In winter it is best to keep their cages under cover, in the house or a shed, but in the summer, they can be kept outside in a dry spot, raised off the ground, and out of sunlight. They must be fed a commercial Guinea Pig food, not a rabbit food, as they have more specialised requirements than rabbits. Gerty Guinea Pig is a complete guinea pig food, which is an excellent choice for your pet. They must be cleaned out regularly , so unless you are prepared to tend to this daily, it is best not to take them on. Russian hamsters are more friendly towards each other, so may be kept together as long as they have been brought up together.
Hamsters are quite shy creatures - sleeping mostly during the day.
To make friends with them, you should gently pick them up each day for a cuddle. Eventually they will become used to you, and enjoy coming out to play. Some hamsters, despite your best efforts will still not like handling. A Russian hamster is less likely to tame as well as other varieties. They therefore will not make good pets for smaller children, older children with more patience may be able to tame and handle them better.