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BY CHEN JINGTING
WHEN it comes to choosing a pet for the family, very few can beat the winter-white hamster.
The Pet Lovers Centre - which has 16 outlets selling small pets - told my paper that it sells about 1,300 hamsters, mostly the winter-white breed, every month.
Other pet-shop owners said they sell up to 20 of these furry rodents a week.
The reason for their popularity despite the downturn?
They are a much cheaper alternative to other pets like dogs and are well-liked by young children and adults.
A winter white costs between $8 and $10. First-time pet owners need pay only between $90 and $100 for a hamster, a cage and accessories, and spend less than $20 a month on its food.
In comparison, a dog costs about $1,000. The price goes up to $3,000, depending on the breed. The upkeep of a dog can go beyond $100 monthly.
Undergraduate Teng Jingying, 19, has been keeping hamsters since she was 13 because they are "cute".
Currently, the Nanyang Technological University student has a winter-white hamster.
Little wonder then that the humble hamsters appear to have replaced dogs as man's best friend.
Sales of dogs have gone down - from more than 10 a month to five amonth, said pet-shop owners.
"If you don't even have enough money to eat, would you have the money to buy a dog?" said pet-shop owner Paul Tan, 36, of Puppy Island.
For more my paper stories click here.
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