Hammy Adventures

Hamster cuteness, crafts, treat recipes, information, and-- of course-- adventures.

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A Question about Hamsters and Personalities

Q: I am wondering because you and your hamster are so close, perhaps you have good insight on this. do you think that robo hamsters have as much personality as Syrians? I personally do think so, but the robos are very shy in comparison and more firm on their boundaries.

A: I'm with you-- I think they do. I think anyone who thinks that any animal doesn't have her own personality isn't trying to see that personality or isn't understanding/aware enough.

Updated for this tumblr post: Meaning, not everyone is educated on an animal’s behavior or that individual animal’s behavior. A lot of people, myself included at one point, simply don’t educate themselves on their pets’ needs, and this leads to a lack of bonding and thus getting to know those personalities better or even at all. That’s why I work to bring information online now-- so much of the information provided by pet stores and even adoption agencies is incorrect or even harmful. Getting information online from other people experienced with hams has been an incredibly rewarding experience. :] [smiley]

This also means, though, that we as humans are never going to be completely understanding of another species’ communication methods and needs. For example, as close as Q-Tip and I are, I will be the absolute first in line to tell you I have no clue what she’s trying to tell me sometimes or what some of her behaviors mean. I’m not a hamster! I can’t know that. lol Simply a fact of dealing with other animals. :] [smiley]

I also think a lot of people impose human standards of "personality" onto other animals and that does nothing for the human or the other animal.

Updated for this tumblr post: Meaning that many people seem to be enamored with the idea that if you tell your dog, “Hey, Mr. Fluffkins, don’t pee on the couch,” Mr. Fluffkins will understand their human speech and not pee on the couch. So when Mr. Fluffkins inevitably pees on the couch again, he’s treated as though he’s deliberately behaving in a human manner and spitefully peeing on the couch. What should be thought of at this point instead is that poor Mr. Fluffkins may have a bladder control issue, kidney disease, anxiety, is being abused by someone, etc. Other animals don’t behave the same way as humans, and to anthropomorphize them in such ways is harmful to them.

I think people also are keen to ignore how their own behavior may be frightening their hamster (and preventing a closer bond because of it sometimes) and just dismissing them as "unfeeling" critters.

Updated for this tumblr post: This goes back to the previous example. Many hamster parents think that because their hamster attacks them when their hand is in the hamster’s environment is a sign of an unloving, ungrateful, mean little hamster instead of considering that the hamster has a reason for it. For example, the human may be coming at her in a position that is threatening/looks like a predatory move; the human may not be providing enough space, making the hamster extra territorial; the human may be encroaching on what the hamster views as time alone; the hamster may have a neurological condition; the hamster may otherwise be ill or in pain and the human continues to touch her in a way that is hurtful/stressful; the human may be a jerk who thinks their hamster’s needs don’t really matter because the human bought/adopted her so the hamster is therefore required to be/do what the human wants; and so on. Generally, if you treat your hamster as an object, she’s gonna be pissed off at you and attack. :| [unimpressed face]

I think it's clear to most who get to know and respect their pets that they all have their own personality. :] [smiley]

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A Question about Abused Hamsters

Q: I have a hamster, I got her when she was 8 months old and she had lived in a box for all that time without anyone who played with her or showed her love. She is scared of everything now, she has been with me for 4 months now but I can't even touch her... Do you know what can I do to show her that she doesnt have to be scared anymore? I am not new in the "hamsters world" I used to have a hamster and we used to be like you and Qtip but he died from cancer last year.

A: Oh gosh, the poor baby. :( [sad face] That's a good question. I'm sorry your hamster was put in such an awful situation. I don't personally have experience working with hamsters who have been abused, but I'll give what thoughts I have and some places I look to for help (this will be a little long, sorry). I've survived abuse myself, and I feel a lot of the things I would want as a survivor can be applied to some animals' situations.

I think an important first step is to recognize that your hamster may never feel unafraid. Some animals bounce back from abuse and are okay with humans again eventually, but many won't ever feel completely safe around us again (for good reasons!). You may also develop a better bond but not be able to touch or hold her much or even at all, but I think improving any of this relationship will be good for you both. So I would say try not to get your hopes too high and try to be understanding of her fear, even if you feel frustrated that she doesn't feel safe around you yet-- remember, you know you're not going to try to abuse her, but she doesn't know that. This will help both you and her.

The next thing I would say is to be as educated about hamster behavior as possible and her behavior/personality. Knowing what exactly scares her is going to be a crucial part of building a relationship with her that's satisfying to you both. It's also important to know what behaviors to avoid for her health, too, since hamsters are prone to stress-caused illnesses and can die easily.

Another thing you can try to do is what new hamster-human relationships employ-- associating your smell with good things. :] [smiley] So for her, this would likely mean associating your scent with food, treats, and respectful distance/treatment. Obviously it's important for all hamsters to have this association with their humans, but I think it would be even more important for you to be extra careful around her to make sure you don't accidentally trigger her fear. Going out of your way to show her that the way she feels is valid and important will help her feel respected. I think, in general, prioritizing her needs and desires over your own is going to be one of the best things you can do for her-- after all, her needs have never been considered or cared for before.

I hope this helps! >< [scrunched eyebrows] Sorry it's a bit long. I would suggest you also check out some pages like Hamster Hideout and Hamster Central-- there are lots of experienced hamster parents on there who can also offer great advice. :] [smiley] Best of luck to you and your little one! I hope you both end up with a satisfying relationship! <3

Here's a thread you can check out, by the way! Hamster Hideout: Abused Hamsters

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Transcript for “Understanding Your Hamster's Behavior“ Video

English Transcript for the “Hamster Care: Understanding Your Hamster's Behavior“ Video on YouTube

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPqE69Qggr0

[Video Description: The video is presented in bright rainbow colors. Each slide lasts about ten seconds and has white text conveying the following information:

Hey there! A lot of people come to me asking about how I bond so closely with Q-Tip. They often want to know what trick or technique I use to "get her to do" something. But the truth is, there's no fancy technique to it. I simply learned to read her behavior and respect her wishes. :] [smiley]

While there are certainly things you can do to help you bond with your hamster (and I will try to do a video on that subject another day), understanding her behavior is crucial. This will not only help you understand your hamster, but it will also help you to know when something is wrong with her.

