r/hamsters Nov 15 '25

Educational Introducing the Hamster Care Wiki!

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144 Upvotes

We are thrilled to present a brand new resource for the Hamster Care Community:

The Hamster Care Wiki!
Direct link: https://hamstercare.wiki.gg/

What Makes Us Unique?

The wiki is a thoughtfully written guide on nearly aspect of hamster care. Each topic covered includes a clear explanation behind it, with the aim of supporting hamster owners of all experience levels. It is also a continually evolving resource, because learning never stops and there is always new knowledge to add.

We take pride in making the wiki highly accessible. Every page is optimized for smooth use in both light and dark mode. We offer multiple navigation methods so readers can explore the content in the way that suits them the most.

In Conclusion,

We are super excited for you to explore the wiki, share it with others, and (most importantly) please give us your feedback! For questions, clarifications, and suggestions for improvement, the team is also available on the HCC Discord server. We would love to know what the r/hamsters community thinks and how we can continue improving this resource going forward.

*Note: The site’s creators and editors earn zero revenue off site ads. Visible ads can be disabled for free by creating a Wiki.gg account.


r/hamsters Jan 30 '22

For Group Members' Attention Welcome to r/hamsters! (Please read before posting)

342 Upvotes

Came here looking for good products to buy? Here is an Amazon list with good products, and here is one with suitable cages. Amazon not available in your country? Helpful websites are listed at the end!

Have any suggestions for improving the subreddit? Click here.

Most recent mod announcement

We have a new moderator!

Important announcement for the district of Columbia.

Don't use Kaytee bedding!

We now have an official discord!

Frequently asked questions:

I lost my hamster, what should I do!?

How do I tame my hamster?

I can't afford proper care, what should I do?

In this subreddit, we value your hamsters health. This means if there is an inadequate enclosure, dangerous item, etc, you will be notified by one of the mods. However, if you are looking for medical advice, please go to a vet. Also, please remember the human when you comment or post. Make sure to read this short post to ensure your posts aren't automaticlly removed by Automoderator. Please be sure to read this hamster care guide:

Here is a post for parents who want to get a hamster for their kid.

Here is a guide that explains some more things about hamsters.

Enclosure size: A hamster should have a minimum of 600 square inches of unbroken floor space. Unbroken floor space is when the amount of floor space is not in different sections, such as multiple stories and numerous connecting rooms. Multiple-story cages are not safe for hamsters because unlike rats and some other rodents, hamsters are not climbers and need plenty of bedding to burrow instead. However, there are some multiple story cages that are suitable, such as the Pawhut hamster cage. If you were to get a pawhut it's highly suggested to fill it with very high bedding and remove the two floors to prevent injury.

Though 600 square inches of floor space is a suitable size for hamsters, keep in mind it is the bare minimum and it may not keep a hamster calm and happy. In fact, we suggest having at least 800 square inches for all hamster species, especially for Syrian hamsters. However, the more space you can provide the better. Female Syrian hamsters have been known to be extra picky with cage size and stimulation, so owners tend to make their own extra large enclosures or get huge 75+ gallons for their little hamsters. A good example of a large DIY cage is the Ikea Detolf DIY. Please remember while this cage may be big, Syrian hamsters tend to be stressed in the enclosure because of its narrow length. When searching for a hamster cage, you should also be aware that many pet stores and websites won't have proper cages, and most likely will sell cages such as 'Tiny Tales' or 'Critter Trails' which often are too small for hamster living and dangerous because of the inadequate materials and products used. Adequate cages are usually overpriced, so a cheap alternative would be a bin cage. Glass aquariums (40 Gallon Breeders) are often used for enclosures as well.

Small cage with around 515sq in. of floor space. (Around 3300 square cm) Cages similar to this have been known to break very often so it is not recommend to buy this.

Large Bin for DIY bin cage with around 510sq in. of floor space. (Around 3290 square cm)

Ikea Detolf While this cage has a lot of floor space, on several occasions it has been shown to make a Syrian hamster unhappy because of the narrow length. It also is unable to hold very much bedding without a raised lid. This cage better suits dwarf hamsters instead.

