Hamster Care 101 đž
Hi! My name is Elle, and I have a Syrian hamster named Oat!
Last updated 3rd Sept 2024 :) Sorry for any previous insensitive jokes I made in this documentâ
I made this master doc to help new owners, or even owners who just need more information. The information we get on Google or some pet websites are inaccurate and can hurt our furry friends rather than help them. These tips will ensure your hamsterâs happiness.
You can find me & my hamster on these socials:
Twitter: @oattieoat
Instagram: @hammyoat
Reddit: u/fmmtale
Thank you to u/ArtisticDragonKing for helping me with this doc!
You are allowed to reshare this document, but not republish. If you want to screenshot it and post it elsewhere, you are allowed to! Credit is not necessary, but it would be nice.
GETTING A HAMSTER
Getting a new member of your family is always a big choice! If you do not live alone, make sure you have your roommate, parentsâ, or whoever elseâs consent to have this furry friend in your home.
This is important as hamsters require a lot of care. Your family members, or whoever you live with, should be educated on the basics, such as not overfeeding the hamster snacks, taking it out, startling it etc. It is really important to educate them about this, especially if you live with children. Children see hamsters as toys if not educated well, and they could easily startle the hamster for âfunâ.
It is always advised to ADOPT, and not SHOP. Youâre not a horrible person if you purchase a hamster from Petsmart, Petco, or whatever pet store it is, but rodents are treated horribly in breeding facilities & shop hamsters usually have a plethora of bad genetics. This means your hamster can die of a stroke without you knowing. If you have a hamster from a pet store, thatâs alright! As long as you are treating them well, it is okay. But for newbies, it is advised to get a hamster from a local breeder or a friend whose hamster just gave birth, or perhaps even adopt!
Hamsters are not âeasy petsâ. In fact, I have a dog and my hamster is more high maintenance. Do not get a hamster if you just want a hamster as a toy, or to look at. They are living beings and not made for your entertainment. You have to be prepared for your daily life routine to be altered, make time out of everyday, DIY things for your hamster, and ensure the well being of your friend.
CAGE
I cannot stress enough that the hamsterâs cage should be prepared before they come home. Moving cages is really stressful for a hamster, and if theyâre placed in a âfor nowâ cage when they first arrive and have to be moved again, this causes a lot of stress and fear. Make sure you FULLY prepare the cage before they arrive.
Dwarf hamsters require at least 450 square inches. They are the happiest in 550-750 square inches. I personally do not recommend the IKEA Samla bin as the wheel is hard to fit into the cage. However, the IKEA Detlof is good for both Syrians and Dwarves. Syrians however, require the Detlof to have a raised lid as the Detlof canât contain much bedding, & is more suitable for dwarves without the raised lid.
Syrian hamsters require at least 850 square inches. They are happiest in 1500-2500 square inches. However, if you have a female Syrian, you need to fill the cage with a LOT of enrichment as they are hard to please. Take it from someone who had 10+ panic attacks the week I got my female Syrian. (This is not applicable to all females, sheâs calmed down a lot since then!)
Hamsters are ground dwellers. So, more unbroken floor space is required than height. Hamsters arenât good climbers by nature, although Roboroskis can be good climbers, they are not built for climbing unlike rats. So, if you see a cage that seems small but has many levels, but advertising as above 450 square inches, they are most likely counting height levels instead.
Get a cage that has no levels, large, unbroken floor space.
You have to be prepared to spend some money if youâd like a good quality cage, however, bin cages are great for people who canât afford larger cages. Do not scrimp when it comes to your hamster. Itâs a life, donât be selfish.
Victoria Raechel has great DIY videos on cages.
HAMSTER SPECIES
Did you know there are five different species of hamster? They are: Syrians, Campbellâs Russian, Winter White, Roboroski, Chinese.
What are the differences?
SYRIAN:
Sleepier, loves to eat, has more of an attitude, friendlier with humans and arguably easier to tame. Female Syrians are known to be the hardest hamster to take care of, as you have to give them lots of enrichment & care to make them happy. Syrians are escape artists, so expect them to wall climb or try to scale the walls when they first arrive. Syrians are also the largest hamsters.
While still lovable, female Syrians have been known for their temper and need for more space. Do keep this in mind when adopting or purchasing one!
CAMPBELL RUSSIAN:
Stubborn, grumpy, protective. Might nip you if they feel threatened. However, they can be very affectionate if treated well and tamed.
WINTER WHITE:
They have gray or brown coats that can change in the winter, to white. However, if your pet store sells a winter white, it could most likely be a mixed breed, rather than a pure Winter White. That means their coat might not change. You can get pure Winter Whites from breeders.
Theyâre sweet and kind, active, and social. I would say theyâre great for starters.
ROBOROVSKI:
They are the smallest, and fastest of dwarves. They are really energetic and can scamper all over the cage, like a little car. However, they are hard to tame with their shy personalities and can be possessive over their belongings, as well as territorial. They donât really like to be handled, however, with a special bond, they might allow it.
