r/hamsters Nov 15 '25

Educational Introducing the Hamster Care Wiki!

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140 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)

336 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 10h ago

Educational My hamster is a cancer survivor! 💜

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1.5k Upvotes

About a month ago, my hamster got like 700 likes on Reddit. I tried to edit that post, but it wouldn’t let me. Recently on a Wednesday night we were playing with our hamster her name is marshmallow. We noticed that she was bleeding the slightest amount by her tail. We put her back and we’re trying to be gentle with her. We looked around the cage and did not see no more blood. The next day, I decided to take the cage apart to try to figure out if she was still bleeding or if she got hurt. She had not been bleeding since that small amount of blood that Wednesday night. When I took the cage apart on Thursday night I had noticed she started bleeding suddenly again. I called around, but there was no exotic vets available in the emergency room so the next day I got up at seven and started calling around again. I was not able to find a local exotic vet so we ended up driving three hours to Pullman Washington for their exotics team at Washington State University. When we reached the university, she was still in good spirits, moving around a lot eating her food and drinking her water. But she had started bleeding really heavy suddenly. They said they were gonna have to sedate her to be able to check her stomach to see why she was bleeding. They decided that she either had a tumor, an injury or an ovarian cancer, which is common in hamsters. After sedating her, they realize she did have ovarian cancer. Marshmallow had to go through emergency surgery and be neutered. They said she was full of a lot of blood in her organ. After that, she recovered and she came home this Monday. The vet said usually with hamsters the cancer sticks to that organ it’s affecting. Currently she is taking her medicine in Baby food. Which she absolutely loves. The vet did let me know while she was there. If there would’ve been any complications where she needed blood she was way too large to be able to get a blood transfer from another hamster because she was so large. Said it was largest hamster she’s ever saw not just size but bone structure. So that is the story of my hamster surviving cancer.


r/hamsters 12h ago

New Hamster What kinda hammy is he?

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440 Upvotes

So i got this baby a week ago and idek what breed he is. Someone help pls! And if im being honest, idk the gender either.


r/hamsters 9h ago

Food and Diet Mrs. Paçoca and her sunflower seed.

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175 Upvotes

This is Paçoca (Brazilian peanut candy). She learned to take small nibbles when she wants something different from her usual food. And sunflower seeds are her favorites. What do you offer your hamsters?


r/hamsters 8h ago

Question Discoloration on balls

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124 Upvotes

Hi, I just noticed that my new baby has some dark discoloration on his balls while he was cleaning himself. It’s hard to get a picture of it and I don’t want to pick him up yet since he only moved in yesterday. Do I need to worry or is it normal ?


r/hamsters 8h ago

Funny Hammy Humphrey returns - he is circumnavigating the mattress!

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124 Upvotes

r/hamsters 9h ago

Rainbow Bridge Made this video of my baby. I miss her

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69 Upvotes

It’s been a month and I miss her more and more every day :(


r/hamsters 10h ago

Funny Hammy Pippi’s Fave hideout!

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90 Upvotes

So I had this raffia planter that I was going to put some herbs in but Pippi stole it from me. Now it’s her go-to when she’s playing on my bed while I read! Little thief! And not to worry: that pillbox is for her daily treats!


r/hamsters 9h ago

Adorable Hammy This little sweetie I saw at a pet store today 🥺

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58 Upvotes

She gradually rolled out of her little hut while sleeping, it was adorableee 🥺🥺😭😭


r/hamsters 27m ago

Rainbow Bridge My beautiful boy

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Upvotes

I’m happy to have given him all I can
He was always so adventurous, loved his Whimzee’s, bamboo chews, and all the fun substrates he could dig and forage in ❤️
I’ll miss him dearly, but I’m happy I made the decision to take him in (knowing his previously abusive and rough medical history), and give him an amazing year with me.
Although bittersweet, he went peacefully and cuddled up with his favorite treats, and the crocodile whimzee he’s been working on these past few months

🐹 Love you so much Mochi ❤️


r/hamsters 18h ago

Funny Hammy New hamster idgaf mentality

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237 Upvotes

I made a post yesterday asking if I should be worried because my new hamster wasn’t hiding at all (and was told that I probably shouldn’t). Well, his zero-survival instinct, idgaf mentality is still going strong 😂 this is how I just found I’m sleeping.

I checked if he was actually sleeping and not dead, he opened his eyes, took a stretch, and went straight back to sleep the same way.