Oftentimes when a hamster is ill, her behavior will change. She may become more aggressive or bite when touched (because it might hurt to be touched); she may become more fatigued (because of an infection, for example); or she may seem frantically energetic (indicating stress). So understanding your hammy's behavior is important.

The best way to understand your particular ham is to simply interact with her and get to know her. Each hamster, just like people, has her own personality, likes, dislikes, and quirks, and it's important to respect that. Some hamsters may show a wide range of emotions and behaviors, and others may show just a few.

For example, Q-Tip enjoys being rubbed and held. But a lot of hamsters, no matter how often or gently you try, just don't enjoy being rubbed or held. It doesn't mean you're doing anything wrong; it simply means you may not be able to do these things with this hamster. Some hamsters also take longer to feel comfortable with people enough to do these things.

So while this video is meant to help you with understanding some of the basics, please remember that each hamster will be a bit different. She will also behave differently with different people and other hamsters.

To demonstrate the different types of behavior, I will use footage of Q-Tip, but for the behaviors that demonstrate a hamster under duress, I will be using examples borrowed from other sources because I don't believe in stressing out an animal for demonstration's sake. Also, inflicting that sort of stress on a hamster, especially an older one such as Q-Tip, can be harmful to her health.

Before we look at visual examples, let's discuss the behaviors of hamsters in four categories: content/neutral, happy, distressed/frightened, and distressed/territorial. Let's begin with content.

CONTENT/NEUTRAL A content hamster generally has a relaxed body. She's curious, alert, sniffing around, accepts food from you, nests, digs or scratches around her house a bit, and might be busy doing hamster things such as taking a bath or pouching some food to take later.

She may even simply sit there listening and smelling things around her. If you startle her accidentally, she may nibble lightly at you or dart away quickly but then resume her relaxed position from before. Her ears will be up, to the side, relaxing backwards, or going indifferent directions as she listens to her environment. Some hamsters will even squeak loudly to get your attention or in excitement.

HAPPY A happy hamster will brux with her teeth, boggle her eyes, bop her head about, close her eyes part way or fully, bathe on or near you, and maybe even give you licks and gentle nibbles. If she feels very secure with you, she may even sleep or eat on or near you from time to time. Some hamsters will squeak gently, too.

Bruxing is when a rodent grinds her teeth together in contentment. It's a bit easier to see in larger rodents such as rats. If you want a great example of this, I suggest you check out @LilysRats on Instagram where her rats do these behaviors very regularly. :] [smiley]

Humans can also develop a disorder called "bruxism," in which we also grind our teeth down. But since humans' teeth don't continuously grow like rodents' do, this is unhealthy for us. It's normal behavior in rodents, though, and is great for keeping your hamster's teeth worn down to healthy lengths! :] [smiley]

Boggling is when a rodent's eyes wiggle about. It's a curious and adorable thing to see! I would recommend seeing great examples of this on Instagram again with @LilysMice; Q-Tip doesn't do this terribly often. lol

Head bopping is what I call a behavior Q-Tip regularly engages in. Some hamsters will do it a bit differently, but what Q-Tip does is a rapid bouncing of her head up and down, often with her eyes closed. This is usually in response to having her head rubbed in juuust the right spot and is normal behavior. :] [smiley] I affectionately call all these happy behaviors "hammy purring."

DISTRESSED/FRIGHTENED A distressed/frightened hamster will run away from you, might squeak shrilly (as though shrieking), hide under or behind toys when you're around, and may freeze in fear. A distressed hamster may also feel abnormally attached to her wheel and may even sleep in it as a permanent nesting site. This can be a sign of your hamster's home being too small, too.

If your ham is frightened, she may be reluctant to leave shadowy areas and will run away when you attempt to interact with her. She may also nip or bite you in fear if you startle her. Her ears may be stuck in a forward position as she is hyper alert for signs of danger, or she may have her ears pinned against her head and her eyes tightly closed. A hamster in a great deal of distress may also breathe very rapidly.

An insecure hamster will also keep food in her pouch constantly. This indicates that she doesn't feel safe enough to be without a food source. Generally, hamsters will use pouching as a means of carrying items from one place to another, making it a temporary behavior.

A hamster who is being ostracized or attacked by other hamsters, for example, may continuously pouch her food because other hamsters are preventing her from accessing the food.

On the other end of the spectrum, when a hamster is held and begins to depouch in your hand, particularly with her eyes closed, this can be a sign of stress as well. This often happens when she feels unable to control the situation or escape, such as when she is held on her back or is being scruffed.

DISTRESSED/TERRITORIAL An angry or territorial hamster will adopt an aggressive stance (head up, body lifted a bit off the ground, ears forward), may charge or chase you, will nibble intensely or even bite with the intent of injury, or squeak shrilly.

Hamsters that live in pairs or groups may demonstrate territorial behaviors toward one another, especially if there are not enough resources to go around. Hamsters will bicker with each other by "boxing" or pinning one another from time to time to establish social order; this is natural and shouldn't be confused for an actual fight in which the hamsters are trying to cause harm to one another.

A serious fight will often involve a hamster biting and attacking the rump of another or even the genitalia of the other hamster; sometimes they will go after the ears and eyes of the hamster, too. If you see that the bickering has escalated to fighting, the first and immediate step is to introduce them to a larger environment and to add an extra wheel, water bottle, and food bowl. This should help if their dispute is over resources.

However, sometimes some hamsters won't ever get along. If this intense fighting continues and/or escalates into one hamster or more bleeding, the hamsters must immediately be permanently housed separately in completely separated homes. If not, or if you try to later "reintroduce" them to one another, one or more hamsters will end up dead.

EXAMPLES So what do these behaviors look like? It's all well and fine to read about these things, but sometimes you need to know what they look and sound like to better understand. I'll share a few examples of some of these behaviors here, beginning with the unhappy signs, then ending with the happy ones. :] [smiley]

Please note: Watching some of these videos can be distressing, especially the ones in which the human is antagonizing the hamster. It can be very difficult to watch an animal be treated poorly or having to deal with a stressful situation, so please take care of yourself in watching the section demonstrating the unhappy behaviors.

