Hamsters have actually been thought about a popular family pet for ages– specifically throughout youth. Even if you didn’t have one in your house, you may have had one as a class family pet, or fondly keep in mind Dewey’s family pet hamster Bernard from Malcolm in the Middle However in spite of their constant appeal, hamsters might not in fact be the very best family pet option for everybody. In reality, this fluffy and charming animal in fact has a dark side that might make you hesitate prior to taking one in. Keep reading to discover the primary factor you should not get a family pet hamster.
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Hamsters have actually ended up being much more popular as animals just recently.
Hamsters were currently a popular family pet option when the majority of us were maturing, however their need has actually increased of late. Los Angeles citizen Samantha Slaven-Bick informed MarketWatch in January that when she went trying to find a hamster for her 11-year-old kid in the summertime of 2021, she understood she was far from the only one. “Everybody desired one throughout COVID,” Slaven-Bick informed the news outlet, describing that she needed to check out 4 pet shops to discover any hamsters in stock.
This increased need for hamsters remains in line with the current increasing appeal of little animals as animals. A study from the American Family Pet Products Association (APPA) discovered that 6.2 million families own a minimum of one little animal as a family pet since 2021– which was up from 2019 by a tremendous 800,000 families. According to the association, 27 percent of those 6.2 million families own a hamster, which relates to about 1.5 million American houses having this small rodent as a family pet, per MarketWatch.
They’re frequently thought about to be low-maintenance animals appropriate for kids.
Numerous households think about hamsters to be a great novice family pet for their kids to have prior to they dedicate to a dog or a cat. They’re frequently considered as low-maintenance, low-cost, and not unsafe. Jennifer Shepherd, DVM, a vet and owner of Cloquet Animal Healthcare Facility in Northern Minnesota, discussed the appeal of hamsters as animals for kids in her “Ask Dr. Jenn” column with Family pet Assure.
” Hamsters are charming with their fluffy haircoats, huge teeth, and huge puffy cheeks. Teddy bear hamsters are specifically popular with kids, due to the fact that as their name suggests, they appear like mini teddy bears,” she composed. “They appear simple to keep and relatively low upkeep. The family pet shop most likely even has a starter package, total with a cage with tunnels, a hamster wheel, a water bottle, food, and bed linen– whatever you require to make your brand-new family pet feel comfortable.”
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However there is one concern that can make hamsters not the very best family pet option.
In spite of their appeal amongst households, Shepherd discussed that she in fact does not “advise hamsters as a family pet for kids.” Among her primary factors? They “are understood to bite,” she composed.
Daniel Jackson, an animal behavioral professional and the CEO of Family Pet Fan Person, informs Finest Life this is something many individuals stop working to understand prior to they choose to go forth and get a hamster.
” It’s simple to forget that hamsters are rodents and much like other rodents, they like to bite. It remains in their nature and is in fact healthy for them to do so,” Jackson states. As far as he’s worried, this is a significant reason that “hamsters are bad animals for kids, no matter common belief.”
Their bad vision makes them most likely to bite.
Hamsters pattern to count on odor and taste to discover their method around due to the fact that they have bad vision, according to Jackson. So if you or your kid put your hand in their cage, they are most likely to bite you. “This will probably hurt due to their sharp teeth,” Jackson alerts. And as soon as they have actually bit down, they’re not most likely to let go– which can leave you “bleeding and screeching in discomfort,” according to Shepherd.
” Hamsters are understood to bite when they are disrupted or startled,” Shepherd likewise discussed. These animals are in fact nighttime, so they’re frequently stunned out of their sleep in the middle of the day– causing unfavorable effects. “Kids are frequently thrilled to have fun with their brand-new hamster and reveal him off to their buddies after school, however this is prime sleeping time, and your little hamster will not be reluctant to chew down on a finger with his sharp little teeth when he is awakened,” she included.
