No issues at all with this book, compared to the last one! It has all the same basic info- how to pick a healthy hamster, what to feed it, keeping the cage clean, safe and proper handling, when to call a vet, etc. Very much about encouraging kids to be responsible pet owners. There’s far less on the breeding aspect- with admonitions to be sure you would only breed hamsters for a good reason, and to have homes lined up for the young beforehand. Way more in this book is about simply having fun with a pet hamster, joining hamster clubs or organizations that have hamster shows. It’s written in a very friendly, easy-to-read style and I had my doubts about the other book confirmed. Well, the two agree on foods: dog biscuits, occasional milk and cooked meat is okay. This book only mentions that it’s possible to build your own cage, but there’s no instructions for that and it recommends buying something prefabricated, and why. Open water dishes are discouraged (baths in them are a no), and yes the hamster should be held on the palm of one hand, with the other gently securing it, not grasped from above. There’s no mention of how hamsters have been used in research at all, but there are a few pages about wild hamsters, how some first became pets, and the different species that are now kept. I liked this little book and yes I hope my kid actually reads it.
Rating: 3/5
120 pages, 2004
