Hamster care: the complete guide

Hamster care basics: what every hamster needs

Wood Green groups hamster care into five welfare needs: a suitable home, a suitable diet, the right company, the chance to behave normally, and vet care. For a hamster, those five needs come down to these ten things to have in place. Each part has its own guide, linked below.

• A cage or tank with at least 100 × 50 cm (40 × 20 in) of floor
• 25 cm (10 in) of unscented paper bedding, plus nesting material
• A multi-room hide and at least two more hides
• A solid upright wheel: 30 cm (12 in) for Syrians, 20 cm (8 in) for dwarfs
• A sand bath with safe sand
• Dry hamster food, measured and scattered
• Fresh water every day
• Chews, a dig box and cardboard to shred
• A quiet room at a steady 18 to 21°C (64 to 70°F)
• A vet who sees small pets

If you are still deciding whether a hamster suits your home, start with our guide to hamsters as pets, and see where to get a hamster when you are ready.

Which kind of hamster do you have?

Care is much the same for every species, but size, handling and some health risks differ.

"Black bear", "teddy bear" and "fancy" hamsters are all Syrians in different colours and coat lengths, so they get exactly the same care. Long-haired Syrians need a little more help with grooming, as bedding can tangle in their coats. Our guides to hamster breeds and colours and Syrian or dwarf hamsters have more.

Hamster cage: size and setup

The cage should give at least 100 × 50 cm (40 × 20 in) of unbroken floor. PDSA takes this figure from the Veterinary Association for Animal Welfare, and Wood Green uses it for every species, with a height of 50 cm (20 in) for Syrians and Chinese and 40 cm (16 in) for dwarfs. Older advice of 80 × 50 cm, and US figures such as PetMD's 450 square inches, are smaller. We follow the newer UK figure. Floor space matters more than height, as PDSA prefers single-level cages because hamsters see poorly and can fall.

Inside, split the cage into a deep "burrow" end with a buried multi-room hide and nest, and an open end with the wheel, sand bath, dig box and plenty of cover. Wood Green advises putting heavy items in before the bedding so they cannot sink onto a digging hamster. Our guides to hamster cage size, hamster cage setup and the best hamster cages cover this in detail, and the best hamster hides covers what to sleep in.

Hamster bedding

Use unscented paper bedding at least 25 cm (10 in) deep, as PDSA recommends, alone or with dust-free aspen, spruce or hemp mixed in. Add unscented toilet paper or soft hay for the nest. Avoid sawdust, pine and cedar shavings, scented bedding, newspaper and fluffy cotton-style nesting, which PDSA, the RSPCA and Wood Green all warn against. Our hamster bedding guide compares every type.

What to feed a hamster and how much

Feed a good-quality complete dry hamster food as the base. Wood Green suggests about 10 g (1 tablespoon, 0.35 oz) a day for a Syrian and 5 to 8 g (1 teaspoon, about 0.2 to 0.3 oz) for Chinese, Campbell's, winter white and Roborovski hamsters. Scatter it around the cage rather than using a bowl, which encourages foraging and helps prevent obesity.

Hamsters are omnivores. Alongside the dry food, offer about a teaspoon of fresh vegetables most days, PetMD's portion for a dwarf. Wood Green adds small amounts of boiled egg, pulses and cereals, and one or two mealworms at a time. Treats should be tiny, about the size of your hamster's ear, a few times a week.

Supreme Petfoods describes two styles of food: single-component foods such as Science Selective Hamster, where every piece is the same so your hamster cannot pick out favourites, and mixes, which give more variety for foraging. Beaphar Care+ Hamster is another single-component food. Either works if you feed a measured amount and do not top up until your hamster has eaten the less exciting bits. Change foods slowly: the RSPCA warns sudden changes can upset the stomach.

Our hamster diet guide covers feeding in depth, and our list of what hamsters can eat checks hundreds of foods, from carrots to grapes.

Water: bottle or bowl?

Both work, though Wood Green notes many hamsters prefer a bowl, and bottles can leak. Use a small, heavy, shallow bowl, about the size of a tea light holder as the Bunnyjackpot Foundation, a UK small-animal rescue charity that rehomes hamsters, suggests, so there is no risk of drowning. Change water daily and, if you use a bottle, check the spout works every day, as the RSPCA advises.

Daily, weekly and monthly hamster care

• Every evening: refresh water and scatter the day's dry food
• Every evening: remove fresh food left from the night before
• Every evening: some quiet time and handling while your hamster is awake
• Every day or two: scoop the toilet corner and sand bath
• Every week: a health check and a weigh on kitchen scales
• Every week or two: change part of the bedding, wash the wheel
• Every few weeks: a deep clean in a large cage, keeping some old bedding
• Every year: a check-up with a vet who sees small pets

PDSA suggests a daily spot clean and a full clean weekly for small cages, or every few weeks for large ones, always while your hamster is awake. Our guide to cleaning a hamster cage sets out each step.

Exercise, enrichment and the right wheel

Wild hamsters can run up to five miles (8 km) a night, the RSPCA notes, so a wheel is essential. It must be solid and big enough for your hamster to run with a straight back: PDSA and Wood Green say 30 cm (12 in) for Syrians and 20 cm (8 in) for dwarfs. The RSPCA adds that a wheel should not be the only enrichment. Deep bedding, a dig box, scattered food, tunnels, cardboard and chews let your hamster dig, forage and gnaw as it would in the wild.

