Care guide · Hamsters

Where to get a hamster: rescue, breeder or pet shop

Checked against Wood Green: Adopt a hamster, Wood Green: Adopt small pets, Wood Green: Your hamster's health, what to look out for and 7 more on

Start with a rescue. Wood Green rehomes hamsters for £12, the RSPCA rehomes small animals through its centres, and in the US Humane World for Animals advises adopting from a shelter or small-animal rescue. For a particular species or colour, try a club breeder. Pet shops are the easiest route but the least you can check: PetSmart charges $23.99 to $25.99 (November 2026).

Where is the best place to get a hamster?

A rescue, then a good breeder, then a pet shop. Rescues know each hamster's character, check your set-up and help afterwards. Club breeders know their hamsters' parents and history. Pet shops are convenient, but Humane World for Animals warns that pet-store hamsters are often bred in poor conditions and are prone to wet tail, a serious, contagious diarrhoea.

Where Cost Good points Watch for
Rescue or rehoming centre £12 at Wood Green; varies elsewhere Known temperament, set-up advice, support afterwards Application and set-up check take time
Club breeder Ask the breeder Known parents and age, well handled, rare species and colours Clubs do not inspect breeders, so ask questions
Pet shop $23.99 to $25.99 at PetSmart Easy to find, 14-day promise at PetSmart Unknown background and parents, wet tail risk
Online adverts Varies Sometimes a genuine rehome No way to check health or history; we would avoid

Adopting a hamster from a rescue

This is the route we would take first. Wood Green, the national animal charity based in Cambridgeshire, charges £12 to adopt a hamster. Its process, which is typical of good rescues, runs like this.

  1. Apply. Fill in the rescue's form. Wood Green aims to reply within two days.
  2. Send photos of your set-up. Wood Green asks for photos with tape measurements showing at least 100 × 50 × 50 cm (40 × 20 × 20 in) for Syrian and Chinese hamsters, or 100 × 50 × 40 cm for dwarfs, with the right bar spacing.
  3. Make any changes. The team may suggest tweaks so the home meets your hamster's needs.
  4. Reserve a hamster. Once your set-up is approved, you hear which hamsters are available and choose one.
  5. Collect and settle. Wood Green rehomes within three hours of its centre. Leave your new hamster alone for a day or two to settle.

The RSPCA works in a similar way. You find a pet on its Find a Pet search, apply on the animal's page, and the team may phone to check the match. You then meet the animal and pay a fee that varies by centre. The RSPCA says having a baby, moving house or going on holiday do not automatically rule you out. In the US, Humane World for Animals advises a local animal shelter or small-animal rescue, and shelter listing sites let you search for hamsters near you.

Rescues often have adult hamsters that are already tame and handled. An adult's character is settled, so what you meet is what you get, which is ideal if you want a hamster you can hold.

Buying from a hamster breeder

A good breeder is the best way to get a particular species, coat or colour, and the most reliable way to find a Chinese hamster, which the National Hamster Council says is less common in shops. The Council's regional clubs, the Northern, Midland and Southern Hamster Clubs, list member breeders, and members can rehome hamsters they have bred at club shows.

The Council is clear that it does not run an approved breeder scheme, inspect breeders or guarantee their hamsters, so it is up to you to ask. Its code of practice gives a good checklist of what a breeder should do.

  • Rehome only healthy, fully weaned hamsters, aged 5 weeks to 10 months
  • Tell you the species, age, sex and colour
  • Give you details of the parents and ancestry
  • Give you care information and their contact details
  • Breed only healthy hamsters with no known inherited illness
  • Never cross species, such as Campbell's with winter white
  • Keep Syrians alone once they are old enough

Questions to ask a breeder

  • How old is the hamster, and how sure are you of its sex?
  • Can I see the mother, and how are the parents' temperaments?
  • How much has it been handled?
  • Have there been any health problems in the line, such as diabetes in dwarfs?
  • What food is it eating now?
  • Will you take it back if I can no longer keep it?

How much are hamsters at PetSmart?

As of November 2026, PetSmart lists its dwarf hamsters (Russian dwarf, Roborovski, winter white and Chinese dwarf) at $23.99, and its Syrian types (short-haired, long-haired and fancy bear) at $25.99. An in-store offer to 25 November takes 20% off, bringing them to $19.19 and $20.79. One Russian dwarf listing shows $15.99. Live hamsters are sold in store only, not online.

PetSmart's pet pages say it will replace the pet or refund the price if it becomes ill in the first 14 days, and advise a vet check within 14 days of purchase. Our hamster cost guide covers the full cost of the home and kit, which is far more than the hamster.

Is it okay to buy a hamster from a pet shop?

It can be, if you choose carefully. Many owners start that way. But you know little about the hamster's parents or early life, and Humane World for Animals advises avoiding pet-store hamsters because of poor breeding conditions and wet tail. If you do buy from a shop:

  • Look at all the hamsters in the tank: if any look ill, walk away
  • Ask the age, and avoid any hamster kept with others past about 8 weeks
  • Ask staff to check the sex, and check again at home
  • Book a small-pet vet check within 14 days
  • Do not buy the starter cage on sale with it unless it meets the 100 × 50 cm minimum

Do not buy a hamster to "rescue" it from a poor shop. It feels kind but it pays for the next one. Report welfare worries to the RSPCA instead and adopt from a rescue.

