I'm looking for information on how to best keep good care of hamsters.
What makes them happy, what can I do to keep them healthy, what are
signs that they may or may not be sick, etc. Any tips on how to
successfully breed hamsters, and if there are any types of hamsters
that do not live well with others, that sort of thing.  Any and all
advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Hi gabble,

Thank you for your question.


http://animal-world.com/encyclo/critters/hamsters/hamsters.php

Scroll to Environment 1/4 down the page - You'll find information on:

Care and feeding, Activities - Exercise and Play, Social Behaviors,
Handling and Training, Breeding/Reproduction, and Common Health Problems.

=========

Hamster Frequently Asked Questions
http://hamster.lifetips.com/faq/0/0/question-answer/index.html

"How do I keep my hamster happy?

Avoid Stress!
 
Stress is a major cause of illness in a hamster and can
be caused in many different ways. Noise during the day
may prevent the little fellow from getting his sleep,
Removing his little secret store of food, disturbing it
while it is in its nest, changing its cage, etc. Avoid 
stress and your hamster will be happier and healthier."

*****

"how can i tell when my hamster is ready to mate?
Female ready 
to check if a female hamster is ready for mating run 
two fingers along her back. she will freeze and her 
little tail will stick up when she is "on heat"
hamsters come on heat every fourth day. male hamsters
are always ready!"

(see all FAQ's)

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Hamster Tip Categories 
http://hamster.lifetips.com/faq/0/0/question-answer/index.html

Click on links left side of page for:

 Breeding 
 Cleaning 
 Feeding 
 Handling 
 Health 
 Play 
 
=========

Do hamsters get lonely?
http://www.giveusahome.co.uk/database/hamsterfaq.htm

"Not the way we get lonely, no. Many people will argue that hamsters
will appreciate having a companion of the opposite sex to live with,
but I don't think that hamsters will really mind too much if they are
left by themselves. Hamsters will harm each other if they are
together. Males and females can be together for mating, but not much
longer than that without risking some sort of fight. Females hardly
ever get along with other females, but you MIGHT be able to
successfully raise two male hamsters together if you get them from the
same litter and raise them together from as close to their birth as
possible."

=========

http://www.hamsterhideout.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=17847

"Different species of hamsters shouldn't be living together in the
same cage...it amounts to more stress & agressiveness...especially so
if they are of different genders,I suggest you separate them
immediately."

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Hamster Tips:
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Ranch/1026/tips.html

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Here are 10 points to help you decide
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Ranch/1026/points.html

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Here are some things that a hamster should have
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Ranch/1026/things.html

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Cheap Ways to Pamper Your Hamster
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Ranch/1026/things.html

=========

Frequently Asked Questions
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Ranch/1026/faq.html

==========

Health Check - Mistakes in care that can lead to sickness
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Ranch/1026/health.html

========

Hamsters
http://www.petco.com/pet_care_article.asp?ArticleID=803

=========

Hamster Wheels
http://exoticpets.about.com/od/hamsters/a/hamsterwheels.htm

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HAMSTERS ARE FUN by Kraig J. Rice
http://www.breadonthewaters.com/hamsters.html

=========

Taking Care of your Hamster By: Robin Scott, MS DVM 
http://www.exoticpetvet.com/breeds/guineapig11.htm

(Scroll to DISEASES AND MEDICAL CARE)

=========

Hamster Care Sheet
http://www.hagen.com/usa/small/info_sheet.cfm?CAT=61&INFO=36


MATING HAMSTER - A BRIEF OVERVIEW 
http://www.hagen.com/usa/small/info_sheet.cfm?CAT=61&INFO=37    


MAMMAL BEDDING MATERIALS 
http://www.hagen.com/usa/small/info_sheet.cfm?CAT=61&INFO=37

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Habitrail
http://www.habitrail.com/flash/english/english.htm

Click on the tubes on the left side of page - This is an interactive site

=========

Best regards,
tlspiegel

Outstanding! This is my first time using google answers and they're
all of this quality I'll be back again.

Hi Gabble...

I'm not a current hampster owner, but when my kids were young, I
bought 2 ( I was told males ).

A few months later, I looked in the cage, and to my horror, there was
blood and teensy furless body parts all over. One of my "males" had
babies. In order to "protect" their babies, if caged with another
hampster, the females eat them.

True story....

Steph53

Hi gabble.

Thank you very much for the nice comments, 5 star rating, and very
generous tip!  :)

Best regards,
tlspiegel