Longish post...

 

Teddy’s post!

 

Hi guys!How are you?

I’m so sorry about the lack of posts and the missing backround.Our shared blog email has been unacessable.Since I’ve mostly taken over the blog now,there isn’t as many posts as usual.It’s been a hectic few weeks.I’ve started a new school,its going really well!I’ve also got a dog,that’s why I’m talking about al pets today.

 

As you know,Nibbles has a kitten.The cat had nothing to do with her hammys death.She had had the cat for a few months at the time,and it wasn’t until a month or so later when Nibbles became sick.

A few weeks ago I got a dog,which we sadly might have to rehome.Some of you may understand,some of you may not.I’ve been looking to get a dog for about 5 years, preferably a lab.But when I helped out in an animal shelter,I fell in love with this dog.He was 6-7 months old and he was very calm.Wel,that’s what it seemed like.When I brought him home,he was giddy,and constantly needing attention.He’d sometimes wake us up in the middle of the night,barking.And you may be thinking,’Yeah?Hes a dog?’ but that’s not the point.We hardly ever have any spare time nowadays,so we think it would be for the best.I hope he gets a really nice home,and I hope you understand.Maybe I’ll get something like rabbits or something in a few months?I don’t know.I want another pet though,any suggestions?Oh,andI don’t like cats so,and I don’t have room for a llama,would a rabbit be a good idea?Something that won’t threaten Teddy,because when we got the dog we had to move her upstairs,which is extremely complicated,as every night I have to put her cage in the bathroom and move it every morning,which is kinda annoying.Am I doing the right thing?

 

Maybe someday we’ll get a dog again,maybe after my junior cert?(Those big exams you take in Ireland when your about 15/16.Which I won’t be taking for a year or so…)

 

Ok,so anyway,thanks for reading,and my laptops being fixed soon,and my mum got a new laptop so I’ll be able t post at least once a week?Oh and maybe it would be a good idea to make Cheek-Pouches a universal pet blog?I don’t know.Teddy is fine by the way now,shes her usual perky self,and I have to go and clean her cage,so bye!

 

♥Teddy :3

 

R.I.P Nibbles

Teddy's post!
Hi guys...Some bad news.Nibbles the hamster passed away a few weeks ago.Of course her owner was very sad,and shes gonna do a post soon.
R.I.P,Nibbles :(

Sorry for the lack of posts.I have an excuse as well-my laptop is broken.It's incredibly diffucult to post on my phone...

Just a little update on what was going on...I'll post again tomorrow if the librarys open,k?

♥ Teddy :)

Ways to cool down your hamster in the Summer Months!

Hello everyone! 


Nibbles here, Teddy and I are both so sorry for lack of posting.
Wait till we are off for summer break though and you will see such a difference 
in posting time periods& consistency :D 


Today I am going to talk about ways to cool down your hamster in the summer months! ( Speaking of summer ;) )


While you cannot spray your hamster with water, there are many ways to do other things to make their summer months as enjoyable as yours :-)




Hamsters originated in desert areas such as Syria, but remember they lived in cool burrows deep underground.


Note- Hamsters have very few sweat glands, so helping cooling them down is essential.


Note- Hamsters do best between temperatures of 65F ( 18.33 C ) and 78F 
( 25.56 C )


Hamsters can have many illnesses due to heat, including ; heart attacks,heat stroke, and are susceptible to kidney problems brought on my heat stress.


How To Prevent Hamsters From Becoming Over Heated
 Hamsters should always be kept in rooms where there is good ventilation or air conditioning because they will get sick and they could die if they over heat. If your hamster is sleeping on his back in a different place than usual, he may be trying to cool off. Hamsters will sleep on their backs if they become too warm, trying to get rid of some of the extra body heat through their belly's.


Signs A Pet Hamster May Be Over Heated
An Over heated hamster will be hot to the touch, have an overly warm nose and feet. An over heated hamster might be panting heavily with an open mouth and be lethargic. You might also observe your hamster laying sprawled out in the open with his feet stretched out behind him. Hamsters will do this so they can try to lose some of the heat through the bottom of their feet. They also may not eat or drink much, which can lead to dehydration.


