Before you adopt a Hamster - Sarah Spenser

A surprisingly satisfying pet to own. They can live anywhere you can fit a cage so it doesn’t matter if you live in a flat or a mansion, in the town or in the middle of nowhere. They are also great fun to watch.

Environment – basically, in the case of hamsters this usually means a cage. This needs to be as big as you can possibly afford (make sure the bar spacing is small though – cages designed for rabbits are not suitable in this regard - anything over about 1cm wide is risking it!) Most cages on the market designed for hamsters are just too small, consider that in the wild hamsters would run an average of about 5km per night and you will soon see why! I use the Freddy 2 cage designed for ferrets! It has the bonus of being quite roomy, small bar spacing and a secure latch as it is designed to be ferret-proof. Something about this size is ideal (Width 80cm, Height 63cm, Depth 50cm). you need to ensure that your cage is not placed in a draught as this is bad for your hamster, also, they need to be kept fairly warm to prevent them from going in to hibernation during the colder, winter months. You can help by placing a blanket over the back of the cage to ensure that no draughts are present and also by purchasing a small heat pad designed for reptiles, I have one that I rest on top of the cage above my hamsters bedroom / house and then there is a blanket on top of the pad – it helps keep him warm but ensures he does not get too hot.

Hamsters need to run and chew. You need to provide a wheel (solid not metal bars or they could hurt themselves) and you need to provide PLENTY for them to chew on – you can buy allsorts of wood chews from your local pet store and also provide toilet roll tubes etc.

Making a run for your hamster is also a great idea, about 4ft x 3ft is perfect and gives your hamster somewhere else to explore and play once he or she gets up of an evening. You can easily make this by making 4 panels of wood with 1/2cm hole wire mesh stapled over each panel and then hinging them together – this way the run folds flat for storage when not in use – remember to make a secure lid or your hammy will quickly climb out.

Environment Enrichment – wheel, toys, tubes, things to climb, things to hide in (boxes full of bedding etc) sand pit – a must.

Expense – the real expense is going to be the cage and materials to make the run, after that most toys can be found around the home or brought fairly cheaply second hand or in your local pet store. They do not need any regular inoculations.

Feeding – it surprises most people to find out that hamsters can and should eat meat! A little cooked chicken now and then does them the world of good – the odd mealworm is really appreciated. They can also eat most fruits and vegetables and it is recommended that on top of their regular hamster mix (available in most pet stores) you should give them a supply of fresh foods on a regular basis – this not only helps boost their intake of vitamins etc. but also makes a nice change to their diet – note however that hamsters like to store their foods and care should be taken to remove any un-eaten “fresh” foods on a daily basis. ALSO never give your hamster chocolate or anything “gooey” that can jam up their pouch.

Life Expectancy – only about 2 years. Bear this in mind when adopting a hamster – they are a good short term pet but it does cause heart ache to lose them so shortly after brining them home.

Things to get BEFORE bringing a hamster into your home

Cage
Cage accessories ramps, tunnels, shelves, hammocks, bed, toys, sand pit, toilet, chew toys etc.
Food bowl heavy ceramic dishes are best as these cannot be chewed or tipped over
Water bottle better than a bowl as a bowl can be tipped over and the water will soon become soiled with food and bits of bedding
Bedding Material I find shredded paper from my shredding machine at home is ideal for the base of the cage. I use the shredded paper stuff you get in the pet shop for bedding – it is in long strands and feels soft. Avoid using the cotton wool type bedding as this can be bad for your hamster – also, wood shavings are not ideal and some can cause respitory problems in small animals.
Food a good quality hamster mix supplemented with a small amount of fresh fruit, veg and meat.

Most rescue centres will not home check for a hamster, they may however ask to see the cage that you intend to keep the animal in so take it along to the centre when you visit.