Talk:Hamster

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Contents

[edit] Clean-up

I came to this article about an hour ago, and was apalled at its condition. Not only was it like some sort of how-to guide from hell, some of it was also long-standing copyvio from *ezinearticles.com blacklisted link removed*. I have tried cleaning it up (in other words, pretty much taking an axe to the thing), but it still needs work. Foremost, it desperately needs reputable citations. Also, if more info could be addressed about hamsters in the wild, and general info about hamsters themselves (rather than their care), that'd be fabulous. Sarrandúin [ Talk + Contribs ] 03:19, 9 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Wikiproject

I have proposed the creation of Wikiproject Pocket pets, if interested, please visit the proposal page. thanks! VanTucky 05:07, 17 April 2007 (UTC)you must try

[edit] Baby hamsters

Why do mother hamsters eat their babies after giving birth? I've witnessed this several times but I have no idea what's keeping them doing it. I had twelve hamsters before(6 males and 6 females) but I just decided to give them away because everytime the females get pregnant they ended up eating their babies after giving birth which I dont understand.Some babies lasted for a few days after birth but still they were all eaten alive.I hope someone can share what's the reason why does this happen. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Anyr24 (talk • contribs) 10:27, 28 May 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Guinea pigs

No mention is made in the article of Guinea pigs, and how both hamsters and guinea pigs are kept as childrens' pets, and also in primary school classrooms. I know the two are not that closely related in a scientific sense, but are often interchangeable when it comes to having a class pet. - Matthew238 03:10, 21 April 2007 (UTC)

We had baby chickens as class pets when I was in primary school. Other people I know had bunnies, frogs, lizards, fish, and turtles... --64.180.207.196 (talk) 07:58, 22 November 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Hind paws and tail are super sensitive

This article should mention that hind paws and tails of hamsters are super sensitive, as like a tip or what not for pet owners. Hamsters get really annoyed fast and easily, if you touch their hind paws or tails whether they are walking around or if you are holding one in your hand. I can't find a good reference for it, so, if you're a hamster owner, try it out yourself... just watch it so that you don't get bitten, though. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Kwakkles (talk • contribs) 08:16, 1 May 2007 (UTC).

Actually, your comment above on the 22nd says that you agreed to the "See Also" section that Jaksmata created. I also agreed to that, and nobody else made any comments. I honestly feel that this is the best compromise, as you get to have references to the content you want included, and the people adverse to a trivia section don't have to have one. spazure (contribs) (review) 07:56, 26 August 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Why are the external links being deleted?

I've added useful external links but they are being deleted. Why? I believe people should be able to find links to other hamster information here. Kbrocx 21:57, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

The external links section only contains SPAM, hamsterific.com. See WP:External_links for what should be in an external links section. --Aranae 22:01, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

(edit conflict...looks line Aranae already covered what I was going to say, but here it is anyway...)

Have you familiarized yourself with WP:EL? I am not going to take a position on the Hamsterific website either way as to whether it meets the requirements of WP:EL, but that's why they are being deleted: Some people feel it runs afoul of that policy.
One thing that is very questionable about your edits is that it seems you are adding the link to Hamsterific to every article about hamsters that you can find, rather than just the main one about hamsters. Many people would say that smells like spam.
Anyway, like I say, I'm not going to take a position either way. But you should familiarize yourself with WP:EL and WP:3RR right away if you haven't done so already. Cheers, and happy editing! --Jaysweet 22:02, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Behaviour section

Hi there I was a bit confused about the line that hamsters will try to get out of your hands if you have not washed you hands.....Hamsters in my experience always try to wriggle out of your hands whether you have washed them or not.. The only time it has mattered whether I have washed my hands when handling my hamster is if I have handled food before and my hamster can smell it... and then tries to 'nibble' my finger. Your comments please. Bamboopidge 10:51, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

I vaguely remember reading that it was discovered only recently that hamsters make a high-pitched noise when they're being tickled or played with --- too high for human ears to hear --- as if giggling or squealing with delight. Am I imagining having read this? 38.115.185.2 (talk) 20:53, 23 January 2008 (UTC)LN/Chicago

[edit] Deviant behavior expansion

Here's a link to an important source on hamster genes that may explain some deviant behavior of hamsters, such as back-flipping, pacing, lap-running, and waltzing. It would be nice to expand on this because a number of people wonder why some hamsters backflip (some all the time). Soulrefrain (Talk) 08:02, 24 September 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Lock?

