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Before deciding to adopt your first hamsters, make sure you’ve set up a comfortable environment for your beloved pet to live in. In addition to that, you need to prepare yourselves with precise knowledge about fostering and raising hamsters. Our veterinarians have many experiences in this field and are willing to share them with all hamster lovers. Below are reliable pieces of advice. They contain essential information for those who’re wondering what do hamsters need. What Do You Need for a Hamster? a Comfortable Hutch There are many options regarding this matter; you can either purchase commercial cages, create DIY ones from your unused card boxes, or even remodel your old aquarium. In any case, make sure the place is large enough to satisfy all your hamster needs. You should sacrifice height over width and length as hamsters are ground dwellers. That said, hamsters prefer large cages instead of tall ones. Moreover, having hutches with tight corners are also more favorable since hamster love having hideouts. Proper air ventilation is also required as the little ones don’t like suffocating atmosphere, and it would also help reducing odor. Another thing that you should keep in mind is escape-proof features. Though we always want to keep our hamsters at peace by providing them as much freedom as possible, it is vital to make sure that the cage is still secured. Having your little pet running around your room isn’t funny since it’s almost impossible to catch it. And sometimes, predators like cats or birds can threaten your precious rodents. Suitable Bedding This is an essential factor that is often overlooked. Bedding serves as a stepping ground for your hamsters, so it needs to be as comfortable as possible. However, you should avoid “fluffy beddings” that are made from cotton wool and other similar materials. Having these types of bedding might make the hamsters feel more comfortable, but there are also chances that they will swallow it. And since these types of substance don’t break down in their digest system, it becomes lethal to the hamster if not being taken to a vet in time. Hence, you could try friendly bedding materials such as wood chips, coffee ground, or toilet papers. Make sure you spread them evenly to cover the whole cage. Read More: Hamster Housing FAQs The Right Substrate Unlike the general belief, the substrate isn’t a type of bedding. To put it correctly, this is the bottom layer of a hamster cage that is responsible for gathering droppings and urines. Knowing what do you need for a hamster will make it much simpler for maintaining a clean environment for the pet. As a result, choosing the wrong substrate can have significant effects on your hamster’s habitat. It can become smelly causing frustration for your pet. With that being said, our experts recommend owners to equip their hamster cages with wooden shavings, paper-based substrates, cat litter, or children's play sand. Moreover, you should avoid cedar and pine shavings as these will create toxic phenols that are dangerous for hamster’s tiny respiratory system. Travel Cage (for Travelers) A travel cage is always a must if you’re constantly moving from places and want to bring your hamsters with you. Make sure the product comes with essential features for a standard hamster cage. And it should also be transparent, so you and others are aware that your pet is safe during the flight. You should prepare the cage with substrate and bedding to ensure your hamster is comfortable. Supply enough food and water on a long trip. Nutritious Food Having a good diet is essential to your hamster’s health. That means you should be careful when picking foods. Make sure you’ve read the nutritional information printed in the back of the bag to know what do hamsters need. You could also try self-mixed foods which often contain seeds and other items. It’s essential to know what do hamsters like before feeding it. However, it is likely that your hamster would only eat his favorite food and ignores other nutrition. Our vets suggest using pelleted diets as they contain all the necessary nutrients and your hamster can’t pick out what he doesn’t like. Water Dispenser Aside from food, it is vital to provide your hamsters with clean water every day. Having a water bottle should the top thing in your list, before thinking about other stuff. Besides, make sure that you change the water daily as contaminated water can be dangerous for your rodent. Sometimes, when your little gnawer feels uneasy, nutritious fluids can be an excellent way to provide energy and minerals. Regular Health Check Having a routine health check schedule at your local vet should be considered. It is often tricky for hamster owners, especially beginners to notice any health issue from their pet. So, it would be more appropriate to arrange health examinations every once in a while. Moreover, it would also equip you with more hamster knowledge, making it easier for future observation. Having a good understanding of the problem, you should be able to take care of your hamster better. Hamster Spinning Wheel Of course, you can’t just keep feeding your hamster without giving him some sort of exercise. And the spinning wheel would be the perfect treadmill for your tiny runner. It helps to entertain your hamster by providing him with active jogging sessions to reduce fat. Keep in mind that the wheel should come with the right size for your hamster. Small wheels can cause some back problems for your pet, and oversized ones can be hard to operate. Pet Chews Hamsters are rodents, which means that their teeth will not stop growing. Thus, they love chewing and biting things. This helps sharpen their teeth and jaw making your hamster healthier. With that being said, it’s essential for your hamster to have its chewing toys and other toys to play with. Hopefully, you’ve got the things your hamster needs. Thanks for reading and we’ll see you in our future posts.