To bond with your hamster you need to show him that you are nothing to be afraid of and that you offer all the good stuff like hamster treats, hamster toys and play-time. This is important as it will prevent unwanted smells, keep your hamster healthy (preventing illnesses which can develop as a result of sleeping and living in a dirty cage) and you can also remove any old, leftover hamster food that your hamster has stored. Check the corner in which your hamster uses as their toilet on a daily basis and spot clean if necessary but clean the cage out thoroughly once a week. The hamster’s nest or bedding area where they will sleep throughout most of the day should contain soft hamster bedding specifically made for hamsters. These types of hamster bedding help to reduce odours and make cleaning soiled areas much easier for you. Line the floor of the cage with pet-safe wood shavings or special small animal paper-based litter. Hamsters are also sensitive to high frequency sounds which we cannot hear so do not place their home close to the television, computers, radios etc.Ĭhoosing appropriate hamster bedding to line the floor of the cage will differ from the bedding needed for their nest/bedding area. The hamster cage itself should be placed in a dry, draught-free area of your home away from direct sunlight. Dwarf hamsters like to hide more than Syrians so a hamster cage with t u bes would be more suitable. A spacious hamster cage with lot’s of floor space and multiple levels is ideal. Syrian hamsters in particular need plenty of actual floor space so hamster cages with lots of tubes and tunnels may look interesting, but usually aren’t suitable for Syrians. These days many places sell hamster cages that are far too small for even a tiny dwarf hamster and don’t offer enough space for them to explore and behave naturally which can result in behaviour problems such as cage gnawing in an attempt to escape.

They can also become very tame and friendly once they know and trust you, especially the larger Syrian hamsters.

They are nocturnal animals so they may not be an ideal pet if you’re looking for something that you can get out and handle a lot during daylight hours as they will sleep the majority of the day but come alive in the evening. There are different types of hamsters with the largest being the Syrian (sometimes known as the golden hamster), dwarf Chinese, dwarf Roborovski and the Russian hamster. Hamsters are adorable pets and can be very entertaining to watch.

Hamsters that are not nocturnal