A person who has never kept an animal in his house must really appreciate his capabilities. Those who have no experience with pets should pay attention to the Dzungarian hamsters. These animals are quite unpretentious, hardy, have a small size, do not live long.
Appearance
The standard color of the Dzungarian hamster is gray. It is complemented by a dark stripe on the back. The eyes are black or red. But genetics does not stand still, so you can find a rodent of other colors:
- smoky;
- tangerine;
- white and beige;
- brown;
- the black;
- chocolate;
- yellow beige;
- spotted.
An adult pet does not grow longer than five to seven centimeters. Usually the coat is straight, but there is also a wavy type. The color of the coat may vary depending on the season. By winter, it brightens.
Pet choice
Dzungarian hamster, like any other animal, should be carefully selected. Then the pet will delight for a long time with its mobility and charge with positive emotions.
When purchasing a jungar, it is important to pay attention to the following points:
- whatever color the fur should be, it should shine, not have bald spots;
- eyes should be clean and clear, without suppuration;
- the anus and the fur around it should be clean, otherwise this indicates the presence of infection;
- The nose of a healthy pet has a pinkish tint.
The chosen pet should be watched for a while. The animal should not be lethargic. The cause may be illness or stress. You should not buy a dzhungarik if he lived in a crowded stuffy cage. Such an animal is very susceptible to disease.
There is no significant difference between a boy and a girl when it comes to one pet. You can make a couple, but you should be prepared that they will give offspring regularly and in large quantities. It is impossible to keep same-sex hamsters together, as they will constantly fight, proving their superiority. The sex of the pet can be determined already in the fourth week of life. To do this, place the dzhungarika on the back and examine the abdomen. In males, the distance from the anus to the male genitalia is five to ten millimeters. In females, the distance is much shorter, in addition, you can feel two rows of tiny nipples.
It is better to transport the selected pet in a special carrying cage. Sawdust and slices of carrots are poured at its bottom. If it takes a long time to transport, provide the rodent with water. Before the pet is at home, it is worth deciding which house he will have for permanent residence.
House
As a house for the Dzungarian hamster, a cage with a fine mesh or an aquarium can serve. As an alternative, you can use a three-liter jar, but such a stay for the pet will not be comfortable.
The dimensions of the house can be thirty to forty centimeters, and more can be. It is better to cover the aquarium with a lid with openings for air. The shelter should not nibble so that the pet does not run away. Finding a dzhungarik even in a small apartment is quite difficult. Runaway female can do a lot of trouble, reaching the wardrobe.
In the home there must be a drinking bowl with water and feed. Other accessories depend on the desire of the owners.
House cleaning
Dzungarian hamsters are clean animals. They go to the toilet in the same place. There you can put the tray and periodically clean it. It is important to ensure that food debris does not deteriorate. They should be cleaned in a timely manner. The entire cage should be cleaned once a week. Dirty filler should be replaced with clean. To make the rodent more comfortable, part of the dirty filler can be left.
In no case do you need to wash the rodent itself. The animal takes care of itself with the help of paws and tongue. Do not interfere with natural processes with soap. A sand bath is good for cleaning wool. But the bottom of his home, on the contrary, should be washed with soapy water once a month.
Ideal home improvement
An ideal dwelling for a dzhungarik is a special plastic house. It is equipped with pipes, manholes, nooks and crannies. The pet will be able to lead an active life without creating inconvenience for its owners in the form of night noise and the scattered contents of its shelter. Such housing can be made from an ordinary cage.
A Dzungarian hamster, care of which does not require much time, will appreciate the appearance of a small house in the cage. In it, he will be able to hide, sleep. For the health of the pet, it is better to purchase a wooden house, but in terms of durability, the plastic version wins.
The following elements should be placed in the home:
- feeder, consisting of two compartments;
- drinking bowl;
- wheel;
- cage filler;
- sand bathing;
- walking ball;
- chalk stone.
You can delight your pet with tree branches. He will be happy to bite them. In pet stores you can find a lot of toys for rodents, including edible ones.
What to feed?
The health of the rodent is largely dependent on proper nutrition, so it is important to know how to feed the Dzungarian hamster. Meals should take place at the same time, for example at 7 in the morning and at 8 in the evening.
In the morning, it is better to give juicy food, and in the evening dry food. A female expecting offspring should be fed every four hours.
Products to be given jungarik:
- specialized dry food;
- nuts and seeds;
- sprouted grains;
- dried fruits;
- cereals;
- berries, fruits, vegetables (seedless);
- greens;
- homemade crackers;
- leaves and twigs of fruit and deciduous trees.
A small amount is allowed to use boiled chicken, cottage cheese, boiled egg white.
If the pet has constipation, a drop of vegetable oil will help him. With diarrhea, sticky boiled rice can be given. It is important that the food is fresh and clean.
Separately, it is worth mentioning about water. It should be clean, so you should change it regularly. Better use a drinker.
What can not be given dzhungarik?
Although the content of the Dzungarian hamsters cannot be called complicated, there are a number of products that should not be given to rodents. These include human goodies and sweets, spices, sausages, mushrooms, citrus fruits. Caution should be given to the dzhungarika grapes. You can not give almonds, mint and watermelon.
Dzhungariki are very fond of rose petals, but you cannot use flowers purchased in the store as a treat. They are treated with pesticides. Only homemade roses grown without the use of chemistry are suitable.
Pet life span
At home, Dzungarian hamsters live about three years. These are average values that can be significantly affected by care and nutrition.
Rodents can be taken out to fresh air, but in direct sunlight they can receive heat stroke. Poor they tolerate drafts. Regarding walks in the grass, this is more than risky. Firstly, the dzhungarik can irrevocably escape, and secondly, other pets can eat it. The animal also picks up helminth eggs in the grass, which will significantly shorten its life cycle.
Owners should be wary of showing love for their pet. It is better to limit yourself to stroking the rodent with your finger. Strong hugs and kisses can lead to a broken heart.
In general, caring for a small representative of rodents is not difficult. Watching his life is very exciting. His attempts to shove as many supplies as possible, as well as running in the wheel, look especially funny.