How To Keep A Hamster Cool
During the summer it's important to make sure the room you keep your hamster in cool, even if you aren't home. There are several very effective ways to make sure your hamsters are kept cool in the summer. Most importantly make sure they always have fresh, cool water available to them. Hamsters can become dehydrated very quickly. With animals that are watered via a bottle, make sure the mechanism is functioning properly so that your pet can access the water that is there.


Freeze water bottles and wrap them in small towels or cloths and place them inside the hamsters cage. Wrapping them in a cloth first will absorb the condensation from dripping inside the hamsters cage and make sure if he lays up against the frozen bottle he won't get too cold.


Place their cage on the floor in the coolest part of your home. Tile floors stay cooler longer in the summer months.


Do not keep the hamster cage near or on the window sill or near a window. First of all, hamsters like to sleep during the day and will be bothered by the light and during the summer the area right near the window is going to be warmer than other places in your home.


Don't use a glass aquarium as a cage. Glass aquariums don't allow for air circulation and the inside of a glass aquarium may stay a couple of degree's warmer inside than on the outside. 


Always try to keep the room you have your hamster in at the same temperature. Constantly changing temperatures can stress hamsters and make them more susceptible to becoming sick.




Also another thing I do is put a large mug in Nibbles cage. It is cool so that when she becomes hot she can lay in it. I usually have some raisins or some treat inside for her :-)


Also bring your hamsters outside! It gives them vitamin D from the sun which is very important for them. I usually let Nibbles go on the grass for 15-30minutes. Be aware of dandelions though as these can may your hamster feel a bit ill, but it is not deathly. Nibbles loves to eat daisy's which is fine for your hamster. 


Note- In warm conditions try not to put your hamster in his/her ball inside. It has very limited ventilation holes for breathing and can make your hamster hotter.


These are some photos I took of Nibbles when I brought her out the other day&also the mug I have in her cage :-) Enjoy!

Hope you enjoyed!


Love,

Preventing Hamster Illnesses!

Hi again!
Nibbles here(:


Today I'll be doing Part 2 to a series of posts on the topic Hamster Sicknesses.
Today's topic - Preventing hamster illnesses!


 A good way to combat hamster illnesses is to prevent it from happening in the first place. With just a bit of preventative care, it can help you keep your hamster healthy for much less than it would cost if your hamster actually gets sick. Here are a few hamster carerecommendation that will go a long way in the health of your hamsters and hopefully save you a trip to the vet.

Healthy Diet to Prevent Illnesses

A well rounded diet will encourage strong bones and a healthy immune. If your hamster community tends to have a shorter lifespan than what should be expected and it’s not due to any visible illnesses, try changing the hamster food. Your hamsters can be suffering from a vitamin deficiency.

Prevent Hamster Dehydration

Water is another vital part of keeping a healthy hamster. This is especially the case for females that are nursing and young baby hamsters. If these newborns don’t get enough water, their growth can become stunted and won’t be as healthy when they mature. You can provide young hamsters with food that has a high concentration of water like pieces of fruit. It’s also important to make sure the hamster water bottle is within their reach.

A Comfy Habitat Reduces Illness

• Avoid choosing a hamster cage location that would cause any cold drafts from windows or air-conditioning units. If a hamster get the chills, it can lead to a weaker immune system.
• Keep the humidity and dampness to a minimum inside your hamster’s cage. In the wild, hamsters live in low humidity locations.
• Provide plenty of hiding places for your hamsters to hide in. This will reduce stress and increase their comfort level. A happy hamster is a healthy hamster.
• Make sure the toys you provide are hamster friendly. It’s important to know if a hamster chews and swallows bits of its toys that it won’t get ill from it.
• Provide plenty of space for your hamsters to spread out to avoid physical confrontations that can lead to open wounds or hamster abscesses that don’t heal.
• It’s important to place plenty of exercise options inside your hamster’s habitat. If your hamster is in shape and not bored it will decrease the risk of odd hamster behaviors.
• Setup your hamster habitat in a way that will keep your hamsters from falling, getting stuck or being cut by any of their hamster accessories.

Sanitation:

Wash all of the hamster bowls,dishes, plates or anything else that you place food inside of or on top of, at least once a week. 

This process can include the hamster water bottles as well, however you must be certain not to leave behind any detergent residue on the inside of the bottle.  However, at the very least, you should rinse your water bottles with a mild solution of warm water. Put the cap on, hold your finger over the nozzle opening and shake vigorously. This will help to dislodge any stubborn algae that may be clinging to the inside surface. It will also help clean the inside surface of the nozzle. Rinse thoroughly in warm water, forcing the rinse water through both ends of the nozzle.

