How to Locate Long-Haired Fancy Hamsters

Due to their fluffy, teddy bear-like appearance, long-haired hamsters are usually in high demand among both rodent enthusiasts and the general public. Also known as angora or fancy hamsters, they are part of the Syrian hamster variety and their long coats are available in a wide assortment of colors and patterns. They can usually be found in most pet stores that sell small animals but, if not, there are other ways to track down one of these critters. In fact, some breeders specialize specifically in long-haired hamsters.

Things You'll Need

  • Internet access
  • Email account
  • Telephone
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Instructions

    • 1

      Visit pet stores in your area to determine the local availability of long-haired fancy hamsters for sale. Look at the coat of the hamster to determine if it is a long- or short-haired hamster. Long-haired hamsters appear to have a skirt of hair around their hind quarters. Pet store associates that lack sufficient knowledge regarding the animal species they sell may mislabel a hamster as being "fancy," when it is really one of the smaller, dwarf hamster varieties.

    • 2

      Contact associations dedicated to hamsters, or rodents in general, to find out where breeders may be located and when opportunities to network are scheduled. The Rodent Club, for example, is an informal group of small pet enthusiasts that gather at least once a year to attend the Rodent Fest small pet exposition. Professional breeders of specific hamster species attend this event.

    • 3

      Surf the websites of various animal shelters, classified ad organizations and pet adoption sites. Petfinder.com is one of the best sites for finding animals that are up for adoption in a specific area. The site allows you to search by animal type and ZIP code. Craigslist.com is another website that lists hamsters available for adoption by specific geographic region.