When you bring a new hamster home, you’ll need a variety of supplies on hand to keep your new pet healthy. From hamster cages and food to bedding and chew toys, it’s important to prepare for your new hamster.
We’ve put together a list of all the hamster supplies you’ll need for your new pet, including both essential and non-essential items.
Checklist of hamster supplies (with prices)
Here is a list of hamster supplies that you should buy before bringing your new pet home. You’re done when you have everything listed below!
Essentials:
- Suitable hamster cage
- Suitable bedding and substrate material
- Hamster home(s) (nesting area)
- Food bowl(s)
- Water bottle
- Toys for enrichment (climbing frames, tunnels, wheels, etc.)
- Chew toys
- Exercise wheel
- Exercise ball
- High-quality food mix
- Hamster treats
- Non-toxic cleaning products
- Fresh fruit and vegetables
Total estimated cost = $115
Non-essential (but still useful):
- Gnawing blocks or sticks
- A ladder or climbing frame
- Plastic tubes
- Litter scoop
- Travel cage
- Sand bath & hamster bathing sand
Total estimated cost = $50
We’ll go over some of the more important hamster supplies in greater detail below, including top tips and potential problems to watch out for.
Choosing your new hamster
There are several types of hamsters, each of which grows to a different size and requires slightly different care. If you want to keep two or more hamsters, you should get a dwarf hamster. The larger Syrian hamster must be kept apart from the others.
Dwarf hamsters are often more energetic and entertaining to watch, but this makes them slightly more difficult to handle (it just takes some practice).
Here are the different hamster options available to you:
- Syrian hamster
- Campbell’s dwarf hamster
- Winter White dwarf hamster
- Roborovski dwarf hamster
- Chinese hamster
Hamster cage
It is important to select a large hamster cage with plenty of space for your new pet to run and play. If you intend to keep multiple dwarf hamsters in one cage, you will need a slightly larger cage to house the animals.
Important: When keeping dwarf hamsters, use caution when using wire-top cages. Dwarf hamsters can actually squeeze between the metal wires when the spacing between them is too wide! You want to aim for a spacing of about 1cm.
The Savic Hamster Heaven – Our favourite hamster cage
This is most likely the best hamster cage available today. It has plenty of space for your hamster to explore and can hold a small group of Robos. The set comes with a plethora of accessories and is simple to assemble and clean.
Ferplast Hamster Cage – A great all-rounder
This Ferplast hamster home is an excellent all-arounder that should suit the majority of hamster owners. The bottom section of this cage promotes natural behaviors in your pet, allowing them to burrow and bury their favorite foods!
Substrate & bedding
The material used to cover the bottom of your hamster cage is known as a substrate. This is usually wood shavings or a soft material like CareFresh. A substrate will keep your cage clean, absorb odors/waste, and provide your pet with a soft surface.
Hamster bedding is the nesting material that your hamster uses to create a comfortable sleeping environment. Bedding is typically softer than substrate and will be kept in the hamster home/hide within your cage.
There is a wide variety of substrate and bedding materials available. Sawdust is not advised because it can cause breathing problems in your pet (due to the dust sawdust creates). We recommend using a reputable brand and a substrate such as wood shavings with a bedding material such as CareFresh.
Water bottles and food bowls
Food bowls and water bottles are absolutely necessary in your cage. A food bowl indicates to your pet that it has a reliable source of food, and your hamster may end up waiting next to the food bowl when feeding time arrives!
Meal time can be the most aggressive time when you have multiple hamsters. That’s why it’s a good idea to get a few different food bowls; hamsters are very protective of their food! A water bottle that attaches to your cage should also be considered, as your hamster will require fresh water on a daily basis.
Hamster toys
There are so many options for good hamster toys that it can be difficult to choose! Choose a variety of toys for your pet; you can always swap out toys to keep your pet entertained and interested in its surroundings.
Here are some toys we recommend picking up:
- Exercise wheel
- Exercise ball
- Climbing frame (hamsters love to climb!)
- Swings
- Ladders
- Tunnels
- Balls
- Chew toys
Why do hamsters need chew toys?
Chew toys are essential for your hamster because its teeth will never stop growing throughout its life! To keep their teeth sharp and at a safe length, they must grind them down with chew toys.
