When you first bring your hamster home, he may be a little nervous, perhaps even distressed. The way you handle him from the start can make a big difference in the way he reacts to his new home. Also pay attention to his reaction to certain surroundings and actions. My children have cared for numerous hamsters, some that came from delicate situations. Help soothe your hamster's transition into a new home by using some of the methods we had success with in multiple cases.

Give the hamster time to get used to you. When you first bring your hamster home, you may immediately want to interact. But keep in mind that may be the exact opposite of what your hamster has in mind. It doesn't mean he hates you. He just needs time to adjust. Soothe him by granting that adjustment. Wait a few days before handling the hamster.

Approach your hamster slowly to ease his fears. Start out with a gloved hand at first. Place your hand into the cage and leave it there a few minutes at a time each day. Eventually the hamster will come up to you and may even start sitting in your hand on purpose. Never feed your hamster food from your hand, unless your goal is to create a biting habit. After a while, once your hamster used to you, the glove probably won't be needed.

Provide a hideaway. Your hamster needs to have one or more places to hide inside his cage. Being hidden can be soothing, especially during a transition. One of our hamsters enjoys his edible log for this purpose. The other likes a small wooden house, as well as his enclosed hamster wheel. No matter what you choose, be sure it is safe for hamsters. It also should be something the hamster can fully fit inside when he needs to retreat. This helps calm the hamster down when he is nervous or scared.

Keep familiar items in your hamster's cage. If you are just switching your hamster to a new cage within the same home, transfer some of his favorite items into the new cage. We recently switched cages for one of our hamsters and he felt soothed by his favorite log and food dish. Though we switched out some items, we kept those two things to ease his transition. He was very happy in the new cage and is adjusting well. At first he would sniff the new items and test them out. Then, he would retreat to his log for a little while. That helped him feel secure. If you are just bringing your hamster home for the first time, you may not be able to use items from the previous habitat. Purchasing similar items is the second best option.

*The author is not a licensed veterinarian. Always ask your veterinarian for the best advice specific to your hamster.

**I originally published a version of this via Yahoo Contributor Network

Hamsters are already considered one of the most green pets to have. But that doesn't mean you can't take it a step further and be even more green with your hamster's care. Our family is always looking for more ways to be green and save money. As such, we've figured out many ways to be green in the care of our fur babies (aka family pets). Our hamsters are spoiled, but in the greenest ways we know.

Use recycled or recyclable bedding.

This can be bought in the store or made at home. If you use a paper shredder at home, don't throw the paper in the trash. Put it in your hamster's cage as bedding instead. They'll enjoy playing in it and it will reduce waste, as well as save you money on store-bought bedding. If you do go store-bought, most hamster bedding will be green to a certain extent, but if it can be recycled or has been made from recycled materials, it's even better.

Edible hideaways offer shelter and reduce waste.

Hamsters love to sleep and hide in various shelters. Dual purpose shelters made for eating or chewing are greener than those made from plastic. Once the plastic ones wear out or are no longer used, into the landfill they go. But if you purchase chewable or edible hideaways, your hamster will most likely devour much or all of the material before it goes to the waste bin. Because it's edible, what's left is most likely biodegradable, unlike plastic.

Use chew toys that double as treats.

Your hamster needs something to chew on in order to keep his teeth healthy. Chew toys like alfalfa sticks and small twigs are great for this because they double as a treat. That way, there is little to none left to throw away when they finish with it. You may have to experiment with a few different edible chew toys to see what your hamster likes best.

Keep a small catch dish under your hamster's water bottle.

Even properly installed water bottles will drip from time to time, especially during or right after use. Keeping a small dish underneath prevents the bedding from getting wet. This reduces the frequency of cage cleanings, thereby reducing the amount of bedding being used. Also be sure the bottle is properly secured and working correctly. A leaky water bottle not only wastes water, but causes too much dampness in your hamster's cage. This can lead to mold if not changed often enough and a high waste of bedding if changed accordingly.

Make homemade treats.

Not only will your hamster enjoy fresh treats, but you'll reduce plastic and transportation waste that comes from store-bought treats. Just be sure to get approval from your hamster's vet to make sure the homemade treats are safe. Here's a recipe on homemade vegetable bread snacks for hamsters.

*I originally published a version of this via Yahoo Contributor Network

If you care for both a guinea pig and hamster, you may wonder if they would make good friends to each other. Hamsters and guinea pigs might seem similar in some aspects. But should you house guinea pigs and hamsters together in the same cage? While it might at first seem a bright idea to some, here's why this long-time animal nurturer and pet parent says "absolutely not!"