CHINESE:
They are loving and kind, and they are less likely to nibble you. They can be territorial and grumpy if you donât give them enough attention, though. They are avid chewers and will chew anything if you donât give them enough love. They require A LOT OF IT.
It is important to note all hamsters are SOLITARY. Very rarely there are hamsters who do not want to separate from each other, which is extremely rare. However, always keep hamsters ALONE.
 DIET
A hamsterâs diet is really important. It can determine if theyâre sick, fatigued, or lazy. My Syrian didnât have much energy till I gave her veggies and fruits in her diet.
You should always make sure the hamster food youâre feeding your hamster is safe. No added pesticides, washed, clean, & organic if possible. As for seed mix, you can make your own. However, you can also purchase Bunny brand seed mix, and I feed my hamster the Syrian kind. Thereâs one made for dwarves as well.
Hamsters love apples, blueberries, spinach, mustard greens, etc. Always google (and do research, not a quick search) to ensure it is safe for the hamster. Give it no more than 3 times per week, in small portions, to ensure your hamster wonât become obese or suffer from diarrhoea.
Hamsters should be scatter fed for their seed mix, as it encourages them to forage. This is also a type of enrichment. Scatter feeding is the act of sprinkling their food all over their bedding rather than in a bowl. Always put a little bit in an area thatâs obvious so you know if theyâve eaten or not.
Hereâs my hamsterâs feeding routine:
MONDAY: Seed mix (1-2tbsp)
TUESDAY: Nothing
WEDNESDAY: Fresh fruit and veggie mix, containing (not all, but a mixed selection) blueberry, small bits of carrot, mustard green
THURSDAY: Nothing
FRIDAY: Seed mix (1-2 tbsp)
SATURDAY: Nothing mostly, occasionally a small piece of chicken (1cm thick and long) that was unseasoned and boiled, or egg white, for protein
SUNDAY: Fresh fruit (less than Wednesday) & seed mix (1 tbsp)
Hamsters should not be fed everyday as they are prone to obesity. Also, they hoard food, so they will never be hungry.
ENRICHMENT
A hamster requires enrichment to be happy. Imagine if you lived in a house with a locked door and no furniture or games.
ENRICHMENT OPTIONS:
I have to say that Eco Earth might not be safe unless swapped out everyday, as it can hold humidity and as we all know, wet hamsters are not good.
DO NOT USE SAWDUST. It can cause upper respiratory infections. Please Google and do your research and not just a quick search  to make sure your item is safe. Pine & cedar wood are not safe for hamsters.
CLEANLINESS
You do not need to bathe your hamster. A hamster should never get wet. Unless it has been advised by a vet, get a sand bath!
You do not need a fancy sand bath, just a large container would do. Use hamster-safe sand, and make sure thereâs a hideout in the sand bath so your hamster can clean themselves in peace.
Stay away from bath dust, scented sand, sand that is too fine etc.
Good options are Reptisand (no calcium), kids play sand (non toxic and baked before use), and I personally use Sanko bath sand.
As some hamsters, especially Syrians might use their sand bath as a toilet, or kick bedding into it, make sure to always sift through the sand everyday with a sieve to get out poop and clumped sand from their pee.
Make sure your bath is large enough for your hamster, I recommend a size that is 3x the size of your hamster.
WHAT TO PUT IN YOUR CAGE
Bedding: Paper bedding holds burrows well. Do not use aspen wood or timothy hay etc. as they donât hold burrows. Kaytee Clean & Cozy or Oxbow beddings work best. The bedding should be at least 6 inches, best 10+ inches in level for your cage. Make sure you pack the bedding (i.e pushing it down when you put in to compress the air) for stronger burrows & so you donât save on the bedding. Once again, do not be selfish.
Enrichment: All of the things discussed earlier!
Sand bath
Water bowl or bottle, or both: Make sure you change their water everyday and wipe the nozzle of the bottle to ensure there isnât buildup of dirt or calcium.
Hideouts: Have lots of hideouts! Syrian hamsters need the diameter to be at least 3 inches, while Dwarves require 2 inches. If the entrance isnât large enough, it will hurt your hamster.
Wheel: At least 8 inches for dwarves, and 10 inches for Syrians. I recommend NiteAngel wheels, theyâre super quiet so they donât wake you up at night. I wouldnât recommend the wood wheel though as hamsters pee when they run, and wood wheels hold piss. I do not recommend flying saucers as they can cause your hamster to fly off rapidly and hurt themselves (hamsters have died on impact).
Sprays: NiteAngel has good spray bundles, or you can find them at bird stores.
Burrow starters (not required, but great): In the wild, hamsters take over other hamsterâs burrows. So. burrow starters like tunnels or hideout views are great!
Hamster-safe tables: I personally feel like this essential as hamsters burrow lots underneath their wheels or hideouts, which can topple the item. An unsteady wheel or uneven wheel can cause your hamster to slip off as well. This also ensures your hamster wonât get crushed by a heavy wheel!
Different substrates
TAMING
Taming a hamster can take days, weeks, months and sometimes years. Thatâs okay! Just be patient. Leave your hamster alone for a week after getting them before trying to tame them.
