Hamster as a pet

For me, the main purpose of having a pet is for companionship. I love the thought of having a special one waiting to welcome me back home, no matter what happens. The first thing that I do upon entering the house is to check on my pet and spend some time interacting with it before continuing with other stuff. It helps in relieving stress and it is one activity that I really look forward to other than eating or sleeping. 

Source: http://i399.photobucket.com

When I was still living with my parents, I was lucky in the sense that they did not have violent objections to me and my siblings rearing any pets. As a matter of fact, the first pair of hamsters we had was a gift from my mother's friend. I could still vividly remember the Syrian hamsters waiting at their cages' entrance whenever they saw us walking past the cages. They were really intelligent and friendly animals and form a part of my fond childhood memories. After settling into my own place, it is only natural to include them as part of my family.    

Source: http://hamsterbungalow.com

Hamster actually means 'to hoard' in Swedish. It is considered a rodent albeit a cute fluffy one. To me, a hamster is like a miniature version of a dog except for the fact that it does not bark which is a major plus point. There are quite a number of neighbours in my estate who own dogs and the incessant barking/howling at various hours of the day drives me nuts. This is especially made worse by the fact that new flats in Singapore tends to be more densely packed these days. 

Source: hammieluvr.wordpress.com

Hamsters are intelligent animals which have a high standard of cleanliness and the effort required by owners to maintain their living area is rather low compared to other pets (as the cleaning area is the same as the cage area). Keeping a hamster does not require much space as long as there is sufficient space to place the cage. The size of the cage is very much dependent on the type of hamster. Another important point to note is that the costs involved in keeping a hamster is not high. Due to its small size, the amount of feed needed and all other consumables are rather low. This makes hamsters an ideal pet for people who have a budget constraint and yet desire to have the company of a pet.

Despite the above points highlighted, there are certain instances where hamsters might not be a ideal pet. Hamsters will not be suitable for young children due to their small size. In addition, hamsters are not for someone who wants a pet to keep you company in the daytime as they are nocturnal animals. Another point to consider is that hamsters have short lifespan of around 2 years. 

I hope the above will help any future hamster owners in making your choice!