I would also like to make it clear that it is unacceptable to instigate any animal because you find her reaction funny. I had to sift through many awful videos online to find these, and it was very disturbing and upsetting to see how many people thought it was funny to torment, scare, and abuse their hamsters.

I tried to choose the videos that were the least disturbing to share here, and I want to make it clear that deliberately scaring or harming or stressing your hamster out is not okay.

Hamsters are very susceptible to stress-caused diseases and can die easily from it, so by inflicting stress on your hamster because you find her reaction funny, you could potentially be leading to her death.

There's also the undeniable and blatant fact that hamsters are creatures deserving of respect; they may be small, but that does not, in any way, mean that they deserve less respect.

With that said, let's move on to the visual demonstrations of hamster behavior, beginning with the unhappy ones: Distressed/Frightened and Distressed/Territorial. Please note that the videos in this section may be disturbing to watch.

(Several video clips are shown here to demonstrate hamster behavior; each has a slide before it, informing the viewer of the behavior.)

Distressed/Frightened 1. Unhappy Squeaking/Fear (a hamster being prodded by a white-read human finger and screeching in fear) 2. Scared 1 (a dwarf hamster hiding in a plastic house and looking hesitant to come out) 3. Scared 2 (a Syrian hamster on a tabletop jumping and looking scared at some noises) 4. Defensive Attack/Fear (a hamster being blown on by a human off screen and screeching in fear while defending itself by frantically flapping its front arms) 5. Running Away (a video of a pet store employee attempting to gently catch a Roborovski hamster running away in a tank with several others)

Distressed/Territorial 1. Territorial/Serious Fighting (a video of two dwarf hamsters fighting seriously and attempting to harm one another) 2. Nesting in Wheel (a Syrian hamster in a cage that is inhumanely small nesting with toilet paper in its plastic wheel) 3. Territorial/Aggressive Biting/Angry Chatter (a protective dwarf hamster attacks a human hand with her teeth and makes angru chittering sounds with her teeth to defend her babies inside the cage)

Neutral/Content 1. Social Hierarchy/Bickering and Pinning (two videos demonstrating a few Roborovski hamsters boxing and pinning one another in social dominance displays) 2. Done with Petting (Q-Tip demonstrating she's done with being pet by moving around a lot) 3. Ready for Bed/Leave Me Alone Now Please (Q-Tip going off to bed) 4. Nesting (Q-Tip making a bed in white bedding under a box) 5. Content/Walking Around at Home (Q-Tip walking to her wheel and running in it casually) 6. Feels Safe with You/Climbing into Human Hand (Q-Tip running around and then into my hand) 7. Relaxed/Bathing (Q-Tip bathing on one of her toys in the shadows) 8. Thirsty/Normal Drinking (Q-Tip drinking water in her tank while sitting on a rock bed) 9. Trust/Taking Food from Hand (Q-Tip pouching oats from my hand) 10. Sleeping (Q-Tip sleeping behind her wheel with her ears pinned back) 11. Dreaming (a Syrian hamster lying flat out on its side and twitching in its sleep cutely) 12. Detection/"I Smell You!" (Q-Tip sniffing around as she smells me; I wiggle my fingers in the air to spread my scent) 13. Determination (Q-Tip wrestling walnut meat from its shell) 14. Depouching (Q-Tip unpouching a bunch of food from her left cheek in her tank)

Happy 1. Looking for You (Q-Tip running around the platform in her tank, sniffing the air as she looks for me with her ears up) 2. Sitting in Hand (Q-Tip sitting in my hand and resting against my chest) 3. Enjoyment (Q-Tip enjoying a homemade treat and looking happy) 4. Sleepy/Enjoyment (Q-Tip getting rubbed in my hand as she rests her eyes, looking sleepy) 5. Eating in Hand (Q-Tip sitting in my hand in her tank as she pulls food from her pouch to eat while she gets pet) 6. Playing (Q-Tip making a bunch of noise as she scratches and plays/thumps around in her yellow cardboard box) 7. Eating in Hand Belly Up (a dwarf hamster eating some popcorn in a brown-read hand, belly up) 8. Happy Squeaking, Licking, and Bruxing (a video of Q-Tip licking my hand as she gets rubbed, then pf her squeaking happily four times before beginning to brux)

(The video returns to slide format through the end.)

Remember: Your hamster is tiny, fluffy, and adorable, so pretty much everything she does will likely be adorable to you. But don't forget that just because it's adorable when she's upset doesn't mean she's not serious in her distress and that it's okay to ignore her distress.

As a final note, please keep in mind that if your hamster is displaying many signs of unhappy or distressed behavior, your first step in evaluating the problem is what you are doing that could be causing stress. You may not be doing anything deliberately, but oftentimes, we stress our hamsters without knowing it or even knowing why.

Evaluating your own behavior can be empowering because it means that de-stressing your hamster is within your ability! :D [big smiley] For example, if your hamster often becomes nippy with you at night when she doesn't during the day, she could simply want to be left alone, which you can easily do. :] [smiley]

Keep in mind that your hamster's house is vital to her happines, health, and well-being. If her environment is too small, she will feel pent up and stressed, which may lead to nipping, fear, or health issues. So if your behavior is fine, check out your ham's cage-- does it meet her needs?

Even if the cage meets the minimum size requirements for your country, it doesn't mean that every hamster will feel happy about that size. I would recommend that everyone attempt to follow the minimum size requirements for hamsters found in Europe and Germany-- they are generally regarded as the leaders in hamster care.

Here are the sizes recommended by the United States and Canada (keep in mind that these are generally recognized by leading members in hamster care as too small to be healthy):

360 square inches 24 inches by 15 inches 61 centimeters by 38 centimeters

Here are the sizes required for most of Europe: 589 square inches 31 inches by 19 inches 80 centimeters by 50 centimeters

Here are the sizes required by Germany: 741 square inches 39 inches by 19 inches 100 centimeters by 50 centimeters

Here are the sizes recommended by Germany: 1,521 square inches 39 inches by 39 inches 100 centimeters by 100 centimeters

If you're in doubt about what to get for your hamster's environment size, the best bet is to go as large as you can afford to. :] [smiley] Just be sure to fill the environment with plenty of activities for your hamster, too!

