Rules for keeping a Dzungarian hamster at home

Very often when choosing a pet for themselves, people opt for such interesting animals as hamsters. Dzungarik is considered the most popular among them. He does not require special care, in addition, he does not need to be walked, and, unlike his relatives, he does not store supplies, so his cage always looks neat.

If we talk about his real natural place of residence, then these are most often deserts and steppes. They got such an interesting name as dzungariki from the place where they were first discovered. This is the province of Dzungaria, which is located in Northwest China.

By nature, these animals are loners. They dig holes for themselves, which can reach up to 1.5 meters in depth. In addition, their home always has many exits and entrances. Their active life begins from the time the sun sets. After that, they start building burrows, looking for food, and preparing supplies for the winter.

Most often berries or grass are included in their diet, but if they find it, then it can be any grains that are available in the area. In addition, they can eat insects. Very often, in order to find food for themselves, they run several kilometers a day. If a Dzungarian hamster runs across an unprotected plain, then any predator can catch it. But most often they hide or camouflage, since they have a color that merges with the given area. Therefore, predators must try hard to catch them.

The hamsters look pretty cute. They have a small muzzle and small ears. In addition, the body length does not exceed 12 centimeters, while their weight reaches 60 grams.Their coat is short and thick. On the back, the color is most often dark, and on the abdomen it is lighter. However, they differ from others in a strip that runs along the entire ridge. In addition, near the ears and legs, their hair is almost white.

If we compare with them domestic hamsters, then they differ only in a variety of colors. They live no more than three years, and even then - with good care. In addition, this type of hamsters is not very sociable, so it will be quite difficult to tame them.

To do this, you need to give him a little of your attention every day, talk to him, and give him various snacks. However, it will not work to accustom to hands forever. If a person does not communicate with him for more than a week, the animal will again become wild. In this case, taming will have to start over.

We must also remember that Dzungarian hamsters are nocturnal animals. Accordingly, their activity begins at this particular time. Therefore, it is best not to place them next to your bedroom, otherwise the animal will simply not let you sleep.

It is necessary to keep such an animal in a cage, since it will be very difficult to care for them in cardboard boxes. The cage can be bought at a specialty store or made by hand. It must have a sharpener, a place for a toilet, and a bowl for food and water. You shouldn't rush with accommodation. The animal itself must determine the place of the toilet and only then can everything be installed.

It will be very difficult to do without it, since the teeth of the Dzungarian hamster grow in the same way as the nails of a person. To do this, you can simply stock up on small tree branches or buy them in the store if you are not nearby.

Your best bet is to buy specialty granular litters from pet stores. They are varied and will please the hamster. However, they can also be made from scrap materials, for example, from cut napkins or paper. In addition, very fine sawdust is also suitable. The main thing is that the litter is unscented.

Since the dzungarik is a very small pet, and a lot of space is not required to keep it, the toys should also correspond to the size of his house. You can diversify his life with the help of small tunnels, which you can buy in a store or do it yourself. In them, the pet will be able to run for fun.

In addition, a running wheel is considered an excellent toy. With its help, the animal will get rid of excess weight, and will also be able to run for fun. And also the owners will be able to watch their favorite hamster at this time.

If we talk about the natural habitat of the jungariks, then the main part of the diet consists of various seeds, as well as cereals. At home, you also need to adhere to the same diet. You can buy ready-made mixtures that are sold in pet stores. In addition to all this, they also add vitamins and minerals. If the menu will be compiled independently, then you can pick up a number of necessary products.

The diet of the Jungariks should consist of the following grains, each of which benefits his body:

1. wheat - it can be both whole grains and bran;
2. cereals or regular oats;
3. pearl barley or whole barley;
4. some cornas it is harmful to hamsters.

They should be given in limited quantities, since any seeds are high in fat. The most beneficial for hamsters are the following:

• pumpkin;
• sesame;
• linen;
• sunflower seeds.

Since hamsters are prone to obesity, you need to be as careful as possible with such foods. After all, any of them are quite high in calories. Dzungariki are very fond of:

• walnuts;
• hazelnut;
• peanut.

Of the vegetables, the most useful are cucumbers and cabbage, peppers and broccoli. But it is better to refuse potatoes and carrots, as this can also lead to obesity.

Berries and fruits should also be included in the pet's diet. However, they don't have to be sweet. For example, these are strawberries or cherries.

Although hamsters love more plant foods, their diet must also contain proteins. These can be simple insects that are easy to get at pet stores, or you can give boiled egg white or boiled chicken meat. However, these products should be kept to a minimum.

