All the most important about breeding Djungarian hamsters at home. Important rules for caring for Djungarian hamsters

04.05.202027.05.2017

Djungarian hamsters are very friendly creatures that can make great pets. AT wild nature they live in groups in the forests, grasslands, and deserts of China, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and Siberia. There are several types of Djungarian hamsters: winter white, campbell and roborovsky. They need to be kept in a cage equipped with various obstacles and other entertainment for the hamster. Find out how best to furnish your pet's home and may your pet live happily ever after!

Steps

Build a home for your pet

Choose a cage for your hamster. Djungarian hamsters grow up to 10-11 cm in length, they need a lot of space to play and run. The cage should be spacious enough to fit toys, a house, a bowl for food and a drinker. Choose one of the following options:

If you have several hamsters, equip a cage for them. Djungarian hamsters love to live in small groups.

Buy a hamster litter. Fillers are very useful for the health of your pets: they absorb moisture and keep the hamster warm. Fillers made from recycled paper, sawdust, or recycled corncobs are suitable.

Consider where to place the cage. Hamsters are most active at night, so they need to be placed in a room that will be dark at night. This room must be warm. If the hamster catches a cold, he can catch pneumonia.

Do not open the windows in the room where you put the cage with the hamster.
If you have other pets, put the cage in a place where other pets can't reach it.

Keep your hamster cage clean at all times. In a clean cage, your hamster will grow up healthy and happy. Change your hamster's litter several times a week, wash the cage once a week. Wash it with an antibacterial detergent and hot water to disinfect the cage. For washing, you can use white vinegar. Wash your hamster's wheel, toys, bowl, and drinker.

Give your hamster treats. In addition to the main food and seed mix, give him different treats from time to time. It can be fruits, vegetables and other fresh foods. Don't give your hamster too many vegetables and fruits so he doesn't get an upset stomach!

play with your hamster

There should be enough toys and other entertainment in the cage. Hamsters are very energetic animals and need to run and play a lot (especially at night). The hamster must have toys and various obstacles.

A classic hamster toy is a running wheel. The wheel is installed at the bottom of the cage or attached to the wall. Such wheels are usually very noisy, so it is better to move the cage with the hamster to another room at night.
Another very popular hamster toy is the walking ball. The hamster is placed in a plastic ball, the hamster starts to move, and the ball rolls. You need to put the ball on the floor away from the stairs.

Learn to handle your hamster. In the first few days, do not touch the hamster, just put your hand in the cage and let the pet sniff you. The hamster needs to get used to your smell. Remember that a hamster has very fragile little bones, so don't squeeze it. When you pick up your hamster, try to get your hand under it, not grab it from above. So the hamster will feel more relaxed. Try to pick up your hamster when he is on the floor. When an animal sees that it can easily retreat and hide, it will not resist and bite.

Help your hamster keep himself clean. Djungarian hamsters are very clean, and they do not need your intervention. However, once a week you can pour some fine sand into a special container. The hamster will take sand baths because hamsters often dig in the sand in the wild.
- If you notice that the hamster looks dirty and untidy for some reason, take a small wide brush, which is usually used for dyeing hair, or toothbrush. Wet it and gently run it over the hamster's coat. Then dry it off with a dry towel.
- Never bathe your hamster in water! A hamster can become seriously ill.

Take care of your hamster's health

Assess the health of your hamster. Usually Djungarian hamsters are rather stocky, with large pouches and short tails. Check if the hamster has any discharge from the eyes or nose. Russian Djungarian hamsters are especially prone to diabetes. If your hamster is sick, he will drink a lot and urinate frequently. If you suspect your pet has diabetes, consult your veterinarian.

Check if the hamster's tail is wet. If the baby has only recently been weaned from its mother, or is very agitated, it may have diarrhea, due to which the tail will be wet. Consult your veterinarian for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Regularly check the eyes and nose of the Djungarian hamster. They are especially susceptible to various viruses and can become infected from humans. Hamsters can develop pneumonia. If your pet has pneumonia, you will notice discharge from the eyes and nose, the hamster will refuse to eat. This is serious! So take your hamster to the vet immediately.

The Djungarian hamster (Phodopus sungorus) is a small rodent from the Khomyakov family, the genus Upland. Quite a popular pet for keeping at home. This is due not only to a cute look and funny behavior, but also to ease of care and a minimum of space occupied. In the wild, these animals live in the Eastern Caucasus, Asia and Western Siberia. They prefer to settle on a rocky steppe territory, with limited vegetation.

