Many people who want to have a pet very often prefer the most ordinary hamsters. They easily adapt to the conditions of detention, do not require special care and are not picky about food. One of the most popular representatives of this genus is Campbell's hamster.
Appearance
This is a small rodent with a round and rather wide body shape and weighing no more than 45 grams. A small nose stands out on a short muzzle. Ears are widely spaced, short legs are almost invisible under a fur coat, the color of which can be different - black, spotted, blue, gray. Eye color also depends on it . They can be black or red.
The dwarf Dzungarian hamster has a very great resemblance to Campbell's hamster. It has very slight external differences, so amateurs who do not have sufficient experience in breeding these animals often confuse them. Although it is quite possible to distinguish animals. First of all, Campbell's natural hamster is distinguished by golden brown fur. The dzhungarik has a white tummy and a wide strip on the back, which expands in the form of a rhombus in the region of the head. At Campbell's hamster, it is more blurry, but the same along its entire length. His hair grows at an angle, so it seems that it sticks out to the sides.
Sellers themselves often incorrectly determine the appearance of these animals. Knowing how to distinguish a jungler from a Campbell hamster will help you not make a mistake when buying an animal.
Conditions of detention
To keep the hamster, you will need a special terrarium, the size of which should be at least 30 x 70 cm. Campbell hamsters prefer loneliness, so only one animal should be kept in the cage. Otherwise, biting may occur, as a result of which the animals can be severely damaged. Group content is very stressful for them. Even the female is planted in a cage to the male only for reproduction. Campbell's hamster does not tolerate the neighborhood.
Care
The hamster’s house is sacred. The animal’s attitude towards him is very reverent. The order that the hamster puts in place on its territory must not be violated. If you completely change the sawdust in order to maintain cleanliness, this can cause serious stress and anxiety in the animal. Therefore, all hygiene procedures are good in moderation: once a week, you can wash the feeder, regularly check that spoiled foods do not appear in the bins. Cleaning the toilet is a daily procedure, otherwise the smell of a hamster will permeate the entire apartment.
Walks
Campbell's hamster does not tolerate a change of scenery. It should provide him with comfortable and stable conditions in his home. In order to spend his energy, a spacious cage and a running wheel are quite enough for him. You can create a special corral in the corner of the room, the main thing is that its walls are quite high. Otherwise, the hamster crossing over them may get lost in the house or get hurt. It is unreasonable to take such a small animal to the street. Frightened by unfamiliar smells and sounds, the hamster will run away, and it will hardly be possible to find it.
Feeding
In order for the hamster to develop normally, be healthy and cheerful, he needs to provide good nutrition. The feed mixture must be balanced and fully meet the needs of the animal in proteins, fats, carbohydrates and minerals. Pet stores today offer a variety of special grain feeds for rodents. Most of them are already fortified, which allows not to add additional vitamins.
A properly composed diet is of great importance for the health of the animal. In this case, the season and physical characteristics of the pet should be taken into account.
Along with the main feed, hamsters are given bread, milk, cottage cheese. It is very useful to give cereals (oatmeal, semolina, wheat and others). Hamsters and boiled meat, chicken and fish are happy to eat. When boiled liver is added to the diet, the appearance of the coat is significantly improved. Sunflower, watermelon, pumpkin seeds, as well as various nuts are the best delicacy for these animals.
They sleep almost all day, so they feed hamsters 1-2 times a day. It is necessary to ensure that the animals do not gain excess weight, this adversely affects health.
Fresh pet water must be present in your pet’s cage, in which vitamin C is added. On average, Campbell’s hamster drinks up to 10 ml of water per day. It is poured into a special stable drinker, which must be washed regularly. For cleaning, you can use baking soda or tooth powder, but in no case use chemical disinfectants for washing.
You can not give the hamster exotic fruits and citrus fruits, leaves of cereal crops, onions, garlic, fruit seeds, and also abuse cheese, which many mistakenly consider to be the favorite food of rodents.
Breeding
Accustomed to home maintenance, hamsters can give offspring. Toddlers are usually handed out to friends or sold. Campbell's hamster is quite in demand on the market, the price of it ranges from 150 to 300 rubles. The most favorable season for reproduction lasts from March to September. During this period, the female can bring offspring up to four times, given that the pregnancy lasts 18-20 days.
In each litter, the number of cubs is from 6 to 8, sometimes more. They are born almost naked and blind, and only on the fifth day they become covered with wool. Eyes open on the 10th day after birth, and after another 10 days, the babies can already be separated from their mother.
A lot of special literature is devoted to such an animal as Campbell's hamster. The origin, standard, care required for these animals - all this is carefully studied by the breeders involved in their breeding. In their opinion, this animal is much worse than the rest of the species gets used to his hands, so he needs to pay a little more time and attention.