Keeping pets like hamsters at home takes some time and attention. This is primarily the frequent replacement of bedding and the removal of all leftover food debris. In addition, you need to wash all the dishes every day, as well as do general wet cleaning. It is best to install the cage away from the bedroom. In addition, the sun's rays should not fall on it, and there should be no drafts anywhere so that your beloved pet does not catch a cold.

During cleaning in the cage, your beloved pet must be transplanted to another place, for example, in a box or a jar, since he absolutely does not like strangers in his house. You do not need to throw away all the uneaten food; you only need to remove the one that will spoil very quickly.

You need to carry out general cleaning daily. This is to prevent the smell of the hamster from being heard throughout the apartment. But it is correct to change the toilet once a week. However, it is not necessary to completely remove the filler, otherwise the jungarik will immediately lose its orientation.

You also need to take care of the hamster itself. They need to be looked after with special diligence. To do this, put a deep container with clean and sifted sand in the cage. In it, he will be able to tinker with pleasure. The hamsters themselves should not be bathed in water, as it will be a real shock for the animal. They will be able to clean themselves.

It must be remembered that Dzungariki are loners by nature. Therefore, having decided to add a neighbor of either gender to them, you must first think about everything well. After all, this can lead to aggression or even a small skirmish. In addition, the hamster can become depressed and even die from it. NS

If hamsters cannot be housed together, then the question arises of how they will reproduce, sitting in separate cages. However, it is necessary to plant animals together only for the time of mating, when the female begins to estrus. The mating itself should take place either in neutral territory or in the male's cage.

Puberty in hamsters begins as early as three months of age. However, the first mating is best done only after 5 months, so that the young "mommy" can grow stronger and endure her future generation. After mating, both animals must be placed in their original places.

You can check how the mating happened by feeling the female with your hands. Small balls should be felt on the abdomen - these are future hamsters. In addition, over time, a pregnant animal becomes thicker and looks a little like a pear.The female's nipples also enlarge.

The animal becomes very aggressive and also looks for more secluded places. The female's appetite increases and she is also thirsty. Pregnancy lasts from 18 to 21 days. The number of babies does not exceed 6 pieces. However, in rare cases, there may be more.

Childbirth takes place very quickly, almost imperceptibly, most often at night. After the female has given birth, she needs to be given a little rest, two months will be enough. And only after that, you can again let her to the male. This is so that she could gain strength before a future pregnancy.

After two weeks, you need to put another drinker with water in the cage, as well as a bowl for food, which should be slightly lower. They will be needed for babies who find it difficult to eat from large dishes. But after 30 days they will need to be seated in separate cages.

These small animals are susceptible to various diseases. Most often they appear as a result of poor care of them.

For example, if cells inadvertently move or change their mode, the animals can become stressed. As a result, hamsters may develop aggression, breathing more often. In some cases, it is even fraught with baldness. In this case, you must definitely contact a specialist so that they can help cope with these diseases.

If pets have a cold, as a result of which they begin to cough and sneeze, then it is imperative to introduce more vegetables and fruits into the diet. In addition, you need to give them a drink with warm milk. And it is also necessary to remove the cage from the draft and put it in a warmer place.

Hamsters that are too mobile can be injured. As a result, their limbs may suffer. In this case, it is necessary to fix well the injured paw of the animal, if possible. If, nevertheless, this does not help, then we must try to make him behave more calmly. In addition, it is necessary to introduce more calcium into the diet, it can be nuts or seeds.

If the animal does not tolerate any product, then diarrhea may occur. In this case, sticky rice should be introduced into the diet, and if, on the contrary, the hamster is constipated, then you need to give a little vegetable oil, literally a few drops. This can be done with a pipette. You need to act carefully so as not to scare him.

Sometimes the eyelids of a dzhungarik stick together - this indicates conjunctivitis. In this case, rinse your pet's eyes with brine or strong black tea.

Those animals with very long incisors may lose their appetite, and they completely refuse to eat. To help them, the incisors must be carefully trimmed. This can be done using conventional nail clippers. However, it is best to contact your veterinarian in this case. A professional will definitely do everything neatly and will not harm the animal.

It often happens that either fleas or ticks appear in dzhungariks, which leave wounds all over the body of small pets. In this case, you need to treat them with special lotions or aerosols.

It is very common for hamsters to have a skin condition such as eczema. Their fur immediately falls out, and the skin also begins to flake off.

For information on how to keep a Dzungarian hamster, see the next video.