What is so dangerous about this page? It's only hamsters. Why can't I add information to it?LeyLineLaura 16:34, 29 September 2007 (UTC)

This article was constantly vandalised by anonymous (IP address) users. Semi-protection may be necessary if that is the case. You can wait until 7th October, when it is unprotected, or if you really need to make an edit, place {{editprotected}} on this page and state the edit you wish to have made or request an edit on WP:RFPP. You can also wait until your account is "autoconfirmed", which I believe is a week after you sign up. NASCAR Fan24(radio me!) 16:57, 29 September 2007 (UTC)


[edit] Telling hamsters apart

How do you find out whether your hamster is male or female? I have a hamster, but he (if it is a he) doesn't like being picked up, is there another way of finding out? Melon247 (talk) 19:23, 31 December 2007 (UTC)

Males usually have obvious (pea to marble sized) testicles which protrude on either side of the tail, especially when walking. They probably won't be visible when it's curled up or sitting. I don't see any pictures in this article or in Wikimedia Commons that are obviously male - It looks like people usually photograph the other end... If your hamster doesn't have them, it's female. I'd put this in the article, but it would probably be marked as original research. – jaksmata 16:31, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Pictures

I realize that every hamster owner on this site wants to have a picture of his hamster on this page, but are all these pictures really necessary? Seems like some could be removed. Maybe I'll just do it myself. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 65.11.234.132 (talk) 22:07, 5 January 2008 (UTC)

Unfortunately, it's like that on basically any pet article; the number of pictures in Cat got so large that there's a Commons category devoted to cat pictures. Besides, it's not like there's anything wrong with a lot of pictures. NF24(radio me!) 22:12, 5 January 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Useful Website.

Thought I would just leave a note, or request for a new link in the EL section of Hamsters. I would of just edited it and put it in there but It said to come here to have it approved.

My reasons for having this site included in that specific section is because its non-biased and not completely ad orientating. It has a lot of verified information and provides credit to the people who have contributed information to the site.

Site

What is the next step to getting it on there?

Thanks —Preceding unsigned comment added by Groovygramp (talkcontribs) 00:29, 26 January 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Is hamster bite poisonous?

--Neil edward (talk) 09:24, 29 January 2008 (UTC)What if you were accidentally bitten by a hamster, what will happen to you? What first aid tips you can give just in case you were bitten by a hamster?

Nothing. Their bites are not toxic. The worst that can happen is maybe a break in the skin, perhaps some blood but nothing serious. Xenon54 22:11, 1 March 2008 (UTC)

Hamster bites poisonous? Is this serious?

Dwarf hamsters are the tiniest type of the hamster family. There are these kinds kept as pets: Cambells, Winter White, Roborovski, and Chinese. NOTE: Chinese hamsters are illegal in every state. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 74.5.132.248 (talk) 15:07, 16 March 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Why Cedar and Pine are Bad

Cedar is used probably the least but some people still use pine. Here are the problems with pine and cedar: one, Just because it smells good doesn't mean it's great. Think about it if you were in a tank with only that smell wouldn't you want a break? Phenols are toxic chemicals that can get in your pet's kidneys and liver. The kidneys can take a little toxin and get rid of it but with all the phenols the kidneys will be shut down and eventually the body will be shut down. This is why not to use cedar and pine. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.229.179.200 (talk) 20:54, 16 March 2008 (UTC) Just abot evey hamster youget (first time handling) will bite so keep that in mind before getting a hamster. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.236.130.236 (talk) 19:06, 18 March 2008 (UTC) I have found that Roborovski hamsters will bite a lot. But some can get as tame as a Syrian. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.229.191.141 (talk) 18:07, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Lab Blocks

Most hamster people use seed mixes. Now this isn't bad but there are some reasons why Lab blocks are better. If a hamster keeps on choosing what it wants eventualy it will get obese and die at a fairly early age. Lab blocks have all the right nutrients so your hamster will live a long life. But remember treat yor hamster to treats sometimes! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.229.179.200 (talk) 20:59, 16 March 2008 (UTC) Hamsters are unique! —Preceding unsigned comment added by MasumiTokie (talk • contribs) 18:35, 18 March 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Don't know how to edit, but this is a very obvious problem:

Hamsters are omnivorous (bisexual). Their sexual diet consists mostly of grains (such as whole grain oats and corn) but also includes fresh fruit, roots such as carrots, green parts of plants, invertebrates, and other small animals. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.178.163.12 (talk) 10:41, 11 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] tooth injury to upper mouth

My name is Popeye and my teeth grew so long and sharp I cut the roof of my mouth so bad I am bleeding and making choking noises. My master took me to my friend at the pet store who cut my teeth down 1 millimeter, but I have not stopped making the choking sounds for the past 7 hours and I don't want to die. Does anyone know what to tell my masters mother to help me?---- —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.164.84.9 (talk) 02:53, 27 April 2008 (UTC)

Sorry, but according to the medical disclaimer, the only advice we can give is to contact a veterinarian who specalises in exotic animals. Xenon54 14:41, 27 April 2008 (UTC)