Hamsters need SPACE. No vertical space either (multi-story cages).

They need something they can lean against, burrow into, breathe and not chew on.

I have always used aquariums.

Every time I go to the local pet store for supplies, I always see this family. Dad just bought the kids a hamster, and they have the cute little cage. Oh, how nice it will be to see the hamsters walking through the tubes like in the movies!

I say to myself: “Give them a week”.

Nobody ever keeps this shit.

Bad quality. She is chewed in a day (indicating stress). Tiny. Nothing about them is positive. Hamsters get rid of stuffed animals as they dig a burrow. It ends in a mess.

Even if you buy more than one and tie them together, you end up spending two to three times as much money as you could be, all for a handful of shoddy products.

Take an aquarium over 20 gallons.

Listen to this. I had a small Chinese dwarf hamster named Macy. It was about 5cm long. An ignorant person would think giving him as much space as me is crazy.

We had an old 150 liter aquarium. So we put it to use. This thing could have held a hamster three or four times its size very comfortably.

Macy ended up living three times her life expectancy, until she was four years old.

Why ?

• To get to her food, her water, her wheel, or whatever, she had to run or walk a distance. Basins are inherently longer and wider than regular hamster cages, requiring it to exercise to get where it wants.
• More room to forage, dig, sleep and burrow. This means the tank didn’t get dirty as quickly, she was able to dig around the tank for a long time (exercise), and she felt more relaxed. She could stretch out and change where she was (change is good!). No tightness or entrapment.
• The larger space allowed dust to break up more quickly and air to circulate more cleanly. Almost any type of burrow material you use, whether it’s shavings, lint, or all-natural, organic, gluten-free pine, gives off dust. In a small aquarium or a small cage, it is stagnant and can cause respiratory problems.
• She didn’t really need to be changed. I mean, literally. Clean the “pee corner” and it’s done.
• She was discouraged from escaping. The space was large, airy and bright. She could do whatever she wanted and had room for lots of toys, chews and physical activities. It eliminates the feeling of “I need to get away from it all” and boredom. Even if she wanted to, she wouldn’t have succeeded; a closed aquarium is much better than a cage when it comes to potential escape. I suggest putting something heavy on your aquarium, though.

Small creatures need a big space. It’s essential.

They need to exercise more. They use the toilet area more.

I strongly believe that its long life is attributed to its huge living space.

Nothing I did outside of that would have made him live longer.

Normal diet, normal food levels. Normal water, no extra vitamins or supplements. Normal wheel, normal toys.

More space is better. You can put more activity in it, the hamsters can do more in it, and it encourages them to do lots of beneficial things. the initial investment is worth it.

Hamsters are funny fluffy creatures that make almost everyone feel affectionate. The news that your female is waiting for a replenishment evokes a variety of feelings. It can be a delight, or it can be fear of problem situations.

The only moment that shocks all hamster lovers is when your cute fluffy lump can eat its own babies. What is the reason for this behavior? Let’s figure it out. Find out why this happens and how to prevent cannibalism in your hamsters.

Why do hamsters eat their babies

Age

According to statistics, females under 2 months of age most often devour cubs. Although a hamster can become pregnant at 1 month, her hormonal background has not yet been formed. By the time of birth, the female does not feel the need to take care of the offspring and destroys the offspring. To prevent cannibalism, animals should be bred from 4 months of age and older.

Especially often trouble happens if the female was bought at a pet store, already being in position. A change of environment is very stressful for the hamster and affects behavior.

Unhealthy offspring

If the babies were born with some kind of genetic deformities, defects, the mother will instinctively get rid of them. Sick or weak kids will be eaten. Inadequate offspring are often born as a result of inbreeding – incest when animals from the same littermate. Sometimes the female does not kill herself but eats the cubs that have died for any reason.

Numerous offspring

Excessive attention from owners

Close attention, excessive custody will harm not only human relations but can also cause cannibalism in female hamsters. Since this rodent is a lonely animal, and after the appearance of the cubs, a secluded environment and tranquility is needed by the female, even more, excessive care will only harm these animals. Do not take the hamster in your arms, climb into the cageless. Let the family see you less.

Hamster cannibalism: why do hamsters eat their cubs and each other?

Alien odors repel the hamster mom. Feeling a foreign smell, she does not identify the cubs as her own creatures and, as a result, abandons them and destroys them. Don’t touch the hamster family within one to two weeks after the babies are born!