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Habitat

These tiny fluffy creatures in nature live mainly in the steppes and semi-deserts. They got their name according to the place of their initial discovery - the province of Dzungaria, in northwestern China. They are also called Sungur hamsters. These animals are solitary. They dig holes in the ground on their own, and with a large length and at a depth of up to one and a half meters, with many labyrinths and compartments. Such dwellings usually have up to 6 entrances and exits.

They lead a nocturnal lifestyle, starting vigorous activity as soon as the sun sets: they build dwellings, look for food and stock up on food for the winter. The diet of animals is dominated by plant foods: shoots, grass, seeds, berries. They also eat insects. Every day they have to overcome more than one kilometer in search of food. On the desert plains, they are very vulnerable to various predators. However, nature itself endowed them with a masking color, which avoids early death.

Description

Djungarian hamsters look pretty, with a pointed muzzle and small ears. Regardless of gender, the average body length is 9-12 cm with a weight of 40-65 g. The coat is short, dense, uniform. The abdomen is lighter in tone than the rest of the parts. The back is predominantly dark gray or brown in color. White spots are observed on the paws and the inner region of the ears. hallmark This type of hamster is a black solid strip along the entire ridge.

Domestic hamsters are slightly different from their free counterparts. This is expressed in more variety fur colors. The most common are presented in the table:

Name	Description	A photo
Standard	Brown-grey background and white belly
Sapphire	Main color - gray-blue, snow-white belly
Pearl	Matte white with gray patches
Mandarin	Cover of a solid orange-cream hue

There are no blacks or albinos. In wild representatives, the coat color is light in summer, and a whitish tint appears in winter.

To determine the sex of an animal, you need to turn it upside down. The female has two closely spaced openings at the bottom. In the male, the anal passage is far from the urethra.

Often a problem in the home maintenance of "jungars" is their short lifespan. On average, it does not exceed three years. There are exceptions, but rarely. Although in the wild, many animals do not live so much, due to the many dangers around.

It is not recommended to settle two individuals in one cage, regardless of gender. Since these are tough "territories", they do not tolerate being near one of their own. This inevitably leads to the manifestation of aggression and constant skirmishes. As a result, the animal falls into a stressful state, which adversely affects health. Even when purchasing several hamsters for the purpose of breeding, it is worth placing them separately.

The first step is to choose a cage where the new pet will spend most of the time. It should be as comfortable as possible and spacious enough. The best option is a galvanized cage measuring 30 by 50 cm or a special Plexiglas container. Internal filling:

1. Litter. Fine sand or pressed sawdust, medium fraction. Both materials absorb excess moisture well and absorb odors. It is unacceptable to use cotton wool, rags, paper napkins, newspapers.
2. Toilet. They purchase a special tray for small rodents, where they put moisture and odor-absorbing filler.
3. Branches, snags, plant roots. They serve as manholes, for a pleasant pastime.
4. House. It is necessary for the rest of the pet, this is a place where he can hide from prying eyes. You can buy ready-made or make your own from wood.
5. Wheel. Designed for the running of rodents, which gives them great pleasure.

To maintain physical fitness, hamsters need to overcome several kilometers daily. Doing this in captivity is problematic. Therefore, the wheel will be an ideal way out of the situation. But it is dangerous to let a pet out for free walks around the apartment. Either it will escape and may get lost and die, or it will be crushed, due to its small size. True, there are special walking balls in which the hamster will safely run outside his home.

The pet store has a wide range of different accessories for entertaining hamsters: ladders, tunnels, sections. Just do not buy too many of them and clutter up the space. Be sure to have inside the drinkers and feeders. Clean water is needed constantly, freely available. They change it daily. The recommended dimensions of the drinker are 50 ml, the feeders are 4–10 cm in diameter.

It is undesirable to settle jungars in cramped aquariums with high walls. Then there is a lack of oxygen, which causes stress in hamsters and worsens their well-being.

Inside it is necessary to put a mineral stone for grinding teeth. Any branches from trees, with the exception of cherry and apricot, will serve as an alternative.

Care and hygiene

Mandatory measures for the care of dzhungars are daily cleaning of the cage, which avoids the appearance of a specific smell in the room. General washing and change of toilet filler is carried out once a week. For the duration of this procedure, the hamster is transplanted into a special box or carrier.

