Hamsters are adorable and fairly independent pets in the United States of America, but they do have complex needs that need to be attended to almost daily. However, this doesn’t mean that you can never leave your hamster alone.
You can leave your hamster alone for about three to four days as long as you ensure that its food, water, entertainment, and living environment needs are met. If you have to be away for longer, you should have a pet sitter check in on your hamster or arrange pet boarding.
In this article, I’ll explore pet boarding or pet sitter options when you have to leave for longer than a few days. I’ll also go into how you can prepare to leave your hamster alone if you’re going out on vacation or for work, so read on!
What Do You Do With Your Hamster When You Go on Vacation?
The steps you need to take to ensure your hamster’s safety while you’re going away depend primarily on how long you’ll be gone.
If you’re going on vacation for more than a few days, you should arrange for pet boarding, a pet sitter, or a friend to come and check on your hamster to provide food, water, and clean the cage. However, you can leave your hamster alone if you’re going to be out only for three or four days.
Pet Boarding
Pet boarding services ensure that the animals are fed fresh food daily, which is important as hamsters can get ill from stale food. Boarding houses that host small or ‘pocket’ animals also have specialized areas to be in a calm and safe environment.
Pet boarding services for hamsters range from $15 – $19 per night, depending on your pet’s location and requirements.
Arrange a Pet Sitter
If you don’t think that moving your hamster to boarding would be the best fit, then you can arrange for a pet sitter to come in to check in on your hamster, refresh the food dish, check the water bottles and clean the cage.
This way, you can ensure that your pet is safe and looked after without stressing them out with a location change.
If you can’t manage a pet sitter, you should at least have a friend come and check in on your hamster every few days or so to ensure that your hamster is unharmed and to clean out the cage.
You’ll need to ensure that the food is prepared and easily accessible and that you have enough water bottles so your sitter can switch them out easily. You should also clean the cage and your hamster’s bedding before you leave.
If you have a friend check in on your hamster every few days or so, ensure that your hamster has everything it needs to be self-sufficient for a few days. This means leaving your pet with a sufficient supply of food, a lot of water, and a large enough cage that the lack of regular cleaning won’t affect their health.
Below I’ll elaborate on what you need to arrange so your hamster can be left alone for a few days.
Read How To Take Care of a Hamster
Leaving Your Hamster Completely Alone
As I’ve mentioned earlier in this article, you should only leave your hamster completely alone for about three to four days.
If you have to be away for longer, you absolutely should have someone check in on your hamster to clean the chan