Rat-Like Hamster

Chinese Hamster - Cricetus Grisius.

          

 

          Chinese hamsters origionate from Northern China and Mongolia, and are from a group known as the Rat-like Hamster, due to the fact that their faces look very much like a rats. They are a small hamster, with a long body, and they have a longer tail than any of the other hamster we know. The tail can be as long as 2cm (almost an inch long). Unfortunately, due to their agressive nature towards each other, very few people are now breeding them, and and they are becoming increasingly more difficult to get hold of. In some countries, for example the USA in some States there, they are even banned, due to environmental reasons, and its now illegal to keep them.

Temperament

          Chinese hamsters are usually very friendly when interacting with People. Even though they are extremely quick, they actually can cling to your hand, sometimes making it hard to get them off. Once tame, they very rarely bite, and very often they will just sit there in your hand. I have a couple that are tamed enough to cling to my clothes and I can actually walk around with them just clinging there on my arm, or my chest, and they will stay there. They are extremely fast Hamsters, and if they escape, it may be almost impossible to catch them. I have found that the only way to do this, is to us a small fishing net, you use to catch tiny fish.

          Their temperament towards each other is totally different. Chinese hamsters can live in pairs, but they can become extremely aggressive towards each other. They dislike change intensely, and even changing their cages, can cause problems to occur between them. It is best to pair off the young at a very early age,  and let them get used to their new environment before attempting to get their trust. You need to carefully watch them at all times, because serious injury can be inflicted on each other in seconds. If  there are any signs of agression, they will need to be seperated, because they will fight to the death.

Handling

           Handling Chinese hamsters can be quite tricky, until they are tamed up. They are supposed to the the friendliest hamster of all the hasmter species. These little hamsters have wrists that can rotate, and can ling onto almost amything. Sometimes, it can be quite difficult to get them off your nad if they decide to hold on. They can also be extremely fast hasmters, and if they escape, its almost impossible to them. I have found that using a small fishing net, the ones kids use for catching fish in rivers, is by far the best method, as they are quite delicate, and easily hurt. Once the hasmter is used to you, it will quite happily site in your hand for quite sometime. They will however let you kow when they have had enough. Its not something I can explain, but once you get to know your hasmter, you will realise this.

Feeding

           They can be fed the same type of foods as other breeds of hamsters can. Here is a link to the foods that can be eaten.

Cages

           The best cages to use for Chinese hamsters are Glass or Plastic Tanks, or Sterilite Containers. Any cages with bars would not be ideal, as they can flatten themselves to almost nothing, and they are extremely good escape artists. Care is needed as they are also very good climbers, and can also jump quite high. When using these cages, its best to it is advisable to put wire mesh on the top, to ensure the hamster cant get out. Alternatively, you can drill holes in the Sterilite lids for ventilation, but you will have to drill many holes for it to have enough ventilation for it to be safe for the hasmter.

My Experience With These Hamsters.

           I hope that people don't mind that I have done this, but I want to tell you what has happened over the past year, with these little hamsters and myself.

           I saw my first Chinese hamster about 14 months ago, given to me by David Baglin, who had been breeding them for years with good success. They were 2 Dominant Spot males around 6 months old, and I named them Tom and Jerry. To me they were so cute and nothing like I'd ever seen before. The only way I could discribe them,was they looked like a rat that had been shrunk and stretched, ( and please forgive me for saying this) with the biggest, most uncomfortable looking 'pom poms' I had ever seen.

            I was told they were ok with each other, a little shy, but not aggressive. I just needed to take a little time with them, and they would be fine. I didn't have much time to learn they weren't anything like I thought they were supposed to be. In my ignorance, 24 hours later, I decided I was going to try to pick them up and handle them. Big mistake. the first one I picked up, bit me, and closed down until he couldn't close any more. He wouldn't let go for ages, eventually he did, and boy, was I in pain and bleeding. I left them alone then, but more trouble was to come not more than 24 hours later.

           I was in the hasmter room the next day, and I heard this almighty fight, it was Tom and Jerry, I checked in on them, and they were ripping each other to shreds, blood everywhere, so I seperated them imediately, and as best I could, which wasnt easy, cleaned up their wounds, and left them to settle in their new cages, to begin a sepaerate life.

            Over the next 4 months or so, I managed to become best friends with both of them. To start off with, the only way I could do this was using leather gloves, as they would attack me as soon as I went anywhere near them. Taming was not easy. I spent hours just sitting there with my gloved hand in the cage. I tried taking them out, and putting them in a neutral space, made no difference. Treat's were given as bribes to see if they would come out, nothing seemed to work, they would make their way around my hand, looking for food, or burrowing in the woodshavings. If they came close, it would be to attakc, and bite. Boy, can they bite, even through the leather gloves, sometimes it would take me by supprise, and make me jump.

           The more I spent time with them though, the easier the friendship became, until one day, they came to my hand, without biting. Once tame, they became good friends  and have never bitten me since.