So there we have it! A general guide to helping you understand your hamster's behavior. I sincerely hope this video has been helpful to you! Please keep in mind that being respectful of your hamster's needs is the best way to form a happy relationship with her and that each hamster will be different.

[Image Description: A final green slide with white text next to a white heart. The text reads ‘Hope this helps! Happy hamming! Love, Jessi.’” The video ends with a subscription/like request next to a cute, close-up photo of Q-Tip sleeping upside down inside a white person's salmon and white shirt.]

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Transcript for “How to Trim Your Hamster's Nails Yourself “ Video

English Transcript for the “Hamster Care: How to Trim Your Hamster's Nails Yourself “ Video on YouTube

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3C2oujOo_Y

[Video Description: The video is presented in bright rainbow colors. Each slide lasts about ten seconds and has white text conveying the following information:

“Hey there, Ham-Parents! So I've received a few requests on my Instagram account about trimming Q-Tip's nails, so I asked my partner Ray to film me clipping Q's nails to share with you. But before we look at that, I think it's important to share some information about nail care and the circumstances under which you should trim your hamster's nails.

Natural Maintenance

The first thing to keep in mind is that natural maintenance is the key to a stress free trimming! Providing your hamster with items that help trim their nails naturally is a great way of maintaining the length of your hamster's nails. Using clippers on your ham's nails can be stressful for them-- especially if done in a way that accidentally causes harm to them. Therefore, putting items and toys in their homes that encourage the gradual wearing down of the nails is preferable before trying to trim them yourself.

So what can you give your hamster to help with this? Things with a rough natural surface are ideal, such as sterilized rocks, wood, and sand.  

[Image Description: A slide with three images framed in white squares against a gray background. The images have text under each one identifying the objects. The objects are, from left to right, a gray granite rock, a wooden log toy with holes cut in various areas to crawl in and out of, and a selection of brownish red volcanic rocks.]

Keep in mind that not all woods and sand are safe for your hamster, so be careful when choosing what to put in with your hamster. You should also always be sure that any natural items you collect from outside (yay for free!) are clean, are a safe species of wood, and are free of any bugs and mold/fungus. You can sterilize rocks with boiling hot water and soap, and you can bake wood at 200°F for about two to three hours to kill off any insects/arachnids and their eggs, bacteria, or other nasties hiding on the inside of the wood. For more information on sterilizing wood, please see a link in the description below to a video on this subject. :] [smiley]

[The next sentence is in all caps for emphasis.] D NOT USE SAND PAPER IN YOUR HAMSTER'S ENVIRONMENT!! Many people suggest this idea as a "great" way to trim nails, and they will suggest you line the wheel with it or place it in strategic areas in the home like under a water bottle, but this is very bad for your hamster. While the sand paper certainly will trim the nails to a certain extent, it also causes significant damage to the pad of your hamster's paw. It can cut it up and lead to bumblefoot, bleeding, infection, severe mobility issues, and more. Please don't do this to your hamster!

Length of Nails

So why should you cut your hamster's nails anyway? And how do you know when it's the right time? After all, if I just said there are ways to avoid clipping, shouldn't that be good enough? Most of the time, yes, prevention methods will be enough. However, sometimes hamsters just don't keep their nails trim enough on their own no matter what great materials you give them. For example, Q-Tip could have all the rugged edged rocks and toys and sand in the world, but she still prefers to scratch the smoothest surfaces like glass and cardboard. lol She's such an odd duck. :D [big smiley]

So sometimes you have to trim them yourself to keep your ham healthy and happy. :] [smiley] The time to trim is when they begin to look a little too long; here are some demonstrations of a good length and a length that is way too long.

[Image Description: A slide with a gray background showing three photos framed in white with white text underneath explaining the length of nail. From left to right, the images are as follows: A close-up photo of Q-Tip (a white Roborovski hamster) and her paw on a blackberry, demonstrating a good length of nails; a photo of a Syrian hamster poking out of a cage with nails that are too long; and a photo of Q-Tip lying upside down in a white person's hand, demonstrating the length of her nails after just being cut.]

Nails that are too long grow pretty wonky and can interfere with your hamster's well being and health. Sometimes they impact the pad of their paw-- that is to say, they can pierce the soft flesh of your ham's pad if not managed. Nails going awry that don't pierce your hamster's foot can lead to walking difficulties, and, if untreated, those walking difficulties can lead to arthritis and other issues such as lack of excercise. The best way to prevent this is to maintain a healthy length of nail.

If you think your hamster's nails are getting too long, you can either take them to the vet or you can do it yourself. If you decide to go to the vet, I would suggest you have them show you how to trim the nails yourself since you may need to do this fairly regularly and those trips will become a bit costly. Also, keep in mind that visits to the vet can be pretty stressful for your hamster, and being able to do small things like this yourself will help minimize that impact. :] [smiley]

What NOT to Do

When trimming, there are some things you want to avoid doing. One of those is using clippers that are too big. Clippers made for cats and dogs are definitely too large and will inhibit your ability to clearly see where you're clipping on the nail. Even clippers marketed toward hamsters can be way too big! I use small sized nail clippers for humans, and you can also use baby nail clippers. :] [smiley] I would avoid using toenail clippers since they're too large.

The other thing you want to avoid doing is cutting into the quick of the nail. The quick is where the blood vessels and nerves are inside the nail, and cutting into this is very painful-- just think about a time when you may have cut your nails too short or had a nail rip into the middle. It hurts, right? So you want to be sure that you're careful to avoid that area on your hamster's nails.

[Image Description: A blue slide with an illustration of a hamster's toe and claw. There is text above in white that reads "Here's an illustration of the inside of your hamster's nails." To the left of the illustration is more text in a darker blue square that reads "The quick is a mass of blood vessels, soft flesh, and nerves, so it's important to avoid clipping into it." The illustration demonstrates, with labels, the claw, the pink quick inside the claw, the white area before the quick, the toe, and fur.]

[Image Description: Another blue slide with the same illustration of a hamster's toe and claw with all the same labels. The claw is longer and curved here. There is an additional label referring to an area on the claw that reads "Cut here."]

