Hamster Provides Checklist: 14 Should-Haves For Your Hamster

Adopting a brand new pet hamster could be overwhelming at first, with so many issues to organize and analysis earlier than bringing them house.

I hope to make this course of simpler for you by offering a whole checklist of every part your hamster will should be pleased and wholesome.

Whereas pet shops typically promote low cost “hamster starter kits” that supposedly embody every part you want, these hamster houses aren’t even remotely massive sufficient to fulfill the wants of those lively animals. Starter cages are the equal of you dwelling in a small rest room your complete life. Hamsters want and deserve far more than that.

Hold studying to seek out out which provides your hamster must thrive!

A Spacious Cage

For those who go to most pet outlets and ask for a specious hamster cage, 9 occasions out of ten, you received’t get a cage that’s appropriate as a hamster house. I discovered that pet outlets have a vastly totally different understanding of the phrase specious than I. So, earlier than working to the shop and getting your new pet a eternally house, ensure it’s sufficiently big.

Hamsters are extraordinarily lively animals with excessive ranges of vitality. Within the wild, they run as much as 6 miles per night time looking and foraging for meals, in order that they received’t be pleased in a tiny cage with no room to discover and run.

Listed below are some issues to contemplate when getting a hamster cage:

• It ought to have a minimal of 620 sq. inches to offer sufficient area and enrichment to occupy your pet (Syrian hamsters, and particularly females, are bigger and have extra vitality, so a cage even bigger than this may be greatest).
• It ought to have a deep base to carry sufficient bedding for burrowing.
• It must present sufficient air flow so it shouldn’t be utterly closed off. For those who use a big aquarium, you can purchase or make a mesh high to permit airflow.

We now have a listing of appropriate hamster cages in case you’re uncertain what sort of cage you want.

Appropriate and Secure Bedding (Substrate)

Bedding, or substrate, is the fabric that can fill the underside of the cage so your hamster can burrow in it.

A deep substrate is an important a part of your hamster’s new house. Hamsters are naturally burrowing animals that spend a lot of the day sleeping and hiding of their underground chambers. As prey animals, they really feel uncovered and weak with out an choice to cover of their burrow. Offering deep bedding will let your pet categorical their pure behaviors and really feel protected, which is important for his or her well-being.

How deep ought to the substrate be precisely? That relies on the hamster species as they differ in dimension:

• Dwarf (Djungarian, Russian, and Roborovski) and Chinese language hamsters: 10 inches of bedding or extra can be superb, the minimal being 6 inches.
• Syrian hamsters: ideally, 12 inches of bedding, however the minimal is 10 inches.

Bedding depth isn’t the one necessary factor – we even have to make sure the bedding we use is protected and might maintain burrows with out collapsing.

A few of the greatest choices for a hamster substrate are:

In Europe, aspen shavings aren’t that simple to seek out, so spruce shavings or spruce/fir combine are the go-to selection, together with paper bedding. Though spruce and fir are softwood (and softwood accommodates phenol which may trigger respiratory points in small pets), spruce is understood to have exceptionally low phenol ranges – virtually as little as hardwoods corresponding to aspen. You may examine it in additional element right here.

It’s a good suggestion to combine hay in between layers of paper bedding because it helps preserve the burrows steady and agency.

Some bedding choices are unsafe and must be prevented:

• Cedar and pine shavings (non-kiln-dried) comprise phenols that may trigger respiratory points
• A product known as “hamster wool”
• Clay-based cat litter
• Sawdust

Nesting Materials

Whereas the substrate is there to permit your pet to burrow, soak up the pee, and take away odor, nesting materials will likely be utilized by your hamster to construct their nest.

Hamsters like to create their nest by themselves, so all it’s worthwhile to do is present appropriate supplies they will use in any method they need.

A few of the nesting supplies hamsters love to make use of are:

• Smooth hay, corresponding to Orchard and Botanical
• Rest room paper sheets
• Paper napkins
• Paper towels
• 100% pure moss (no dye)

Sand Bathtub

Hamsters have fluffy coats that may simply change into soiled and matted. A sand tub will assist take away lifeless pores and skin, promote fur development, and preserve their coats clear and glossy. For those who discover that your hamster is utilizing a sand tub as a bathroom, you may add one other one which your hamster can use as a shower whereas the primary one will likely be his bathroom.

There are a number of protected choices to make use of in your pet’s sand tub:

• Chinchilla bathing sand
• Reptile sand – pure shade sand with no added minerals or calcium ( instance is Reptisand)
• Youngsters’s play sand – it must be warmth handled. If it’s not, you’ll need to sanitize it by baking it within the oven for 20 min at 350°F (180°C). It’s additionally really useful to sift it via a sifter to take away the bigger chunks that might damage your hamster’s pores and skin.

Unsafe sorts of sand:

• If it’s labeled as “mud” or “powder,” it’s too superb and might trigger respiratory an infection
• Scented sand
• Clay-based sand
• Coloured sand
• Sand with added minerals or calcium

You should utilize any shallow container for the sand, so long as it’s sufficiently big so your pet can roll round in it.