The filler is not completely changed, part is left so that the hamster does not lose its landmark. Cannot be used for cleaning chemicals. Soap solution is ideal. From the inside, they remove all the garbage and supplies of provisions that the animal managed to hide in corners and other hidden places. However, you cannot destroy the nest.

Dzungarian hamsters are not bathed, as water procedures will be another shock for them. They are able to take care of their hair on their own. For the purpose of hygiene, it is recommended to install a container with sifted sand inside, in which they like to tumble.

It is important to initially correctly position the pet’s housing so that in the future it does not move and does not injure the vulnerable psyche of the animal. You can not put the cage on the floor, under direct sunlight, near batteries and various household appliances, in a draft.

Feeding

It is ideal to feed such pets with ready-made feed mixtures, where the emphasis is on the grain component.

It is only necessary to supplement the diet with natural food. The pet menu should include:

fresh and boiled vegetables;
fruits;
greenery;
berries;
cereals;
germinated grain;
nuts other than almonds;
homemade crackers;
carob fruit.

Twice a week the animals are fed with protein food: boiled egg, cottage cheese, natural yogurt, boiled fish and chicken meat. Any new product is introduced gradually, observing the reaction of the body. If a hamster develops diarrhea, this component is excluded from the menu.

Adults have two meals a day. Pregnant females and babies are fed 4-5 times a day.

It is forbidden to give the following products:

shoots of coniferous trees;
potato;
onion and garlic;
tomato tops;
citrus;
melon, watermelon;
almond;
sausages;
salty and smoked food;
chocolate, ice cream.

When purchasing specialized mixes for jungars at a pet store, you should avoid those designed for large rodents. This is due to the difference in composition, which can be harmful. You can not overfeed, which leads to obesity. Leftover food is immediately removed, otherwise the hamster will quickly transfer them to some hidden place.

Taming

Dzungaria are independent of nature and are not too eager to communicate. So that the animal does not bite and behaves calmly in his arms, you will have to be patient and time. It is necessary to pay attention to the pet every day, establishing close contact. Tame once and for all will not work. If you do not contact him for at least a week, then the wildness returns and you have to start all over again.

Since the animal is used to being awake at night, it is better not to disturb him during the day. But at night you have to endure its increased activity. It is at this time that they begin to gnaw something, run in a wheel, rustle paper. Therefore, it is recommended to place the cage away from the master bedroom.

Bringing a small pet into the house, you need to give him time to adapt to new conditions. Usually 2-3 days are enough. Then they carefully begin to pick him up. If the dzhungarik begins to rush around the cage at the sight of a hand reaching out to him, it is better to postpone the event and not injure the psyche of the ward.

It should be remembered that the animals are very sensitive to external stimuli: bright light, loud sounds, sudden changes in temperature. As a result, they are very frightened and quickly run wild, not wanting to make contact with a person for a long time.

Health

Most illnesses in domestic hamsters are due to improper care, which causes extreme stress. Highly undesirable:

cell shift;
change in sleep and wakefulness;
long trip;
adding another hamster.

If unmotivated aggression, ulcers on the body, rapid breathing, apathy, baldness, loss of appetite and loose stools occur, you should immediately contact your veterinarian.

The most common diseases of jungars, their symptoms and recommended host actions:

Problems	Symptom	Help
Viral infection, cold	Sneezing, coughing, immobile	As such, there is no treatment, but they try to ensure peace and introduce more fruits and vegetables into the diet. Drink with warm milk. The cage is removed away from the draft
Injuries: fractures, dislocations, sprains	Excessively mobile animals can be injured when falling or as a result of careless picking up. Symptoms: deformed limbs, disturbed gait	It is impossible to fix a broken foot or tail, so they provide the hamster with a calm content. Feed food with a high content of calcium (greens, sesame seeds, nuts, sunflower seeds). All traumatic attractions are temporarily removed from the cage. Bones usually heal in 10-14 days
bowel disorder	Loose stools or constipation, loss of appetite, emaciation. Occurs against the background of individual intolerance to a certain food product	Revise the diet. For diarrhea, give glutinous rice, for constipation - vegetable oil(1-2 drops)
Conjunctivitis	Clumped eyelids	Rinse eyes with saline solution
Cataract	The pupil becomes gray and the lens becomes cloudy	Not amenable to treatment
dental trauma	Refusal to eat	Examine teeth. It happens that long incisors become the cause of loss of appetite. You can cut them with ordinary nail clippers, but it's better to trust a specialist in this
Eczema, dermatophytosis and other skin diseases	Wool falls out in shreds, skin exfoliates	Contact the veterinarian
Fleas, ticks	The hamster itches, wounds and red spots are observed on the body	Use special lotions and aerosols, as prescribed by a doctor