[Image Description: Another blue slide with the same illustration of a hamster's toe and claw with all the same labels. There is an illustrated nail clipper cutting the area where the "Cut here" line was in the previous slide.]

[Image Description: Another blue slide with the same illustration of a hamster's toe and claw with all the same labels. The nail has been trimmed in this one, and there is white text in a darker blue box that reads "After Trimming."]

If you do accidentally cut too short and get the quick, don't panic! Stay calm and apply a bit of styptic powder, cornstarch, or flour to the nail to help stop the bleeding; it helps to have these on hand and open for you to access quickly just in case. Be sure not to become frantic yourself because you'll only upset your hamster more. Calm energy is the best for this situation. :] [smiley]

Trimming

Now on to the actual trimming itself! There are a few ways you can do the trimming, and there are videos out there demonstrating those techniques; we'll discuss those briefly, and then I'm going to show you how I do it. Before you get your hamster out and begin, it's a good idea to have everything ready: the clippers should be ready, the lights should be on, your glasses should be on, have flour or cornstarch nearby in case of bleeding, and have some treats on hand for right after you finish!

One way is to distract your hamster with food while trimming. This is demonstrated by AprilsAnimals in a video called "How to Trim Your Hamster's Nails," and in it, you'll see a small hamster sitting on a person's hand gripping and eating a yogurt drop while the ham-parent trims the front nails. This is a great method for you if hamster is willing to eat out of your hand. You will not have as much control over the hamster's paws, though, so you'll need to be careful about aiming to avoid the quick. A variation of this could be if your hamster is happy eating in your hand while lying on its back!

Another way that some people use is scruffing. Scruffing refers to gently but firmly grasping the loose skin around the back of the hamster's neck (like you can do with cats and ferrets). While this does allow you to pick your hamster up and control her to a certain extent, I've found that it's pretty stressful for the ham, and it doesn't allow you much room for keeping the paws still while cutting.

So how do I do it then? Well, I put Q-Tip on her back! :] [smiley] This is something we practiced quite a bit before trimming to get her comfortable with being on her back, so you'll want to allow time for your hamster to get used to this new and vulnerable sensation. You'll need to be patient and very gentle in this process; giving your hamster belly rubs is a good incentive to keep her happy in that position. You can also try introducing a treat to nom on while she's in that position.

This is best done when your hamster is relaxed and maybe even a little sleepy-- not, for example, at night when she's wide awake. If she's running around a lot or wiggling quite a bit, take that as a sign to try this later. The more relaxed and calm she is, the faster and easier this process will be for both of you. :] [smiley] Sometimes, if Q-Tip is too fidgety, I'll let her run around on our couch to tucker herself out, and when she starts to snooze a bit, I'll pick her up to start trimming then.

Once Q-Tip is in place on her back, I gently place my thumb over her chest to keep her still and use my thumb and forefinger to gently and firmly grip her paw in between. This allows me to spread her toes a little, too. Once she's in position, I often rub her a bit reassuringly; this also lets her relax a bit. Once I know she won't squirm too much, I proceed with clipping. You'll want to get closer to your hamster and ensure that you're looking at the right spot before you clip. Try to be as quick as you can without rushing through so you can let your hammy go before she starts getting too anxious. When it comes to her back paws, I usually turn Q-Tip around and place her against my chest so I can better grip and see her nails. It helps a lot to have a contrasting color behind her nails so I can better determine where to clip.

Keep in mind that sometimes you'll need a second person to help you! My partner and I aren't quite so coordinated, but some friends of mine have great success working together as a team! :] [smiley] It's also okay to just trim a little bit at a time instead of getting all four paws at once. This is especially true if your hamster is particularly squirmy and reluctant to be trimmed. :] [smiley]

Another piece of advice I have is to do this when your hamster is in estrous ("in heat"). During this time, I've observed that Q-Tip is not only much more cuddly, but she is also more open to being on her back and having her belly rubbed. :] [smiley] You can tell she's in estrous by looking at her vaginal area where there will be a small amount of white discharge. This cycle occurs every three to five days, so you'll have plenty of time. :] [smiley]

Another important thing to note is that I usually bribe Q-Tip after the trimming with lots of yummy foods! :D [big smiley] Giving her something positive to associate with the experience has helped her a lot! She's more tolerant of the whole thing now even though she's still unhappy about the process. :] [smiley]

All right! So now that I've talked to you about it, let's show you the process! :D [big smiley] Q-Tip was a little more fidgety here than when I usually choose to trim her nails, so keep that in mind. And although I'm muting the sound here, you should know that I talk to quietly to her throughout the process, telling her what a good girl she is. It may just be my thinking, but I like to think it helps soothe her a bit. :] [smiley]

[Video Description: Two clips of Q-Tip having her nails clipped and getting her belly rubbed.]

All done! Time for treats! Let's get her to associate yummies with this whole annoying nail trimming thing. :] [smiley] I often give her oats, but banana chips, mealworms, pears, fresh banana, or apples are some good bribes that catch her attention quickly and allow her to calm down. :] [smiley] Be sure to only feed food safe for your ham's species!

[Video Description: A clip of Q-Tip pouching a bunch of oats on a white person's hand.]

A Final Note

Many people feel understandably uncomfortable seeing their hamster upset by a nail trimming; this is a natural feeling to have. However, nail care is essential to a hamster's health, and sometimes trimming is necessary despite your discomfort. Some people don't seem to understand this and have gone to the length of describing nail trimming as abuse when seeing a hamster distressed by a clipping.

Maintaining your hamster's nails is definitely not abuse; allowing your hamster's nails to grow to the point of physical mobility issues or even injury because you can't handle seeing your pet unhappy with being cared for is what's truly abusive.

You wouldn't stop giving your hamster her medicine if she were sick and just didn't like it because you want her to be healthy. In the same vein, you shouldn't neglect your hamster's nail care just because she doesn't like getting a trim. I promise the stress from the consequences of neglecting that care will be more severe than the occasional trimming itself.