FOOD PREPARATION:

It's important to remember that kitchen counter or stove top surfaces can easily become contaminated from cooking spills or exposure to meats or veggies that may carry harmful bacteria. Or, quite simply from typical spills that weren't properly removed from the surface. Therefore, you'll want to remain vigilant in your determination to protect the health of your defenseless little pet by making certain that you always provide a clean, germ-free surface for preparing treats, snacks or meals.

FOOD STORAGE:

Store your hamster's food products in clean, dry and sealed containers, especially when purchasing in bulk. . Fortunately, there's now an abundance of practically any size and quality of storage container that anyone could possibly imagine. Additionally, while it's really important to keep dry products, such as grains and seeds, away from high humidity and dampness, it's also essential to store the containers in an area away from direct sunlight and in an area where the temperature is moderate to cool. These precautions will help prevent the growth of dangerous molds and other microbes, as well as, extending the shelf life seeds, nuts or grains before becoming rancid. Many of the commercial hamster pellets come in plastic bags with zip lock closure seals, therefore freshness is not typically a concern with those products. However, when a larger volume is purchased, I'll transfer a week's supply into a sealed container for daily feeding. This makes it unnecessary to continuously open the larger bag, day after day, exposing the contents to more and more freshness stealing air and humidity.

That's all this post!

Hope you enjoyed.

Nibbles♥

Sources - http://www.howtotakecareofahamster.net

http://waltek.hubpages.com/hub/Prevention-Can-Help-You-Avoid-Most-Hamster-Illnesses

A is For Active

Teddy’s Post!

Hi! I said I would post more often and I never did, did I? So I had an idea that would (hopefully) make me post more.

You probably heard of the April A-Z blog challenge thing, did you? I don’t feel like waiting ‘til April, so I’m gonna do it now. Maybe I won’t get to do it everyday. But I’m gonna keep doing it ‘til it is finished.  But whatever, I’m gonna start with A.                       A is for Active

Yes, hamsters are very active. Did you know they could run up to 7 miles or more on their wheel in one night? (Now you know.)So it is important to have a wheel and a ball for your hamster. I didn’t have a wheel before I got the extension for Teddy’s cage, because there was no room for a wheel along with her other stuff. If I had put a wheel in her cage, there would be no free space there. That’s why I put her in her ball every day. Even if you have a wheel, (which I do now) you should always put the hamster in a ball at least twice a week, so s/he can get used to his/her surroundings. If possible, put him/her in the ball once every day. Only leave the hamster in the ball for a period of 15-20 minutes, but if you don’t have a wheel, or you are cleaning out the cage, 30 minutes is ok. Just be careful, because there is a lot of dangers in your house that could easily harm your hamster.

Always:  

·      Make sure the lid of the ball is secured tightly.You don’t want to find your hamster having a snooze under the sofa!

·      Close all front/back doors, as lots of hamsters have  been seen having a merry roll down the road!

·      Keep an eye on your hamster when s/he is in the ball.

·      Cheak for cracks before you put your hamster in the ball.

Never: 

·      Let a cat or dog near your hammy when s/he is in the ball.This could frighten your hamster and even lead to longterm stress or injury.

·      Put two hamsters in one ball.I’m actully not gonna bother to say how come, because it is just stupidity if you do.

·      Kick your hamster when s/he is in the ball.It could scare your hamster and also lead to longterm stress or injury.

·      Let the hamster ball near the stairs.Once, I had taken Teddy out of the cage and put her in the ball.The door was closed, and I was just cheaking my phone when I heard a loud noise coming from the landing.Teddy had somehow managed to push the door open and tumble down the stairs.Thank goodness she was fine but she was frightened and a little dizzy.

·      Let the hamster ball outside.

Ok, so that was a long post, and I hope this was helpful!Tonight,or tomorrow I’m gonna post about sutible bedding.So, thanks and bye for now!

♥ Teddy 

Getting a hamster? :-)

Hey guys! (:


Nibbles here. I was looking for some posts to do as we have been asking for posts more often!
Its great to here from you guys and I want to make a special shout-out to InkBlots & Hannah! 
We love both your blogs and we will link them below :) 


Today I'm going to be talking about things to take into consideration when purchasing a hamster. 

