Hamsters are great for metropolitan living (English)

Hello, I’m Mamington, a working mom of three.

I have been living with a female Yellow Djungarian Hamster for nearly 1 year and 9 months. She is becoming a grandma but still is as happy and powerful as ever. I live with many other kinds of animals but this hamster, Pucci, is our first pet that I welcomed into our family. Considering that I live in a small apartment in Tokyo with 3 children to care for (not to mention both spouses working full time), I researched and looked for animals that would be able to live with us comfortably under our circumstances. Pucci is an irreplaceable member of our family who bring joy and happiness into our lives everyday.

For those who are considering to bring new pets into their family, below are my reasons for deciding that hamsters are well suited for welcoming into an apartment environment.

①Solitary animal: Hamsters are territorial creatures and should be kept with one hamster per cage. You need not worry about hamsters potentially feeling lonely, they are absolutely content alone.

②Groomer traits: Hamsters like to keep themselves clean and are skillful at grooming their own bodies carefully. You need not give them baths (in fact you should not) and they are small enough that they do not give out strong odor. Hamsters are a good start for beginner pet carers who may be afraid to bath furry animals

③Reasonable initial expense: The initial financial burden of bringing a hamster home is relatively reasonable compared to other animals. I have provided a guideline of items below. In Japan, the initial expense will be around JPY 10,000 (roughly $110), and the hamster itself is around JPY 2,000 (roughly $18).

• Cage　JYP 3500
• House　JPY 500-1000
• Toilet　JPY 500
• Plate　JPY 100
• Exercise wheel JPY 1000
• Water bottle　JPY 1000
• Bedding　JPY 1000 per 1kg
• Toilet sand　JPY 500 per 1kg
• Pellets　JPY 1000 per 500g

④Reasonable maintenance expenses: Although body weight depends on the type of hamsters, they generally weigh anywhere between 30g to 150g. Daily food requirement is generally 5-10% of the hamsters’ weight, so daily consumption is around 15g at max. Depending on the carers’ preference, bedding can be purchased or shredded paper towels/newspapers can also be used. The monthly maintenance cost is no more than JPY 1000 ($9) in our household.

⑤Space requirement: Since hamsters are small animals in nature, they do not require huge living spaces. I have a dwarf hamster who lives in a 50cm x 30cm x 30 cm cage. I let her out in my living room in some evenings whenever she is in the mood to play or go for a small adventure. I never take my eyes off of her and ensure that she is in a safe environment.

In addition to the above, hamsters are nocturnal animals so she sleeps most of the day while I work. Hamsters do not bark or cry so the only sound that she makes is the sound of digging through bedding or spinning on the exercise wheel. I never have to worry about her causing any troubles or inconveniences with my neighbors.

Hamsters are cautious when they are first brought home, but with patience and love, they begin to trust their carers. I love having my hamster enjoy snacks on my palm, climb up my T-shirt and beg me for snacks.

Of course, like any other animals, hamsters may need extra care when they are older. I hope that those who decide to welcome hamsters to their families are committed and determined to pour love and care to their hamsters until the end. May hamsters and their carers bring joy and happiness to their daily lives.