Hamsters are actually much harder to care for than most people think. Before you adopt a hamster you need a cage. Almost all the hamster cages at your local pet store have unsuitable cages. They are way too tiny and are not good for your hamster’s wellbeing. There are plenty of other cages that are suitable for hamsters. You will have the most luck buying an enclosure meant for larger animals such as bunnies, ferrets, rats, etc. The bare minimum sized cage for a hamster is 450 sq. inches of floorspace in America. Although, it’s highly recommended to purchase a cage at around 800 sq inches of floorspace or larger. Hamsters are not meant to be in the tiny cages that pet stores sell. Most pet stores sell cages at only around 200 sq inches of floor space. These cages are very unsuitable for hamsters and studies show that hamsters get stressed out and bored in tiny spaces like this. Some signs that your hamster is stressed out because of the cage include bar chewing, monkey bar climbing, chewing on the cage, and pacing around the cage.
After you buy a cage you will need bedding. Hamsters are natural burrowers and are meant to have at least 6 inches of bedding. In the wild, hamsters have multiple chambers underneath the ground. Providing your hamster with bedding enriches their life. It’s also important to make sure that the bedding is unscented. Hamsters are sensitive to scents and dust. Scented bedding can cause respiratory infections which will cause pain to your hamster. Some recommended bedding include Kaytee clean and cozy unscented bedding, care fresh unscented bedding, and aspen. These beddings are dust-free and are healthy for your hamster. Some bedding that you will want to stay away from include any scented bedding, any bedding that feels dusty, pine bedding, and cedar bedding. These beddings can cause irritation and health problems to your hamster.
Hamster wheels are very important for your hamster. Make sure to not purchase any wired/mesh wheels because they can cause bumblefoot. Bumblefoot is a painful condition in a rodent’s foot. To avoid bumblefoot make sure to buy a wheel that does not have any painful surface such as wires. Instead, use a wheel without any bumps or wires. Some brands that make excellent hamster wheels are Niteangel, wodent wheel, and silent runner. The wheel size depends on the type of hamster you buy. If you adopt a Syrian hamster you would need at least a 10-inch wheel or larger. If you have any type of dwarf hamster you would need at least an 8-inch. Getting the right sized wheel for your hamster is important because if you buy a wheel to small it can end up injuring your hamster buy bending its back.
Your hamsters’ diet is also very important. You should give your hamster a seed mix along with fruits and vegetables. A high-quality seed mix is the Higgins sunburst hamster and gerbil food. (Click to get the link). and the muzuri rat and mouse diet food. (click for link). You should give a mix of both every other day. A good treat is Gerber baby puffs (not liquid). Certain fruits and vegetables should be given every few days. Make sure to do research on what fruits and vegetables they can eat beforehand.
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