Asia Minor. Little is known about this hamster other than its habitat and biology. It has not yet been used as a pet.

Many species of dwarf hamsters, which include the striped and Siberian, are common in Europe. The stray dwarf hamster got its name for a reason. He was first seen in Romania, and soon he was found in the Peloponnese, in Greece.

The African hamster also belongs to the earthmoving family. And in North and South America, New World mice and Asian mole rats live. And although they are very similar to simple mice, they are still the closest relatives of the same hamsters.

be careful
If you decide to buy a hamster, but do not understand anything about them and do not know how to choose the right hamster so that it does not turn out to be sick or untamed, then you better contact a specialist. If not, then read on for a few tips below to help you choose your future pet.

Council the first. Don't buy too young or too old a hamster. The hamster must be at least 3 weeks old, but not older than 3 months. If the hamster is about two weeks old, then he will most likely die because he cannot eat on his own. If you buy a hamster that is more than two months old, then most likely she will be pregnant. Caring for such a female will bring you more trouble than joy. In addition, it is worth remembering that small hamsters are easier to tame.

Tip two. It is best to buy hamsters in the evening. During the day, they are not as active, and many of them sleep at all, so it will be difficult to determine if the hamster is actually sleeping or if he is just sick.

Tip three. If you come across a sick or injured hamster and the seller offers you to buy it at half price, never agree to it. It is better to immediately pay the full amount for a healthy hamster than to spend the same money on his treatment later, especially since he may die altogether.

Tip four. When buying a hamster, make sure that his eyes are clean and his coat is not damp. Otherwise, the hamster is simply sick.

Tip five. It is best to buy one hamster, because when they grow up, they fight with each other. If you want to breed hamsters, it is better to keep the female and male in different cages. Only dwarf hamsters, which are also from the same litter, can be kept together.

Tip six. Choose a hamster for yourself, do not trust the seller. He can behave dishonestly and sell you an unhealthy hamster or mix up his gender.

Tip seven. In order to buy the hamster that you really need, remember the following sex characteristics. Two holes in the lower abdomen of the female located closer to each other than in the male. The underbelly of males is more elongated, and, as a rule, they are calmer than females.

Tip eight. Make sure that the hamster's fur is shiny and there are no bald spots on the skin. Hair loss can be caused by lice, mites, or a fungus. This disease is irreversible. If you notice that the hamster has scars on the tail or on the edges of the ears, this most likely means that the animal has fought a lot. Think about whether you need such a pugnacious animal?

Tip nine. Check that the hamster's anus and the fur around it are clean. Diarrhea caused by infection and worms can be fatal.

Tip ten. The nose of the animal must be clean, without discharge.

Tip Eleven. Before you buy a hamster, wake him up and look at his behavior. If he lies apathetically in a cage or, on the contrary, nervously runs around it, then this, of course, cannot be a clear sign that he is sick. It's just a reaction to the stuffy cage he's in. But it can also be a sign of illness. Do not buy such a hamster out of compassion. Sick hamsters that are under stress are more prone to disease than others.

Council twelve. Natural-colored hamsters are less susceptible to disease, but spotted hamsters are often irritable and nervous. But with proper care, any animal can survive.

By nature, hamsters are wild and unsociable animals. In fields and meadows, they live in their separate minks, fiercely protecting them from predators and even from their fellows. Therefore, if at the sight of your hand the hamster suddenly rolls over on its back, sticks out its legs forward and squeals, do not worry, this is normal, because the hamster thinks that you are a predator about to attack him. Slowly bring your hand to him, keeping your palm open up. If a hamster bites you on the finger (and this happens, quite rarely, but still), do not be discouraged. You probably would have done the same if you saw a huge monster reaching for you. You just need to act patiently, kindly, but persistently, so that the hamster understands who is the boss here and does not feel weak. Sooner or later, curiosity will take over, and the hamster will begin to sniff the "hand of friendship" extended to him. Taming will go much faster if you have some kind of treat on your palm, for example, a walnut or dried apricots. In the end, the hamster will no longer be afraid of your hand, and you will be able to freely take him out of the home and communicate with him as much as you like.

Treats also contribute well to the assimilation of the hamster's nickname. Yes, yes, hamsters respond well to the nickname, you just need to train them. And the training goes as follows: you give the hamster food, while saying his name, for example: “Homa, Homa, Homa ...” After a while, the animal, having heard its nickname, will crawl out of the mink itself.

I must say that hamsters, like people, are different. One thing is for sure: it is much more difficult to tame a female hamster than a male, and in life, males are much calmer than females. Everything else depends only on you: share your kindness and love with the hamster, and he will reciprocate.

Advantages and disadvantages
Before buying a hamster, weigh the pros and cons, and only then decide whether you are really ready for this little cute animal to live in your home. Hamsters need attention and care, so think about whether you can give them to him in the amount that is needed?

You also need to remember that hamsters do not live long, about 2-3 years. Therefore, if you have small children, think about whether the death of a hamster, to which they have strongly attached their soul during his short life, will not be a big stress for them. Some children are very sensitive to the death of their pets and are very worried about their untimely death. The death of a hamster can plunge your child into depression, and you will not be able to explain to him why your pet died and how to live without him now.

Before buying a hamster, remember if your relatives who live with you are allergic to pet hair. If there is, then you need to decide for yourself who you prefer: a hamster or the health of your loved ones.

Hamsters are crepuscular and nocturnal animals. They sleep during the day and are active at night. If you know that you or your relatives are very sensitive to the slightest sound during sleep, then consider whether the hamster's nightlife will interfere with your sleep. But in any case, the cage with the baby can be placed in such a place that you do not hear the noise made by him.

Is there a place for a cage with a hamster in your apartment at all? If you live in a one-room apartment with mother-in-law, son-in-law, father-in-law, daughter-in-law, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, think about whether you can find a good cozy place for a small animal?

But there are also positive aspects to having a hamster in your home: they are very tame and cute animals. As soon as your pet gets used to the new environment and as soon as you can tame it, you will immediately understand that this is not an animal, but simply a miracle. He is so small, funny, constantly doing something, constantly busy with some business. It is not even necessary to take him in your arms, he can do such things in his cage that you will come to indescribable delight.

But in any case, you yourself have to decide whether you want to have a hamster or not. We can only help you a little in this difficult matter.

Chapter 2
Adaptation period
If you got yourself this cute animal - a hamster - and even bought a home for it, then the first task that you face is the adaptation of the animal to new conditions, that is, its addiction. You know now that hamsters, despite their small size, still have some kind of thinking (how smart and smart they are, you will see more than once), so you, like any good-natured owner, must make sure that your new "family member" was comfortable, cozy and good in every sense. In general, if you don’t want your pet to take revenge on you all his life for “inhospitality”, try to make sure that he likes it at your place, that is, make sure that he likes his own house and the conditions that you created for it.

In the event that you