reproduction

Djungarian hamsters, even in captivity, are quite prolific, able to breed at any time of the year. For mating, females are selected at the age of at least four months. Males mature a month earlier. Pregnancy lasts about 3 weeks. At this time, the expectant mother is transferred to a more expanded diet, which includes:

dry granular feed;
protein food: boiled chicken, eggs, cottage cheese.

The cage for the woman in labor and offspring is prepared in advance - the interior space and accessories are disinfected. Newborns are breastfed for the first 3 weeks.

You can not take the cubs in your arms at this time. Otherwise, the female will smell someone else's smell and eat them.

Already on the fifth day, the babies stop squeaking and become calmer. On the seventh day, the first fluff on the body begins to break through. They move around the cage on the tenth day. By this time, you can pour some coarse food on the bottom, which they will already be able to eat on their own. Hearing and vision appear 1.5-2 weeks after birth. AT one month old it is permissible to transplant them separately.

Dzungaria are capable of reproducing high-quality offspring, provided they are crossed only with Campbell's hamsters. The life expectancy of such hamsters usually does not exceed 1.5 years.

Dwarf Djungarian hamsters (in narrow circles known as "Russian" hamsters) are the ideal solution for those who do not want to risk the establishment of large specimens from the hamster family. In addition, they are very popular among children due to the fact that they lead an active lifestyle at almost any time and quickly get used to hands (however, they wean just as quickly).

So, what do you need to know to keep such hamsters at home? Firstly, you must understand that the “dzhungarik” is a family hamster and he definitely needs a husband / wife. Keeping a hamster alone, although possible, is not welcome. Alone and without affection from the owner, he can run wild. The degree of savagery of the Djungarian hamster can reach such a level that you simply physically cannot put a bowl of food on it or replace water - the hamster simply jumps on your hand and bites it until it bleeds.

If you are not sure that you will pay attention to your hamster every day - buy a pair. It is desirable that these were young hamsters, full of energy and capable of quick addiction.

Hamsters love it when it's dry. And it's not hot. Dry and not hot. Be guided by these rules when choosing a place where they will live. A table that is not exposed to direct sunlight is ideal for this. You can settle hamsters both in a cage and in an aquarium. The aquarium, by the way, is the most relevant, because dwarf Djungarian hamsters are very smart and within a month or two they can understand how you open the cage. From my own experience, I can say that this is quite unpleasant: every night my hamster would open the latch of the cage and run around the room. The young have fun in the feeder. As you can see, in an aquarium they are no worse than in a cage.

If your hamsters run away, know: they are where the paper or cardboard is. If you don’t have paper products anywhere on the floor, look under the bed, sofa and other furniture attributes with a low leg. There are more easy way search for escaped Djungarian hamsters: turn off the light and wait for them to get out on their own. Within two to five minuts, they begin to rustle and will most likely run out onto an open surface. This is where you catch them.

And now let's talk directly about the conditions in which the Dzhungars should live. The surface on which they run should be filled with sawdust. With their help, they can “twist” a nest for themselves and begin to be born. Paper should be used only if the purchase of sawdust was not possible. A good option would be to install a house, which is made of clay and sold in pet stores at a low price. So they can sleep peacefully during the day, not paying attention to the light.

Caring owners will surely provide the jungarik with space for entertainment - a wheel for running, ladders for climbing the wall will make your pet's life much more fun than without them.

The hamster feeder should be replenished once a day, just like water. Food for Djungarian hamsters, by the way, can be both bought in stores and made by yourself. It is important to understand that without a good diet, the hamster will begin to fade. So, if you make the mixture yourself, you should use the following elements:

Corn cobs;
Cereal cobs;
Seeds (not salted)
Fruit and vegetable complex (sometimes give cabbage, apples, etc.);
Legumes.

Hamsters do not mind eating beans and peas, but it is undesirable to give them in large quantities. It should also be noted that mixtures in stores are not so expensive, mixtures for 100 rubles will last you at least two to four weeks (depending on the number of hamsters).

