should I give my dd a hamster? - Page 2

[Jelinifer]

Happy Birthday to you daughter! I just wanted to chime in on the age at time of death situation.... My DH (who was my boyfriend at the time) gave me a hammie as a gift years ago, and not only was she a sweet little cuddle-bug.... but she also lived to be 2.5 years old. Hopefully your daughter's hammie will live into old age as well

[Meiri]

What about the lifespan issue? Is it ok to give a relatively short lived pet to a child who takes death so hard?

I see that what I was going to post about researching each of the pet options with your daughter to see what she might prefer is now moot.

About the lifespan issue. It's difficult, but death is also part of life. She's going to have to face it again at some point. What I focus on with DD, 10, about our gerbils (a family of 3 females) is that we are giving them a good life, full of play, in a nice gerbil home, etc. For them, it will have been a good lifetime when the time comes. Won't be our lifetime, but that's okay. Badger's Parting Gifts is a good book to have on your bookshelves for such times. What will this hamster's gifts to your daughter, and family, have been?

I know for us, the gerbils have given us the gift of more play. Even DH stops and plays with them at times. DD carries the adventurous one over to put onto him when he's sitting on the couch. "Hello, rats!" is the friendly greeting from DH if he passes them during their awake times. Moving the little ladies out of DD's room (too noisy at night) into the living was the best thing we did.

[Noelle C.]

Especially if your daughter has never expressed interest in a hamster, do NOT just spring one on her. No way, no how. Include her in the decision. Ask how she'd feel about one. Let her help pick one out.

Hamsters bite when afraid. You can not just pick one up at the store, take it home, and start cuddling it. They're terrified. They've been behind glass with tons of people poking and prodding them, and now they're in a new place without their buddies.

When one is new in the home, it needs time to adjust, and this can mean a few weeks before being able to pick it up. Stick a hand in several inches away and let the hamster make the move toward you. Let the hamster decide when to sit in your hand (some treats help). Don't pick up yet though. Wait until it's comfortable going right into your hand a few days, and then slowly pick up. You need to build trust with the hamster.

This is why they bite. People expect to take one home and have it cuddle like a puppy right away.

Now they do have a short lifespan, which is an allure to some people who don't want a pet to last five years. And they're cheap to buy. But they still need vet care. Are you willing to take it in if it shows signs of wet tail, or will you just let it die because it's $8 to buy a new one?

I've had many hamsters, and had my very first one when I was 9, and Princess was so spoiled and well-cared for, but we also had realistic expectations of when she could first be held and such. An early bad experience, such as being bitten because a kid thing trying to snatch up a hammy right away, can lead to the poor animal being neglected.

Research hamsters and talk with your daughter, and go from there.

[limabean]

Originally Posted by Whimsical

Noise-wise, you can buy quality wheels and a decent sized aquarium to prevent all the chewing noises.

This is what we were thinking of doing when we get DS a hamster (or mouse, after reading this thread), but how do you attach a water bottle to an aquarium?

[Oubliette8]

Use on of these- http://www.google.com/products/catal...922&sa=title#p
I love that brand, have never had a leaking problem. There's a spot for a hanger at the top, and it just hangs over the top. There are other varieties of hanging bottles on the market as well.

And a trick for wheels- first, the brand "silent spinner" is really tops. Expensive, but silent and best of all SAFE. http://www.petco.com/product/14888/Silent-Spinner.aspx Unfortunately the sizing is weird- a 6" is too small for a Syrian hamster, so you'd need to use a 12" if you get that species. It would be fine for mice or dwarves though. Wire wheels can injure hamsters. I've seen numerous hamsters with severe injury from runged wheels where there legs fell through the spokes. Mesh wheels are supposed to be safer, but sadly are often poorly made- I've seen many hamsters with bloody feet where the mesh cut them up. There are some solid metal wheels on the market which would work. And some solid plastic. If the wheel squeaks or the axel clangs, try greasing it with vegetable oil. Its safe for your hamster, and stops the squeak for a long time.