For the new offspring of fluffy rodents, you need to prepare in advance. While cleaning the cage, if you find hamster supplies, do not touch them. This is a strategic supply of food, which unpleasantly traumatizes the psyche of the animal, in the event of its loss, up to an uneven breakdown in a pregnant female. Only spoiled food can be thrown away to avoid the growth of putrefactive bacteria, odor and poisoning.

For self-arrangement of the nest, it is recommended to put a few paper napkins. Your task is to fill the drinking bowl with clean drinking water and put food in the feeding trough on time. This is the only thing the rodent needs from the owner at this time. The rest will be done by nature.

Possible Reasons for Hamster Eating Cubs

Offspring with health problems
In the wild, in order for the entire viable hamster genus to survive, weak offspring are destroyed, which will prevent rodents from escaping danger.

Domestic hamsters, which have long been tamed by humans, remain loyal to the centuries-old natural instincts that have saved them in the wild for a long time.

Born sick and weak, hamsters are usually eaten by their mothers. Injuries suffered by hamsters before or after childbirth equally make newborn babies weak and immediately become unviable. Such cubs, with almost one hundred percent probability, will be destroyed.

Important! Noticing a sick or even a dead hamster in the cage, do not remove it, the female decides what to do with it. Your unnecessary intervention can cause the death of all remaining offspring.

This is due to foreign odors. Not smelling her scent, the mother can start to panic and kill the rest of the newborn hamsters. Don’t worry, these rodents eat everything, including meat. As shocking as it may sound, the female herself will “clean up” in her nest.

If this does not happen within a few days, then use gloves to remove the deceased cub. This will somehow protect other hamsters from your smell.

Unwillingness to become a mom

Often, the first pregnancy in a female hamster can cause severe anxiety, anxiety and drive the young mother into a stressful situation.

Unpreparedness for maternal responsibilities can be another reason for cannibalism in hamsters.

The female is not ready either for pregnancy or for giving birth and taking care of her babies. This reason can provoke the killing of offspring unnecessary for her. The next bearing of offspring and their birth usually does not cause such a reaction in the female.

Weight of cubs

There are many or seemingly large numbers of newborn babies. Having become a mom for the first time, doubts prevail over both people and animals. Can I ask if I have enough milk? Your female, very little herself endured, gave birth. Lost a lot of energy and vitality. And here numerous newborn offspring squeak and ask for food nearby. The hamster may panic and think that she will not feed everyone, and it will be difficult to cope with such a horde of babies. Therefore, this is where the natural instinct is triggered, several individuals of the offspring can be eaten.

In order not to provoke such a situation, the owner needs to improve living conditions and maximize the hamster’s nutrition. She now needs nutrients and minerals, as well as vitamins. Feed her special food for pregnant females, vegetables, and fruits. Don’t forget about clean water.
The female has 8 nipples, she can feed 8-12 cubs, but if 16-18 of them were born, there is a high probability that the mother will bite the “extra” ones. In this case, “partial cannibalism” is observed – from time to time the female eats one or more babies, and the rest continues to feed, and they survive.

This situation is typical for multiple Syrians. The destruction of hamsters begins in the first days after giving birth and ends as soon as the cubs learn to eat adult food.

The health of the female

Childbirth and lactation is serious test for the rodent’s body. Cubs grow incredibly quickly both in the womb and after birth. If the mother’s nutrition was insufficient, her body after childbirth is on the verge of exhaustion. Such a female will not be able to feed the babies, and in order to survive, she can eat her children.

Any health problems, poor conditions of detention provoke such a development of events. If the female does not have enough water, food, or space in the cage, she will not raise offspring.

Human intervention

If there is a foreign smell on the cubs, the female will kill them. This is related to the ban on taking babies in the arms in the first week after childbirth. Given the nervousness of these rodents, you should stop sticking your hands in the cage a few days before the birth of the cubs. Hamsters eat offspring when they sense the presence of strangers, that is, danger.

During the breeding season, even a familiar and beloved owner is regarded as a stranger.

The presence of relatives

Both Dzungarian and Syrian hamsters are loners by nature. The presence of a male in the cage makes both animals nervous. The female becomes nervous and aggressive. She can first bite the male, then the cubs, ready for anything, just to remain the sole owner of the territory.

Sometimes the father of the hamster will eat his children. The female exhausted by childbirth cannot prevent him, and often does not even try.

Stress, fear

Any emotional shock of a pregnant or lactating female poses a threat to the offspring. The repair started with the sounds of a punch, moving. You just need to get the hamster out of the house or let the cat close to the cage.

