Environmental Enrichment for Hamsters

Provide Hideouts, Chew Toys, and More

Your hamster will spend the majority of their time in their cage, so setting it up in a way that’s interesting for them is important. Providing an enclosure in which they can exhibit the same types of behaviors that they’d exhibit in the wild is an easy way to provide environmental enrichment.

Adding a variety of branches, tubes, chew toys, platforms, and hideouts throughout your hamster’s cage will allow them to climb, explore, and, of course, hide when they want to feel cozy and protected. Always choose high-quality items that are made from materials that are safe for hamsters. 

One example of the many hideouts that are available is the Kaytee Woodland Get-A-Way. It comes in more than one size, is made of wood, and has a flat platform on top for your hamster to rest on as well.

Let Your Hamster Dig into Deeper Bedding

If you’re only providing your hamster with a couple inches of bedding, consider setting up an enclosure that will allow for much deeper bedding (e.g., 10+ inches deep).

These animals like the burrow, so the right bedding that won’t collapse, combined with enough depth, will let them make their way “underground,” digging tunnels for doing things like storing food and napping.

This is a great form of enrichment because it allows your hamster to exhibit a behavior that comes naturally but wouldn’t be possible with a thin layer of bedding.

Let Your Hamster Forage for Food

When setting up a hamster enclosure, you’ll include a dish with food for them. But letting them forage for food is yet another good way to enrich their environment and keep things a little more interesting for them. This gives your rodent the chance to look for food on their own and feel the satisfaction of finding it just like they would if they were living in the wild.

One way to let your hamster forage is by sprinkling their food in different parts of their enclosure so they can search for it. Another option is to give your hamster a variety of sprays, such as wheat sprays, that they can munch on as a snack.

Create an Area for Sand Baths

Sand baths are another good addition to a hamster’s routine because they can use the sand for playing, digging, and cleaning themselves. All you need is a small dish filled with hamster-safe sand that’s soft and doesn’t create dust—an example is Tiny Friends Farm Bathing Sand, which is appropriate for hamsters, gerbils, chinchillas, and degus.

Don’t keep the sand bath in the enclosure at all times, though. Instead, add it on a regular basis so your hamster can use it for a few minutes, and remove it when they’re done.

Keep Your Hamster Active with an Exercise Ball

Letting your hamster out of their cage and into an exercise ball is a fun way to interact with them while giving them an opportunity to let their energy out. There are basic exercise balls that you can easily find in pet stores, and they’re affordably priced so you don’t need to spend a lot either.

A unique take on the hamster exercise ball is the Halo from Happy Habitats. It combines a clear exercise ball with a special carrier that makes it easy to carry your pet while they’re inside the ball, whether you’re traveling with your hamster or just moving them from one room to another. Simply secure the carrier around the ball to carry it by the handle, and set it down using the magnetic kick-out stands to let your hamster run while stationary. The product is designed to prevent paw trapping, there’s plenty of ventilation for your furry little companion, and there’s a two-step locking mechanism to keep them safe. 

Remember to always supervise your hamster while they are in their exercise ball.

So Many Ways to Keep Your Hamster Happy!

When it comes to taking care of a hamster, go beyond the basics to really make them feel at home in their enclosure. Just remember to always stick with products that are safe for these pocket pets, avoiding toxic or dangerous materials that could harm them.

Before you know it, you’ll have an enclosure that’s comfortable, safe, and fun for your adorable rodent. And you can interact with your hamster by handling them gently and letting them run in an exercise ball whenever they’re spending some time outside of their cage.   

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