The cycle of care for Djungarian hamsters also includes cleaning their cages and hygiene procedures. The cage should be cleaned at least once a week, so as not to breed dampness and an unpleasant odor in the cages. That's why I suggested sawdust instead of paper earlier: sawdust absorbs moisture better and is easier to remove (paper shrinks a lot and forms a smelly layer that is difficult to pull out). Often there are cases when hamsters "go to the toilet" in the same place. This can be a corner that is not occupied by toys or a house, as well as being at a decent distance from them. In this case, you can completely change the sawdust once every one and a half to two weeks, removing only the toilet sector once a week.

Djungarian hamsters are very afraid of drafts and colds. Because of this, they are strictly forbidden to bathe in the water. Instead, you can install sand baths for them, in which they themselves will clean the skin when they please. If you want to participate in bathing a hamster, then use a decoction of wormwood. This is one of the few liquids that are safe to use when washing your hamster.

Caring for Djungarian hamsters in "non-standard" situations

Is your hamster acting weird? This is not a reason to ring the bells and call the doctor! There are several hackneyed cases that occur in a good part of the owners of Djungarian hamsters. We will consider them.

The hamster sleeps all day and all night. What to do?

Of course, the Djungarian hamster cannot sleep around the clock. If you bought a hamster in a single copy, then there is a high probability of stress. Also, an insufficiently varied diet leads to book activity: for example, it is impossible to feed it with seeds alone. Cereals are an obligatory part of the diet of the Djungarian hamster. It could also be that he is ill. Most likely, he was blown away.

One hamster is aggressive. Why?

The female hamster is quite often aggressive towards the male. This means that she is ready for the birth of little hamsters. In this case, you should not be scared and separate them, everything is fine. Another thing is when the male is aggressive. This can only be caused by the presence of a younger generation of hamsters in the same cage with an old hamster - father / grandfather, etc. If you do not separate young hamsters from old ones, the oldest one can show very strong aggression. My oldest hamster went crazy and started biting all the hamsters until they bleed. I had to separate him from the others. Unfortunately, this madness did not stop and he lived alone until the end of his life.

First, she needs peace. Try not to touch the house with the children in which she was born (if you have a house, then she will be born there). Do not touch the newborns with your hands, otherwise the female will become incredibly aggressive. If she is poorly fed or subjected to stress (separation from offspring, taking babies in her arms) - she can kill and eat them. The male should not be separated from the offspring - he will not do anything with them, just like with the female.

Small rodents of the jungariki require little care and nutrition for themselves. Therefore, many consider them an excellent and harmless pet.

The muzzle of the Dzhungaria is pointed, the ears are small, the paws are completely covered with hair, and the finger tubercles are hidden. The average body length is about 10 cm. These rodents have a light belly, gray-ocher or slightly brownish color. Paws and ears are white inside, in the middle of the back there is a narrow black stripe. In summer, jungars take on a more gray color, and in winter - silver-white. These hamsters are especially active at night. On average, individuals live no more than 3 years.

As a rule, they live in gravel, wormwood and cereal steppes. Territory of residence of Dzhungariks:

Asia.
Siberia.
Northeast Kazakhstan.

Dzungaria, whose care and nutrition is not so difficult, prefer grain feed, crunchy treats are also recommended for the animals, which are not only pleasant for the hamster, but also useful, since they grind down growing incisors.

The diet should also include:

Carrot.
pear.
Raspberry.
Apples.

Hamsters are forbidden to give citrus fruits, seeds, nuts: these products have a bad effect on the health of rodents.

The last one should have:

At the bottom - pressed sawdust or sand, you can not use a newspaper, rags, cotton wool.
Toilet with absorbent filler.
Lazy in the form of twigs, roots, tubules.
House.
Wheel.
Drinking bowl (you need to change the water in the tank every day).
feeder.

All these details must be selected taking into account the size of the pet.

A hamster can also get sick for the following reasons:

The appearance of a new animal in the cage.
Trips.
Sleep disturbance.
Bathing (jungars cannot be placed in the water).
Changing the position of the cell.

If the dzhungarik is ill, the care must be correct.

It is best to contact your veterinarian if any of the following symptoms are observed:

Aggressive behavior.
Hard breath.
Ulcers.
Too loose stool.
The presence of fleas or lice.
Apathetic lying hamster with closed eyes.
Falling out or wetting the fur.

