Despite the abundance of exotic in pet stores, this cute animal remains the most popular inhabitant of the cells. Most buyers are sure that a harmless baby will not cause trouble, does not require much effort and attention. Indeed, the Dzungarian hamster adapts well to environmental conditions. However, before you get an animal, you should find out some features of its content.
Habitat
To create a pet comfortable conditions in the house, you need to learn a little about his life in the wild.
The Dzungarian hamster is an inhabitant of the steppes and semi-deserts (Western and Eastern Siberia, Kazakhstan and Mongolia). He leads a secretive nightlife. In search of food runs up to 10 km. Protects its territory from neighbors. Resistant to temperature extremes. At +10, it changes color for the winter, falls into hibernation during the cold period. Digs holes to 2-3 meters deep with many exits and pantries. During the year, this troublesome owner can collect 20 kg of supplies (grain and vegetables) by dragging them in cheek pouches. And at home, instincts force the hamster to race in the wheel all night and fill his house with supplies. Dzhungarik is a flat animal. He does not realize the height, so he fearlessly scrambles everywhere and falls from an unprotected edge.
Appearance
This charming acrobat fits easily in the palm of your hand. Its length is only 10 cm. The eyes are convex, black. Ears are soft rounded. The belly, paws and tiny tail are covered with whitish hair.
Wild color is called "standard". Gray-brown fur with a mandatory dark stripe on the back and a spot on the head. In pet stores there are jungars of artificially derived colors: sapphire (bluish-gray), mandarin (soft peach) and pearl (silver). A white Dzungarian hamster can be distinguished from an albino by black eyes.
Safe house
The first task of the owner will be the device of a comfortable home for the rodent. Due to its territorial habits, this cute baby will not tolerate relatives. The gender of the Dzungarian hamster is not affected. Even individual cells should not be placed nearby within sight. This will cause severe stress and a desire to mark your place.
- The cage for one hamster should be single-tier, low and wide (50 * 30 * 30 cm), with horizontal rods. This design will avoid injuries, while the animal will be able to actively move. The rods will not protect the pet from drafts, so the cage should be away from doors, windows, heating and electrical appliances.
- The terrarium should be slightly higher and wider. The iron net or grille on the top will not allow the dzhungarik to escape and provide ventilation. The greatest danger is high humidity and the rapid formation of mold. In no case should you put the glass terrarium in direct sunlight.
- The space for the animals must be decorated with various climbing devices: strong branches, hanging ropes, ladders, floor wheel. Unfortunately, most ready-made accessories involve attaching to the bars of a cage.
- Modern plastic structures combining closed floors, sections of horizontal rods, pipes and tunnels are very convenient. Such a combined cell creates the most comfortable conditions for physical exercise and will minimize the risk of injury.
An example of such a plastic cage for Dzungarian hamsters in the photo.
The cage or terrarium needs to be washed and dried before a new occupant is allowed to enter.
Comfortable setting
The selected dwelling must be equipped with additional accessories:
- Shelter for sleeping and supplies. Best of all, wooden, from a coconut shell, woven from jute, hay and from other natural materials. Ideal design without bottom. The hamster will be able to dig a tunnel for stocks in the litter, and the owner will easily take everything away. For nesting, you can put soft napkins, shreds of hay and so on into the cage. It is dangerous to give animals newspapers, cotton, rags.
- The feeder should be wide, heavy and easy to clean. Ceramics are the most convenient to use.
- Plastic accessories are best avoided. The only exception is an automatic drinker, nipple or ball. The rodent will not be able to spoil the iron tip, and the plastic container is located outside the cage.
- Of all the "sports equipment" the wheel for the Dzungarian hamster is preferable. It gives the body the maximum load. The design of the wheel should be closed, without spokes, between which the foot of the animal may get stuck and break. The optimum diameter is 18 cm.
- An additional entertainment for the owner and his pet will be a walking ball made of transparent plastic. The hamster can safely move around the apartment, showing all his funny tweaks. It is important not to be distracted and not to leave the animal in the ball for a long time, as it can become stuffy in it, despite the ventilation holes. In addition, the baby can get hungry and tired, and sleeping in an open unfamiliar place is too much stress for him.
