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Hamsters are pretty active animals, and, in the wild, they can travel vast distances at night since they are nocturnal creatures. Therefore, don’t let yourself fooled that they appear so sleepy during the day. All the physical exercise they do happens when you’re not looking.
That means that you need to consider getting the right type of house for your hamster. The place where he or she will live has an essential impact on lifespan and quality of life in general. For this reason, the following considerations should guide you when you pick a habitat for your little friend.
Size does matter
While it may seem that such a small animal can handle living in a space as little as he or she, the general advice suggests that large houses for hamsters are a much smarter choice as they allow such animals to put their muscles to good use.
A small hide with just one room won’t do. Hamsters like being clean, but forced by the circumstances, they may end up developing some unhygienic habits as a result. The ideal setup for a hamster is a habitat with multiple rooms that communicate with one another. If you notice that it looks a bit like a labyrinth, fear not; that’s precisely what hamsters like.
Up and down, up and down
Besides the love for walking through tunnels, hamsters also like to climb and dig. That’s why a house with multiple levels for your hamster may be just the ideal choice. A deep plastic base that allows the hamster to burrow in the bedding is one of the characteristics a habitat like this one should have.
On the other end, the cage should come with wire tops so that it allows the hamster to climb and have a lot of fun in the process. Tubes, levels, and many toys will make the habitat a wonderful place for a hamster to live.
Is a running wheel really necessary?
If you want the best for your hamster, you should consider getting an exercise wheel, as well. However, you must pay extra attention to the overall design of such a toy since several problems could stem from it. For instance, the wheel needs to be wide enough to allow the hamster to get inside and run on it for as long as he or she desires.
Also, it needs to be the right size, as wheels that are too small might become more like torturing devices, forcing hamsters to bend their spine awkwardly. Another thing you should bear in mind is that the rungs should be well made, without sharp corners, to avoid injuries to the hamster’s feet.
With all these in mind, you should be able to purchase a running wheel that works as intended. Your hamster will surely be happy to have the means to spend the excess energy and run for the same distance as he or she would in the wild.
Get some gnawing blocks for your hamster’s teeth
Furnishing the house for your hamster involves several things, besides the obvious ones, like bedding, and bowls for food and water. Hamsters have long teeth that grow continuously, such as is the case for many other rodents.
That is why you need to make sure that your hamster has something to chew on for wearing his or her teeth down. Gnawing blocks can be found in pet stores, or you can opt for soft wood branches. Make sure that the latter are untreated to avoid illnesses in your hamsters.
Keep your hamster entertained
If you want your hamster to lead a happy life while in your care, you should think of solutions to keep him or her entertained. As they are foraging creatures, hamsters like searching for food, so a good idea would be to hide treats in the cage and make them work to get them.
That will make getting the treat more satisfactory for the hamster, and it will also give him or her the possibility to exercise a little. As hamsters can overeat when in captivity, this is an excellent strategy to keep them in shape while offering the opportunity for them to manifest their natural behavior.
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