Black Bear Hamster
Tips on Taking Good Care of Your Black Bear Hamster
Black Bear Hamster and European Black Bear Hamster are names given to the Black Syrian Hamster. Because these hamsters started out being bred as show hamsters, two of the top concerns of breeders were the size and temperament of the hamsters. The goal was that they should be larger than normal hamsters and be very friendly. The Black Bear Hamster is among the most recent bred of all types of hamsters and will cost a little more than other hamsters.
Today, however, the Black Bear Hamster who is found in pet stores is bred by large commercial breeders, the same people who breed all of the other hamsters. That means that a Black Syrian Hamster is now the same as just about any other pet store hamster. All of the qualities for which it was bred have disappeared. You can still buy this kind of hamster from a breeder and perhaps find the larger size and extreme friendliness. The fact that most home breeders have a lot of interaction with their hamsters is also one of the reasons they are more easily handled than other hamsters.
A Black Bear Hamster has short hair. Their fur is black and thick and they often have white marks on their chest and paws. Like other hamsters, they are very clean and fun to watch. Because hamsters are nocturnal creatures, unless you stay up for a while at night you might miss their antics. They tend to sleep days but that doesn’t mean they won’t get up frequently for a bite of food.
Syrian hamsters were originally found living wild in a desert region so make sure that the home you give them has plenty of ventilation. Sometimes, glass aquariums can get too humid for a hamster--metal or plastic cages with lots of places for air to get in are perfect. They also prefer a bedding material which will allow them to make nests. Hardwood shavings can be used as can pelleted materials from the pet store which are manufactured for this purpose.
Make sure your Black Bear Hamster has plenty of fresh food and water at all times. Hamsters are burrowers, and like squirrels and chipmunks they like to bury their food for future meals. That means that sometimes you will notice that instead of eating all the food you gave them, you will find it buried under bedding or toys or in some other out-of-the-way spot. This is perfectly normal. In fact, hamsters have very large pouches in their cheeks which are made especially to carry food from one place to another.
Black Bear Hamsters like to eat fresh fruits and vegetables in addition to the hamster food you can get at pet stores. Just avoid leafy green vegetables, such as iceberg lettuce, which can give them diarrhea. Buying a book on hamsters is a good way to find out what they can and cannot eat, what they like for treats, along with other information like the proper way of holding them.
If you decide to get a Black Bear Hamster, proper care and lots of attention, will keep him happy and friendly his entire life.