Hamster Toilet
There are two things that every owner should know about the Dzungarian hamster.
Firstly, from a healthy animal it smells absolutely nothing. This is one of the protective properties of the animal, located at the very bottom of the food pyramid. The notorious "smell of a rodent" acquires their urine, if not cleaned in a cage for two to three days. No wonder this happens in any toilet.
Secondly, in order for the cell not to please all household members with its “aroma”, an interesting habit of dzhungariks should be used for its own benefit. Hamsters are so clean that they do not stain their entire territory, but choose a corner remote from the house where they can cope with their little need. It is enough to put a small tray there (you can buy a special toilet in the pet store) and clean it every day.
Cleaning the house
To keep the pet clean and not upset by the regular ruin of the nest and pantry, it is necessary to alternate a partial cleaning with a general cleaning. The daily responsibilities of the owner include cleaning the toilet and removing residual succulent feed. Full cleaning is carried out if necessary and without the use of caustic, odorous detergents. It is better to handle the tray and accessories with laundry soap (odorless!), And disinfect with a solution of vinegar. At this time, the inhabitants of the cell are placed in a safe container, carrying, a walking ball. After cleaning, all items should be returned to their place and even leave a pinch of old shavings in the house and in the toilet.
The filler in the cage is poured with a thick layer so that the rodent can rummage there ad libitum. Experienced breeders recommend using straw or shavings. There is too much fine dust in the sawdust, which is harmful to both pets and their owners. Granular aggregate is too heavy to create tunnels and holes.
Useful menu
What do jungar hamsters eat? The basis of the diet is cereals (millet, barley, oats, sorghum) and seeds (canary, pumpkin). There are ready-made mixtures specifically for dzhungariki. Every day, juicy foods are needed - carrots, corn, zucchini, pumpkin, cucumbers, apples, lettuce, dandelion. A small amount of protein (chicken, eggs, cottage cheese) is given once every one to two weeks.
You can buy cereal goodies on sticks at pet stores or offer small animals spikelets of millet. Food will be an interesting entertainment.
Special stones for grinding teeth are needed. For a wild rodent, continuously growing incisors are a protective mechanism, for a domestic one, this is a rather big problem.
The drinker is filled daily with fresh water.
Rodents are strictly prohibited:
- sweet and sour fruits,
- citrus,
- cabbage,
- garlic,
- bow,
- fat-rich nuts
- human goodies (flour, salted, smoked).
Malnutrition very quickly causes irreversible effects in a small body.
Girl or boy
It is important to determine the sex of a rodent when buying if breeding is planned or, conversely, there is a fear of inappropriately buying a pregnant female. And also in order to choose a suitable name.
If the animal has reached the age of one and a half months, sexual characteristics can be determined visually. When examining the abdomen, the distance between the anus and genitals is estimated. In the Dzhungar hamster of the boy this distance will be about 1 cm. A convex gland is clearly distinguishable over the genitals. In the girl of the Dzungarian hamster, the indicated distance is much smaller, the gland is not expressed and, possibly, two rows of nipples are visible (if the female has already brought and fed offspring).
Communication and training
Friendship with a hamster will have to on his terms.
Dzhungarik leads a nocturnal lifestyle, therefore, cleaning and feeding should be in the evening, when the animal is awake. In the afternoon he will be annoyed and even aggressive.
The rodent does not tolerate an invasion of its territory, so it is rather reckless to pull it out of the cage or out of the house with your hands. It is better to lure a treat into your palm.
At the time of feeding, the animal most easily makes contact; this is the best time to play and communicate with the pet. However, it is important not to get carried away and not overfeed a treat with your hands. The daily food intake is very limited.
For walks and training the hamster can equip a playground. For example, in a wide box with high sides, you can install a floor wheel, build a maze of transparent plastic pipes and so on.
Using a rewarding treat, you can train the animal a couple of simple tricks. Unfortunately, dzhungariki are not distinguished by a good memory. If you stop classes for a few days, the pet will forget everything. Taming will have to start again.
It's okay if the tricks fail. Even a simple observation of this troublesome baby will bring a lot of pleasure.
A domestic Dzungarian hamster lives only two to three years. This is much more than free. If you understand the nature of the rodent and observe the rules of care, you can make his short life very happy.