went to pets at home for some more toys for my little baby, saw a salt lick and was intrested, searched it up to ask if safe, google said no. then went to the till and asked if it was safe. the man said everything we sell if safe.

very frustrated that they lied to me. like at least if u are selling a salt lick put it on the packaging only for hamsters that need it and have a salt defifency. like its so upsetting that they dont care for the welfare of the animals :(

what bad expeirences have u had in pets at home?

Background info !! back in 2023-EARLY 2025 i abused my hamsters w small cages... but this year im saving up for actually good things ! (i think theyre good?) so here i am asking if i should remove anything or add anything!

i know im missing the wheel in the list , im deciding on which one fits for a syrian hamster
(if u have any wheels to suggest feel free to do so.)

the bucatstate cage i chose is 39.3"L x 19.7"W x 20.6"H

Epic Fail

When I adopted Dr. Karl Von Whiskers for free from someone in the neighborhood he came in a CritterTrail cage with a tube, I connected the tubes together and he would hang out in it all the time for the 2 days he stayed in the small cage when I got him a bigger on, I would use the tube as one of the toys I would bring out into his playground and he would use it so much that I put it in his tank, he uses it so much the only 2 things I see him in more are his burrow in his wheel, I suppose it is familiar to him which is why he likes it? Any other potential reasons why he likes this more than the expensive stuff I bought him?

My syrian of only 8 months weakened from a day to another, he was allright energic and running as normal, then i find him barely alive in his nest, he could barely open his eyes and couldn't move his back legs. I took him, gave him warm with a blanket and gave him some apple which he could barely chew. But after some minutes he started regaining some strength, I took him to a vet and while checking on him he lookes fully recovered even fighting the vet and walking around normally. Left him overninght on the vet for observation and seem completly fine, eating, moving normally and was going to pick him up at noon after uni but when I was on my way, I was informed he weakened again and when I arrived he had died. What even happened, I took every care woth him, big habitat, diet, toys, hideouts, free roaming and it just happened. Ever since my second hamster I've taken every care with them after the first which I didnt care properly for, yet she lived for 3 years died of old age, the my second died also out of no where at 1 year in her nest, not even with her eyes closed. My third did almost live to 3 years but spend his final months with arthritis and had to put him down because he got to sick just last year and now this, not even a year and gone out of nowhere. Am I that useless of a caretaker? What have I been doing wrong, I've taken this little guys tryikg to give them a better life and I just condemm thenm

EDIT/UPDATE:
Thank you guys so much for your kind words and advice. As much as it breaks my heart I decided to ultimately leave her at petco. As much as it sucks/is heartbreaking knowing she’s probably going to an unfortunate home situation (being a petco pet). But I can’t help a pet if I’m unprepared myself. So I’m going to take her and this as motivation. Not only to hopefully take better care of myself with my health but also to do as much research as I can to understand hamsters and save up/plan for owning a hamster in the future. Hopefully I can buy non-perishables little by little so by the time I live in a proper space I will be ready to give my future hamster(s) the best life possible.
I never considered this lightly and I’m really thankful for all the wonderful folks who gave their viewpoint and yapped with me so I could have a better understanding/perspective.

EDIT 2: Thank you for all of the wonderful people who approached this conversation with me with kindness. For me it was really embarrassing and vulnerable to admidt that I wanted to seemingly do “the right thing”/ help a pet but was scared of messing up/admidt I may be out of my depth. I really appreciate everyone who was kindly honest about the situation and their experiences, it helped a lot more than being talked down to/shamed.

I’ve wanted a rodent for years now. Because I live in a dorm one of my fun pastimes is reaserching different rodents to see which would suit me best when I have a place of my own. So I’ve done SOME research on hamster care, I know with enough study and dedication (and savings) I could take great care of a hamster but I don’t know right now. I went to petco just for fun/to look around and I absolutely fell in love with this teddy bear hamster. To the point where I cried leaving the store and it’s been 3 hours and I’m still crying on and off. I live in a dorm, I keep it FREEZING in here (I would change it for her though). I technically have enough space for her and I definitely have the money I believe (the setup would be rough but after that the monthly expenses are okay) but I feel so bad. Here are reasons I’m not sure I could take the best care of her:

1. I love spending the weekend at my boyfriends house and I dont think I could bring her. Willing to give that up/shorten the times
2. I’m actually GOING THROUGH IT right now. I haven’t done my laundry in weeks, I haven’t been keeping up with dishes. Im in the hospital sometimes, sick a lot and I do have friends/a roomate who could check on her if something bad happens. I’m scared I would do her wrong like I did the hamster I kept when I was eight (that hamster was basically forced on me and I didn’t have ANY help taking care of it. He was a year old and died about a month in I still feel so guilty about it)
3. Vet visits would be really straining. I would build savings for her for this though as soon as I got her or started saving up for a hamster in the future

TLDR. I fell in love with this hamster. I don’t want to do her wrong, im so so so scared I would. I’m hoping yall can talk some sense into me and reassure me she’ll go to a good home despite living at petco.

I got her in summer. She's about a year and a half old. Just upgraded her to a MASSIVE sand bath, but she likes the small pot as well. She's just kinda... Orblike. Is this a

concern?

I had to make the difficult decision to put my Chinese hamster Noodle down today. He was suffering with what we think was cancer in his ear that was causing a lot of discomfort and pain for him. His poor body just could not keep up with his spirit. I knew the kindest thing for him was to let him go peacefully even if that meant not in his familiar home. He lived for 3 years which I know is a very long time for hams, but it never feels like enough time.

