If you’re wondering how to make your hamster happy, it’s generally relatively easy and doesn’t take too much time or effort. Even though hamsters like to be independent, they’re sensitive and require proper care to stay upbeat and healthy.
Here are 8 ways to make your hamster happy:
- Keep your hamster warm.
- Feed your hamster well.
- Keep your hamster occupied with toys.
- Give your hamster love and attention.
- Let your hamster do as it pleases.
- Keep your hamster away from other pets.
- Avoid frightening your hamster and causing distress.
- Try not to alter your hamster’s surroundings too often.
How To Make Your Hamster Happy
The rest of this article will discuss the above points in greater detail. If you’re wondering how to ensure that your precious hamster stays happy, be sure to keep reading.
1. Keep Your Hamster Warm
Hamsters need to be kept warm for maximum happiness and comfort. Since they’re so small, even the slightest gust of wind can make them very cold. Your hamster may get sick if it gets too cold, which can lead to even more problems like pneumonia.
Keep your hamster’s cage in a warm room to avoid it getting too cold. It’s also not a great idea to keep the cage near a door or an opened window because the wind will make your hamster chilly.
Although it’s essential to keep your hamster warm, it’s also crucial that it doesn’t get too warm and overheat. Since hamsters don’t have sweat glands, they can overheat quickly. The ideal temperature is between 75-85 °F (23.89-29.44 °C).
So, it’s all about temperature balance; during the summer, make sure your hamster is in a cooler room, and keep it in a warmer room during winter.
Read How To Keep a Hamster Warm
2. Feed Your Hamster Well
Diet is critical when it comes to your hamster’s happiness. It’s vital to feed it healthy and nutritious food, but it’s also essential to give it some treats and change up the meals every once in a while.
Generally, your hamster’s diet should consist primarily of pellets. Pellets contain all the nutrients your hamster needs to be healthy, and a healthy hamster means a happy hamster!
You can also feed your hamster seeds if it gets bored of eating pellets all the time, but they don’t have as many nutrients.
However, hamsters can get bored eating the same food every day, much like humans. Sometimes, they may even refuse to eat a meal if they eat it every day. You can give your hamster some treats now and then to keep it happy.
Hamsters enjoy fruit, so you can give yours a little bit every few days. But it’s important not to provide your hamster with too much fruit because it can cause diarrhea. Your hamster will also enjoy vegetables as a treat. Just make sure you wash any vegetables you plan on giving it.
It’s also essential to ensure your hamster is hydrated, so be sure to keep water in the cage at all times. It’s easy to forget to refill the water container, so it might be a good idea to set reminders now and then.
3. Keep Your Hamster Occupied With Toys
Hamsters are usually in a cage for most of the day, so they must have enough entertainment and distractions to keep them happy. Some toys and other things that keep hamsters happy include:
Hamster Wheels
Although a hamster wheel isn’t necessary, it’s a good idea to have one in the cage as it’s one of the easiest ways to ensure your pet gets enough exercise. If not a hamster wheel, it’s important to incorporate something else in the cage that’ll keep your hamster active.
Hamster Balls
Hamster balls are great if you want your hamster to get out of its cage for a while and get some exercise. Once your hamster is in the ball, it can roll around and explore.
If you put your hamster in a ball, be sure to watch it constantly, and don’t leave it in the ball for more than 20-30 minutes; this is because hamsters get very tired when in a ball, and they won’t have a way to stop or drink water.
It’s also easy for a hamster to overheat in a ball, so make sure it’s not in direct sunlight. Additionally, keep it away from stairs; you don’t want it to fall accidentally!
Sand Baths
Sand baths are great for cleaning your hamster and for keeping it happy. You can either place a sand bath in the cage or have it outside. If it’s in the cage, the hamster will have access to it at all times; this is an excellent way to keep it happy.
If you decide to keep the sand bath in the cage, make sure you clean it out regularly. It’ll get dirty with oils, and your hamster may even use it as a toilet if it’s in the cage for a long time.
Read Is Aquarium Sand Safe for Hamsters?
Rocks or Stones
Hamsters can pick up rocks and stones and bury them. Not only does this keep them occupied, but it also keeps them active and gives them strength.
Since hamsters are so tiny, rocks and stones act like weights for them. Just be sure the stones aren’t too small, or the hamster may try to hide them in its cheek pouches.
Tunnels and Tubes
Exploring is something that hamsters thoroughly enjoy, so purchasing tunnels and tubes is a great way to keep them happy. You can make tunnels as big or as little as you want, and they can be fun to make!