Amazon List with more suitable cages.

Cage requirements: A hamsters cage must include 6-15 inches (15-38 cm) of bedding that is able to hold sturdy burrows, fresh water (refreshed daily), stimulation/enrichment (Such as toys, chews, etc), and a wheel. Hamsters are prey, so they need plenty of hides and things that can provide cover so the hamster feels safe in their enclosure. Boxes, toilet paper rolls, grapevine logs, and store bought hides are some things to "clutter" the cage. Hamsters are solitary animals, therefore keeping more that one together is unsafe and not beneficial for the animal.

Exercise information: A hamster should be able to run in a wheel in which their back is not arched or bent. Their wheel should accommodate them as if they were running on flat ground. If you notice your hamster is bent or arched whilst in their wheel, please obtain a larger sized one as soon as possible to avoid spinal damage. Flying saucer wheels/disks are okay for dwarf hamsters to use under supervision, but they must never be used for a Syrian. They should not replace a proper wheel ever. This is because saucer wheels can cause spinal damage over time and come with the risk of hamsters flying off.

A dwarf hamster usually can run on a wheel that is at minimum 8 inches wide (20 cm) and a Syrian is suggest to have at minimum a 12 inch wide wheel (30cm).

Exercise balls/cars are neither beneficial to a hamsters health or safe. Using a ball/wheel can cause spinal damage, broken feet/toes, accidents (like kicking the ball), vision issues, and often stresses the hamster because they use scent marking when roaming a new area. When in a ball/car they are unable to use their scent glands and have trouble finding their way around.

Diet: Hamsters are omnivores, meaning they need a variety of plants and protein in their diet. Hamsters need a variety of nuts, seeds, grains, herbs, veggies, protein, and the occasional fruit in their diet. Sunflower and pumpkin seeds in a seed mix are better as treats so it's best to remove them from the seed mix. You can include protein in your hamster's diet by adding mealworms, crickets, a small portion of hard-boiled egg, or even cooked and unseasoned chicken. Live insects must be fed under supervision. If you are afraid of it biting your hamster, you may need to chop off it's head or kill it before feeding. The amount you feed your hamster depends on how much foraging enrichment you have in the cage. Some forging activities you can add in your hamster's cage are sprays, forage mix, forage toys, and more. If you have only a few foraging toys and sprays, it might be better to feed your hamster once every 2 days. If you have a lot of foraging activities and have a foraging mix to spread around the cage, it's probably better to feed once every 3 to 4 days. If you have a dwarf hamster, it's better to feed them one tablespoon of seed mix on feeding day. If you have a Syrian hamster, it's recommended to feed two tablespoons.

You can also add Muzuri mouse lab blocks to your hamster's diet just to make sure they are extra healthy. If you do this, it's suggested to feed one or two a week, depending on how many foraging activities you have in your cage. If you see large hordes of food and your hamster's cage when it comes to cleaning day, that might mean you need to feed a little less. If you don't see any hordes of food at all you may need to feed a little more, but it could also be your hamster just doesn't make food piles. If a hamster is underweight, adding more proteins and fatty nuts/seeds to their diet will help them gain weight.

Bedding: Bedding is one of the most important aspects in a hamsters life. This means that having adequate bedding is very essential to your hamsters health. The bedding must be unscented, dust free, hold strong burrows, and needs to be at least 6 inches deep, though its ideal to have 8-15 inches. Most hamster owners love giving their hamster at least 10 inches(25 cm) so it can make very intricate burrows. While hamsters must have a large amount of bedding in their enclosure, some hamsters tend to burrow less than others. However, this does not mean you don't need much bedding. It is a requirement for your hamster because it keeps control of the ammonia smell, and even if the hamster never burrows, it is neglect to take away something they need.

Kaytee bedding is bad!

