published by Weigl Publishers Inc. 350 5 th Avenue, Suite 3304, PMB 6G New York, NY 10118-0069 Website: www.weigl.com Copyright 2009 WEIGL PUBLISHERS INC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Project Coordinator Heather C. Hudak Design and Layout Terry Paulhus Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Foran, Jill. Hamster : my pet / Jill Foran. p.cm. ISBN 978-1-60596-222-1 1. Hamsters as pets:--juvenile literature. I. title. SF459.H3F664 2009 636.935 6 dc22 2008015822 Printed in the United States of America 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 12 11 10 09 08 Photograph and Text Credits Weigl acknowledges Getty Images as its primary photo supplier. Justine Lowndes: page 7 bottom left. Every reasonable effort has been made to trace ownership and to obtain permission to reprint copyright material. The publishers would be pleased to have any errors or omissions brought to their attention so that they may be corrected in subsequent printings. All of the Internet URLs given in the book were valid at the time of publication. However, due to the dynamic nature of the Internet, some addresses may have changed, or sites may have ceased to exist since publication. While the author and publisher regret any inconvenience this may cause readers, no responsibility for any such changes can be accepted by either the author or the publisher.
Contents 4 Hamsters and Happiness 6 Pet Profiles 8 Hamster History 10 Life Cycle 12 Picking Your Pet 14 Gearing Up 16 Feeding Your Hamster 18 Built for Burrows 20 Hamster Housecleaning 22 Healthy and Happy 24 Handling Your Hamster 26 Hamsters and Humans 28 Pet Puzzlers 30 Frequently Asked Questions 31 More Information 32 Words to Know and Index
Hamsters and Happiness Hamsters make great pets. Their soft fur, adorable faces, and small size have made hamsters popular household companions in many parts of the world. Try to play with your hamster in the evening, when he is awake and alert. 4
Not only are hamsters cute and cuddly, they are also easy to care for. They are clean, cheap, and take up very little room. In addition, hamsters are very energetic. They provide their owners with countless hours of enjoyment. Even though a hamster is a fun pet, looking after one is a large responsibility. Once you have a pet hamster, you must care for him for the rest of his life. This means that you must give him the things that will keep him happy and healthy. Hamsters require food, shelter, grooming, and plenty of playtime. Hamsters also need some privacy during the day. Daydreamer Of all the small pets in the world, hamsters are the most popular. More people own hamsters than chinchillas, ferrets, gerbils, guinea pigs, mice, rabbits, or rats. Hamsters are nocturnal animals. This means that they sleep during the day and are active at night. The word hamster comes from the German word hamstern, which means to hoard. Hamsters hoard food in case it is not available later. 5
Pet Profiles More than twenty types of hamster live in the wild. From the common Syrian hamster to the mouse-like Chinese hamster, these wild animals live mostly in the plains and deserts of Central Asia. Of all the different types of hamster, only five are commonly kept as pets. The most common domesticated hamster is the Syrian hamster. Over the years, people have discovered that Syrian hamsters can be bred to have different color and fur variations. The appearance of these large hamsters can vary a great deal. This makes Syrian hamsters very popular among pet owners. ROBOROVSKI S Smallest type of pet dwarf hamster Lively and fast Calm temperament Golden-orange in color, with white belly Fur over eyes is white, giving them distinctive white eyebrows 6