Everything You Need to Know About Teddy Bear Hamsters

Teddy Bear Hamsters have a lot to share about themselves. If you are planning to bring this little buddy home, you must be aware of all the information to make your pet feel at home. Let’s understand all the necessary facts and figures about Teddy Bear Hamsters.

Hamsters are amazing pets, easy to tame, and ask for very little maintenance. Due to their super sweet and friendly nature, they make great pets. As they are a little shy in nature, one needs to move slowly while training them as a house pet. If frightened or startled, they might try to bite. With a cute body structure, Teddy Bear Hamsters have become the most popular hamster breed. They don’t have much requirement for food, but need a lot of space for roaming and playing around.^{6}{1}

What Is a Teddy Bear Hamster 

Teddy Bear Hamsters are basically long-haired Syrian Hamsters. They are also known as golden hamsters or fancy bears, whereas the scientific name is Mesocricetus Auratus. 

You must have understood by now that these cute and cuddly furballs are from Syria. They belong to the class Mammalia and Cricetidae family.^{1}

Lifespan and Appearance of Teddy Bear Hamsters

Teddy Bear Hamsters have a stocky, barrel-shaped body structure, with a little stubby tail of approximately half inches, which is covered with long thick fur. Most of primo steroid their features are similar to teddy bears. They have large paper-thin ears, dark round glassy eyes, a small pink nose, and short stumpy legs. 

Generally, Teddy Bear Hamsters have very poor eyesight and for visualisation purposes, they use scent glands located near hips. The cute little fancy hamster has very sharp teeths that continuously grow throughout its lifetime. They use their teeths for defensive purposes, to protect them from predators.^{2}{3}{1}

One can find the Syrian Hamsters in different colours and patterns. Their coats might be of solid colour or a combination of colours, and bellies are mostly white. The hair may be solid black, brown, gold, or dark grey. There are endless colour combinations for Teddy Bear Hamsters’ appearance, and they may have markings all over their bodies.^{4}

Teddy Bear Hamsters have an average lifespan of 2 to 3 years. But, if tamed with adequate care, they may live more. As recorded by Guinness World Records, the oldest hamster lived for a duration of approximately 7 years. They may grow upto 4 to 7 inches in length and 3.5 to 5.3 ounces in weight. Usually, the female hamster has a longer lifespan and growth as compared to the male.^{1}

What Can a Teddy Bear Hamster Eat

Teddy Bear Hamsters are often mistaken as being herbivores, but they are omnivores. Along with plants and veggies, they eat meat and insects too. As a pet owner, you don’t need to worry, as they may adjust with whatever is available to eat and are very little choosy. In order to give them sufficient nutrients and minerals, you may offer pre-made muesli or pellets brought from a local pet store. A little quantity of fresh fruits and herbs are a good supplement to their diet. Some of the food suggestions are:^{2}{5}

• Best vegetables: carrots, cabbages, cauliflower, and broccoli
• Best fruits: pears, apples, chunks of peaches
• Some foods to avoid: tomatoes, chestnuts, avocados, onions, grapes, mushrooms, and apples seeds 
• Water: 2 to 4 tsps a day ^{5}{2}

Make sure that you don’t feed fruits more than twice or thrice in a week. As far as vegetables are concerned, you may comfortably offer them around 4 times in a week. Hamsters don’t need much water to stay hydrated, but there is always a need for regular supply of fresh and clean water.

If you face any digestion or health issue with your hamster, and there is a confusion about what to feed and how much to feed, try using the food tracker of DuePet app.

The food of Fancy Bear Hamsters should have at least 5% fat and 16% protein. It is interesting to know that sometimes they carry fiber and some other things in their cheek pouches to create bedding whenever required. They may have quite sensitive bellies and introducing oranges and citrus in their diet can be dangerous.^{6}{5}

Climatic Conditions and Surroundings for Teddy Bear Hamsters

Arid climate works best for Teddy Bear Hamsters. They may feel more comfortable in a warm room. The hamsters are very courageous and curious in nature. They like to wander and explore their surroundings. That is why their cage should be large enough to make them live comfortably and roam all around. Providing small cages may lead to unhappiness, stress, and even sickness in them. An aquarium or wire cage can serve as their little home. Naturewise, they are burrowers and therefore, need enough bedding to hide themselves. 3 to 4 inches of shredded paper or aspen shavings make the best bedding for them.^{1}{2}

Reproduction in Teddy Bear Hamsters

Hamsters are rodents; and have very frequent and short reproductive cycles. The female hamster quickly gets pregnant after mating. Their gestation period lasts for approximately 15 to 20 days. Typically, they have 2 to 3 litters per year and in 1 litter they may have an average of 8 to 12 pups. A female hamster may have a maximum of 20 pups in a litter.^{6}{5}

How to Take Care of a Teddy Bear Hamster

Teddy Bear Hamsters are very low maintenance pets and are easy to take care of. They easily develop a strong bond with the owner, if given proper attention and care. Usually, they remain happy, but may become skittish if scared or startled. 

If they bite, it could be a sign of stress and anxiousness. Always remember that the hamsters mostly sleep during the day and venture out at night. They mostly remain active during dawn and dusk. Rarely, they need support for basic necessities such as shelter, water, and food. Moreover, they always keep themselves tidy and don’t usually need grooming. But as a parent, you should take care of certain things, such as:

1. Clean their shelter and surroundings regularly. 
2. Provide them with enough toys and chews for their mental and physical wellbeing. 
3. Replace their water container with clean and fresh water regularly. 
4. Offer treats for good behaviour
5. Wash hands and wear gloves while taking care of them.
6. Brush their long and voluminous hair regularly.^{5}{2}

So, here we can conclude that bringing a Teddy Bear Hamster at home as a pet is always the best choice. Even children, if responsible, can easily handle these soft, tidy, and cute pets. One can take care of them with little expenditure and less effort.^{5} DuePet app can make your hamster parenting far easier. 

Download DuePet’s iOS App Now            Download DuePet’s Android App Now

FAQ

Sources

1. https://a-z-animals.com/animals/teddy-bear-hamster/
2. https://hamsterguru.com/teddy-bear-hamsters/
3. https://www.yourhousepet.com/teddy-bear-hamster-facts/
4. https://squeaksandnibbles.com/teddy-bear-hamster-facts/ 
5. https://hutchandcage.com/21-teddy-bear-hamster-facts/
6. https://www.coolkidfacts.com/teddy-bear-hamsters/
7. https://thehamsterhouse.com/hamster-info/can-hamsters-swim/