Hi there, I’m Katherine from LasPiñas city. So, the start of my hammy journey was last July 10, 2019, when my family and I went to festival mall and noticed this little tiny creature ‘roborovski.’ I took a picture and told my boyfriend that I want a hamster on my birthday since I’m once an owner of a syrian hamster when I was an little child. Anyway fast forward, I met someone who is selling a same gendered female roborovski hamster and we bought them. I started using 24L blue bin with a division in between. I started researching on google and youtube on how to tame them, what’s the proper enclosure for them. I watched some videos from TheHamsterGuy and found out a group that you can join to learn more about proper hamster keeping. I have checked their “caresheet” and find it interesting, that is why I’ve decided to join the group. Because of the group, I have decided to upgrade my cage to a bigger one which is a 58L Bincage for my roborovski hamsters.
During my entire time I’ve been saving up my school allowance to buy my hammy needs to spoil them sometimes, I always watched youtube everything that I should know about keeping a hamster. After a few months, when everything is okay, I adopted my first syrian hamster from Hamdoption PH (see picture below #2 chiro) Applying everything I’ve learned from PHK, you can see that there is a big improvement in my way of keeping a hamster.
One of my dream before is to own all of the hamster species. Guess what, I’ve successfully own all of the hamster species. (Roborovski, Syrian, Winterwhite, Campbell and Chinese hamsters) All of my hamster are properly taken care off using the things I’ve learned from the group. (see pictures below #3 set ups and the hammies)
All my current hamsters are properly taken care of applying the things I learned from the group. I also experienced owning all hamster species from Syrian hamster, Winterwhite hamster, Roborovski Hamster, Campbell Hamster and Chinese hamster and realized that hamster keeping is not about having many hamsters or different type of species but providing for their needs and prepareing an emergency budget if ever something might happen to them.
Today, I am still learning from the community and I’m thankful from what I’ve become today! Thank you so much, Philippine Hamster Keepers for guiding those newbie who needs help and willing to learn for their hamsters and for helping them to improve and lastly, thank you for inspiring us. Here’s my current set up for my hammies, I’m still slowly upgrading them all in baby foot steps ( #4 Current Set ups and the hammies)
My advice to those who are planning to own a hamster, make sure that you are prepared emotionally, spiritually, physically and financially. Hamsters are commitments too even though they live 1.5-2 years life span. They deserve to be love and take care of. Even they’re small it doesn’t mean that they need to be caged on small bin. You can start with small cage but make sure that you’ll upgrade and improve your keeping! Money matters but that doesn’t mean that you can’t have hamsters. You can slowly improve your care and just be open to suggestion and be inspired by others who are in the community. Remember, owning a life of a small creature is a commitment, Happy keeping!
Last year, it was truly a hard time for all of us during the pandemic. Even though we were not able to meet through our yearly gathering, we were able to meet online and have simple activities through online celebration. This made us realize that despite the happenings, we can still do something to help other keepers enjoy this hobby.
A successful online event through zoom. It was tiring but it is worth it. Seeing our friends in our community during the time of pandemic is truly something na we will always remember. Hoping for more Anniversary events to come! Total attendees: 102
Hello guys! My name is BG aka theHamsterGuy and I have been keeping hamsters for almost 4 years now. Nagstart ako mag-alaga ng hamster way back September of 2016. Noong time na yun, nagpasama sa akin ung classmate ko sa cartimar para bumili ng dog food. Since sasamahan ko siya, nag-offer siya na bibilhan daw niya ako ng hamster sa cartimar. So nung nagpunta kami, binilhan niya ako ng pair na Syrian hamsters, syempre ako na gumastos ng cage ko. Ang pinili kong cage is ung barcage na kulay violet na may wheel na 11cm. (mali ko din na kumuha ako agad ng hamster na di nagreresearch) So pag-uwe ko ng bahay, nag research na ako about sa hamsters and hindi pa naging clear sakin kung anung species ng hamster ung nabili ko. May mga nabasa na ako that time na solitary daw ang syrian hamsters pero di ko tukoy kung syrians ba talga sila kasi ang liliit pa nila. Hanggang sa sumali ako sa mga local groups and sinabi nila na syrian ung alaga ko kaya hiniwalay ko na sila agad. Inilipat ko ung isang male sa 12L bincage dahil un ang inadvice sa akin ng mga kasama ko sa group. Since then nag research ako ng nagresearch locally. Sa state ko na un, feeling ko ok na ung ginagawa kasi lahat naman ng kasama ko same lang ginagawa. Naging interested din ako magbreed before. Na-alala ko na gusto ko dumami ung syrians ko kaya binreed ko sila. Nagpaturo ako sa ibang tao pano magbreed at nanganak ung hamsters ko hanggang sa lumaki sila and pinapamigay ko. May isang time na nagka event ung group sa Starmall sa Mandaluyong and napabili din ako ng campbell dwarf hamster na pair and binreed ko sila. Yun ung time na every 2 weeks nanganganak ung hamster ko mga tatlong beses na in 2 months, and pinamimigay ko lang sila. Hindi ko pa alam that time na di pala ganun basta basta nag brebreed, madami pala dapat