Breeding Djungarian hamsters

Mating of male jungars is possible from 3 months, and females - from 4. Pregnancy lasts 20 days, and at one time a female can bring from 5 to 20 cubs.

Babies are fed with mother's milk for about 2 weeks.

The cage must be disinfected before childbirth, and the best option in this case would be a one-story pet dwelling.

It is strictly forbidden for a person to touch newborn hamsters, otherwise the female, smelling someone else's smell, will immediately eat her babies.

During pregnancy and feeding, small portions should be included in the diet of the animal:

Cottage cheese with a low percentage of fat content.
Boiled egg yolk.
Boiled chicken meat.

In order for the female not to spontaneously eat her offspring, it is necessary to ensure:

Separate content from other hamsters.
Proper care and rational nutrition.
Accurate determination of the age of the female.
Calmness of the individual during feeding and pregnancy.

To sum up, the Dzungars do not cause much trouble and live independently in the place allotted to them.

When a new pet appears in the house, you need to carefully approach the conditions of its maintenance. After all, when we take responsibility for the life and health of an animal, we need to bring its nutrition closer to natural, equip it with a home, take into account its character and instincts. The Djungarian hamster is a very sweet animal with a good disposition. Dzhungariki easily make contact, although they can be independent. This rodent is distinguished by its special cleanliness and the absence of an unpleasant odor, which makes the jungarika a very popular pet. In order for the rodent to be cozy and comfortable, you need to properly care for it. The first thing you should take care of is furnishing a home for a new pet.

Housing for the dzhungarik

You can keep a hamster in a cage, aquarium or terrarium. When choosing a home for a future pet, pay attention to the fact that hamsters love to chew on everything. You do not need to choose cells with painted rods, otherwise the jungarik will simply eat part of this paint. If you decide to put the animal in a terrarium or aquarium, do not cover the top with dense material. The rodent needs air, so leave the top open. If the sides of the terrarium are quite low and you are afraid that the animal will jump out, cover the dwelling with a metal mesh.

The best home for a hamster is a cage. Firstly, the air circulates well there, which will allow the hamster not to lack oxygen. Secondly, in a ventilated dwelling, humidity is not formed, which is not recommended for rodents. And thirdly, you will avoid the unpleasant smell that can form in the terrarium. In addition, it is easier to attach all sorts of drinkers-feeders-toys to the bars of the cage.

The cage for the jungarik should be quite spacious. In addition to the dwelling itself, it is worth thinking about how to fill the animal's cage so that the baby is cozy and comfortable.

Refuge. In nature, the rodent lives in minks, which hide it from predators and prying eyes. Install a small cozy house in the cage in which the jungarik will sleep. On sale there are plastic, wooden, ceramic and cloth houses. Wood and fabric should not be chosen, they absorb unpleasant odors and can be a source of stench. A plastic house is short-lived - a rodent will gnaw it in a matter of days. But the ceramic dwelling is very convenient, since it is rather difficult to move it. You can line the bottom of the house with small pieces of cloth to keep the animal warm and comfortable.
Drinker. Water is important for any living creature and hamsters are no exception. Some cages are sold with drinkers already built in, while others are attached to the bars of the cage. Pour only boiled water into the drinker and change it every 2-3 days. Do not allow the drinker to be under the sun - the water may begin to "bloom". No need to leave simple cups of water at the bottom of the cage. An animal can easily turn over the container, which leads to dampness and mold. High humidity in the cage can cause rodent disease.
feeder. For food, there should be two containers - one for dry food, the second for fresh vegetables and fruits. Feeders should be washed with water, without the use of detergents. It is better to choose ceramic bowls for food - they are much more difficult to turn over.
Litter. The cage should be soft and comfortable. In addition, a well-chosen bedding eliminates unpleasant odors, absorbs moisture and makes the life of a rodent more comfortable. You can use sawdust or toilet paper as bedding. If you are using sawdust for the first time, look at the reaction of the animal - sometimes certain types of wood can cause an allergic reaction in a rodent. It is not recommended to use newspaper as bedding - printing ink is very harmful to the animal. In addition, when wet, it sticks to the paws and the bottom of the cage. It is also not necessary to cover the bottom of the cage with cotton wool - the jungarik can get tangled in it, which leads to the death of clamped limbs.
Toys. In the animal's cage, you can leave rods, branches, various toys. It's hard to imagine a hamster's home without a wheel. This is the best device that can satisfy the hamster's need for movement. The wheel must be well lubricated so that the animal turns it without any problems. Also pay attention to the fact that there are no large gaps in the wheel - a rodent's foot can get stuck there.