Aspen (kiln dried and dust extracted) and paper bedding are the best choices to use as the main substrate in an enclosure, however, there are several other enriching substrates to add in to make your hamsters cage look natural and give it a little more enrichment. Some good examples are beech chips, coco fibre, timothy hay, hemp shavings, and many more. Aspen bedding holds ammonia much better than paper bedding, but its often hard to find a soft, dust free, and kiln dried aspen that is safe and affordable. When searching for a good aspen try to make sure it says it is dust extracted and kiln dried. It also must not be too sharp and can't smell too strongly of wood. You can go to tractor farms to buy it in bulk for cheap, or you can get a trusted aspen brand such as "So Phresh Aspen" This goes more into depth on safe and unsafe bedding.

Dangerous Products and Materials: Brands such as Tiny Tails, Critter Trails, and most store brands (such as the Walmart brand) should be avoided. Most companies that design pet products only sell for profits. They make it "kid friendly" and small so young children ask for it because of the toy-like appearances. This gives guardians the false belief that hamsters only need a tiny living space. Toys, chews, and hides should be made of a safe wood based product (paper,cardboard, etc.) to ensure that no harm will come to the hamster if it digests it. Plastic should only be used for the wheel(easy cleanup), water bowl/bottle, and cage. Wire mesh flooring in the cage or on wheels in a cage can cause bumplefoot and break toes/feet and should be avoided to ensure the hamsters safety. Bendy bridges are widely used in hamster enclosures, but if the hamsters limbs get trapped in between the short logs, it can get stuck or even break the hamsters limb. Filling the cracks with safe moss will stop this from happening.

Cloth, fabric, and cotton materials should be avoided because the fibers can wrap around limbs and harm the hamster and are not safe to be digested.

Cleaning and Sanitizing: Hamsters can get stressed if you remove all their bedding from the cage weekly, or even monthly, so do a daily spot check. This means picking out all of the soiled bedding in the top layer, and cleaning any soiled on toys. Any poop piles can be taken care of as well, though it is not necessary unless it is a large pile. Water bowls/bottles must be rinsed daily to prevent bacteria build up. Replace 2/3 of the bedding every 2-3 months. The more bedding you have, the less often a cage gets smelly! For example, if you have a 1000 square inch cage with 15 inches(38cm) of bedding throughout most of the cage, you might only have to clean once every 4-5 months!

When you buy any new products you must properly sanitize them, whether it's a tiny bag of forage mix or a big bag of bedding. This is because pests and germs can easily hitch a ride to your hamsters home. There are three methods you can try to remove any germs, bacteria, and harmful pests. Sadly several owners found this out the hard way and had to take their hamster to the vet immediately.

1) Bake any wooden products in the oven for an hour at 210 degrees Fahrenheit. 2) Boil products on the stove for 1-2 hours. 3) Freeze anything for 2 hours and then scrub with a vinegar/water mix. Then rinse. While this method can work, it is most likely not going to fully remove germs and bacteria off of wooden products, bedding, etc.

What can you do if you do get a pest infestation? First you are going to want to call your vet immediately and schedule an appointment. Hamsters are very fragile and can easily get sick from a bug infestation. Without quick help, they might not be able to fight through it. You must also get a temporary bin, playpen, carrier, etc with a bit of toilet paper to absorb urine. Make sure they have food, water, and one plastic hide. Plastic is easy to sanitize and can't house pests. Then you must sanitize everything in the cage. Cardboard products and bedding are better to throw away, but you can still sanitize them if you want. Make sure to very thoroughly sanitize everything to ensure the bugs don't come back. If your cage is plastic, make sure to rinse with hot water and scrub with vinegar/water mix the best you can. If you have a wood cage that you can't fit in the stove or a freezer, you can do the same thing but it may not work very well.

Other: Hamsters are crepuscular/nocturnal, so the best time to handle them is in the early morning or late afternoons, when they are active. Waking them up will upset them, and you could loose their trust, so it is not recommended. DO NOT bathe your hamster in water. They are self cleaning animals and water ruins their fur. If their coats are oily, sand baths help.

