1. Cage/Habitat: Your hamster will need a safe cage/habitat to live in. Make sure that it is an appropriate size. Many hamster cages on the market are a bit small, though you can make them bigger and more fun by attaching other cages to them via tubes and other methods. Make sure that the bars are chew-proof and are not too widely spaced apart to prevent escape. There are many types of hamster cages. Wired, wire-plastic, tanks with screen lids. As long as your hamster can not gnaw through it in any place it should be ok.
2. Food and Chew Sticks: Hamsters love to eat! There is a very wide variety of food that is acceptable As long as it is a mixture of seeds and pellets it should be ok. Chew sticks are also very important because hamsters have teeth that are constantly growing and they need to chew on things in order to prevent them from becoming overgrown. Chews come in a wide variety. There are natural one and colorful ones that are sometimes flavored. Chews come in simple sticks or blocks and also houses and toys. These help your hamster stay healthy and active! Keep in mind that you should refresh your hamster's food every day. (There are also other things your hamsters can eat but I will discuss this in a later post)
3. Food Bowl and Water Bottle: Of course you will need something to put your ham ham's food in. A small hard plastic or ceramic bowl will do just fine. Many hamster bowls are made chew-proof and spill-proof. You will also need a water bottle! Every day your hamster will require clean drinking water. It is best to provide this in a water bottle. Putting water out in bowls in unsafe because your furry friend could tip it over or get wet, and hamsters don't do well when wet, as they can get chills. When placing the water bottle make sure that is is not too high or too low.
4. Bedding: There are many types of bedding to choose from. As far as wood based bedding goes, aspen is the only thing you should use as it is not harmful to your hamster. Carefresh is also a good choice. Many other products have dust that can cayuse your ham ham to have eye problems. Make sure you put enough bedding in the cage for your hamster to play in, dig through, and use as nesting materials.
5. Running Wheel: Don't let their size fool you....Hamsters love to exercise! They will need a running wheel. Wheels are essential to hamster health! They keep them from getting over weight and bored. Make sure that it has a solid surface instead of spokes, as hamsters can get their tails and feet caught in the gaps and hurt themselves. No one wants a hurt hammy!
6. House: Your furry friends needs a special place to sleep and hide in. It should be something they will feel safe in. Hamsters like to hide in small spaces so a ham ham hut is essential. If hamsters don't have someplace to hide in when they are scared, tired, or sick, they can become irritable or possibly fall into shock. There are many types of huts, and you can even make your own out of cardboard. Just make sure they are free of glues, tapes, or any other harmful things because hamsters will chew anything they can get their cute little mouths on!
Once you have all of these things you are set to care for a hamster! There are many toys, treats, and accessories that are great for your hamsters but not quite essential. I will go over some of these in a later post. But for now, bye!
-Tracy
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