A Giant Wheel

Most wheels constructed right into a hamster cage are a lot smaller than the required minimal. Small wheels don’t permit your hamster to stretch out correctly whereas working. Their backs are bent, which can lead to again harm or ache.

A wheel ought to have a big sufficient diameter so a hamster can run with their backs straight. In case your pet’s again is curved whereas working, it means the wheel is just too small.

To ensure the wheel is massive sufficient, observe these minimal dimension necessities:

• 8″ in diameter (20 cm) for dwarf species
• 10″ in diameter (25 cm) for Chinese language hamsters
• 11’’ in diameter (28 cm) for Syrian hamsters

The wheel must be manufactured from strong materials – no steel bars or mesh, which may lure your pet’s ft and toes or trigger a foot an infection known as bumblefoot. All the time go for an upright wheel and never a flying saucer.

Observe: Hamster balls also needs to not be used as they’re harmful for a number of causes.

Hidey Home

Within the wild, hamsters dwell in complicated burrows with a number of chambers. They’ve separate chambers for toileting, sleeping, and storing meals. A multi-chamber hidey home is the best choice in your hamster because it permits them to make use of totally different rooms for various functions, similar to they’d within the wild.

In case your pet has a hidey home with just one room, this will promote unhygienic habits and trigger your pet to urinate the place they sleep and retailer meals.

A hamster home also needs to be sufficiently big to permit your pet to separate their bathroom, kitchen, and sleeping areas. Intention for a home no smaller than 30cm x 20cm (12in x 8in). You probably have a Syrian hamster, they may profit from a home even bigger than that.

A bottomless home could be simply scooped as much as clear the hamster’s bathroom or take away outdated meals. Place it on the deep bedding to permit your hamster to burrow beneath and broaden the chambers.

Meals Bowl

Whereas it’s greatest to scatter feed your hamster to make feeding time extra enjoyable and fascinating, a meals bowl can have its place within the hamster cage. If you wish to give your hamster a bit of recent meals however don’t need to scatter it on the bedding, so it doesn’t mould if it will get misplaced, you should use a small meals dish.

Water Bottle or Bowl

Whereas you should use both a water bottle or a bowl, I desire a small bowl as it’s a extra pure method for hamsters to drink. A bottle requires your hamster to tilt their head and drink in an typically uncomfortable place, whereas a bowl permits them to drink as they’d within the wild.

Water bowls are additionally a lot simpler to wash. Merely rinse it on daily basis and exchange the water. A bottle have to be completely washed each few days with a bottle brush.

A bowl must be small and shallow so your hamster can’t go inside or drown in it. A small tealight holder is an efficient choice.

Wholesome Meals

A hamster weight loss program could be fairly complicated to determine once you’re simply beginning (I nonetheless get overwhelmed even after researching about it for thus lengthy!). The factor with hamsters is that there isn’t only one hamster – there are a number of totally different species we preserve as pets, and every one comes with totally different dietary necessities. So as an alternative of feeding your pet a “hamster, giraffe & *insert animal*” meals from the pet retailer, hamsters do greatest when fed a species-specific weight loss program.

There are two important methods to feed your hamsters:

• Meals mixes
• Pellets or lab blocks

Whereas pellets are made to stop selective feeding, they’re an extraordinarily boring strategy to feed your pet. To hamsters in captivity, foraging for meals and experiencing totally different tastes is what retains them pleased, occupied, and mentally stimulated. In the event that they needed to eat the identical factor day after day, served in a bowl, there can be nothing else to do in a day. Your hamster would quickly get bored and careworn. That’s why meals mixes are the primary selection for hamster house owners.

Meals Mixes

What sort of meals combine is nice in your pet? That relies on your hamster’s species. Sadly, pet shops don’t often promote species-specific mixes, so that you’ll need to dig a bit extra to discover a good product.

I prefer to confer with The Hamingway foodmix app to see which meals mixes are high-quality.

Some good sources that promote species-specific hamster meals are:

• Robin’s Connoisseur Meals (USA & Canada):
  • Their fortified weight loss program accommodates pellets to make sure a steady supply of micronutrients and can be utilized as a whole weight loss program (you simply want so as to add recent vegs).
  • Their pellet-free meals could be combined with one other fortified industrial meals combine or pellets to make sure your pet will get the micronutrients they want.
  • Their fundamental meals combine doesn’t comprise animal protein or pellets, so it must be supplemented with bugs and high-quality industrial meals combine or pellets.
• RodiPet (Europe)
• Getzoo (Europe)
• Mixerama (Europe)
• FutterParadies (Europe)
• Futterkraemerei (Europe)

Remember that a few of these meals mixes aren’t a whole weight loss program as a result of they don’t comprise animal protein which must be given additional.

Animal Protein

Hamsters are omnivores, in order that they want animal protein to get all of the vitamins their physique requires. Essentially the most pure method for them to get animal protein is within the type of bugs corresponding to mealworms, crickets, and grasshoppers which they’d eat within the wild. For those who run out of these, you can provide your pet some cooked hen (unseasoned) or eggs, however this shouldn’t be the principle supply of animal protein in your pet – they want bugs.