Dietary needs differ significantly. While there may be some similarities since both animals are in the rodent family, what they need to much on all day is not exactly the same. Some selections, such as carrots, are the same. But others are very different. Also, the makeup of hamster food differs from that of guinea pig food. If both foods are available in the cage, there is no telling which each animal will pick. This could cause nutritional deficiencies, as well as overdoses or exposure to harmful food for either animal. Neither should eat the other's food. But they likely will, if available.

Territorial habits may cause difficulties. Both animals like to claim their space and do what they please with it. Many hamster breeds are extremely territorial. Most cannot even be housed with other hamsters due to this issue. Just imagine what they will think and do when something big (and possibly scary) moves into their house. It's not going to be very nice. Your hamster might simply hiss at the guinea pig and hide. The guinea pig may let out some squeaks of warning. On the other hand, either could react badly as well. Both animals like to kick and bite when they get upset, especially over their territories. While some may get along as playmates, it's not very common and they should never be left alone (and most likely, not even supervised) in the same confines.

Unfair match-up plays a role. Remember that guinea pigs are much larger than hamsters. Even though guinea pigs are more docile, the do still have sharp teeth. Neither of these animals is carnivorous. However, if your guinea pig is bitten by the hamster or otherwise threatened, there is no competition. A guinea pig's size immediately gives him the advantage. Housing hamsters and guinea pigs together is a very unfair mix. Take a look at your hamster's teeth. Yes, they are sharp. But also glance at your guinea pig's teeth. There should be no question at all who would win in a showdown.

Different cage needs can pose a problem. The bar spacing of hamster and guinea pig cages are not equal. Guinea pig cages have much wider spacing, from which hamsters can easily escape. They love climbing. Because of that, someone might opt to put both animals in a hamster cage instead. Think again. Hamster cages are not large enough for guinea pigs at all. On top of that, they are not built for guinea pigs, who may escape. What about a large aquarium? Even if you house these animals together in an aquarium or other cage that can contain both, there are still all of the other factors mentioned.

Varying behavioral instincts can spell trouble. Many hamsters are nocturnal creatures. This means they are active mostly at night and will be sleeping much of the day. Guinea pigs, on the other hand, are diurnal. This means that when your guinea pig is running around squeaking up a storm, it will interfere with your hamster's sleeping time. The same goes in reverse. It's doubtful the guinea pig will appreciate a hamster rooting around his area when he's trying to sleep. Also, each animal likes to keep special areas for everything in their cages. If these areas conflict (for instance, the hamster tries to store food where the guinea pig wants to sleep), that could create a serious problem.

*I originally published a version of this via Yahoo Contributor Network

You're holding your guinea pig, who squeezes closer to you and it sounds like he is purring. But only cats purr, right? Do guinea pigs purr? Yes, they most certainly do emit a purring sound. But is it really a purr and what does it mean? Is your guinea pig happy, sad, angry, or otherwise when he makes this noise? I had guinea pigs as a child and so have my own kids.

Do guinea pigs purr? Yes. Guinea pigs do in fact purr. They may do it when you are holding them. They might also do it when eating carrots or their favorite treat. The purring could be directed at an object, another guinea pig, or even you. One child's science fair project actually proved an expert wrong regarding the guinea pig purr. The expert believed that only cats have a 'true' purr, which is not true in our experience. All of our guinea pigs have always made the purring sound.

What does it mean when my guinea pig purrs? This can actually mean several things. The most common meaning of a guinea pig purr is happiness. But that is not always the case. It can also indicate fear, fright, and more. Deciphering each purr requires being attentive to your pet, as well as listening to the length and pitch of the purr.

Which guinea pig purrs are a good sign? If your guinea pig's purr sounds long and deep, he is likely very content and comfortable. Our guinea pig usually does this when someone holds him close and talks to him. Happy purrs are not always long. But they are generally accompanied by overall calmness, such as posture and attitude. Pay attention to what else your guinea pig is doing while he purrs like this.

Which purrs should I worry about? Short and possibly higher-pitched purring noises could be a sign of pain or fright. These are not good. Higher voice pitches while purring can be an indicator of being annoyed. If your guinea pig is doing this toward you, leave him alone for a while. If it's toward another guinea pig, separate them until they've both had time to settle down. Guinea pigs like attention from each other and even from you. But sometimes they also need to be alone.

How can I make my guinea pig purr? The best way to entice purrs from your guinea pig is to keep him happy. Stroke his ears. Pet his back softly. Talk gently to him often and hold him close. Give him treats as recommended. But most of all, just show him you love him and he will do the same in return, which may result in purring.

*I originally published a version of this via Yahoo Contributor Network