1.  Hamsters are small and require little space for their cages/vivariums - but, they need attention and time out of their cages every day. You also have to keep in mind a space where it isn't too noisy (no loud blasting music) and where the hamster won't disturb you at night when you are sleeping.

      2.  Hamsters are affordable to purchase and keep - but, this is relative. The first time purchases make up quite a bill and you must be prepared to purchase items for your pet at regular intervals (new water bottle, wheel, food...etc) for the rest of its life. However, no matter what, they are one of the most inexpensive pets to keep. Pieces of fresh vegetable that is not used for cooking can also be given and this will supplement food you buy. In a nutshell, don't make the mistake of concentrating on getting a hamster at a good price and neglecting all the other needs. This is usually what happens with new pet owners.

     3.   Hamsters are favorites with children - but they can bite and their bites can draw blood. Each hamster is different and some may never bite especially if they are tamed by you. There are some hamsters that do have a tendency to bite especially if they are not handled by the pet shop owners. Are you willing to keep a hamster that is possibly mean and unsociable if the pet store hasn't handled the hamsters regularly? This means a hamster that you cannot interact with. Others may not want to take the hamster in either.

   4.  Hamsters hardly get sick - but if they do, are you willing to take them to the vet? Most of the time, very sick hamsters have little chance of survival. The vet bill is also often much higher than the price of the hamster.

 5.  Hamsters do not turn your house upside down - but they occasionally turn their cage inside out! You may have to replace items regularly (like waterbottles if it chews on it) and perhaps sweep around its cage everyday, where they've kicked out shavings. This might not appeal to extremely tidy pple who like to see their house spick and span at all times. 

6.  Hamsters are crepuscular or nocturnal. Basically, they're awake and active in the dark. Are you willing to play with them when the sun goes down? They get grumpy if they're woken up from their afternoon beauty sleep and may be more apt to bite if disturbed. If you are usually free in the day, you might want to consider a more diurnal animal. However, if you are relatively free in the evenings, this arrangement should suit you fine.

 7. Syrian hamsters are solitary - one to a cage at all times (except when they are very young)! Although there have been cases of syrians living well together, it is not advisable to take the risk, especially if you are a new hamster owner. Obtaining another set of accessories and a new cage would be the best option. Or, if that is not possible, finding a good home for the second hamster  is in order. It is important to note that Russian Dwarf Hamsters can be kept together, but this has to be done at a young age (usually no later than 2 months). Are you willing to get ten cages, water bottles, wheels, etc. if you have ten hamsters or willing to buy another cage if the Russian Dwarfs Start fighting?

8.  Hamsters can be left alone, if necessary for long periods (holidays- I mean one or two days) and when you're not at home during the day - but they're escape artists and are hard to find if they've decided upon a cosy hiding place, but it may be a better option to have a friend or relative look after it while you are gone just so if the hamster gets out, drains the water bottle, etc., there isn't a problem. On the whole, it is much easier to find a pet sitter for a hamster than for a dog or cat and usually this doesn't cost at all, since it's usually a friend or relative who's been left with the job. However, do brief your sitter about your hamsters habits and needs. I've heard of a case where the sitter put the visiting hamster with her own and they fought to death!

9.  Hamsters can be quite hardy and generally adapt well but, - they can be hurt easily if they are dropped accidentally at standing height and you definitely can't play rough with a hamster! Neither can you play with them for long periods.

10.  You can be quite attached to your pet - but, they live at most 3 years (some live longer but they are exceptions). Do you need a pet who'll be able to spend more time with you? 

So that's it from me guys! I hope everyone is well and please comment below and tell us how your hammy's are all doing! 

Nibbles♥ xxx


Shout out to InkBlots & Hannah!
InkBlots - http://inkythehamstermommy.blogspot.com/
Hannah - http://hannah-animal-tales.blogspot.com/




Sources - http://www.angelfire.com/my/hamstertales/hamsters_you.htm

Hammy Christmas!

Teddy’s post!

Well, Hammy after Christmas!

How is your hammy? Teddy is good!

Just a quick post to say hi!

Gonna post more often in the new year,new years resiloution!

So hope you had a great Christmas,and I’ll post more often!

♥ Teddy!