Customer Reviews

Training Your Pet Hamster

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a pretty standard hamster care book. The writing style often gets a bit insipid, but the information is gotten out.

For beginners, they'll get basic information.

The title is misleading as hamster training isn't the focus of the book. There is a little on the idea of clicker training and conditioned response, but this part is very thin.

In fact the book goes more in depth on the author's personal preferences for cages. They laud Crittertrail and SAM set-ups glossing over the cons of using these types (like these are easy for a Hamster to escape from), while presenting very minor disadvantages as major ones in other set-ups like 10 gallon aquariums (like cleaning it)or wire cages (can't use tubes). I'm afraid that having to take a bit of effort to hose a cage down, or providing alternative tunnelling toys are nothing compared to ESCAPING!

They do not mention how much cage room a hamster actually needs. If they had this would discount their favorite cages.

Still, that would only make this a 4-star book and I gave it 3.

This is because when going over the information for choosing a hamster, they don't have their priorities straight. When talking about going to a breeder they list that breeders have breeds and coat colors not available at pet shops as the first reason. Then almost as an afterthought tag on a sentence that the hamsters would be hand tamed and used to humans.

As someone who appreciates an animal for themselves this kind of attitude is extremely elitist and snobby. As if an animal's worth is only in its looks and the joy in having it is to show off that rare color or breed.

In addition, much of what is said is taken off verbatim from various Internet sites. Based on the copyright dates of the book and update information on the websites I know it's not the other way around.

Despite this, this would be a pretty basic book to get if you are thinking of owning a hamster. However, I would recommend the Hamtaro Hamster Care Guide instead.

This is a good comprehensive guide for the beginning hamster owner. It has no information on breeding and its writing will be beyond the abilities of small children (the ASPCA guides published in conjuction with DK books are better for children). The book focuses on your interaction with your hamster albeit it does also provide all the usual information in selecting and housing the little fellows. I gave it four stars since it's not an all-encompassing tome on hamsters and it's a little weak in the area of dwarf hamsters. As a pet-owners guidebook for Syrian hamsters, it's pretty much all that you'll need. The chapters are: 1.Pre-Pet Preparations, 2. Hamster-Hunting Homework, 3. Teach you hamster to welcome your touch, 4. Knock, knock, who's there? 5. Can hamsters be trained not to gnaw? 6. Potty training, 7. Make the cage a hamster heaven, 8. Out to the playground for recess? 9. Practice sessions in the play place, 10. Leash walking, 11. Roll-around balls, 12. Fun time, 13. The traveling hamster, 14. Handy hints, 15. Making the grade.

This book is great,in it is easy steps for taking care of your new pet. I've already taken advantage of the Run, run, run away section. It helped find my little "escape artist" without a lot of drama!!

I would have given the book a lower rating but it was only bad because it was so bland. The author assumes that the reader is a seven-year-old and about 20% of the book is baby-talk. It doesn't go into much detail about training. In fact, "The Hamster Handbook" by Patricia Bartlett (also sold at amazon) goes into as much detail about training a hamster. This book doesn't include much other information about hamsters other than obvious things and is mostly vague. I don't recommend this book, but highly recommend "the Hamster Handbook."

I keep getting nagged for a review, so here's what I got for ya. Bought my kids a hamster then went in search for a book for them. Found this book and got a great deal on it. My kids 8 & 11 yrs old really like it. So, I'm gonna take their word for it.

Even if your not training your hamster this book is full of information both for the older child and adult..its well written and full of info we need to no about hamsters...not that cute empty book that gives nothing to the animal in care...this is a must have...for the true serious hamster owner and caregiver...B.W.

my daughter read everything she could get her hands on about hamsters. this book actually gave her some new ideas that other books didn't cover. no, you can't train your hamster to fetch or roll over, but thru consistancey and handling, they are somewhat "trainable".

Excellent product , found it very useful and easy to read and understand , my daughter used it with ease.

This book is written mostly for young teenagers and will be great at interesting them in something not electronic!

No offense to Nintendo or Microsoft, but there really is life beyond the cursor!

I am one of very few in Egypt who bothers owning pets - I have a hamster, an African Grey Parrot (see my reviews on Keeping African Grey Parrots, and of The African Grey Parrot Handbook), plus two lovebirds, two cockatiels, two dogs, one cat and four tortoises. I thus have found Amazon a great source for pet keeping books.

Another good book for hamster enthusiasts is HAMSTERS, A COMPLETE PET OWNER'S MANUAL. I have, though, chosen TRAINING YOUR PET HAMSTER as the must-have. Buy it before you get or give the pet hamster!

Thanks for the great little book with tips for training your hamster. It was fun to read and informative. We built a hamster playground shortly after reading it.