Gerbils as Pets: The Hamsters of the Future

Nobody can deny the popularity of hamsters throughout the years as a fun, easy to maintain pet. However, anybody who has ever owned a hamster has also discovered that they are far from the perfect pet. Sure, they're cute, they're funny, and they're gentle, but as a pet, they have their flaws.

Gerbils, on the other hand, may not be perfect, but as a pet, they come much closer to the ideal that people are looking for; especially when they're giving the pet to their children.

Consider the following comparison between gerbils and hamsters, and you'll soon find that gerbils may very well be the hamsters of the future.

Gerbils have a unique sleep and activity cycle that alternates between playing and napping all day and all night long. This means that you'll be able to watch them play, and have some "time off" at any time of the day or night. Hamsters, on the other hand, are entirely nocturnal. This means that if you or your child is only up during the daytime, almost all of your time with your pet will happen during naptime.

Healthy gerbils are extremely active, curious creatures that are always racing about, digging, running in the wheel, playing, gnawing, and doing lots of other entertaining activities. Hamsters are lazy balls of fluff that only waddle on the running wheel and prefer to sit around.

Gerbils are very social creatures, preferring to live in pairs, and enjoying your company very much. Hamsters are solitary creatures that enjoy living alone, are prone to fighting when sharing a cage, and will even cannibalize their own young!

Mongolian gerbils - another name for the standard gerbil - are extremely curious. They are quick to investigate anything new in the cage, and are always watching what you're doing when you're in the same room. Hamsters are easily startled and will even fear bite for simple reasons such as being awakened in the daytime.

And, perhaps the best thing about gerbil keeping is how clean they are! Since they're native to the deserts of Mongolia, they take in little water, and therefore produce very little urine. This means that the cage needs far less cleaning, and it doesn't get smelly until quite a long time has passed. Hamsters get very smelly, very fast. This can be kept to a minimum by putting a "litter box" in the corner of the cage, but the whole thing will need cleaning frequently, and you'll need to get used to that special odor coming from the cage only a few days after the last wash.

Since today's pet owners have the internet available to them to help them to make informed decisions about pet ownership, it isn't too much of a stretch to believe that gerbils may soon be the more popular pet among rodent keepers.

Hamsters - The Best 3 Hamster Toys You Can Buy

Hamsters are fantastic pets for children because they are so energetic and keen to play. They are also relatively easy to care for, and can really teach children a lot about raising an animal.

Because they are so alert and lively, it is important that you give your hamsters sufficient toys to play with, so that they can exercise both their bodies and their minds. Here are the 3 most popular types of toys, and why each is important:

1. A Running Wheel

In the wild, hamsters are known to explore several miles every night in their search for food. Caged hamsters are just as active, and need a way to expel all of this energy. A running wheel is the perfect solution, because it allows your pet to do exactly what it would do in the wild without needing lots of space.

2. Houses and Tunnels

As active as they are, hamsters sometimes feel the need to hide away and have a little alone time. For this reason, it's essential to give them somewhere to go when they want to be on their own. Houses and tunnels provide great places for them to go for a bit of solitude.

3. Climbing Toys

Another thing that these little creatures love to do is to climb. You may find that your hamster develops a habit of climbing its cage bars. This is great, but you can make it even more enjoyable by giving them a selection of ladders, platforms, and ropes to explore.

By providing your hamsters with a good selection of toys, they will be able to live even more active and enjoyable lives. Not only does this benefit them and their health, but it also makes them more likely to want to play - which is one of the reasons kids love them so much!

Prepare Yourself For the Newborn Dwarf Hamsters

Dwarf hamsters breeding is not as difficult as it may seem. What is important is that you know what to expect when this happens. Here are some interesting facts about dwarf hamster. Care for dwarf hamsters especially their babies is important. Did you know that these hamsters have roughly 18 to 2 days of gestation period? Likewise, expect a litter of around 5 pups. But you can expect as much as ten or as little as just one. Keep this in mind when you plan to breed these cute and cuddly pets.

As much as you want to take care of these new pups, it is best to give this task to their mother in the first 10 days (at least). During this time, care for dwarf hamsters is quite sensitive. Make sure that you do not change the cage nor touch the little ones.

Dwarf hamsters breeding entail understanding the development of baby hamsters. During the first four days from birth they will start having pigments and coloration on their body. On the seventh day, your baby dwarf hamsters will begin to have fur on their bodies. So don't freak out if you find the little with hairless little creatures - it's normal at this stage. Within a week or so, the babies will be ready for their solid food. As part of a healthy diet, you can provide your new pets with oats, oatmeal or wheat germ. Small bird seeds will also do the trick in providing their first solid food. After this, you may opt to give them lab blocks as their staple food. Healthy nutrition for your newborn pups must be given full attention. So make sure you give them slices of apples, cucumber and even small grains so they will grow faster. Providing ample water is also important. As early as 10 days, they will begin to drink water other than nursing from the mother. Furthermore, you will notice that as soon as the babies can feed themselves, the mother will slowly lessen her nursing the babies.

More often than not, the mother hamsters are not enthusiastic in sharing the responsibility of caring for their young. So stop yourself from the urge to handle these new babies to avoid possible injuries to the hamster as well as to you. You can give the new babies their own cages after 4 weeks. As an additional reminder, make sure you separate the male hamsters from the female hamsters to control their population.

These interesting facts about dwarf and cute hamsters will help you manage them better and ensure their health.

Pet Rodents : How to Accessorize a Hamster's Cage

Pet Rodents : How to Accessorize a Hamster's Cage Tube. Duration : 4.05 Mins.

Hamster cages can be accessorized with tubing to crawl through, wheels to run on, several levels to navigate and mineral blocks to file down growing hamster teeth. Create a fun and busy environment to entertain a hamster with tips from the manager of a pet store in this free video on pet care. Expert: Ashlee Bio: Ashlee is the manager at Pet Planet in Riverton, Utah. Filmmaker: Michael Burton