Hamster enrichment: toys and boredom busters

What is good enrichment for hamsters?

Anything that lets your hamster dig, run, hide, forage, climb a little and gnaw. The RSPCA says wild hamsters can run up to five miles (8 km) a night and dig burrows, and a pet still needs to do both. A wheel helps, but the RSPCA is clear it should not be the only enrichment.

Here is what each need looks like in a cage:

If you are still laying the cage out, our hamster cage setup guide shows where each of these goes.

Hamster tunnels: which kind and how to use them

Tunnels can be plastic, wood or card, says Woodgreen, and all three work. Hamsters live in burrows, so a tunnel is a hiding place and a route, not just a toy. The best tunnels sit at floor level or under the bedding, because PDSA warns that hamsters see poorly and can fall from height.

Large hamster wheels: what size and why

A Syrian or Chinese hamster needs a solid wheel of at least 30 cm (12 in), and a dwarf needs at least 20 cm (8 in), say PDSA and Woodgreen. PDSA adds: choose the largest, widest wheel you can fit, because a wheel that is too small forces a hamster to run with a curved back, which can cause long-term pain.

Sizes vary between sources. The Hamster Society Singapore sets 27 cm for Syrians and 21 cm for dwarfs, and PetMD still gives only 8 in (20 cm) for Syrians. We follow the larger UK figures, because a big Syrian on a 27 cm wheel can still arch its back. The RSPCA goes further and suggests a wheel made for rats.

Signs your hamster wheel is too small

• The back curves upward while running instead of staying flat
• Your hamster struggles to get the wheel moving
• It has sore feet (the RSPCA says see a vet and take the wheel out for a while)

A plastic wheel is fine if it has a solid track, no axle across the middle and no gaps. The Hamster Society Singapore recommends solid tracks to avoid foot injuries, and axle-free wheels so long fur doesn't tangle. Our guide to hamster wheel size goes species by species, and our page on the best hamster toys includes wheels we'd look at.

DIY hamster enrichment ideas

Most of the best hamster enrichment is free. These ideas come from PDSA, Woodgreen and The Vet Desk, and all of them use plain cardboard, paper and food.

• Toilet roll and kitchen roll tubes, with ends folded and a few pellets inside
• A shoebox or cereal box with holes cut in, turned upside down as a hide
• A paper bag stuffed with hay or plain paper bedding, with seeds hidden in it
• Pellets buried in the bedding instead of in a bowl
• A dig box: a tray or tub filled with coco coir (coconut fibre) and a few treats
• A cardboard maze laid on the floor during supervised play
• A seed spray (millet, oat or flax) hung or pushed into the bedding
• A sprig of safe herbs such as parsley or basil to find and carry off
• Untreated apple or hazel twigs to gnaw

How to make a cardboard dig and forage box

1. Pick a plain box. Use a sturdy box with no glossy coating, heavy ink, staples or tape. The Vet Desk warns against tape, staples, rubber bands and non-pet-safe glue in DIY toys.
2. Cut doorways. Cut two or three holes your hamster can pass through easily, on different sides, so it never feels trapped.
3. Fill it. Add a layer of coco coir, shredded plain paper or hay a few centimetres deep.
4. Hide food. Bury part of the day's food ration, not extra treats, so you don't overfeed.
5. Swap it often. Replace the box when it is chewed through, damp or dirty, and move it to a new spot sometimes. Woodgreen says swapping toys regularly helps with boredom.

How do I keep my hamster from being bored?

Give more space to dig, more to forage and regular change. Woodgreen says chewing the cage bars or trying to escape may be a sign of boredom. The Hamster Society Singapore links deeper bedding with less bar chewing in Syrians. If your hamster is pacing, climbing the bars or chewing them, try these in order:

1. Check the cage size. Our guide to hamster cage size gives the 100 × 50 cm (40 × 20 in) minimum. A cage under that is the most common cause.
2. Deepen the bedding. Build up a digging area of 25 to 30 cm (10 to 12 in).
3. Stop using a bowl. Scatter and bury the food so finding it takes time.
4. Add hides and clutter. Fill open floor with tunnels, cork, sprays and boxes so your hamster can move around under cover.
5. Rotate one or two things a week. Move or swap a toy rather than changing everything, so the cage still smells like home.

What not to do with a Syrian hamster

Don't put two together, wake one up to play, use an exercise ball or leave one loose unsupervised. Woodgreen says all hamster species should live alone, and Syrians are solitary by nature.

Also avoid cotton wool and fluffy bedding, which Woodgreen says can wrap around legs and cause blockages, mineral and salt blocks, and wire or slatted wheels. If your hamster is new and nervous, enrichment comes first and handling second. Our guide on how to tame a hamster covers that part.

Sand baths, chews and hides

A sand bath lets your hamster roll to clean its coat, and many use it as a toilet too. The Hamster Society Singapore suggests a dish at least A5 size, and says never to use scented sand, chinchilla dust or baby powder, which can harm the airways. Our page on hamster sand baths covers which sand to buy. For gnawing, PDSA suggests untreated softwood branches and gnawing blocks, and Woodgreen suggests fruit-tree wood. For hides, our guide to the best hamster hides shows what to look for. For the whole picture of hamster care, start at our hamster care guide.