Why do hamsters eat each other

Cannibalism among hamsters is not always associated with the birth of helpless babies. These rodents fiercely defend their territory from congeners and other competitors. In nature, a slain enemy is a valuable source of protein food. Another reason: a dead animal must be disposed of so as not to attract predators. In the wild, the loser has the opportunity to flee, in the cage – not.

Proven fact: hamsters eat their own kind and, on occasion, other smaller rodents.

Hamsters must be kept separate, otherwise, they will fight among themselves. Gender does not matter. The owner may be unaware of the enmity for quite a long time, because fights take place late at night, and the animals sleep during the day. If one of the rivals manages to gain the upper hand, the other hamster will mysteriously disappear. The hamster may not be able to eat an entire adult animal, or it may not have enough time. But the situation when the hamster ate the hamster is not an out-of-the-ordinary event. They do not gnaw at each other because they lack food. Hamsters eat a corpse not so much from hunger as guided by instincts. At home, the owner usually finds bloody remains, bones, or a gnawed head of one of the hamsters in the morning.

Conclusion

People are confused by the appearance of rodents in the hamster family. They seem to be the embodiment of harmlessness, touch, and amusement with their habits. Man ceases to associate “fluffy” with wild nature and its harsh laws.

Most often, hamsters eat their cubs through the owner’s fault. Cannibalism occurs among them and at large, but much less often. Compliance with a number of rules when breeding these rodents will prevent such an unpleasant development of events. The owner must decide – why does he need a litter, and not to take hamsters for fun.

Joint keeping of adult animals is unacceptable. Sometimes you can hear that the Dzungariks get along peacefully with each other. But this is a time bomb, the animals themselves are under extreme stress. They don’t fight just because the forces are equal. It’s not worth checking to see if hamsters can eat each other. The sight is unpleasant, and for children, it is completely traumatic.

Male living with offspring

After the mating process of the female with the male, they must be immediately divided into different cells. This is due to the fact that the male is completely devoid of any parental instincts. He will not even think about leaving his offspring or not, he will destroy it.

Some owners think that the hamster is jealous of the offspring of the female and receives little attention from her. In fact, such passions do not need to be attributed to them. Recall that a hamster is a loner by nature. And the struggle for territory is going on all the time. Here, in the cage, there is a whole brood of competitors that are easier to deal with before they are grown.

Hamsters are small rodents, there are about 24 species in total. Some of them are kept as pets. Hamsters have several differences from other rodents: small size, short tail, short legs, and small ears. Now about the duration of life.

How long do hamsters live?

The life span of a hamster is much shorter than that of most other common pests. The life span of these animals is influenced by many factors: genetics, food quality, stress, illness, exercise, housing conditions, and much more. Some long-lived hamsters can live up to 4-5 years, but this is not common.

The average life length is as follows:

• Syrian hamster: 2-3 years
• Dzungarian hamster: 1-2 years
• Campbell’s hamster: 1.5-2 years
• Roborovsky’s hamster: 3-3.8 years
• Chinese hamster: 1.8-3 years

How to improve the quality and longevity of your hamster

Fortunately, there are several things you can do to help your hamster live a healthy and fulfilling life.

Prevention of infections

The simplest thing to remember when caring for your hamster is to wash your hands regularly.

This is important because you can get an infection from the street and not even be aware of it. Hamsters have accelerated metabolism, diseases develop rapidly and are often fatal.

Quality diet

The hamster’s diet should be varied and balanced. It must include grain mixtures, juicy vegetables, and fruits, twigs, as well as small insects, which can be purchased at specialized pet stores.

Protection from injury

Don’t forget to keep your little friend in the cage safe as well. Although they should be a real refuge for hamsters, they often break their paws on wire wheels. Buy only hard-surfaced wheels for your pet. Outside the cage, the hamster can only be in a walking ball, as there is a risk of losing a small animal.

If your hamster has metal or wire surfaces in its habitat, long-haired babies should be trimmed to avoid tangling or snagging.

The hamster’s poor eyesight can play an evil role, the animal can accidentally jump off your hands and get injured. Hamsters are very excitable and do not tolerate stress. If they are scared, they may jump or bite, and they may develop stress-related illnesses. Therefore, it is recommended to communicate with your pet while sitting on the floor or on the couch.

Lack of neighbors

Perhaps the most important is the question of cohabitation. Hamsters should be kept singly unless you are planning to breed. Despite the fact that, for example, adult Syrian hamsters are called cute “teddy bears”, they will resort to violence if they intersect with other rodents.