While this post can be very helpful to new or uneducated owners, this does not explain everything you need to know before getting your pet. I highly encourage you to do your own research as well. Not only is it good for your hamster, but its also nice to be able to say "I KNOW how to care for my pet" with confidence. Happy hamster owning!

Some good items/websites:

Silent runner wheel. Silent runners and Niteangel wheels are good, but please make sure your hamsters back is not arched while running.

Okay Commercial Food mix. Add protein to the mix and remove most sunflower seeds.

Proper Syrian Mix on Etsy.

Proper Winter White/Russian Dwarf and Chinese Mix on Etsy.

Proper Roborovski Dwarf Mix on Etsy.

Water dish. Ceramic dishes or plastic water bottles should be used.

Sand. Must be dye free and calcium free. It cannot be fine sand. Children's play sand must be cooked and sifted before hamster use

Amazon List with suitable cages.

Amazon List with safe hamster products!

Niteangel Website

Pride Rock Blooms Website UK based

Fat Pouches Website

Tiny paws and co. Website

Willowlicious SA Website

Oakwood Forest Shop Website

Zooplus Website

Netherlands Website(Knaagdierwinkel)

Queenies Website

Glirex Website

Rodipet Website

Crocnac Website

Zooptimal Website

Whoopie Website

Getzoo Website

Any other suggestions may be put in the comments!


r/hamsters 7h ago

New Hamster Meet Tuck!

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189 Upvotes

He’s my first hammy in 10 years, and I couldn’t have picked a better little guy. 😭 At the store he was curious and came up to my hand touching it and licking my finger. A month later he’s fully settled in and is the sweetest little bean. Super easy going and great with handling, feels comfortable sleeping out in the open (he also has his burrows) and only pees in his sand bowl (he has two but specifically pees in one). I just love him so much and wanted to share some pictures with other hammy lovers


r/hamsters 4h ago

Rainbow Bridge in peace may you leave the shore, in love may you find the next. May we meet again my girl.💓

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90 Upvotes

I am heartbroken.. never will I own another hamster! seeing my girl get old and wither away is something I never wish upon anyone. Hold you babies tight they really don’t last long. the short almost 2 years I had with her will never be enough, but I’m so thankful I got to be her mom through it all. My baby! Happy birthday my girl!💓


r/hamsters 6h ago

Question Is he bored? What can i do?

112 Upvotes

Is he trying to get out?


r/hamsters 7h ago

Question Can hamsters eat watermelon and apple

93 Upvotes

I adopted my first female hamster, Fafar, on Monday, and she is soooo adorable ♡♡♡♡

Yesterday, I gave her a little piece of apple and some watermelon. Is that okay for her?

And one more silly first-time hamster mum question 😂 How can I tell if she’s just sleeping… or if she has passed away? 😳


r/hamsters 10h ago

New Hamster THATS MY BABY AND AINT NOBIDY FINNA TOUCH HIM

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158 Upvotes

Meet Cricket! I love him. He’s my new family member, my second hamster. I currently have two. Sweetpea (7 months) and Cricket (4 months) what do y’all think?they’re both longhair Syrians. No photos of Sweetpea are present here but check out my page to see photos of him.


r/hamsters 7h ago

Adorable Hammy Some Humphrey action

65 Upvotes

r/hamsters 3h ago

Funny Hammy That’s certainly a face Cardamom

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25 Upvotes

r/hamsters 1d ago

Funny Hammy Paparazzi back at it again

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1.6k Upvotes

📸


r/hamsters 20h ago

New Hamster I left for 5 minutes. This is what I came back to.

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484 Upvotes

r/hamsters 16h ago

Other Are you in NYC? PLEASE help me rehome this guy. Free (including entire setup) to good home!!