Contemporary Meals: Greens, Crops

Along with the meals combine and animal protein, your pet also needs to get small bits of greens and vegetation a couple of times every week. Right here’s a listing of greens which might be protected for hamsters.

Syrian hamsters can have a small piece of fruit right here and there, however dwarf species are higher off with out it as they’re extremely liable to diabetes. Dwarf’s pure weight loss program doesn’t embody fruits, and their our bodies haven’t developed a capability to tolerate sugary meals. This additionally goes for sugary greens corresponding to carrots.

Key Parts of a Wholesome Hamster Food regimen

To sum all of it up, a nutritious diet in your hamster contains the next:

• a high-quality species-specific meals combine
• recent meals, together with greens and herbs 1-2 occasions every week
• animal protein (if it’s not already included within the meals combine)
• optionally available: high-quality pellets to make use of collectively along with your meals combine

You may add high-quality pellets to your hamster’s weight loss program (for instance, combine it 50:50 with a meals combine) in case you’re not assured within the meals combine you’re utilizing and need to guarantee your pet isn’t lacking something nutritionally. Science Selective Hamster Meals is an efficient selection with appropriate protein, fats, and fiber percentages whereas not containing synthetic colours or added sugar.

For those who don’t have entry to a species-specific hamster meals combine in your space, many individuals use Higgins Sunburst Connoisseur Mix together with high-quality pellet meals. Higgins Sunburst Connoisseur Mix is understood for its nice selection, containing 19 totally different components. Nevertheless, the protein ranges are on the decrease finish, so this combine must be supplemented with extra protein sources.

Chew Toys

Like all rodents, hamsters have enamel that by no means cease rising. So that they want one thing to chew on to assist them put on down the enamel and stop overgrowth.

Some good chewable choices are:

• Picket chew sticks
• Untreated picket blocks
• Whimzees (since these are edible, they need to solely be given often)
• Dandelion and nettle roots
• Willow balls
• Nuts corresponding to walnuts and hazelnuts
• Rest room paper roll
• Hamster-safe tree branches and twigs
• Cardboard

Cage Equipment and Enrichment

Hamsters want enjoyable and enriching cage equipment to maintain them occupied and mentally stimulated. Other than a wheel, many different objects make an incredible addition to the cage and are beloved by hamsters.

Offering varied textures to stroll on and work together with makes a wonderful stimulation in your pet. Along with deep bedding and a sand tub, you may add extra digging areas that comprise protected bedding, corresponding to coconut fiber, hemp, granule paper bedding, or wooden shavings. This space doesn’t need to be deep as you have already got your important substrate for burrowing – and the beddings utilized in digging areas are often not good at holding burrows.

Some enrichment objects for the cage are:

• Cork logs
• Hideouts
• Picket bridges
• Picket ladders
• Tunnels
• Platforms
• Hamster-safe herbs, flowers, and vegetation
• A rock to put on down hamster’s nails – you may both purchase a rock or use one from outdoors (in that case, give it scrub with scorching water and cleaning soap)

Playpen

Some hamsters can’t wait to spend time outdoors of the cage, whereas others don’t notably prefer it and like enjoyable of their cage the place they really feel protected. Nonetheless, hamsters must be allowed to spend a while outdoors their cage to train in a bigger space.

Begin slowly when introducing your hamster to an out-of-cage area in order that they don’t get overwhelmed. Your hamster will most likely begin having fun with it after they kind a bond with you and get to know the environment.

When your hamster is out of the cage, supervise them always and preserve all different pets away. You don’t essentially want to make use of a playpen for out-of-cage time. You may let your hamster run free in a small hamster-proofed room or a fenced-off space.

Add hideouts to the play space so your pet can disguise in the event that they really feel scared, and provides them one thing to do by offering toys and scattering meals or treats.

A Service or Small Cage for Journey

In the end, you’ll want to move your pet to a vet, a pet sitter’s home, or elsewhere, so it’s necessary to have a journey cage prepared for these conditions. A easy service will do exactly superb, or use a “starter cage” – these cages are far too small for housing a hamster however can be utilized as a journey cage.

Unique Vet & Emergency Financial savings

Hamsters want an unique vet, and it may be laborious to seek out one who treats hamsters. That’s why it’s necessary to name round and discover a vet in your pet even earlier than you undertake them. You by no means understand how quickly they may want vet remedy.

A vet fund in your pet will make all of the distinction, because the remedy could be surprisingly costly. By saving up prematurely, you’ll have the ability to afford a vet when needed, irrespective of the prices.

Closing Ideas on Hamster Provides

This wraps up our checklist of important hamster provides. Hopefully, this has given you an thought of every part it’s worthwhile to preserve your hamster pleased and wholesome.

As you may need seen, getting a pet hamster isn’t low cost if you wish to look after them correctly! All these bills simply add up, so earlier than committing to a brand new pet, ensure you can afford all the mandatory provides and vet remedy.

The nice factor is that after the preliminary buy of all hamster provides, you solely want to purchase meals, toys, and bedding which isn’t that costly since hamsters don’t eat rather a lot, and their bedding doesn’t should be modified fairly often.

Is there the rest you’d add to our hamster provides checklist?

Tell us within the feedback!