These are the main interior items that your pet's house should be equipped with.

This is another important issue that many new owners of this rodent face. How to feed an animal so that it is healthy and cheerful, in order to cover the whole complex of vitamins necessary for a rodent?

The simplest solution to the problem is to buy special dry food for the jungarik, consisting of seeds, corn, oats, various nuts and legumes. Such nutrition is as close to natural as possible. In addition, you can pamper your pet fresh vegetables and fruits - carrots, apples, greens, cucumbers, zucchini, peaches. Do not give the animal onions, garlic, cabbage and citrus fruits. In addition, there should be protein foods in the diet of the jungar. Once a week, you can let your hamster eat a small amount of boiled chicken meat. The source of protein can be milk, cottage cheese, quail and chicken eggs. In addition to the greens that you consume yourself (celery, dill, lettuce, parsley), you can treat your pet with green plants - dandelion, clover, plantain. The pet should not be given mint, nettle and sorrel.

Separately, I would like to say that the animal should not be fed from the human table if you want the rodent to live long and without illness. No sweet, fried or oily foods. The baby should not eat potatoes, pasta, bread or sweet cookies. In addition, if the animal did not eat the food immediately, after a few hours it should be removed from the cage (except for dry food). This will protect your pet from food poisoning.

How to care for a jungarian

There are some rodent care tips that will help you make the life of a Djungarian hamster fun and carefree.

Do not forget to regularly clean the jungar's house. To do this, transplant the rodent into a jar or carrier for a while so that it does not run away. When changing the litter, leave a small amount of "dirty" filler so that the animal has a native smell. Don't wash your hamster's house detergents- an unfamiliar smell can scare a rodent. At the same time, it is not recommended to touch the dwelling - get out around it. Change the bedding once a week, and thoroughly rinse the cage once a month. Use natural laundry soap for this.
Do not, under any circumstances, bathe your hamster. This animal cleans its fur on its own. Water procedures can lead to illness and even death of a rodent.
Put a few wood sticks in the cage - the rodent needs them to sharpen its teeth.
You need to feed the animal twice a day - in the morning and in the evening.
It is very important to find a good location for the cage. Hamsters do not like sunlight and can even get sick if the cage is under the sun all the time. Also, a cage with an animal should not be placed near radiators. Leave the cage with the rodent in a cool and dark place - there he will feel great. In addition, you can not put a cage with an animal in the aisle - a draft can lead to the fact that the animal will often get sick.
Do not leave a cage with an animal near a microwave oven, computer or TV. Loud noises, and most importantly, harmful radiation, can affect the health of the animal.
It is not necessary to add another hamster to the jungarik. The conventional wisdom that rodents are bored is a common myth. The fact is that hamsters are quite selfish - they carefully monitor their territory, separate the area for sleeping, feeding and resting. The appearance of a neighbor in a cage can lead to a conflict that can end in the death of one of the animals.
Dzhungarik is rather shy. Loud noises, high temperatures, bright flashes of light can scare him. After a fright, do not rush to take the hamster in your arms - it can bite you or the child.
Don't overfeed your rodent. Feed the animal more than three times a day is impossible. The fact is that hamsters are very prone to gaining excess weight. AT natural conditions The rodent expends energy by moving a lot to find food. In addition, winter and hunger force us to reduce the daily diet of the animal. Home habitat conditions mean only eating food, without its search and extraction. Remember, obesity in hamsters leads to frequent illnesses.
Let the jungarik have the opportunity to run around the room. To do this, offer him a big ball - the hamster will not refuse to roll it. Walks should be short - no more than an hour a day.
Gradually accustom the hamster to the hands. As soon as the baby gets used to the new house, little by little, gradually (without scaring the animal), take the rodent in your arms. Be careful - he has very fragile bones. If this is not done, the Djungarian hamster will become wild and will constantly bite.

These simple rules Rodent care products will help you keep your pet safe from harm to his physical and mental health.

The Djungarian hamster is a wonderful pet that can conquer even the most callous heart. The rodent is not just clean and unpretentious - it is friendly to children and other pets. Knowing the intricacies of caring for a dzhungarik, its maintenance and feeding will not be a problem for you.