The Russian Hamster, also known as the Russian Mouse. It is a great sensation among adults and children of the house due to its size, tenderness and its great ease of care. In this article we will learn more about this rodent about its characteristics, care and useful tips for the well-being of this little animal.
russian hamster
This rodent, also known as the Russian mouse, is usually a very energetic, docile, very sociable and loving pet, it manages to quickly adapt to its new owner, but it never hurts to soak up more of these animals that steal our hearts, the Russian hamster has highlighted a lot today and it is time that we focus on its most important characteristics so it is time to get to know it better.
From
This cute rodent is commonly found in Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Manchuria, Central Asia, Siberia (which is why it is also known as the Siberian hamster), and Russia, which is the country that even distinguishes it in its name from the rest. Although they are very famous in America and a large part of Europe, in their countries of origin they enjoy more in their natural habitat with complete freedom.
Habitat
The Russian Hamster or Russian mole as it is also known in various places, they usually live in the steppes of the countries mentioned above in which they move through labyrinths in the subsoil, they usually endure low temperatures, their predators are birds of prey, snakes, wolves, foxes, enter others. In their habitat they are often the food of these predators.
Size
This rodent is known worldwide for its small size, becoming one of the dwarfest rodents that exists. Its size is usually from 7 to 11 centimeters being very chubby, its weight varies between 30-50 grams. Females are usually smaller and lighter than males. Many to differentiate them only look at the shape of their body, females are usually chubby and round, males tend to be slimmer and stretched.
Fur
A great attraction of this rodent is its coat that changes according to the season, it ranges in various scales of gray, pearl, silver, gold, sapphire, even reaching mandarin or orange. A great feature is a stripe that runs across its entire body.
Its fur can change completely to white in the winter, thus being able to camouflage itself in the snow since it becomes denser and silkier, although this can change depending on the place and condition of the rodent, since these changes would occur not only in winter, also at other times during the year, this varies especially if the rodent lives in its natural habitat or if it has been domesticated.
Coexistence
Russian Hamsters cannot be among their own gender as they are very jealous. It is a friendly but very territorial rodent, its coexistence must be with a hamster of the opposite sex with which they can be quietly accompanied before their sexual awakening, they are playful and their level of restlessness is enormous, their relationship with people is not usually difficult to create since he will let himself be carried away by the affections and by each time he is fed.
It is important not to make them feel threatened and not to leave it in the hands of very young children, it is a rodent that can bite.
Food
Those who enjoy their freedom usually eat the odd insect but are based more on eating a diet rich in seeds and cereals in general. You can't eat citrus fruits or processed foods and you can't eat a lot of sugar, in general you can't eat almost any fruit.
Contrary to vegetables that give a great nutritional contribution to this small rodent, but its consumption should still be moderate. It is best to feed it twice a day. And if you don't want to give yourself a lot of headache with food, in the pet store they sell special seeds for the consumption of this hamster.
Reproduction
Russian hamsters usually awaken sexually at two months of age, although there are usually mating dates that are usually from April to September, the truth is that this can happen at any time of the year. In winter they are usually deprived of the reproduction process resulting in weight loss, compared to summer they become active again and as a consequence they gain weight again.
When they go into heat they usually change their behavior, this usually happens by becoming the most submissive female. Their pregnancy usually lasts a maximum of 21 days, usually between 8 and 14 offspring that they can have is the limit. They can continue procreating the rest of the year as many times as they want.
The young are usually suckled for the first two weeks of their lives. When the babies are born, the father must be kept away from them since he could eat them. This rule can also be applied to the mother since she could eat the one she thinks is weaker.
Behavior
The vast majority of their physical activity is at night, although there are usually active Russian hamsters during the day, the reality is that they prefer that time to sleep. Those that live in their natural habitat usually hibernate at which point their fur becomes lighter.
They love to socialize, but it is important to offer them an environment of trust, this animal should not be scolded with great force, in fact no animal should be hit, but specifically the Russian hamster should be patient, although they are not usually very bad either. ported.
Average life
In their habitat, where they live in complete freedom, it is usually 1 year, even less, but this can vary since if the small rodent lives in captivity and is very well cared for, it can live up to 4 years, which would already be the limit of reaching , everything will depend on his physical state, so he must be a very active and well-fed hamster to be able to reach that goal.
