Is a hamster the right pet for you?

[Kikya]

Hamsters are wonderful pets and amazing creatures to observe and interact with but is a hamster right for you? Go through these questions and see how your own answers line up.

Do you have the time for a pet?
All pets need a certain amount of time dedicated to them each day. If you are going to be gone for long stretches of time (greater than 1-2 days at a time) a hamster is likely not the best pet for you. Also, consider your living arrangements, are you going to be moving or going to school in a year or two when a hamster may live for 3-4 years. If you can’t commit to keeping a hamster for at least 4 years, a hamster may not be right for you.

Do you have the money for upfront costs and vet bills?
The costs of having a hamster can vary depending on how much DIY you are able to do but you’ll need at least 200-300 dollars for upfront costs for supplies. Plus, you’ll want to have a few hundred dollars set aside for unexpected vet bills.

Are you a small child or thinking about getting a hamster for your small child?
Hamsters, while beloved by children, are often not the best pets for children. Children are just going to bed as the hamster wakes up and hamsters don’t like getting woken up during the day just to play. This could lead to stress for the hamsters and some bitten fingers for the children. It’s best not to allow small children to handle hamsters unsupervised as they can accidentally hurt the hamster’s fragile bodies without meaning to.

What is your schedule like?
Hamsters are often between crepuscular and nocturnal in captivity, which means you won’t see them very often during the day as they like to stay underground at that time. If you are up late into the evening, a hamster might be a great fit for you!

Do you have other pets that would be interested in the hamster?
This is not to say you can't have any other pet while owning a hamster but hamsters are prey animals. They will be scared if a cat lays on top of their cage or if a dog starts sniffing around. Not to mention the risk of accidents or escapes. Think carefully if you can manage the safety of the hamster as well as their mental well-being.

While hamsters may not make the best pets for small children, pre-tweens to late teens with parental support and adults who enjoy a moderate contact pet can make excellent pet parents for a hamster. Smaller species, like a Roborovski, make great observational pets building all kinds of creative tunneling systems. While the larger Syrian species are generally handleable and friendly to human contact, make them more of the comedic relief of the hamster world and their antics will bring a smile to your face. Check out this post HERE for a basic supply list for hamsters. You are already taking the first step to hamster ownership, doing your research!

[Happyhammies26]

Thank you so much for this Kikya ! I hate when people just get a hamster without seeing if they were capable

[hotglue01]

I love this, especially your point that hamsters are NOT good pets for children, typically. Dogs and cats you can tussle with, but a hamster is too delicate for typical child's play, in my opinion. When I was a kid I DEFINITLEY would have given a hamster a hard time without meaning to. They are great pets for city-dwelling adults without a lot of space, haha!

[Luvashh]

Hamsters are wonderful pets and amazing creatures to observe and interact with but is a hamster right for you? Go through these questions and see how your own answers line up.

Do you have the time for a pet?
All pets need a certain amount of time dedicated to them each day. If you are going to be gone for long stretches of time (greater than 1-2 days at a time) a hamster is likely not the best pet for you. Also, consider your living arrangements, are you going to be moving or going to school in a year or two when a hamster may live for 3-4 years. If you can’t commit to keeping a hamster for at least 4 years, a hamster may not be right for you.

Do you have the money for upfront costs and vet bills?
The costs of having a hamster can vary depending on how much DIY you are able to do but you’ll need at least 200-300 dollars for upfront costs for supplies. Plus, you’ll want to have a few hundred dollars set aside for unexpected vet bills.

Are you a small child or thinking about getting a hamster for your small child?
Hamsters, while beloved by children, are often not the best pets for children. Children are just going to bed as the hamster wakes up and hamsters don’t like getting woken up during the day just to play. This could lead to stress for the hamsters and some bitten fingers for the children. It’s best not to allow small children to handle hamsters unsupervised as they can accidentally hurt the hamster’s fragile bodies without meaning to.

What is your schedule like?
Hamsters are often between crepuscular and nocturnal in captivity, which means you won’t see them very often during the day as they like to stay underground at that time. If you are up late into the evening, a hamster might be a great fit for you!

While hamsters may not make the best pets for small children, young to late teens with parental support and adults who enjoy a moderate contact pet can make excellent pet parents for a hamster. Smaller species, like a Roborovski, make great observational pets building all kinds of creative tunneling systems. While the larger Syrian species are generally handleable and friendly to human contact, make them more of the comedic relief of the hamster world and their antics will bring a smile to your face. Check out this post HERE for a basic supply list for hamsters. You are already taking the first step to hamster ownership, doing your research!

Heyyy! Im a pretty good hammy owner if i do say so myself and im pretty young
All jokes, good job on all the guides kikya!