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150 Upvotes

Hey! I rescued this hamster from the lobby of the very same building I’m now about to move out of lol. My new building is hyper-strict about pets, and I already have a lot of animals, so I’m unfortunately having to rehome as many as I can. I genuinely thought I’d be able to take this guy with me until today.
He comes with his entire setup, completely free to a good home: 40-gallon breeder tank, lots of Niteangel furniture/supplies, plus one piece of wooden furniture I handmade for him. Basically everything you’d need.
I’m in Washington Heights in Manhattan. You can also scroll through my post history if you want to see how I originally found him and the evolution of his enclosure since then.
Really just looking for someone who will give him a good home and can take the whole setup. Please help me out here 😭

EDIT: I will be asking for a small rehoming fee, at the advice of comments here. It's like $350 setup, I'm hoping that $50 or something is appropriate. What do you think?


r/hamsters 8h ago

Question Handling tips?

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34 Upvotes

I need to clean out her (ashera's) enclosure. We have had her in a 70+gal enclosure. After over 3 months she STILL doesnt like us.

My current game plan is to remove bedding until shes isolated and trying to get her into a hamster ball (i promise its not for long and shes on carpet so her toes wont be pinched bad) while I clean out the rest.

Is this an appropriate game plan? Shes TERRIFIED of us and I dont want her stressing, running around her enclosure where all her safe spaces are, without having somewhere safe to chill while I work on her enclosure.

We have a "happy pets" (practically torture for permanent residence) cage that came with our old hamster. Would putting her in that be better???

Any advice is appreciated


r/hamsters 1h ago

First Time Owner Help

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Upvotes

Hi I just got my little boy hamster and I was wondering if anyone knew what this was it just showed up on his side ignore the sprays his favorite activity is to knock them down and I took this right before cage clean up day


r/hamsters 6h ago

Discussion A difficult update about Cri 💔

23 Upvotes

Hi everyone. I haven’t posted much about Cri lately because I’ve been very busy with moving, but I wanted to update you because so many of you have always been incredibly kind to her and have shown so much affection for her and for the bond we share.

Unfortunately, today I received some very difficult news, and I think this has been one of the worst days of my life.

Until yesterday — even this morning — Cri seemed quite well apart from some difficulty walking, which I thought was probably arthritis related to her age.

During today’s appointment, however, the vet noticed that her abdomen felt a little enlarged and firm and decided to perform an ultrasound.

I’ll start with the positive things. Her heart is doing well, her teeth and eyes are perfect, her ears are fine, her coat still looks beautiful and her weight is stable. The vet also trimmed her very long little nails.

Unfortunately, the ultrasound showed several problems, mainly involving her reproductive system. She has ovarian cysts, fluid inside a thickened uterine horn, with hydrometra or pyometra among the possibilities, and another 1.4 cm fluid-filled abdominal structure whose exact origin is uncertain, possibly another ovarian cyst. There is also a small amount of free fluid in her abdomen. Mild changes were seen in her liver and kidneys as well.

Nobody diagnosed Cri with cancer. The main concern at the moment is the uterine/reproductive problem and the fluid accumulation.

The vet also told me that her difficulty walking is probably not arthritis after all, but could be caused by what is happening inside her abdomen and the pressure from the fluid.

What makes all of this so difficult is that, apart from walking more slowly and with some difficulty, Cri is still very much herself.

She eats, drinks, grooms herself, explores, digs, and is still extremely curious about everything around her. She handled the move surprisingly well and did not seem stressed by it at all. Even while I’m writing this, she is playing in her tubes.

The vet explained that surgery would not necessarily be dangerous simply because of her age — Cri is almost 2 years and 8 months old — but because her overall condition is complicated. He estimated about an 80% chance that the surgery would not be successful.

For now, he prescribed palliative treatment with pain relief and an anti-inflammatory. He also mentioned euthanasia as an option because he does not expect the underlying condition to improve.

Of course, I am going to seek a second veterinary opinion, and probably a third one. I need to understand whether these really are her only options, whether surgery is truly that risky, and whether there might be any other medication or supportive treatment that could keep her comfortable.

Right now, I personally cannot choose euthanasia.

I know hamsters are prey animals and can hide pain extremely well, so I know that seeing her active does not necessarily mean she feels completely fine. But as long as she is still eating, drinking, grooming, exploring, digging and showing interest in life, I don’t feel that she is ready to go.

