Hamster — behavior (owner-practical care, Merck Veterinary Manual pet-owner)

Source: first-hand Merck Veterinary Manual pet-owner text, saved to source_file; every claim below is a C1 byte-substring of it.

In addition to a suitable cage, your hamster will need a balanced diet and regular time to play or exercise with you.
A play area can be created with old packing tubes cut into short lengths; just be sure that the tube is large enough for your hamster to move through freely.
In addition, boxes with holes cut into them make intriguing play areas for your hamster.
Sexually mature females are territorial and aggressive and frequently fight each other.
Breeding females are larger than mature males and the female hamster’s aggressiveness often means that a male hamster will be injured by a female cage mate.
Other encouragements to physical activity include providing a play area with tubes and boxes for play.
If they become accustomed to human handling early, they can be easily picked up and should not bite unless they are startled.
Hamsters should not be housed in groups because adults can become aggressive toward each other even if they are reared together.
Plan your interaction with your hamster for the hours when the hamster is most likely to be awake and active.
Evenings are usually good times for interactive play, cage cleaning, and other joint activity.
Hamsters are not normally aggressive, but they can become aggressive if they are startled or suddenly awakened, are sick, or are not handled gently.
Breeding of hamsters is best left to experienced breeders because hamsters (particularly females) can become aggressive during mating.

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Source: pdf-raw/owner-care/merck_hamster.txt · https://www.merckvetmanual.com/all-other-pets

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