Follow these steps in order:
Do these steps on separate days. Do not expect them to be instantly tamed.
You most likely will get bit. Thatâs just your hamster trying to find out what you are, as they have horrible eyesight and require their other senses to help them âseeâ.
FREE-ROAMING, OR PLAYTIME
Once your hamster is tamed, take them to your bathtub or a secure space with no gaps or ways to escape, and play with them! Let them get used to you, sniff you, bring their toys, wheels, substrates for them to dig in etc. Some hamsters love to cuddle too!
Let them explore their playpen! You can make one by creating walls from furniture, so it looks like a small room, and filling it with a wheel, a dig box, water, and snacks. Sit in it and play with your hamster. This is bonding time, so enjoy it. If your hamster seems stressed or upset, bring them back home.
COMMON ILLNESSES
If your hamster is sick, or you think they are, make sure you take them to the vet immediately. They arenât like other pets, and canât fend well for themselves. Make sure you have an exotic vet on speed dial.
COLDS: Lack of activity, ears back of the head, sneezing, swollen nose, if left untreated the hamster will be malnourished, eat less, less activity. Bring to the vet and change the bedding entirely, and clean the cage out.
WET TAIL: This is a highly contagious bacterial illness that causes severe diarrhea in a hamster and
can, and often does, prove fatal. Stress is an important factor in the proliferation of wet tail. Stress during their first few days or weeks in a new home is one reason this disease is so prevalent in young hamsters. Other stresses such as sudden changes in diet, habitat overcrowding, extreme temperatures and unsanitary living conditions can also cause wet tail to develop in your hamster. If your hamster develops wet tail, you should bring it to your veterinarian immediately.
DIARRHEA:Â As an isolated disorder, diarrhea is not to be confused with wet tail. It is commonly the result of an overfeeding of vegetables and fruits or contaminated foods. Diarrhea is often indicative of another ailment, such as stomach upset or blockage. Discontinue the feeding of fruits and vegetables for a day or two. If the condition persists, consult your veterinarian.
CONSTIPATION: Â A wet tail can also indicate constipation. In both old and young hamsters, constipation is directly related to the ratio of pellets and water they are eating. In the case of the young, they consume the pellets which swell up in their intestines because they aren't getting enough moisture. Babies suffering from this ailment may be saved by making available milksop and juicy greens. In adults, the same cause is attributable. The hamster seems to waste away because it will not eat dry food if sufficient water is not available. Therefore it is essential that clean fresh water is always available. Provide plenty of carrots, carrot tops, other leafy vegetables and fruits.
From https://www.petassure.com/new-newsletters/tips-on-common-hamster-ailments/
BUMBLEFOOT: Bumblefoot can be caused by obesity, wired cages or runged wheels, poor hygiene living conditions, overgrown toenails. It causes red, swollen feet, lameness, refusal to move around cage, lethargy, extremely sensitive or sore hind feet, in severe cases, ulcerations on feet. If left untreated, it causes swollen lymph nodes, arthritis, inflammation of tendons, amyloid (protein) buildup in the kidney, spleen, liver, hormone glands, and pancreas.
UPPER RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS: Caused by fine dusts, colds, and other illnesses. Make sure your cage is free of dust and clean it well.
CLEANING THE CAGE
Only spot clean. Do not do full clean outs unless the hamster is dead, or has an illness, or recommended by the vet. Do not change around everything as the hamster can be stressed, although it is advised to add things and move things around to keep the hamster curious. Most hamsters pee and poo where they sleep, so place them in a carrier cage to clean their pee and poo. Do not move their food, you can destroy their burrows to clean, but do not move anything else.
If you are wiping things, make sure the cage is fully dry before your hamster goes back in. Make sure the cleaning agent you are using is hamster-safe.
Do this once your hamster starts smelling funky, or every month. Some people like to do it every week, but I recommend not cleaning a new hamsterâs cage for at least a month because they can become very timid and untrusting.
Take out soiled bedding, poop, and whatever that is dirty, throw it away.
LOOK OUT FOR THESE THINGS
Always make sure your environment for the hamster is as dark as possible, quiet, and clean. Loud noises, light and unsanitary conditions cause stress and fear.
Do not introduce your hamster to other animals. They are solitary and prey animals. They will be stressed. Do not let your other animals get close to the cage.
Do not buy a hamster because itâs an âeasy petâ.
Do not overfeed your hamster.
Do not vape or smoke or burn incense near the cage, blow it as far away as you can.
Handle your hamster gently.
Always have clean hands with your hamster.
Do not use a hamster ball. It hurts the hamster & can be kicked around.
Do not take your hamster out in the wild or in places that arenât their play areas or cage. It causes stress, your hamster can eat random things in the wild that cause dietary problems or death, and Iâve seen students kick around a hamster in a ball. Only place that is allowed is the vet, with a carrier cage.
If you are DIYing something, make sure it is with hamster safe materials (wood, glue, cardboard etc)
ENDING NOTE
I hope this helps! I worked hard on it, and I will update it occasionally with new information or for tweaks.
Thank you so much for reading, happy hamster care <3