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Teddy Bear Hamsters, or “Fancy Bear” get their name from their majestic fluffiness. Their long fur is culprit of their cutesy description along with the fact that they are the hamster species that is most commonly adviced to be the first pet of a child. They are part of the Syrian Hamster breed, and they are differentiated from others for being docile and friendly. That being said, it is important to keep in mind that every hamster will attack when they feel threatened or scared, and just because Teddy Bear Hamsters are usually gentle, that does not mean that you can abuse them or mistreat them and they will surely defend themselves if you do so.
Characteristics & Traits of Teddy Bear Hamsters
Teddy Bear Hamsters are one of the most longevous species of fluffs. They can live up to three years if well treated and taken care of and there has been recorded evidence of Teddy Bear Hamsters living even longer than that. It is important to take care of your Fancy Bear as they could be a little bit more demanding in terms of affection and care than other hamsters.
These fluffs are also known as Golden Hamsters, although their coats can vary in color, the light brown, golden shade is its most common variation. Teddy Bear Hamsters can also have black fur, white fur and different shades of brown fur. They can also represent all sorts of patterns and combinations of those said colors.
Personality & Behaviour of Teddy Bear Hamsters
These toothy critters are territorial. They like standing their ground and having the whole house to themselves, so to speak. This is why Teddy Bear Hamsters generally prefer to live alone. Although they are usually very friendly when interacting with their owners, they have a line drawn and can get defensive if you go too far with the play time or if you startle them or make them feel threatened in any way, although they are one of the most docile hamsters and they allow most human interactions without any tangible risks. Teddy Bears are also nocturnal, which means that they sleep for most of the day and come out to play at night. They thoroughly enjoy nibbling on different things and exercising quite a lot. These hamsters are adventurous and thrive exploring and running around all night and sleeping all day.
Handling & Care
The care of these little Teddy fluffs is pretty straightforward. Although it is possible that you will have to train them not to bite at first, they don’t really ask for much more than that. Make sure you put your hamster in a very large cage and provide them with the exercise they need to be happy and healthy. Taking them out of their cage so they can run free is adviced. You must keep an eye on it to ensure its safety.
The diet of these hamsters are like any other. Comprised mainly of seeds and nuts with the splash of fruit and veg to keep it varied. Provide them with this along with a never ending source of fresh water and they will live a very happy life.
Health & Complications
Teddy Bear Hamsters are susceptible to the most common hamster diseases, which makes them prone to become ill if you don’t take proper care of them. Respiratory diseases can be very detrimental to their health and even lethal. Providing them with the adequate type of bedding is absolutely essential.
As most hamsters, their teeth never stop growing, so you want to make sure you provide them with Hamster Chews and other things they could gnaw and nibble on to keep their dental conditions nice and healthy.
Another health complication is Wet Tail. You can read more about it here.
Overall, Teddies are great pets. They are adorable, cuddly, fluffy and very friendly! They give you many years of joy for practically no effort at all. If you enjoyed this articles about the Teddy Bear Hamster, you might be interested in getting to know more about other types of Hamsters.
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