Are you looking
to buy a dwarf hamster from a respected pet store or adopting a hamster
from a local SPCA? Do you know the best place to purchase a hamster?
No matter what
type of hamster you decide to get, here are some suggestions to help
you locate your new trusty hamster companion:
1. Local
Pet Shelters
2. Local Pet Stores
3. Local Newspapers & Community Sites
2. Local Pet Stores
3. Local Newspapers & Community Sites
***certainly
these are my personal views and I created this site hoping that I can
provide new and existing hamster owners with information that may be
useful to them. I encourage you to explore and learn more on your own
and feel free to send me any feedback or personal experiences so I
can add to this site. Thanks! Amy
Purchase a
hamster from...
1.
A Local Pet ShelterThis is a good choice**(please read note below in Cons section). Often, pets are abandoned by families that can no longer offer them a good home - hamsters are often one of these pets.
Rating:
Pros: Giving an abandoned pet a new home and the loving care that they would otherwise not receive at the shelter - that's the best! Often volunteers and caretakers are also knowledgeable and are pet owners themselves - so they are available to answer your questions.Cons: Often, shelter staff are unable to identify the age of these hamsters - and since hamster only live for around 2 years, it's difficult to say how long your hamster companion will be around.
**Another major
concern is that hamsters can get easily stressed from their
surroundings. Most pets that arrive at animal shelters are often
stressed - meaning that these hamsters may develop serious health
problems stemming from such stress - leading to a shorter life span.
(I've found from experience that this can happen.)
Therefore, I
would not recommend getting a youngster a hamster pet from the
SPCA...nor do I recommend that you get your first hamster from the
SPCA - you should have a good experience with your first pet without
having to worry about whether the hamster has been in a stressful
environment prior to your getting him/her.
Contacts: Contact
your local SPCA to find out if there are any hamsters available for
adoption.Adoption
fee: ranges
from $5-$10+ for small animalsAmerican
SPCA | Canadian
SPCA (Provincial
Contacts)
2.
Local Pet Stores
This is probably the most popular avenue to getting a pet hamster. Most large chain pet stores like Petsco, Petcetera, SuperPets, or PetSmart will carry a large selection of hamsters in their small animals department. Pet stores are great places to purchase a pet along with all the essentials needed to house your pet. I've purchased pets from pet stores and they have all been great!
This is probably the most popular avenue to getting a pet hamster. Most large chain pet stores like Petsco, Petcetera, SuperPets, or PetSmart will carry a large selection of hamsters in their small animals department. Pet stores are great places to purchase a pet along with all the essentials needed to house your pet. I've purchased pets from pet stores and they have all been great!
Rating:
Pros: A great selection of pets are offered at all times. One stop shop for your pet and pet supplies. Generally, records of pets are more or less kept up to date.
Pros: A great selection of pets are offered at all times. One stop shop for your pet and pet supplies. Generally, records of pets are more or less kept up to date.
This
is a great place to get your first hamster as these pets most likely
grew up in a minimally stressed environment.Cons: Sales
staff tend to be very minimally trained on the pets they sell - so
it's best that you obtain a book on your pet instead to learn more.
I'm sure that not all pet sales staff is this way, in fact, I've met
a few very helpful ones - but overall, from my personal encounters
and from friends, that's the trend.
Politically,
a lot of people are also against pet stores because they feel
that pet stores over breed pets for sales.Contacts: Visit
the following retail chain websites to locate a store in your
neighbourhood:
Petsco (USA
only)Petcetera (Canada
only)SuperPet (Canada
only)PetSmart (USA
+ Canada)Retail
Price: ranges
from $3-$20+ for small animals
3.
Local Newspapers & Community Sites
This is a good way to get a pet if you have the time to wait. Because of the nature of personal postings, it's important that you do more research to make sure that the pet and also prices are reasonable.
Rating:
Pros: If the time is right, sometimes you can get great deals on your pet and pet products.Cons: Research will be needed here to ensure that ad postings are accurate. Get a second opinion.Contacts: Local Newspaper & Community Websites like www.kijiji.com (put up by eBay)Adoption fee: ranges from $0-$20+ for small animals
This is a good way to get a pet if you have the time to wait. Because of the nature of personal postings, it's important that you do more research to make sure that the pet and also prices are reasonable.
Rating:
Pros: If the time is right, sometimes you can get great deals on your pet and pet products.Cons: Research will be needed here to ensure that ad postings are accurate. Get a second opinion.Contacts: Local Newspaper & Community Websites like www.kijiji.com (put up by eBay)Adoption fee: ranges from $0-$20+ for small animals