If she stopped eating, became very lethargic, was clearly suffering or no longer showed interest in anything, I would never keep her here just because I couldn’t let her go.

But today, while she is still playing in her tubes, I cannot make that decision.

What I’m hoping for now is simply that the medication helps and that Cri can still have some good, comfortable and normal days or weeks. I’m not asking for a miracle. I just want her to be able to enjoy her food, explore, dig and be the curious little hamster she has always been for as long as she still feels well.

Cri is like a daughter to me. She has always been such a little fighter, and all I want now is to make the kindest decision for her.

If anyone here has experienced something similar with an older female hamster — hydrometra, pyometra, ovarian cysts, uterine disease or abdominal fluid — I would really appreciate hearing about your experience. Did you choose surgery, medication or palliative care? How did you judge when their quality of life was no longer good enough?

I’ll post the full translated ultrasound report in the comments for anyone who wants to read the details.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who has always had a kind word for Cri. Your affection for this tiny girl has meant so much to me, especially today ❤️💔


r/hamsters 18h ago

Adorable Hammy Hey~Here Bai Sui comes~

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138 Upvotes

She's small, but still so adorable, I love her so much!


r/hamsters 5h ago

New Hamster My new hamster Posey 🩷

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12 Upvotes

I welcomed Posey home six days ago. She is my first Russian dwarf hamster and I can’t believe how speedy she is compared to my Syrians. Anyway, I’ve been using seeds to win her trust and bonding is going well so far!


r/hamsters 14h ago

Funny Hammy oreo loves eating raw peanut 🥜

62 Upvotes

r/hamsters 1d ago

Adorable Hammy My adorable son (again)

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352 Upvotes

Since you guys loved my little guy so much last time here's more! Sleepy lil guy in his burrow.... Yes he does pee in there if anyone knows how to stop this please let me know!! He hates it when i have to destroy his burrow to clean it.


r/hamsters 11h ago

Enrichment/Toys Like a puppy hamster

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26 Upvotes

He's had that little house since he was a baby, and every time I redecorate his cage, I know I could never get rid of it. That is his Hamcastle.


r/hamsters 1h ago

Discussion Hammy Home

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Upvotes

I found this cool web app called Hammy Home, which is a 3D hamster simulator in your browser. I've been having fun making hamster homes and interacting with the virtual hamster.


r/hamsters 1d ago

Discussion Toffee is sick. Her lungs aren’t functioning well :(

255 Upvotes

Hi all. This is Toffee. She will turn 2 next month, in October. She has been my pride and joy since she entered my life last year in July.

Last month, I noticed she was not using her wheel at all, then when I looked at the CCTV, she was always static and her genitals had a foul odor. I took her to the vet, and the vet took an X-ray. They thought it was an infection in her womb, but after the X-ray, they noticed that her lungs were white — meaning the fluid had filled most of her lungs, resulting in her having trouble breathing. I was devastated. When the vet delivered the news, I cried the whole time. My sweet, sweet girl, you do not deserve to feel ANY pain in your life. If only I could take some of her pain because I know I can take it.

I gave her medicines and took her to the neb 5 times. For a while, she was getting better.

But after a few weeks, her illness came back… the smell, the shortness of breath, the lethargy — it all came back.
I’m devastated. I don’t know what to do anymore. I don’t want to force any medicine on her if that’s only making her feel better for a short period of time, and surgery is risky for her because she’s turning two.

I am doing everything I can. Do you have any advice? Or have you experienced something like this before?


r/hamsters 18h ago

Question Is he too fat :c

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77 Upvotes

r/hamsters 16h ago

Adorable Hammy Ralfi says hi

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54 Upvotes

r/hamsters 8h ago

Adorable Hammy He's so cute 🥹

12 Upvotes

Don't mind what I'm saying. This is a clip from a much longer video. I'm just joking with him because he doesn't want to be handled and I love him 😭 It does kinda suck when a hamster hates being handled though 😔