iconsider bago magbreed. Until na nakapanood ako ng mga videos online kay Victoria Rachael about sa mga tamang pag-aalaga ng hamster. Yung mga requirements nila sa cage and wheels. Then sumali ako sa isang international group and dun ko na realize na all these time, mali pala ung ginagawa ko sa pag-aalaga ko. Kaya since then naging goal ko na is ung mga international standards sa pagkekeep. Alam ko na mahirap talga ma-atain ung standard nila pero dinahan-dahan ko talaga. Dumating yung time na habang nasa loob ako ng ibang group, pinropromote ko ung mga nakikita ko sa ibang bansa sa tamang way ng pag kekeep ng hamster. Madami ang hindi sumangayon sa akin dahil hindi daw applicable yung mga paraan ng ibang bansa dito sa atin. Also madaming research akong nabas na may scientific studies pero hindi padin daw ito applicable dahil mas lamang daw ang experience nila compared sa research ng scientists. Pinag patuloy ko lang ung pagpropromote ng proper keeping hanggang sa hindi na natuwa ung mga ibang group sa akin. Inalis nila ako sa groups nila dahil daw mayabang ako and nagmamagaling. That time na realize ko na hindi ma-aacept itong ginagawa ko ng mga established groups dito sa Philippines, kaya mas nagfocus ako sa isang group na ginawa akong admin, Mandaluyong Hamster Keepers. Ang goal lang ng MHK is ipromote ang proper hamster care around Mandaluyong area. Nang dahil sa group na ito, nakita ko na may fighting chance na ma promote ang proper keeping sa Pinas, pero hindi naging madali ang buhay namin. Para kaming nagswiswimming against the tides. Maraming naninira and madaming tumitira sa amin. Hindi ko na lang pinansin yun and nag focus na lang ako sa pagproprovide ng maayos na info. Naaalala ko may isang beses na may nakausap na akong matagal na sa hamster industry and sinabi ko sa kanya na dapat ma promote ung proper keeping sa Pinas. Ang sagot niya sa akin, “Hindi mo na mababago ung industry na ito, para itong isang malaking puno na matibay na, hindi mo ito matitibag.” Ang sagot ko naman ay “Kaya nga po ako gumawa ng panibagong puno na maayos sinimulan.” Nung lumaki na yung group, nagdecide ako na gumawa ng new group, ang Philippine Hamster Keepers. Same year ko din ginawa ang theHamsterGuy and mga youtube videos ko. Madami na din kaming mga naging audience and nahikayat na mag promote ng proper keeping dahil sa mga napapakita namin. Narealize ko na hindi na pala dapat magfocus baguhin ung mga nag-aalaga na may nakasanayan na, but rather mag focus sa mga newbies na ang hangad is mabigyan ng maayos na buhay ang hamsters nila. Kaya ok lang sakin na magspend ng oras kakasagot sa bawat katanungan ng mga newbies dahil nang galing din ako doon, naranasan ko ding maging isang newbie.
Isang realization ko nung nagsimula ako, walang PHK pa noon na kung saan maaring matulungan na agad ako sa proper care ng hamster. Madami akong naging mali sa pagkeekeep pero minamake sure ko na tinatama ko ito along the way. Hindi ko goal na maging perfect ang pag-aalaga ko kasi wala namang perpekto, pero pwede natin istrive na maging perfect para sa mga alaga natin. May this be an inspiration na mas-iimprove natin ung pag-aalaga natin. Hanggang ngayon, madami padin akong natututunan sa mga behaviors ng mga hamsters natin and madami pading mga bagong research tayong matututunan about sa kanila. Wag natin iclose ung utak natin sa mga bagay na pwedeng magpaayos sa kanilang buhay.
My Hamsters and Routine.
Here are my existing hamsters as of now.
Since I work every weekdays, umuuwi ako ng 7pm and un lang ung nagiging time ko sa kanila (and also weekends). Sinet upan ko sila ng cage na kung saan madami silang magagawa dahil alam kong hindi ako magkakaroon ng time araw araw para laruin sila. Minsan naman, nilalaro ko sila, lalo na pag may new hamster ako na hindi tame, mas nagspespend ako ng time para itame sila. So pag-uwe ng bahay, checheck ko sila isa isa kung buhay pa. Check water bottle and food dish kung may laman pa. Then gagawin ko ung mga errands na need kong gawin. Then bago umalis, check ulit ng mga waterbottles kung may laman pang water.
Dahil malalaki ang cage ko, I usually do cleaning every 4-6 months. Then every other week ako nag spo-spot clean then linis ung mga wheels na may wiwi, then change ng sand and mga liter pellets.
And also, since nagpapatakbo ako ng adoption center, I also need to check ung mga lagay ng hamsters na for adoption. Minamake sure ko na maayos din silang naaalgaan kahit na temporary lang sila sa akin.
Hamdoption PH Mandaluyong Center
I mostly spend my time answering mga questions ng mga newbies and gumagawa ako ng mga way na para mas mabigay ung information sa proper keeping sa ibang tao like paggawa ng videos sa theHamsterGuy, paggawa ng mga caresheet and many other more. Nag-iisip din ako ng mga activities na pwedeng gawin ng group like mga events and all. Also, since isa akong designer, I usually make bincages if may mga order sa akin. So ganun lang ang life ko. I hope you guys find it interesting. 😀
Thank you so much, Philippine Hamster Keepers for guiding those newbie who needs help and willing to learn for their hamsters and for helping them to improve and lastly, thank you for inspiring us. 
Here’s my current set up for my hammies, I’m still slowly upgrading them all in baby foot steps ( #4 Current Set ups and the hammies)
Money matters but that doesn’t mean that you can’t have hamsters. You can slowly improve your care and just be open to suggestion and be inspired by others who are in the community. Remember, owning a life of a small creature is a commitment, Happy keeping! 
Philippine Hamster Keepers 
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