Buy a hamster: hamsters for sale in the Netherlands
Hamster is a collective name for species with different sizes and legal status. Syrian and Chinese dwarf hamsters may be kept and bred in the Netherlands. Other familiar dwarf hamsters may no longer be bred or imported since 1 July 2024.
Rodents
Hamster
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Create AdvertWhat to check when you buy a hamster
- Choose consciously between a Syrian hamster and a dwarf hamster; they differ in size, character and care.
- Always keep a Syrian hamster alone: adult Syrian hamsters fight each other.
- A hamster is nocturnal; it sleeps during the day and does not want to be disturbed.
- Ask for the date of birth and whether the young already eat on their own.
- Have the sex checked so you do not get an unexpected litter.
- Provide a spacious enclosure with a deep layer of bedding to dig in.
Frequently asked questions
Syrian hamster or dwarf hamster?
A Syrian hamster is bigger and often easier to handle, but must always live alone. Dwarf hamsters are smaller and faster; they too usually do best alone.
Can I keep two hamsters together?
Never a Syrian hamster. Dwarf hamsters sometimes can, but often end up fighting; when in doubt, keep them apart.
Is a hamster suitable for children?
Less so for young children: a hamster is active at night and can bite when woken during the day or handled roughly. For older children who respect its rhythm it can work well.
How long does a hamster live?
Usually two to three years. Keep that in mind when buying a hamster for a child.
What does a hamster cost?
The hamster itself usually costs little; the enclosure, bedding and food cost more. Choose a spacious enclosure, not a small cage.
Characteristics
- Origin
- Arid regions including Syria and China, depending on species
- Length
- Species-dependent. Check the scientific name
- Life expectancy
- About 2–3 years on average. Chinese dwarf hamster sometimes up to 4 years
- Activity
- Mainly nocturnal and crepuscular
- Character
- Digging, hoarding and solitary. Dwarf hamsters are also best housed alone
- Housing
- Alone. At least 70 × 50 cm for a dwarf hamster and 100 × 50 cm for a Syrian hamster
Hamsters: behaviour and suitability
Hamsters build food stores and a nest deep underground and travel long distances at night. Waking by day or housing without digging opportunity causes stress. Always assess the actual animal and, when a trade label covers several species, verify the scientific name before acquisition. Age, sex, health and previous housing can noticeably influence behaviour.
Care and housing
Provide deep structure-holding bedding, multi-chamber hide, sand bath, chewing material, scatter feeding and a wheel that keeps the back straight. Do not use exercise balls, small barred cages or scented bedding. Set up the complete enclosure before the animal arrives and record relevant values and daily behaviour. A sudden change in appetite, activity, breathing, posture or droppings calls for a check of the environment and, where needed, knowledgeable help.
Health and responsible acquisition
Ask about exact species, age and sex and check teeth, eyes, skin and breathing. Never co-house Syrian hamsters and separate other species immediately after chasing, squeaking or wounds. Ask the seller about age, origin, current care and known health problems, and ensure any documents belong to the animal offered. Never choose on colour, size or price alone, and identify a knowledgeable veterinarian or other species expert before urgent problems arise.
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