Disclaimer: he has plenty of new houses, tunnels and thick paper bedding to burrow. He just chooses not to use any of it.


r/hamsters 2h ago

Adorable Hammy Feeling guilty and nervous about leaving

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10 Upvotes

Im leaving for a trip and I am extremely anxious. My girl Mochi is almost 2 and has been having issues with her skin again (ever since i adopted her from a shelter her hair falls out and her skin gets dry patches. Its closely monitored by a vet) and my boy Laddu has three legs and often blocks his water sources (he is a very special boy. I love him but he has zero survival instincts) I have a babysitter, my sister, who will stay with them but I just get nervous even if its 4 days. Does anyone else have an extreme fear of something going wrong? A pic of Mochi for the ham tax.


r/hamsters 1h ago

Question hamster suddenly more destructive than usual

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Upvotes

my female hamster has recently being acting way more destructive than normal. chewing up hides and other stuff that she previously never touches and making new burrows every day when she has only ever stuck to making one that she uses as her main spot. this is quite a big change in her behavior and im a bit concerned.

i know her enclosure is due for some bedding changing and i am a bit late on that due to not having enough bedding left atm. could that be it? or maybe this new flower mix i gave her yesterday is what is making her act up??

picture of the evil doer


r/hamsters 8h ago

Hamster Art Hammy Art

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20 Upvotes

Doodle I made today based on an idea I have about little fairies using hamsters like horses. Figured yall would appreciate it 💕


r/hamsters 8h ago

First Time Owner Losing fur or normal?

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15 Upvotes

First pic is her today and last is a week ago. Am i just seeing things?


r/hamsters 19m ago

Question Keeping hamster healthy after another passes

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Upvotes

I unfortunately just had one of my hamsters pass tonight. He was sharing a room (not cage) with my other hamster. There’s an ammonia smell in the cage (which I’m actively cleaning in a separate room), but is there anything else I need to do to keep my current hamster safe/healthy? Everything from the previous hamster has been removed from the room including the enclosure and all bedding.
❤️advice appreciated


r/hamsters 1d ago

Adorable Hammy Tasty snack pt 2

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584 Upvotes

Buttermilk eating a watermelon rind snack, featuring my brother's finger


r/hamsters 1d ago

Adorable Hammy Seconds before he peed all over

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275 Upvotes

Please note that this is Laddu and he is missing a hand. He has one hand and a stub and looks very guilty about what is going to happen next


r/hamsters 1d ago

Adorable Hammy Comfy girl 🐹🐾

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196 Upvotes

r/hamsters 8h ago

Question I may be taking in a pregnant Syrian, any suggestions on care?

6 Upvotes

I’ve had hamsters all my life, and have raised a litter of mice before, but don’t know much about hamster pregnancies. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. If the girl in question is pregnant it will also be risky due to her young age, so she will definitely need more care than the normal hamster pregnancy. I will be doing a bunch of research but in the meantime I figured Reddit could help me out a bit too!


r/hamsters 8h ago

Question How do I improve?

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8 Upvotes

Hey, just looking for some advice, Alba is quite a nervous hammy that doesnt like being held, but also constantly trying to escape, ive got a new cage, multiple hides and sand baths, underground maze and a good change in height.

What am I missing?


r/hamsters 2h ago

Question how can i improve my cage?

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2 Upvotes

my female dwarf hamster is showing signs of boredom even thought i believed to have a enriching cage. i also change around the cage set up and this is the newest one

cage dimensions- 48.0"L x 20.0"W x 20.0"H


r/hamsters 5h ago

First Time Owner New Hamster Owner

3 Upvotes

Hi everyone! I adopted a Syrian female hamster over the weekend. She stole my heart just staring at me from her cage. I was buying gerbil food and new bedding. So yes, impulse hamster purchase as she gave me her massive eyes. Lmao. Her name is Muffin, she is total chunk.

I want her happy and comfortable. I want to ensure she lives a long happy life. Any youtubers you recommend for bonding and cage setup? Can they be trained?

I've seen so many people hanging out with their hamsters. Do they not run off? I'm excited and nervous. I think she's a little smitten, she runs out to greet me and takes her treats gently. I only handle her 10min tops, for now, and then talk a lot to her. I don't want to stress her out handling her for too long this early. Any advice is much appreciated.


r/hamsters 5h ago

Question To pointy?

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3 Upvotes

So I bought this log for my 3 year old chinese dwarf hamster and it looked different in the pictures in person it looks very pointy