Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hello all, I'm usually on the cornsnake forum, but thought this may get more info here. I was wondering about the nutritional value and overall "eatability" of siberian dwarf hamsters. My daughter saw them on animal planet and wants one, but since I have 12 cornsnakes, I thought maybe I'd get her a pair or two and she agreed that if I got her a pair, I could have the babies for my snakes.

They aren't as fluffy as say, teddy bear hamsters, but are fluffier than mice/rats, which is what my snakes have been eating. I won't breed rats again, had a bad experience with a petco pair. The female bit my finger to the bone and now I'm actually afraid of them...lol (okay, I'm a whimp) But I was planning on starting up another mouse colony to save some money (mostly shipping costs of frozen mice) But these siberian dwarf hamsters sure are cute, they look like little huskies almost. And the males actually play midwife during birth, so the male can be left with the female without the worry of him eating the babies before my snakes get to.

All opinions wanted thanks
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Dianne
AKA IcedGoddess
0.1 Snow (Ruby)
1.0 Anery A (Breaden)
0.1 Amel (Edana)
0.0.7 Normal het-snow (no names yet)
1.1 Bloodred (Vlad the Impailer and Natasha)
0.1 Anery Stripe (Morticia)
1.0 Candy Cane (Kane)

1.3 Cats (Alexys{f}, Mikki{f}, Timothy{m}, Seven{f})
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Castle Serpents

>>hello all, I'm usually on the cornsnake forum, but thought this may get more info here. I was wondering about the nutritional value and overall "eatability" of siberian dwarf hamsters. My daughter saw them on animal planet and wants one, but since I have 12 cornsnakes, I thought maybe I'd get her a pair or two and she agreed that if I got her a pair, I could have the babies for my snakes.

Be sure and get a well handled one and keep it well handled. I find that mine are just as eager to bite as a regular Ham and more active. They also will chase me if they have babies. I use a scoop for the little monsters.
As for eatability......they had A LOT of loose skin. Rarely I feed mine off and when I do they need to be undersized for the snake to give it a way to deal with all the skin.
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>>They aren't as fluffy as say, teddy bear hamsters, but are fluffier than mice/rats, which is what my snakes have been eating. I won't breed rats again, had a bad experience with a petco pair. The female bit my finger to the bone and now I'm actually afraid of them...lol (okay, I'm a whimp) But I was planning on starting up another mouse colony to save some money (mostly shipping costs of frozen mice) But these siberian dwarf hamsters sure are cute, they look like little huskies almost. And the males actually play midwife during birth, so the male can be left with the female without the worry of him eating the babies before my snakes get to.
>>
>>All opinions wanted thanks

To me they are actually more skin and fluff than a teddy bear and they don't get as big and meaty ever. They don't even really get adult mouse size. If you got bit by rats be ready to dislike RDhams next......they only look cuter. Mine are in a colony and just as eager to cannabalize litters as mice...only upsides are they smell different, they have tiny pinks for tiny snakes and I can use them to scent.
ALSO, if your snake decides to 'get hooked' on the RDH you will have to raise them for food as the snake may be a monster to switch back.
If it were me I would go back to rats but start with a trio of 5 or 6 wk old babys and grow them up so that you can trust one another.
That said, mom rats will bite to protect babies sometimes....every rodent I have had will do this to some extent.
I have a tub of RDHS....I use them to scent for reluctant feeders and switch them asap. I do feed off the occasional one...but only to a total PITA feeder (like my wc BPs) or to a garbage can that will take anything and not get hooked on one now and then (like my Everglades Rat)
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Sonya

Thanks. Someone on the corn forum mentioned biting too, after one really good rat bite, I'm not anxious to start up more biters I'm going to have to just stick with mice i think, and buy the rats frozen so they can't bite me The mouse colony we had a year ago was great, and none ever bit me or my daughter. I think I'll do the same thing I did last time and get a few fancy pet mice and let them start the colony going. (shhhh, don't tell mouse lovers)

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Dianne
AKA IcedGoddess
0.1 Snow (Ruby)
1.0 Anery A (Breaden)
0.1 Amel (Edana)
0.0.7 Normal het-snow (no names yet)
1.1 Bloodred (Vlad the Impailer and Natasha)
0.1 Anery Stripe (Morticia)
1.0 Candy Cane (Kane)

1.3 Cats (Alexys{f}, Mikki{f}, Timothy{m}, Seven{f})
0.1 Child
1.0 Boyfriend
IcedGoddess Creations
Castle Serpents

I'm sorry to hear you got bit. I would think it is a rarity though. My rats, and I've had hundreds, have never bit me. I think you may just have had a psycho on your hands. I'm phasing out right now and have given my rats away, but when the freezer runs low, I'll just start up again. I like rats because they don't smell as much, are fine for my corn snakes from birth to 4 weeks, are more social, and I find them easier to take care of. Of course if you are hatching babies, then you'll need mice pinks or something of that size. I've always wondered if you could feed the hind quarter of a rat pink instead?

DeMak

Positives
- they are cute
- they don't smell like mice do
- they are friendly (I haven't been bit)

Negatives
- small litters. 5 pinks are typical
- cannibalism. Mine have eaten their young numerous times. When you only have 5 pinks to start out with, it's pretty bad when the male or other cage-mates eat 4 of them :^(