Care
We already got to know this cute animal more in depth, it is time to know more about its care, a factor that is a perfect pet option for children, it has a great advantage that it is little and easy to care for, even so you should be aware of this rodent since each pet has special care depending on its needs, we must offer an environment of great physical and mental development to our Russian hamster which we will see below:
Make sure the cage is not so small. The hamster must feel a good degree of freedom, otherwise the rodent is very prone to stress very easily; at least it is recommended that it be 1143 cm, but if possible it is best that it be a little larger to do all your activities quietly.
Always keep it away from the sun, take care of what material the cage will be since the rodent could hurt its teeth trying to bite it for the same reason in case a cage does not convince you there are people who use transparent boxes, making sure that the upper part is open and adapting it to the hamster.
As mentioned above, it is a rodent that will spend its energy all night, so it is recommended that the cage is not close to its owner at bedtime.
It is important to equip his space with toys and elements with which he can exercise, putting a wheel for him to run or preparing a circuit for him in advance will be more than ideal, he likes to hide and find a way to camouflage himself, put different elements in his space for that will make your adaptation more favorable and simple.
For your needs, it will be enough to put sawdust, newspaper or sand, your cage must be constantly cleaned removing waste as well as food scraps and more if it is prone to rotting like vegetables, remove dust, so we will avoid a future problem with his eyes.
This could be done at least once a week and let him out of his cage to a more open space one or two hours a day, preferably in the afternoon when it is getting dark or at night, this should not be done in such a large space and without boundaries as they tend to hide or run away.
When it comes to eating, it is important to keep in mind that you must have a limit when providing vegetables or some fruit, it must be done as a very small complement to its diet. As such, this rodent eats seeds and insects, a fruit that it can eat of course. in very little quantity twice a week is the apple.
An excellent option for vegetables is broccoli, having fresh water is essential, using a trough will be very practical when you are thirsty, you have to be careful with the intake of sugar, it can cause diarrhea, a poor diet would be noticeable with the fall of his fur and his physical condition.
Giving the Russian hamster a toy to gnaw on is completely necessary, it helps to further develop its instincts and also helps to control the growth of its teeth, which will not stop growing throughout its life.
It is important to let him sleep during the day, this little animal will be tired from all the energy burned at night. It must be taken into account that to carry the hamster it must be done when it is awake, trying to do it when it is asleep will make the rodent put in a bad mood and be alert for which as a defense mode it will bite the hands of its owner. It should be clarified that this will also happen the first time you load it but with less impact.
Hamsters in general, to the surprise of many, have not been required to be vaccinated, it is a species that is born without much history of disease.
In fact, many veterinarians do not agree with the use of vaccines for these rodents, several scientists have wanted to develop vaccines for this species, but it has been shown that it can cause serious health problems. If the rodent shows symptoms of fever, diarrhea, respiratory problems or any other health problem, it should be taken to the veterinarian urgently, but vaccines are unnecessary for them.
Tips
Be patient when his first days at home with you are, make sure that if there are children in the environment that do not stress or upset him, he will be very nervous and will look for ways to defend himself. As long as a routine is built with everything, it will be easier, this animal gets used to the environment very quickly, especially if there is food and affection involved.
Try to make it feel free, help its development with people by making it more sociable and docile, it will burn much more energy, it will avoid a bad mood and discord in the rodent, do not leave it in a place with many hiding places, you may not find it again in a while They are fast and love to hide or camouflage.
Take him to the vet periodically, this type of animal does not usually suffer from many health problems, especially if very good care is taken of it, but it does not hurt to rule out his good physical condition, even any questions it is best to ask the veterinarian directly as he is the best qualified to answer any questions and will personally follow the case of your hamster.
Try to fill it with a lot of love and affection, by adopting it you accepted the responsibility of caring for it, protecting it and offering it a decent life.
Given that their life expectancy is very short for us, perhaps it will be somewhat longer for them, especially if we help their life to be extended with the appropriate care, it is one of the favorite hamsters because of its very easy and little care, but that does not mean that we will always have to leave it alone, live with it, play and if there are children around it, teach them to deal with the rodent, its life will also be longer depending on its moods.
As has been seen, the Russian hamster is an excellent option as a pet because of the practicality of its care, because of how tender, kind and loving it is. For children it is perfect for them to be their first pets so that they can learn about the responsibility of taking care of another living being, a small animal that with its energy will bring a lot of spark and happiness to your home and to the people around it, show your honey by following these practical and simple tips for your well-being.
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