Flying saucer vs. Exercise wheel
Hamsters require a great deal of exercise. Every night in the wild, they will run for miles and miles! Allowing your hamster to burn off some energy with an exercise wheel or a flying saucer results in a contented and healthy pet.
Exercise wheels are generally preferred by hamster owners over saucers because they provide a more natural way for a hamster to run. Just make sure your pet doesn’t run with a curved spine, as this indicates that the wheel is too small. Also, some hamsters can become trapped in wheels with small spaces or holes, so avoid them if possible.
Exercise balls for hamsters
An exercise ball allows your hamster to run around and explore the entire room! Hamster balls are excellent for letting your pet burn off some energy while also satisfying its natural curiosity.
Hamster balls are also useful for cleaning the cage on a weekly basis. Simply place your hamster in the ball, secure the lid, and you can clean the cage without worrying about your hamster getting in the way.
Hamster food mix and healthy treats
Before bringing a new hamster home, make sure you have plenty of food and treats on hand. A healthy hamster mix for daily feeding, supplemented with the occasional treat, is your best bet.
You should feed each hamster about a tablespoon of hamster food per day. Also, feel free to supplement your hamster’s diet with fresh fruits and vegetables – they can even eat mealworms!
Important: Dwarf hamsters are prone to diabetes, so feed any high-sugar treats sparingly.
Hamster-safe fresh fruit and vegetables:
- Apple (no seeds)
- Banana
- Blackberry
- Blueberry
- Cantaloupe
- Coconut
- Cherry
- Grapes (seedless)
- Guava
- Honeydew
- Lychee
- Mango
- Melon
- Papaya
- Peach
- Pear
- Plum
- Raspberry
- Strawberry
Toxic and unhealthy foods:
- Almonds
- Avocado
- Apple seeds
- Chocolate
- Watermelon
- Jam
- Onions
- Leeks
- Garlic
- Junk foods
- Rhubarb
- Pork
Non-toxic cleaning supplies
To remove any harmful bacteria, you’ll need to use an animal-safe disinfectant spray when cleaning. Most pet stores sell these, but there are some good options on Amazon as well.
Non-essential (but still useful) items
Should I get a carry cage?
A hamster travel cage (or carry cage) can be useful if you plan on moving your hamster frequently or if you plan on moving soon. They are also very useful if you ever need to take your hamster to the vet; you don’t want to be lugging around a large cage!
While not required for a new hamster, you may want to purchase a carry case if you find yourself in need of one.
What about a sand bath?
While hamsters do not need to be cleaned on a regular basis, they do enjoy a sand bath! A sand bath is a small container into which your hamster can jump and rub to remove dirt from its coat. It’s quite amusing to watch! Again, a sand bath isn’t required for your pet, but it will appreciate the occasional bath if you can provide it.
Consider purchasing hamster tubes
Hamsters live in the wild in narrow burrows on the desert floor. As a hamster grows, these burrows can have multiple exits and become quite complex. Providing tubes for your hamster will help mimic this natural behavior and make your pet feel more at ease in its new environment.
Hamster climbing toys
Hamsters are natural climbers who enjoy having a small climbing frame in their cage to play with. Because of their lobger tail, Chinese hamsters are particularly adept climbers.
What you shouldn’t get for your pet hamster?
We’ve covered all of the best hamster supplies, but what should you avoid buying for your new hamster? Here is a list of common hamster products to avoid due to health, injury, or other concerns that can affect a hamster’s quality of life.
- Scented substrate/bedding – some scented materials can lead to respiratory problems in hamsters.
- High sugar treats – feeding your pet too many high-sugar treats can lead to diabetes (hamsters are prone to this) and other digestive issues.
- Cages with a small surface area – there are now a number of ‘small animal enclosures’ on the market and while they look fun, they actually provide little space for your pet to run and exercise.
- Wheels with holes – exercise wheels with holes can often lead to injuries.
- Tunnels with small holes – Some tunnel toys will be designed for dwarf hamsters instead of the bigger Syrians, always ensure any holes are spacious enough for your pet to easily crawl through – you don’t want to be dealing with a stuck Syrian!
- Transparent hamster homes/nesting areas – your hamster’s sleeping area should be a place of privacy for your pet to relax.
Hopefully, our checklist was helpful, and you now have a good idea of the hamster supplies you’ll need to create the ideal environment for your new pet! If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments section below.
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