Puzzle
‘Hamsters are happiest in their natural environment. They are little predators who are not used to being picked up and cuddled, and do not have an automatic need for that. The most important thing is for the hamster to have a habitat that meets its natural needs: running, hiding, foraging and digging. So if the hamster has a treadmill, somewhere to dig, somewhere to hide and good feed, it won’t lack for anything. But if you would like to do a bit more for it, give it a challenging puzzle or a climbing frame. Then it will entertain itself perfectly well.’
Bonne Beerder, teacher of Behavioural Ecology
Information
‘Start by looking up what a hamster needs in terms of habitat, care and company. If you find that the pet isn’t getting what it needs, bring the information you found to your housemate. If you can show him with detailed information what his pet is missing, you can then say that you would like to help him with the task of looking after it.’
Jesse Allaart, BSc student of Molecular Life Science
Feelings
‘Ask your housemate why he does not pay that much attention to his pet anymore, and whether he still wants to take care of it. You could say: “I see you are busy these days, but pets have feelings too and should be taken care of. Are you still willing to do that?” In Thailand there are foundations that will find a new owner for a pet. Perhaps there’s an organization in the Netherlands that can help your housemate’s hamster.’
Chaya Chutinara, MSc student of Food Technology
Accept
‘It’s sweet that you’ll want to help your housemate take care of his hamster. But if he doesn’t want any help, you’d better leave it at that. Luckily, hamsters are nocturnal animals and they only need a little bit of attention.’
Sophieke Lems, MSc student of Biotechnology
Do not disturb
‘It depends what you mean by “hardly pays any attention”. Does the hamster not get food and clean water at the right time, or is it living in a dirty or tiny cage without a big, closed treadmill? In that case your housemate is not meeting the animal’s needs. But if all that is in order and it’s just that the hamster is no longer regularly picked up or stroked, then the hamster is lucky to have an owner who works during the day. A hamster is a nocturnal animal, and a territorial loner who likes to cover a few kilometres at night. You shouldn’t disturb it during the day.’
Hans Hopster, Animal Welfare researcher
Next WURry: Corona concerns
If you have advice or tips for this WURrier, or if you need some help yourself, email your tips or question (max. 100 words) by 22 February to resource@wur.nl with subject ‘noWURries’.