How To House Hamsters

Once you have decided to adopt a hamster it becomes very important to get a cage ready to house the hamster; they are brilliant escape artists so make sure to get a cage that has a secure latch. Square high cages are highly recommended.

Here are a few tips worth noting: 

 
• It is very essential for the hamster to be housed in a cage that has adequate space and suits the hamster’s needs; cages used for rats are not suitable as the wire spacing is very large and the hamster could escape. It is significant to note that if you are adopting Syrian hamsters it is best to buy regular hamster cages that have tunnels. Glass aquariums are best suited for Dwarf hamsters as they offer a lot of space to explore and the hamster cannot escape. In all cases make sure the spacing between the bars is less than 1 cm.

• Make sure to house the hamster in an aquarium that is at least 3 feet long; this would offer space for the hamster to run around as well as have enough space to fit in food and water bowls, toys and an a solid hamster wheel or ball. The lid should have secure wire mesh that makes it difficult for the hamster to escape. Also make sure you place the aquarium in a quiet place that is free of any other household pets such as dogs and cats to reduce the stress to your pet hamster.

• Generally it is not ideal to house 2 hamsters together; this is especially true of Syrian hamsters and Chinese hamsters as they are territorial and should never be placed even with siblings as they would fight and one of them would be seriously injured or will die. This does not however always apply to the 3 species of Dwarf hamsters; they can live alone or in pairs as long as they are introduced to each other before they are 7 weeks old. Never be fooled however by seeing hamsters sleep together as it is more out of instinct.

• The hamster needs room for water, food, toys, and an exercise wheel. Also make sure the ground has a 3 inches bedding of Care Fresh, Critter Care, or shredded paper bedding. Avoid using wood shavings as they contain harmful oils and could be harmful to the health of the hamster.

• Ensure your hamster has a lot of toys like toilet paper rolls, empty tissue boxes, tubes, tunnels, nest boxes, PVC piping, old slippers, hamster chew toys, and exercise balls and wheels in the cage to enjoy; this would help curb unhealthy habits like pacing and chewing the bars of the wire cage. Just providing the hamster wheels and balls is not enough; provide them with enough toys and rotate them to keep the hamster interested and occupied.

• Most important of all make sure the cage is escape-proof by completely sealing all holes and ensuring that no loose or removable parts are removed by the hamster. Also ensure that the gap between the bars is very small and the hamster cannot escape.

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