What You Need to Care for Your Hamster
Close up of a brown and rust colored Syrian hamster
Hello! I'm so glad you're here. If you're reading this, it's likely that you're interested in adopting a hamster sometime in the near future. These tiny creatures are adorable and make wonderful pets, but they do require a fair amount of care. Despite what you may have heard, hamsters are not cheap or easy starter pets!
Don't let this discourage you though. As long as you do proper research you're going to be an amazing hamster parent. As a proud owner of three gorgeous hamsters myself, I'd like to share some tips and tricks on how to take care of your furry friend and what supplies you'll need to get started. Here's a list of 7 things you'll need for your hamster right off the bat:
1. Enclosure
The first thing you'll need to purchase is a suitable enclosure for your hamster. Almost all plastic pet store cages are going to be super small and unsafe for your furry friend. At a minimum, the enclosure should be around these measurements: 39 inches long, 20 inches wide, and 20 inches tall. You'll want to make sure you steer clear of anything less than 775 square inches.
A good rule of thumb is to buy the biggest cage you can afford and to hold off on adopting if you cannot provide an appropriate-sized enclosure. There is absolutely no shame in saving up money and waiting until you're ready!
The cages that I currently use and love include the Niteangel Bigger World Terrarium in size large, the Niteangel Vista Cage in size medium, and the rectangular Pawhut Habitat! Check out the graphic below for more inspiration.
Graphic of safe and unsafe hamster enclosures.
2. Bedding
Hamsters love to burrow, so purchasing the correct type of bedding is your next essential step. You can choose from various paper-based bedding brands such as Kaytee Clean and Cozy, Carefresh, and Uber, or you can use aspen shavings- this is a good one by Niteangel. Avoid using cedar or pine shavings as they can be harmful to your hamster's delicate respiratory system.
Remember, when you fill your hamster's cage with bedding you'll want to shoot for 8-12 inches throughout the entire enclosure. Hamsters need a good amount of bedding stacked up to be able to properly create their underground tunnel system!
3. Exercise Wheel
A wheel is an absolute must for your hamster's cage. Hamsters love to run, and a wheel provides them with plenty of exercise. Make sure to purchase a solid wheel without rungs that is the appropriate size for your hamster. I personally love the Niteangel Super Silent Spinner, the Bucatstate Wheel, and the Silent Runner.
Avoid wire wheels, raised rungs, and flying saucers as they can cause some pretty serious injuries. For sizing, it's best to stick to 11-12 inches for a Syrian, 10-12 inches for a Chinese, and 8-10 inches for Dwarfs. Buying the appropriate size for your hamster will prevent their back from curving as they run.
Graphic showing wheel size recommendations and safe vs. unsafe wheel examples.
4. Sand Bath
Hamsters should never be bathed in water, this could lead to a rapid decrease in body temperature which is extremely dangerous and oftentimes deadly. Luckily, these fuzzy little guys have a natural inclination to clean themselves, so a sand bath is all you will need to help them along. Once the sandbath is filled, your hamster will dig and roll around to clean up.
You can purchase children's play sand and then bake it in the oven to disinfect it, or you can buy small pet sand that is ready to go right out of the bag.
5. Seed Mix & Water
A high-quality seed mix is another essential element of your hamster's life. I personally recommend buying a species-specific diet on Etsy such as Robin's Gourmet or ChubbyHamsterCheeks. The next best option would be combining Higgins Sunburst with Mazuri Rat and Mouse lab blocks for protein.
After you've been in the hamster community for a while, you will probably hear the argument that hamsters do not need lab blocks to be healthy as long as they have a high-quality seed mix. This is totally your call. Some people feed lab blocks with their seed mix and others don't. Do some research and make the choice that feels right to you.
Lastly, we can't forget about the water! You have two options: a water bottle or a water dish. I prefer water dishes because they are convenient and my hamsters use them with ease. There is nothing wrong with a water bottle though as long as you clean it regularly and place it at a suitable height!
Dwarf hamster sitting in his owner's hands, eating a snack.
6. Enrichment
Hamsters are intelligent and curious animals that require plenty of stimulation to stay happy and healthy, that's why enrichment is next on our list. Items such as tunnels, chew toys, hideouts, and DIY boredom breakers are essential and will provide them with hours of entertainment.
I find that having 2-3 hides, a handful of chews, a variety of logs and branches, and some different substrates for your hamster to play and explore in is the perfect combination. When shopping for your enrichment, beware of products with artificial dyes, or ones that include mineral salt licks or added sugar. Oxbow's Enriched Life options are usually a safe bet and their dyes come from natural sources!
7. Forage & Sprays
The last two things I want to touch on would be forage and sprays. Foraging is a natural behavior for hamsters and it keeps them busy! One of the best things you can do to spice up your hamster's enclosure is to scatter forage mixes and occasional dried fruits or veggies for them to find.
This will keep them mentally stimulated and they even get some exercise too. Don't be afraid to scatter feed your normal seed mix and/or lab blocks as well. Foraging keeps things interesting for our little friends!
Moving on to sprays, these are essentially just plant stems that have seeds on them. Sprays are another fun treat that your hammy can forage for. Sprays such as millet, flax, wheat, and sorghum are all safe for hamsters and can be placed all throughout the enclosure.
In the U.S., sprays can be a little challenging to find, but Niteangel has some great harvest varieties and millet can be found at almost any pet store in the bird section. I highly recommend checking out Etsy for sprays as well. There are tons of options!
Dwarf hamster checking out a bundle of sprays.
Final Thoughts
Hamsters are complex little pets who need much more than you might think to truly thrive. In this post, we discussed the importance of providing your hamster with an appropriate-sized enclosure, 10-12 inches of bedding to burrow, a safe exercise wheel, and a sand bath. We also highlighted nutritious seed mixes, water bottles vs. bowls, enrichment options, forage, and sprays!
You're ready to start preparing for your fuzzy friend now! Good luck, and don't forget to check back for more helpful tips and product recommendations in the future. The world of hamster care is always growing and evolving!
Disclosure: This blog post contains paid links, however, I only recommend products that I would use for my own fuzzy family. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases, at no additional cost to you.
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