So that's all for now! Just remember: natural maintenance is your first step! Trimming your hamster's nails should only be done if these other ways aren't working. :] [smiley] Be safe with the quick, and try to make this experience as least stressful as possible. :] [smiley]

Don't worry if you feel nervous or scared to do this; it took me some practice to get to feeling comfortable with trimming her nails. :] [smiley]

[Image Description: A final blue slide with white text next to a white heart. The text reads ‘Hope this helps! Happy hamming! Love, Jessi.’”

The video ends with a subscription/like request next to a cute, close-up photo of Q-Tip tucking herself in between some cardboard rolls and a gray couch.]

[hammyadventures-blog]

Transcript for “How to Sanitize Wood Using Your Oven or Freezer “ Video

English Transcript for the “Hamster Care: How to Sanitize Wood Using Your Oven or Freezer “ Video on YouTube

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d95gPh5ME90

[Video Description: The video is presented in bright rainbow colors. Each slide lasts about ten seconds and has white text conveying the following information:

"How to Sanitize Wood Using Your Oven or Deep Freezer

FYI: This sanitizing method can be used to treat wood for other animals, too! The cleaning and sterilizing to get rid of the insects and other nasties is specific to the wood inhabitants-- not the pet you're giving the wood to. For some animals, there may be special considerations, though, about the type of wood and other issues about substances found in or on the wood, so please research this thoroughly first! :] [smiley]

Collecting natural, untreated wood from the glorious outdoors is a wonderful way to provide your hamster with stimulation without having to spend money. Keep in mind, though, that your wood needs to be a safe species for your hamster and that it needs to be sterilized before coming into contact with her.

If you come across any wood that you can't identify, it's safest not to use it. Some plants, woods included, are hazardous to your hamster's health, so knowing what species your wood is can be critical. These include (but are not limited to) oak, pine, cedar, and any other conifer species.

Some examples of safe trees to use wood from are apple, birch (gray, white, broadleaf, and common), poplar, cottonwood, aspen, cottonwood, elm, hazelnut/filbert, pear, mulberry, crabapple, dogwood, chinese dogwood, horse apple, kiwi, REAL bamboo, grape, manzanita, hawthorn, maple other than red maple (use other maples without the blooms and buds), lychee, magnolia, and pecan.

The reason you want to sanitize your wood before first giving it to your fur baby is that there can be some lingering airborne chemicals and some pretty nasty inhabitants of that wood that can be bad for your hamster's health-- and maybe even yours and another pet's! These are just some of the things you want to avoid exposing your hamster to that can be found in (not just on!) wood and the temperatures needed to kill them:

☆ [bulletin] Most Insects/Arachnids and Their Eggs 135°F/57°C for 20-30 minutes or -4°F/-20°C for 7 days ☆ [bulletin] Fleas 95°F/35°C for 2 days or 30.2°F/-1°C for 5 days ☆ [bulletin] Most Fungi 170°F/77°C for 1 hour (Freezing not recommended since there are conflicting reports that say it is possible the fungus and spores will simply become dormant and not killed.) ☆ [bulletin] Most Mold 160°F/71°C for 2 hours (Freezing not recommended since there are conflicting reports that say it is possible the mold and spores will simply become dormant and not killed.) ☆ [bulletin] Most Bacterial Pathogens 150°F/66°C for 105 minutes (1 hour 45 minutes) (Freezing not recommended since this can often simply slow down the bacterial growth process-- not kill it.) ☆  [bulletin] Most Viruses 150°F/66°C for 2 hours (Insufficient information on freezing available, so I would recommend not using this method to be safe.)

* [asterisk] Keep in mind that not all methods will work for all types of nasties. Some bacteria strains are resistant to heat inactivation (such as the kinds of mycobacteria that cause tuberculosis and leprosy), and different insects need different hot and cold temperatures to kill them off. So if you have specific concerns about a particular species of nasty, I would recommend looking up the best way to kill it using heat or cold. For example, if you live in New York City or another crowded urban area, watch out for things like bedbugs (yes, they feed on animals other than humans, and yes, they can be found in many places they're not expected) or common bacteria in your area, or if you live in a heavily wooded or rural area, look out for ticks and other species specific to your region.

** [two asterisks] Sources: ☆  [bulletin] Insects/Arachnids and Their Eggs: http://www2.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef640.asp ☆  [bulletin] Fleas: http://fleascience.com/flea-encyclopedia/life-cycle-of-fleas/adult-fleas/how-long-do-fleas-live-for/at-what-temperature-do-fleas-die/ ☆  [bulletin] Fungus: https://www.emlab.com/s/sampling/env-report-03-2006.html ☆  [bulletin] Mold: http://www.moldknowledge.com/how-to-kill-mold.htm ☆  [bulletin] Bacteria: http://www.thermapure.com/environmental-services/bacteria/

Here are a couple of methods for sanitizing your outdoor goodies safely:

Low and Slow in the Oven

For those who are concerned about wood catching fire, fear not! While you should always monitor anything you're baking in your oven anyway, there is little chance that any wood you bake will catch fire at these low temperatures. From my research, wood generally doesn't ignite until it reaches about 500°F/260°C, so a low and slow method such as this presents little risk. ♥ [heart] (Source: http://www.tcforensic.com.au/docs/article10.html#2.1.1)

Remove any bark on the wood. Gently clean the outside of it with hot water and soap by rinsing and scrubbing or soaking. This helps clean off any remaining debris on the outside.

Then, heat up your oven to 200°F/95°C. Place your piece of wood on a baking pan (you can do this while it's still damp, by the way), and bake for about one to three hours, depending on the thickness of your wood and the type of nasties you're aiming to kill. If you're using this method with very thick branches or logs, you may want to increase the amount of time (2-3 hours) and heat (250°F/121°C)-- along with checking for ignition lol-- to ensure that the desired internal temperature and dryness are achieved since a humid environment can sometimes actually promote the growth of certain bacteria and insects.

Once done, remove the wood from the oven and allow it to come to room temperature completely before giving it to your hamster. :] [smiley]

Deep Freeze

Keep in mind that not all freezers will reach the temperatures needed to kill off insects! You should be certain that your freezer is able to get to and maintain these temperatures before chucking the wood in there-- if the freezer is super cold but doesn't reach this particular temperature, it won't do any good for your hamster!

