By Mac Bellingham
Owning pets, as simple as they may seem, can be one of the most fulfilling experiences. They are also one of the most common too, with 90% of the US owning pets and 33% of the world owning them. Unfortunately, many people are under the impression that as long as something is easier to take care of than a dog or a cat, it is the easiest pet to take care of, only requiring a small enclosure and food once a day. This is simply not true, and with just a little bit of research, you can find the proper information on how to care for your pets. Today I plan on discussing how people mistreat common pets, specifically hamsters, how you can properly treat these pets, and why this treatment keeps happening.
One of the most mistreated animals in the world is the hamster. Most people reading this article have likely owned at least one hamster throughout their lifetime. I’m sure you’re wondering how you may have accidentally neglected your beloved Fluffy Jr. The first mistake many new hamster owners make is to give them a cage that is too small. Lots of people are under the impression that since hamsters are small creatures, a small cage size will suit them nicely. This is not true. As a rule of thumb, the Hamster Society Singapore recommends that cages are at least 90x50x50cm. That may seem way out of proportion, but the smaller a cage, the more likely hamsters are to engage in acts of aggression, such as biting. No, ‘Cheeseball’ isn’t just like that, he probably feels too cramped in his tiny cage and is acting out because of that!
Another common mistake hamster owners make is to put two or more hamsters together in one cage. Hamsters are solitary animals. I repeat. Hamsters. Are. Solitary. Animals. This is one of the biggest mistakes you can make as a pet owner, putting two solitary animals together in a small cage. It will end in disaster. I can speak from experience here, seeing as when my sister and I were little, our parents decided to get us both hamsters. The pet store’s employee, a teenager who was not experienced in pet care, told us it was okay to have two hamsters in one cage. They ended up killing each other and attacking one another until both were dead. Not a pleasant experience for a six-year-old.
The final mistake you can make when caring for hamsters is related to the reason why you got one in the first place. Please don’t get a hamster to teach your child a lesson. Hamsters are living things, not a lesson in responsibility. It’s fine if your child really does want a hamster, but don’t put all the responsibility on your child! Don’t refuse to pay for extra hamster care because your kid didn’t save up for it, don’t give it to kids and expect them to deal with everything, and don’t impulse buy hamsters! Before getting any pet, please do some research before you buy them. I’m sure you’ll find out some new information about those pets. (Did you know that hamster exercise balls aren’t actually safe for your hamster?)
So, why does this keep happening? How does this misinformation spread? What can we do to stop it? The reason why this misinformation about hamster care keeps spreading is because of pet stores and their advertising. Think about it. They keep all the small pets, such as turtles, hamsters, and guinea pigs all at the front, where people walking by can see them. If you enquire further about these pets, they recommend mistreatment and reassure you that they are easy pets. The people they employ are typically not animal professionals. So, how should they be expected to know the ins and outs of animal care? In short, do the proper research beforehand, and if you can, buy your hamsters, and all pets for that matter, from responsible breeders, and not from pet stores.