How to pick a healthy hamster

Visit in the evening, when hamsters are awake. Wood Green's health check and PDSA's advice on choosing small pets give the signs to look for.

Check Healthy Walk away if
Behaviour Bright, alert and curious when awake Sleepy or dull in the evening, hunched
Eyes Clean, clear and bright Discharge or a cloudy eye
Nose, ears and mouth Clean, quiet breathing Discharge, sneezing, wheezing or rattly breathing
Coat Full and clean Bald patches, red or flaky skin, scabs
Bottom Clean and dry Wet, dirty or smelly fur, a sign of wet tail
Teeth Light yellow, smooth, even Overgrown, broken or uneven
Movement Walks steadily, no limp Limping or poor balance
Home Clean, with gentle handling from young Dirty, crowded or mixed sexes

What to have ready before you bring a hamster home

Set the home up before the hamster arrives, so it moves straight into a finished space. Rescues such as Wood Green will want to see it first.

  • A home with at least 100 × 50 cm (40 × 20 in) of floor
  • 15 cm (6 in) of unscented paper bedding, with a deeper corner
  • A solid upright wheel: 30 cm (12 in) for Syrians, 20 cm (8 in) for dwarfs
  • Hides, a sand bath, chews and a water bowl
  • The same dry food it has been eating
  • A hard plastic carrier with some bedding for the trip home
  • A local vet who sees small pets

Our hamster cage setup guide shows how to lay it out, and our complete hamster care guide covers the first weeks. If you are still choosing a species, see hamster breeds and types and our Syrian or dwarf comparison.

Who can own a hamster?

An adult should be in charge. PDSA says you must be over 16 to own a pet in the UK and that an adult should be the main carer, with children supervised. The RSPCA agrees that caring for a hamster is too much responsibility for a child alone. Humane World for Animals notes that hamsters are illegal to keep in Hawaii, so check local rules if you live outside the UK. Our guide to hamsters as pets helps you decide whether one suits your home.

Getting a hamster: questions

How much are hamsters at PetSmart?

As of November 2026, PetSmart lists dwarf hamsters (Russian dwarf, Roborovski, winter white and Chinese) at $23.99 and Syrian types (short-haired, long-haired and fancy bear) at $25.99. An in-store offer to 25 November takes 20% off, to $19.19 and $20.79. Hamsters are sold in store only, not online.

Does PetSmart guarantee its hamsters?

PetSmart's pet pages describe a promise that if the pet becomes ill in the first 14 days, or you are not satisfied, it will replace the pet or refund the price. They advise a vet check within 14 days of purchase. Book that check whatever the guarantee, so a problem is found early.

Can I adopt a hamster from the RSPCA?

The RSPCA rehomes small animals through its centres, listed on its Find a Pet search. You apply on the animal's profile, the team may phone you to check the match, then you meet the hamster and pay a fee that varies by centre. Search near you, as hamsters are not always available.

How old should a hamster be when I get it?

Usually at least 5 weeks. The National Hamster Council's code says hamsters rehomed by its members must be fully weaned and between 5 weeks and 10 months old. It also says young hamsters kept together in shops are under 8 weeks, as they start squabbling after that, so an older shop hamster should be on its own.

Should I get a male or female hamster?

Either makes a good pet. Wood Green says female Syrians tend to be more energetic and may need more space, and only male Syrians grow the very long teddy bear coat, the National Hamster Council says. Older females can get pyometra, a womb infection. Choose on temperament: the calmest, most curious hamster you meet.

Can I get a hamster online?

We would avoid buying from online adverts. You cannot see where the hamster was kept, check its health or meet it first, and a seller you cannot find again is no help if it falls ill. Rescues advertise online but you still apply and visit, which is different. Always see the hamster before you take it.

Where can I get a Chinese or Roborovski hamster?

Chinese hamsters are less common in shops, the National Hamster Council says, so a club breeder is often the best route. Regional clubs list breeders and some members rehome hamsters at shows. Rescues sometimes have dwarfs too. Wood Green rehomes hamsters of several species.

Sources

Read next

How much does a hamster cost to buy and keep?

The hamster costs £12 to adopt or about $20 to $26 at PetSmart. Set-up costs far more, and Humane World puts running costs at $150 to $300 a year.

Hamster breeds, types and colours

Five hamster species are kept as pets: Syrian, Campbell's dwarf, winter white dwarf, Roborovski and Chinese. Teddy bear and angora hamsters are long-haired Syrians.

Hamster care: the complete guide

A hamster needs a cage of at least 100 x 50 cm, 25 cm of bedding, a solid wheel, a measured dry diet with fresh veg, a quiet room and a life alone.

Hamsters as pets: what to know before you get one

Good pets for adults and older children who are around in the evening: solitary, awake at night, living 1.5 to 3 years, needing a big cage.

Syrian or dwarf hamster: which should you get?

A Syrian is bigger, calmer and easier to handle; dwarfs are smaller, faster and best watched. Both need a 100 × 50 cm (40 × 20 in) cage.

Hamster cage setup: layouts and ideas that work

A cage of at least 100 x 50 cm with 25 cm of bedding, a buried hide, a solid wheel, a sand bath, a dig box and scattered food.