Hamsters are easy pets?!

HERE TO DEBUNK THE BIGGEST MISCONCEPTION

This is a photo of me saying goodbye to my heart ham before he was cremated.

HAMSTERS ARE NOT EASY OR CHEAP AT ALL. Yes they are cheap to buy (ADOPT DONT SHOP) but!

1. They fall sick very easily and vet bills are extremely high.

Due to irresponsible breeding over centuries of domestication, hamsters have terrible genes. They live a max of 3 years and are plagued w health issues. Respiratory problems and tumours are especially common. Vet bills are very expensive because they have to go to exotic vets who specialise in treating hamsters. For one of my hamsters, I spent $5k on him alone on surgeries and general vet care.

2. They need interaction.

You can’t just leave them in the cage. You have to interact with them to provide stimulation!

3. Just like any other pet, they have their quirks.

I have had hamsters that refused to be held or cuddled. Some have bitten me till I bled. Can you make sure youll still give them the love and care even if they don’t reciprocate?

4. They need daily maintenance.

Do you have the impression that hamsters are smelly? That’s probably because the hamsters are housed in small cages with bad ventilation and infrequent cleaning. Big cages are mandatory but theyre not cheap! Also you’ll have to spot clean their bedding once a day to ensure that the cage is clean of their pee and poop.

DO NOT EVER GET HAMSTERS THINKING THEY ARE STARTER PETS. There are plenty of resources out there (e.g. hamster society singapore) that offer great advice before you make an informed decision to get a ham. Hams deserve our utmost care and love too ❤️

#hamsters #pet