# Need help trying to educate a 'hamster breeder'



## sequeena (Apr 30, 2009)

Hi guys  I'm part of the moneysavingexpert forums and have come across someone who is breeding hamsters (think she has about 15 - most are babies) and she is keeping them in ... plastic boxes!!

Now I know nothing about hamsters, I had 2 as a child and one bit me. That's the extent of my knowledge :lol:

What is the best setup for hamsters? Is it ok to keep them in a plastic box and drill holes in it?

She said they were storage boxes and then changed it to bin cages :confused1:


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## happysaz133 (Jun 5, 2008)

Bin cages are great for hamsters! They can be huge, and they are very secure. As long as they are longer than 58cm, then no reason why they shouldn't be kept in them 

Hamsters are adults around 4 months, so breeding them shouldn't be an issue. However I wouldn't recommend breeding them if they are pet shop hams, as she wouldn't know their history.


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## sequeena (Apr 30, 2009)

happysaz133 said:


> Bin cages are great for hamsters! They can be huge, and they are very secure. As long as they are longer than 58cm, then no reason why they shouldn't be kept in them
> 
> Hamsters are adults around 4 months, so breeding them shouldn't be an issue. However I wouldn't recommend breeding them if they are pet shop hams, as she wouldn't know their history.


Thank you 

She's not selling them on I don't think, not yet anyway though I do think she's contemplating it.

They are cute wee things but I was worried when she said she was keeping them in storage boxes


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

The rspca guidelines might help to persuade her whats right for the hamsters shes breeding.


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## sequeena (Apr 30, 2009)

thedogsmother said:


> The rspca guidelines might help to persuade her whats right for the hamsters shes breeding.


Thanks for that link but she is very erm... stubborn shall we say and no matter what anyone tells her she just completely ignores it.


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## MerlinsMum (Aug 2, 2009)

Give up sequeena *sigh*

There's only two types of people in this world who breed animals.... and that's what I've learned in over 35+ years. Which is a very long time to have dealt with all sorts of animal owners from pet keepers through show breeders to commercials, and in many species ranging from mice to cats to hamsters, rabbits, gerbils, dogs, cavies, chinchillas, ferrets - you name it.

Type 1.
Those who breed to make money.....

And....

Type 2.
Those who love their animals, are grateful for any pennies they get from breeding (if they do breed!), who put that money into making their animals' lives better, the next bag of food or fares to the next show, or better housing and NEVER see their animals as money machines.

You get some hybrids of the two sometimes..... but they never last.

I would love to see a grey area there but in over 3 decades I've not found one.


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

Unfortunately they are just guidelines and the RSPCA wont enforce hamsters being kept to this standard, so if her hamsters are have enough food and water there probably isnt anything you can do legally, just keep throwing facts at her or send her a link to the show your cages sticky on here you never know she might feel guilty and change her set ups but I doubt it, it sounds like shes made up her mind how she wants to keep them.


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## sequeena (Apr 30, 2009)

It's just very sad  most people will just think 'oh it's a hamster who cares' but why should that matter?


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