How to keep hamsters | Hamster Setup | Cage | Flora And Fauna, by Flora And Fauna on YouTube. 8 min 37 s.
- Video length
- 8 min 37 s
- Time to do it
- 1 hour
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 10
What you need
Steps
Choose a cage or bin at least 80 cm long and 50 cm wide, with a solid floor and a tight-fitting lid. Syrian hamsters need more room, so go bigger if you can.
Put it in a quiet spot away from direct sun, drafts, TVs and other pets. Keep the room between about 18 and 24 C.
Spread 15 to 20 cm of paper-based bedding over the base, pressing it down in one corner so your hamster can dig tunnels.
Add a hideout in the bedding and a second one stuffed with soft tissue for nesting.
Set a shallow dish of chinchilla sand in the cage as a sand bath. Use sand, not dusty powder.
Fit a solid-floored wheel, about 20 cm across for a dwarf hamster and 28 cm or more for a Syrian. Skip wheels with wire rungs.
Hang the water bottle with its spout near the sleeping area and place a small ceramic bowl for food.
Add chew toys, wooden blocks, cardboard tubes and a few safe untreated branches to keep your hamster busy.
Fill the bowl with a hamster food mix, scatter a little in the bedding, and add a small piece of fresh vegetable.
Let the cage settle for a day, then put your hamster in and let it explore and find the food and water on its own.
Tips and common mistakes
Never use cedar or pine shavings, as the fumes irritate a hamster's breathing.
Avoid wire cage floors and exercise balls, which can trap toes and cause stress.
Spot clean soiled bedding every few days and do a full change about once a month, keeping a handful of old bedding for the scent.
Syrian hamsters must live alone, so never house two in one cage.
Questions
How big should a hamster cage be?
Aim for at least 80 cm by 50 cm of floor space with no wire base. Bigger is always better, and Syrians need more room than dwarf hamsters.
What bedding is safe for hamsters?
Use paper-based bedding or unscented shredded paper, at least 15 cm deep. Avoid pine, cedar and scented bedding.
Can two hamsters share a cage?
Syrian hamsters must live alone, as they fight once they mature. Some dwarf pairs get along, but keep a spare cage ready in case of fighting.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