Wood Green and Supreme Petfoods do not recommend hamster balls. For time outside the cage, Wood Green suggests a dry, empty bath with the plug in and towels down, or a pop-up pen, always supervised. Our guides to hamster wheel size, hamster enrichment and the best hamster toys have ideas.

Sand baths and grooming

Hamsters keep their coats clean by rolling in sand, so they should never be bathed in water. The Bunnyjackpot Foundation keeps a sand bath in the cage as a permanent fixture, in a heavy ceramic or glass dish, with safe, dust-free sand and never dust. Our hamster sand bath guide covers which sands to use.

Temperature and where to keep the cage

Keep the cage in a quiet indoor room at a steady 18 to 21°C (64 to 70°F), as PDSA advises, away from radiators, windows, draughts and direct sunlight. The RSPCA adds avoiding ultrasound from TVs, screens, vacuum cleaners and running water, and keeping lights off at about the same time each night. Below about 20°C (68°F), PDSA warns, some hamsters may slip into torpor, a deep, cold sleep that can look alarming. Our guides to hamster temperature and hamster hibernation and torpor explain what to do.

Handling and taming a hamster

Leave a new hamster alone for one or two days, Wood Green advises, then start in the evening while it is awake. Sit on the floor and let it walk over your hands. After one to two weeks of calm, patient handling, most hamsters are happy to be picked up and hand-fed. The RSPCA advises scooping with two cupped hands and holding your hamster no more than a few inches above a surface, because falls cause injuries.

1. Wait for evening. Only handle your hamster when it is up and moving on its own.
2. Wash your hands. Food smells on fingers invite nibbles.
3. Let it come to you. Rest a hand in the cage and let your hamster sniff and climb on in its own time, as the RSPCA suggests.
4. Scoop from below. Cup both hands under your hamster, never grab from above.
5. Stay low. Sit on the floor or hold it just above a soft surface.
6. Stop while it is calm. Wood Green suggests putting your hamster back while it is still relaxed.

Our guides on how to tame a hamster and hamster behaviour and body language explain what your hamster is telling you.

Why hamsters live alone

Keep every hamster on its own. Wood Green advises this for all species: Syrians and Chinese are solitary in the wild, and dwarfs and Roborovskis can fight badly in captivity, sometimes fatally. Some sources, including the RSPCA and Humane World for Animals, say dwarf pairs can share with care. We follow Wood Green, because a fight can be fatal and there is no reliable way to know in advance which pair will fall out.

Hamster health: weekly checks and when to see a vet

Hamsters hide illness well, so check your hamster weekly. Wood Green suggests looking for a bright, alert hamster at its usual waking time, a good appetite, a clean coat, normal movement, clear eyes, a clean nose, ears and bottom, no lumps or wounds, and smooth, light yellow front teeth that wear evenly. Weigh your hamster on kitchen scales so you notice any steady loss or gain.

Timings other than Wood Green's are our own cautious guide: if in doubt, ring the vet the same day. PetMD adds weight loss, coughing, nasal discharge, drooling and loss of appetite to the list of reasons to call a vet, and suggests a yearly check-up. If your hamster is ill or recovering and stops eating, a vet may give a recovery food such as Oxbow Critical Care Omnivore, which Oxbow says should be used under a vet's direction. Our hamster health guide covers each problem in full.

Caring for an elderly hamster

Wood Green says that from about two and a half, hamsters may show overgrown nails, thinning patches, more sleeping and drinking, lumps and weight loss, and a wobbly walk. To help an older hamster:

• Lower or remove any shelves and ramps, so there are no drops
• Keep food, water and the nest close together
• Offer softer foods, such as dry food softened with a little water, removing leftovers the same day
• Check nails, which Wood Green says may need occasional trimming, and avoid mesh floors where long nails can catch
• Check weight weekly and look for lumps when you handle
• Keep the room warm and steady

Our guide to how long hamsters live covers each life stage, and the end of life, gently.

Caring for a blind or hairless hamster

A blind hamster copes well by smell and whiskers if its home stays the same. Keep the layout fixed, avoid drops and high platforms, and put food and water in the same places every time. Hairless Syrians lose heat faster than furred ones, so keep the room at the warm end of 18 to 21°C (64 to 70°F), give plenty of soft paper nesting, and use soft bedding that will not scratch. This is our reasoning, not charity guidance, so ask your vet about your own hamster.

Hamster facts, costs and names

Their teeth never stop growing, the RSPCA notes, which is why they gnaw, and a Syrian can carry up to half its body weight in its cheek pouches. Our page of hamster facts has more, our hamster cost guide covers the money side, and our hamster names page will help you pick a name.

More hamster guides

Kinds of hamster: Syrian, teddy bear, Russian dwarf, Roborovski, hamster or gerbil.

Home and kit: large cages, glass, wooden and bin cages, accessories checklist, tunnels, food bowls, water bottles and bowls, carriers, harnesses.

Is this cage big enough? Omlet, Savic Hamster Heaven Metro, Savic Hamster Plaza 100, Prevue 528, Ferplast Criceti 100, Ferplast Hamsterville, Ferplast Mini Duna, Ferplast Laura, Ferplast Olimpia, Habitrail Cristal, Kaytee CritterTrail, Niteangel Bigger World L, Critter Nation 162, Rotastak Maxi Mansion.

Food, health and fun: vegetables and fruit hamsters can eat, finding a hamster vet, hamster sounds, famous hamsters.