When selecting a hamster, first of all look at all the hamsters in the cage and the conditions they are kept in. They should be in good healthy condition and not be kept in overcrowded cages. The cages themselves should be clean and the hamsters should have access to food and water. The hamsters should be separated by sex with males in one cage and females in another. If buying from a pet shop and the shop staff cannot guarantee the sex of any hamster this is not a good sign and buying could mean buying a pregnant female - and problems.

The hamsters should ideally be 5-6 weeks of age - hamsters should not be sold younger than this.

Once you have found a good pet shop or breeder inspect the hamsters carefully. If one hamster appears sick the others may also be at risk of being ill so it is best to look in another cage or another shop.

Check that the hamster is bright eyed and alert when it is awake. It should be inquisitive and not too nervous. Beware of any hamster that has runny or sticky eyes, runny nose, sneezing, wet or dirty bottom, matted fur, seems lethargic or does not have a firm body. All of these things can indicate a sick hamster.

Once you have seen a healthy hamster that you like, ask if you can handle it so that you can see how tame it is. If a shop does not allow you to handle the hamster you have no opportunity to assess how suitable it is as a pet and cannot check its health properly before buying so is best avoided.