Sarah Montague - Hamsters for Dummies

by Sarah Montague

Hamsters For Dummies

Published by
Wiley Publishing, Inc.
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Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
www.wiley.com

Copyright 2007 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

Published simultaneously in Canada

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Library of Congress Control Number: available from publisher

ISBN: 978-0-470-12163-4

Manufactured in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

1B/RV/QT/QX/IN

Publishers Acknowledgements

Project Editor: Joan Friedman

Acquisitions Editor: Stacy Kennedy

Technical Editor: Michael Callaghan

Composition Services: Indianapolis Composition Services Department

Cover Photo: COK/Vikki Hart/Getty Images

Cartoon: Rich Tennant, www.the5thwave.com

About the Author

Sarah Montague is a writer and producer for print and public radio. She has covered the Westminster Kennel Club dog show for WNYC and National Public Radio for the past four years and has written for such publications as Animal Times and Eventing. She is the coauthor of The Complete Idiots Guide to Horses and the author of the forthcoming (from M. Evans) Riding in Primetime. She has also contributed cultural and animal-related features to nationally distributed programs such as Morning Edition, On the Media, and Studio 360. She lives with a cozy menagerie of dogs, cats, and rodents in upstate New York.

Dedication

To The Cowgirl Hall of Fame, where much of this book was written in good company, and to Emily and Charlotte, who taught me that big hearts come in small packages.

Chapter 1

Hankering for a Hamster

In This Chapter

Getting acquainted

Tracing the hamsters path to domesticity

Meeting the species of pet hamsters

Examining hamster anatomy

T he old comic line Whats not to like? fits hamsters perfectly. With their bright, inquisitive faces, agile bodies, and deft little paws, theyve been engaging and entertaining families for generations.

Your decision to purchase a hamster may have been prompted by memories of a childhood friend. But whether this is your first hamster or just the first one youve had since you earned your allowance by cleaning the cage, youll want to know how to make life safe and fun for your new companion, for yourself, and for your family.

How to Use This Book

Hamsters are hoarders, who stuff their cheek pouches full of goodies they may want to eat later. Think of this book the same way: as your secret cache of knowledge that you can use a little at a time, or all at once. You may have picked up this book along with your new hamster at the pet shop, or maybe you decided to read up on these animals before making a purchase. No matter where you started, this book tells you where to go next.

If youre interested in the history of the breed, Ive included some tidbits of olde hamster for you to enjoy, but if you want to cut to the chase, Ive made that easy too. The book is clearly organized in chapters you can read consecutively, or from which you can pick and choose to find out just want you need to know, just when you need to know it. Text in sidebars (the occasional gray box) is interesting but not essential, so you can skip them if youre in a hurry.

While reading Hamsters For Dummies, be on the lookout for these icons:

Paragraphs with this icon attached offer some juicy advice for making the most of your hamster experience.

When you see this icon, pay attention: The info in these paragraphs is worth storing in your mental filing cabinet.