To use the freezing method, remove any bark and gently clean the outside of the wood with hot water and soap by rinsing and scrubbing or soaking. This helps clean off any remaining debris on the outside.

Use the chart shown before to determine at what temperature and how long you would need to freeze your wood to ensure its safety for your ham.  :] [smiley] Keep in mind that this technique is best used only for ridding the wood of insects, arachnids, and the eggs of these two. For bacteria, viruses, mold, and fungus, there is evidence that freezing does not kill these organisms, but merely slows down the reproduction and/or makes them and their spores dormant.

Hope this helps! Happy hamming! ♥ [heart] Love, Jessi"

The video ends with a subscription/like request next to a cute, close-up photo of Q-Tip tucking herself in between some cardboard rolls and a gray couch.]

[hammyadventures-blog]

A Question about Torpor

Question from wewereonabreak: “Hey, I’ve been following you on instagram since I before I got my hammy, and I bet you get annoyed at all the questions you get but I’m keen to see what you think. I’ve only had her 3 months and from what I’ve read on roborvskis it’s good that she’s even coming to see me but lately she’s regressed a lot. Last week she tried to go into hibernation, from what I read you shouldn’t allow it, so immediately put a hot water bottle under her cage and kept checking on her because I was really worried. She's fine now and I ensure she's warm enough ( I did before but Idk what happened) since then she's refused to come out in the light, she just waits until it's really late and it's dark. I get home from work at 11pm when it's dark and she's up so I feed her and she sits on my hand as usual but then she goes back to bed until 2am ish. I'm worried she's having some sort of light sensitivity and I'm also worrried she won't be more friendly and keep regressing. Thank you reading! Claire xx”

Hey, Claire! No worries on the question; it doesn’t bother me when people ask things I haven’t already answered elsewhere. :] [smiley] As for your ham, I have a couple of thoughts:

1. Did she actually go into torpor or was she just keen on getting to bed? At three months, honestly, they can still be hesitant to hang out regularly, so if she didn’t go into torpor, it could just be that she’s still needing time to get used to you (Q-Tip and I didn’t become real good buddies til about 6 months or so lol), but if she’s getting into your hand and coming out to greet you, that’s a great sign. :] [smiley] Q-Tip is unusually active in the day time because of my schedule, so if you’re only generally seeing your ham late at night, she may simply be accustomed to sleeping regularly throughout the day or just is awake when you’re not around to see her. Also, for most hamsters, they’re usually awake more around the really early morning hours; Q-Tip and all my other hamsters have tended to be more active around 1-2 AM until about 8 or 9 in the morning with occasional waking hours during the day. From my understanding, this is very normal behavior. :] [smiley]

2. If she did actually go into torpor, however, I’m not sure why she would have the light sensitivity. I looked into it a bit, but there’s not really any mention of that where I saw. Is it that she hides from all light, even dim lighting? Perhaps she just is anxious after her experience with it and is hoping to reserve body heat if she thinks it’s a time of day she shouldn’t be awake. Is her room warm enough all day long? And do you   add extra bedding for her? I like to make Q-Tip a small mountain so she’ll have enough. :] [smiley]

I hope this helps a bit! If not and you’re still worried, I would consult with your vet just to be safe. :] [smiley]

[hammyadventures-blog]

Robos 101

Yippee! I finally published this ginormous piece on Robo care 101! :D [big smiley] This is a post I made with loads of information on Roborovski dwarf hamster care-- everything from species information and colorings to essential items, taming/bonding, and health care. Please give it a look if you have any questions on what you need to know before getting a hamster-- or even if you already have a hammy in your life but are curious to learn more (as I always am lol). Happy hamming! :D [big smiley]

[hammyadventures-blog]

Hamster Information: Bath Sand! || ハムスター情報: 風呂砂!

Made as an accompaniment to the Bath Sand for Hamsters post previously shared.

[hammyadventures-blog]

Hamster Information: Safe and Dangerous Foods for Hamsters! || ハムスター情報: ハムスターための大丈夫な食べ物!

A video of the previously shared Safe and Dangerous Foods for Hamsters posts. :] [smiley]

Part 1 || Part 2 || Part 3 || Part 4 || Part 5 || Part 6 || Part 7 || Part 8 || Part 9 || Part 10 || Part 11

For the image description of each informational slide included in the 1 minute 41 second video, please click on “Part 1″ for a link to the original post with an attached image description of all eleven sections. :] [smiley]

[hammyadventures-blog]

Part 1 || Part 2 || Part 3 || Part 4 || Part 5 || Part 6 || Part 7 || Part 8 || Part 9 || Part 10 || Part 11

Post eleven of an eleven part series on safe and dangerous foods for all Syrian and dwarf hamsters. :] [smiley]

Do not share without the attached information below. Thank you!

Here's the key code for each species of hamster so you'll know which foods are safe for your species of hamster. A clear hamster icon means you can go ahead and give it to your hamster without worry; an "X" over the hamster icon means you should never give that item to your hamster; and an "S" refers to it being safe sometimes or some foods within that section being safe.

Hamster Key Code: Red = Syrian/Golden Hamsters Yellow = Roborovski Dwarf Hamsters Green = Chinese Dwarf Hamsters Blue = Djungarian Hamsters/Russian Winter White Hamsters Purple = Campbell's Dwarf Hamsters

For the image description, please click on “Part 1″ for a link to the original post with an attached image description of all eleven sections. :] [smiley]

[hammyadventures-blog]

Part 1 || Part 2 || Part 3 || Part 4 || Part 5 || Part 6 || Part 7 || Part 8 || Part 9 || Part 10 || Part 11

Post ten of an eleven part series on safe and dangerous foods for all Syrian and dwarf hamsters. :] [smiley]

Do not share without the attached information below. Thank you!

Here's the key code for each species of hamster so you'll know which foods are safe for your species of hamster. A clear hamster icon means you can go ahead and give it to your hamster without worry; an "X" over the hamster icon means you should never give that item to your hamster; and an "S" refers to it being safe sometimes or some foods within that section being safe.