He loved freeze-dried tofu and peanut butter, especially on his last days. His cage, for most of his life, was adjacent to my vanity when I would get ready in the mornings and evenings and he’d always come to see what I was doing. It won’t be the same not seeing him almost every evening or preparing his soft food that I’ve been making for him for months now. He had incisor issues and had to go to the vet a lot for trims, but he always was such a good boy for them and for me. The sweetest ham I could ask for. He was my first Chinese hamster and, because of him, probably will not be the last.

I miss him so much. Thank you for letting me share my grief with others who love these tiny creatures just as much.

I love you my Noodle boy. I hope to see you again in the next life. ❤️‍🩹🌈

My 5yo daughter was asking for months for a hamster so my wife and I did some research and got this little guy. I think he's a Syrian shorthair?

Never had rodents growing up so he's my first. It's been 3 months now and he seems happy!

Here he is in his nightly "play pen".

(no hamsters consumed caffeine in the making of this video)

Got this little guy cheezeball with my gf I barely get time with him cause I’m visiting and he’s only been with us for maybe 2 months. Is he enjoying my company? I have more videos like him eating in my hand and stuff and he generally enjoys m my attention but he nibbles the tips of my fingers if I offer him them? Mostly on my nails?

Hi there! I have a question for those who have baseboard heating.

It’s about to get cold where I live, and my hamsters enclosure sits parallel to the baseboard heat. I tested it, and it does make the side of his enclosure pretty warm. As of right now it sits about 6” away from the baseboard, but would it be better if I put him in a different spot instead where he’s not near a baseboard at all? Pics included! All opinions welcome

Hi! This is my female syrian hamster, she's 1.5 years old. is that discoloration around her bum normal? Her poop is fine, very active, drinking plenty of water and eating well. I have been noticing her cage smelling more than usual but we switched bedding brands when i had to clean out her entire cage due to pantry bug infestation. So i thought the smell may be because of the new bedding & because she's no longer using her sand as toilet. I don't want to stress her out by taking her to a vet over something normal so i figured i'd first ask here.

Just seen a girl give her hammie a small pumpkin (carved) just wondering if this is safe!

Thank you x

Looking all pretty

so i don’t think cheese is pregnant, i guess after this week i will really know but i think shes just a chunk lol! i got her the big 3.0 tank i see all over, i think she likes it! she is coming to me more and not as timid!

I am thinking about getting a second hamster and I came across this cage. Would any more experienced hamster owners tell if there would be enough ventilation for a hamster? Are there any more issues with this cage?

She is soooo adorable. Wasn’t expecting to come home with a hamster yesterday but now she is mine. Long haired Syrian hamster. I am determined to give her the best life possible. I will post her enclosure in a separate post for some feedback, just wanted to introduce her.

I needed to clean her cage fully, yesterday (because of pantry moths).

And i found her unresponsive, couldnt walk and i reaaaally was worried sick for her.

I immeadiantly called the vet and took her there yesterday.

And i really thought the worst and?

She just injured her lil leg😭.

I am soooo Happy, that its just the leg!

I get to keep her longer!

She is so important for me and she has the best personality and is just so sweet!

And she is very brave at the vet too!

She is ~1.5 years old and she is getting more sick lately, but that is due to her age and i will always take her to the vet, if she acts off!

I love my hammy.

My Syrian boy seems to get stressed. He hops up on the hide in the back and chews the grate up top. I ordered more sprays and a grapevine for him. I also have a snuffle mat that I fill with treats and food that I let him dig in from time to time as well. I’m wondering what else I can add that could break his boredom or stress? 😓

Obviously I will be ringing his vet in the morning, does anyone know if it’s just the change in temperature in the uk, he did break his bottle two days ago and i changed his wet bedding he was sneezing a day ago after, since barely seen him even on his camera, he is normally very active, he came round a little bit tonight after snuggling on me, not seen him up since despite turning the heating up slightly

Posted this on another hamster Reddit but sharing here for some opinions!

Hi all, I know we can’t ask for medical advice here - my hamster is under the care of a vet!!! She’s just under 1.5 years old and we’ve been noticing her eyes bulging when she eats. She also has been chirping a lot. They sound like happy chirps but I’ve been reading that the chirping and bulging eyes could be a sign or an underlying health issue.

The eyes only seem to bulge when she’s eating. In the pic above I thought she was excited for a tiny piece of banana but apparently hamsters don’t boggle from happiness?

We took her to the vet last week and she got the sleepy gas. The vet checked her teeth, cheek pouches, and eye pressure. Teeth looked good, cheeks were healthy, but eye pressure was high. So vet concluded she has glaucoma. We were sent home with eye drops for her left eye which seems to be the bad one.

Since the eye drops she’s been running more on her wheel again and seems a little more interactive. She still chirps a lot. Her eye seems less bulging.

Took for follow up with vet yesterday and her eye pressures are now BOTH elevated, but the vet agreed that visually they look better. She said she would call another specialist for advice.

The specialist called and said she could have a brain tumor and we could bring her in for a CT scan. This was suggested over the phone and the specialist has not seen her yet. The vet we’ve been going to is a regular exotics attached to a dog/cat clinic.

She gave us anti inflammatory meds and said to start the eye drops in both eyes. They’re going to re-check her again and if no change we will go to the hamster specialist for a CT scan.

If thumbelina has a brain tumor we wouldn’t want her to go through surgery… but idk if all of this treatment is too much for her too? We don’t mind taking extra care of her and fortunately we don’t mind the vet bills, but does anyone have experience with symptoms like these?

Pip’s new favorite spot to nap - he rests his little cheek on the shelf and just goes to sleep 🥹💕