If you’re curious, check it out the YouTube video below that shows how to make an incredible tunnel system:
Forts or Hideaways
As well as being active, hamsters also enjoy being cozy and relaxing now and then. To keep your hamster happy, you can place a hideaway in its cage. You can make your own using cardboard or paper. Alternatively, you can buy one.
Read Difference Between a Hamster and a Gerbil
4. Give Your Hamster Love and Attention
For the most part, hamsters enjoy it when you pet them. You can gently rub it, which can help your hamster to trust you more.
However, some hamsters may not like being petted or picked up. If this is the case, they might get scared and try to bite you. That’s why it’s always important to handle your hamster with care; hamsters are delicate and get scared easily!
Hamsters are primarily fine when they’re alone, so you shouldn’t worry too much about giving them lots of affection. But now and then, it’s a good idea to provide them with a rub or cuddle to keep them content and happy.
5. Let Your Hamster Do As It Pleases
Most of the time, hamsters are happiest when they can do what they like without being disturbed. So, if you see your hamster playing with a toy or running on a wheel, leave it be. You may have the urge to remove it from the cage while it’s playing or sleeping, but it’s best not to do this.
Additionally, most hamsters are nocturnal, so you should always allow them to sleep during the day if that’s what they want. Waking them up can distress them, and they may even bite if awoken from a deep sleep.
As long as your hamster is safe, it’s best to let it do whatever it wants; this will keep it happy and fulfilled.
Read How To Keep a Hamster Warm
6. Keep Your Hamster Away From Other Pets
Hamsters are territorial, so most of them prefer to live alone. You may be worried that your hamster is lonely if it’s alone in its cage, but it most likely isn’t. If you want to buy another hamster, you should keep it in a separate cage.
You don’t want to risk putting another hamster in the cage because they may end up viciously fighting. Even siblings and parents should be separated once they’re old enough.
It’s also a good idea to keep your hamster away from other pets in the house, such as dogs and cats. If you have a dog or cat, it might scare the hamster. A dog can also be quite loud when barking, which will make your hamster nervous.
Keeping your hamster alone and away from other pets is a great way to keep it comfortable and happy!
7. Avoid Frightening Your Hamster and Causing Distress
Hamsters get scared very easily, leading to anxiety and unhappiness; this is what you want to avoid. Some things that can frighten or distress hamsters include:
- Loud noises
- Picking them up abruptly
- Other pets
- New environment
- Unhealthy diet
- Lack of exercise
As you can see from the list above, one of the biggest causes of distress in a hamster is loud noises, so it’s a good idea to keep any noisy pets out of the room altogether.
If you have young kids, you should make sure they stay quiet when they’re in the same room as the hamster. Also, make sure they don’t handle the hamster aggressively because this can cause distress and shock.
You don’t have to keep your kids away from the hamster completely, but you should always supervise them to ensure the safety of your kids and your hamster.
8. Try Not To Alter Your Hamster’s Surroundings Too Often
It can confuse your hamster if you change its surroundings. Hamsters like familiarity, so any sort of change can be distressing. Try to keep your hamster’s surroundings the same at all times if you want it to stay happy.
It would be best if you cleaned out your hamster’s cage, but don’t do it too often. If you’re constantly cleaning, the hamster may not like this and get uncomfortable or stressed because you’re altering the surroundings too often.
If you need to change your hamster’s surroundings, try to do it as gradually as possible. When introducing new toys, try to introduce one at a time, for example. Too many new things at once can be alarming for your hamster, so you should always try to do things gradually.
Related Hamster articles:
- How Much Does a Dwarf Hamster Cost?
- Why Did My Hamster Die?
- How Long Can You Leave a Hamster Alone?
- Why Is My Hamster Not Moving?
- How Long Can a Hamster Go Without Water?
Conclusion
Keeping a hamster happy is vital if you want it to live a fulfilling life, and it doesn’t take much effort.
Some of the most important things to remember when it comes to your hamster’s happiness are:
- Keep them warm.
- Keep them away from loud noises.
- Feed them healthy food with occasional treats.
- Keep them entertained with toys.
My name is Everly. I am a Milwaukee-based mom of 2 and have been a proud owner of many hamsters throughout my life. Like many of us, my introduction to hamsters happened when I was very young. My family saw several hamsters come and go through the years, and I enjoyed playing with them, but I never fully appreciated them until I grew up and my own children decided to jump on the hamster bandwagon. At that point, I was determined to learn all I could about caring for these adorable pets. Read more