Hamster Key Code: Red = Syrian/Golden Hamsters Yellow = Roborovski Dwarf Hamsters Green = Chinese Dwarf Hamsters Blue = Djungarian Hamsters/Russian Winter White Hamsters Purple = Campbell's Dwarf Hamsters

For the image description, please click on “Part 1″ for a link to the original post with an attached image description of all eleven sections. :] [smiley]

[hammyadventures-blog]

Part 1 || Part 2 || Part 3 || Part 4 || Part 5 || Part 6 || Part 7 || Part 8 || Part 9 || Part 10 || Part 11

Post nine of an eleven part series on safe and dangerous foods for all Syrian and dwarf hamsters. :] [smiley]

Do not share without the attached information below. Thank you!

Here's the key code for each species of hamster so you'll know which foods are safe for your species of hamster. A clear hamster icon means you can go ahead and give it to your hamster without worry; an "X" over the hamster icon means you should never give that item to your hamster; and an "S" refers to it being safe sometimes or some foods within that section being safe.

Hamster Key Code: Red = Syrian/Golden Hamsters Yellow = Roborovski Dwarf Hamsters Green = Chinese Dwarf Hamsters Blue = Djungarian Hamsters/Russian Winter White Hamsters Purple = Campbell's Dwarf Hamsters

For the image description, please click on “Part 1″ for a link to the original post with an attached image description of all eleven sections. :] [smiley]

[hammyadventures-blog]

Part 1 || Part 2 || Part 3 || Part 4 || Part 5 || Part 6 || Part 7 || Part 8 || Part 9 || Part 10 || Part 11

Post eight of an eleven part series on safe and dangerous foods for all Syrian and dwarf hamsters. :] [smiley]

Do not share without the attached information below. Thank you!

Here's the key code for each species of hamster so you'll know which foods are safe for your species of hamster. A clear hamster icon means you can go ahead and give it to your hamster without worry; an "X" over the hamster icon means you should never give that item to your hamster; and an "S" refers to it being safe sometimes or some foods within that section being safe.

Hamster Key Code: Red = Syrian/Golden Hamsters Yellow = Roborovski Dwarf Hamsters Green = Chinese Dwarf Hamsters Blue = Djungarian Hamsters/Russian Winter White Hamsters Purple = Campbell's Dwarf Hamsters

For the image description, please click on “Part 1″ for a link to the original post with an attached image description of all eleven sections. :] [smiley]

[hammyadventures-blog]

Part 1 || Part 2 || Part 3 || Part 4 || Part 5 || Part 6 || Part 7 || Part 8 || Part 9 || Part 10 || Part 11

Post seven of an eleven part series on safe and dangerous foods for all Syrian and dwarf hamsters. :] [smiley]

Do not share without the attached information below. Thank you!

Here's the key code for each species of hamster so you'll know which foods are safe for your species of hamster. A clear hamster icon means you can go ahead and give it to your hamster without worry; an "X" over the hamster icon means you should never give that item to your hamster; and an "S" refers to it being safe sometimes or some foods within that section being safe.

Hamster Key Code: Red = Syrian/Golden Hamsters Yellow = Roborovski Dwarf Hamsters Green = Chinese Dwarf Hamsters Blue = Djungarian Hamsters/Russian Winter White Hamsters Purple = Campbell's Dwarf Hamsters

For the image description, please click on “Part 1″ for a link to the original post with an attached image description of all eleven sections. :] [smiley]

[hammyadventures-blog]

Part 1 || Part 2 || Part 3 || Part 4 || Part 5 || Part 6 || Part 7 || Part 8 || Part 9 || Part 10 || Part 11

Post six of an eleven part series on safe and dangerous foods for all Syrian and dwarf hamsters. :] [smiley]

Do not share without the attached information below. Thank you!

Here's the key code for each species of hamster so you'll know which foods are safe for your species of hamster. A clear hamster icon means you can go ahead and give it to your hamster without worry; an "X" over the hamster icon means you should never give that item to your hamster; and an "S" refers to it being safe sometimes or some foods within that section being safe.

Hamster Key Code: Red = Syrian/Golden Hamsters Yellow = Roborovski Dwarf Hamsters Green = Chinese Dwarf Hamsters Blue = Djungarian Hamsters/Russian Winter White Hamsters Purple = Campbell's Dwarf Hamsters

For the image description, please click on “Part 1″ for a link to the original post with an attached image description of all eleven sections. :] [smiley]

[hammyadventures-blog]

Part 1 || Part 2 || Part 3 || Part 4 || Part 5 || Part 6 || Part 7 || Part 8 || Part 9 || Part 10 || Part 11

Post five of an eleven part series on safe and dangerous foods for all Syrian and dwarf hamsters. :] [smiley]

Do not share without the attached information below. Thank you!

Here's the key code for each species of hamster so you'll know which foods are safe for your species of hamster. A clear hamster icon means you can go ahead and give it to your hamster without worry; an "X" over the hamster icon means you should never give that item to your hamster; and an "S" refers to it being safe sometimes or some foods within that section being safe.

Hamster Key Code: Red = Syrian/Golden Hamsters Yellow = Roborovski Dwarf Hamsters Green = Chinese Dwarf Hamsters Blue = Djungarian Hamsters/Russian Winter White Hamsters Purple = Campbell's Dwarf Hamsters

For the image description, please click on “Part 1″ for a link to the original post with an attached image description of all eleven sections. :] [smiley]

[hammyadventures-blog]

Part 1 || Part 2 || Part 3 || Part 4 || Part 5 || Part 6 || Part 7 || Part 8 || Part 9 || Part 10 || Part 11

Post four of an eleven part series on safe and dangerous foods for all Syrian and dwarf hamsters. :] [smiley]

Do not share without the attached information below. Thank you!

Here's the key code for each species of hamster so you'll know which foods are safe for your species of hamster. A clear hamster icon means you can go ahead and give it to your hamster without worry; an "X" over the hamster icon means you should never give that item to your hamster; and an "S" refers to it being safe sometimes or some foods within that section being safe.

Hamster Key Code: Red = Syrian/Golden Hamsters Yellow = Roborovski Dwarf Hamsters Green = Chinese Dwarf Hamsters Blue = Djungarian Hamsters/Russian Winter White Hamsters Purple = Campbell's Dwarf Hamsters

For the image description, please click on “Part 1″ for a link to the original post with an attached image description of all eleven sections. :] [smiley]