Safe content

Be careful with your hamster’s bedding, avoid cedar and pine shavings, and opt for odorless paper filler instead. Wood particles can be potentially harmful to small animals as they irritate the eyes, skin, and respiratory tract. In addition, the ubiquitous aromas of fragrant bedding can disorient the hamster, since his vision is poorly developed, so the animals depend on their sense of smell.

Even if your pet lives alone among odorless litters and safe playgrounds, it is important to keep an eye on it throughout its life and contact a rodent specialist – a radiologist in a timely manner.

Keep in mind that proper nutrition and care are essential to a healthy hamster. Closer to old age, the age of 2-3 years, health problems may arise. Moreover, not every veterinarian takes up the treatment of such an exotic animal. A rodent expert will help you compose a diet for your pet, tell you about care and maintenance. You can make an appointment with a radiologist by calling the phone number indicated on the website.

When it comes to dwarf hamster food, what you should really know is that there isn’t just one type of food that they can eat.

From specially formulated hamster mixes to fresh food, you basically just have to choose which ones would be able to provide the nutritional requirement your pet needs.

Dwarf Hamster Food Can Vary

Hamster mixes and pellets should make up the bulk of your hamster’s food as they come with more or less the complete nutritional requirements needed by your pet.

Fresh food is also a viable source of nutrients for your dwarf hamster but you should be careful when it comes to feeding your pet fresh food because not all of them are safe to eat. These should be given in moderation or as a treat for dwarf hamsters; at most twice a week.

Consider Water Content

When it comes to fresh food, experts advise hamster owners to feed their pets fruits with high water content. However, this doesn’t mean you should go overboard with feeding your hamster high-water-containing fruits because doing so might result in diarrhea – a disease that is all too common in the hamster world.

Consider The Possibility Of Diabetes

You should also watch how much sugary food you give your pet dwarf hamster because, unlike the Syrian variety, most dwarfs especially Campbells are prone to diabetes. Roborovski dwarf hamsters, however, are less likely to develop diabetes.

This is why fruits should be given sparingly to dwarf hamsters because they have high sugar content. Aside from fruits, some commercially available hamster formulas may also cause an imbalance in your pet’s blood sugar due to the same content, and to avoid this, you should specifically buy formulas exclusive to dwarf hamsters.

Safe to Eat

Dwarf hamsters can eat a variety of food but some are safer than most. Here is a comprehensive list of food that your dwarf hamsters would be able to eat without any risks to their health.

1. Specially Formulated Hamster Mixes & Pellets

This should be the main food group that you feed your dwarf hamster because it contains the essential nutrients your pet needs. Do not feed your dwarf hamster formulas made for other animals; otherwise, it might suffer from malnourishment.

While hamster seed mixes are appropriate for dwarfs, oftentimes they would pick only the ones they like and this could also lead to malnourishment as they would miss some of the nutrients in the seed mix.

The best option for your pet dwarf hamster would be pelleted food. One tablespoon of food per day would be sufficient and any more may motivate the dwarf hamsters to hoard their food. When this happens, you may think that your pet is eating all the food when in fact, it’s just hiding them.

2. Grains, Seeds, & Nuts

Whole grains make for a great healthy snack for dwarf hamsters. When it comes to cooked pasta, whole-grain rice, and wheat toast, make sure that they are cooled before you serve them to your pet.

You can also feed them nuts and seeds but only sparingly due to the high-fat content which can be very bad for your pet’s heart among other things.

3. Fruits

Fruits are also an ideal snack for dwarf hamsters but because they contain high sugar content, you should only give these to your pet in moderation – about twice a week at most, in order to reduce the risk of diabetes.

4. Vegetables

Vegetables are probably the best complimentary food for dwarf hamsters. If you’re going to feed them vegetables, go for the dark and leafy green ones because they contain the most vitamins and minerals needed by your pet.

You can feed your pet vegetables every day or every other day but only sparingly.

5. Protein Sources

Dwarf hamsters need protein too and despite being herbivores, there are times when they will eat various types of meat and other protein sources. However, just like with fruits and vegetables, they should be given in moderate amounts so as not to compete with the main food for dwarf hamsters which are the seed mixes and pellets.

Some Food Can Be Harmful Too

You should be really careful with the kinds of food you give your pet dwarf hamster. This is because some food contains substances that are harmful and detrimental to your pet’s health. Almonds, for example, contain cyanide which is poisonous to hamsters. Garlic, onion, and chocolate are also toxic to hamsters just as they are to cats and dogs.

Below is a table detailing the foods that dwarf hamsters can and cannot eat.

“Hamster Food List To Eat and Not To”

Of the three, you would probably think cancerous tumors would be the worst thing your pet may have but you should know that wet tails are just as bad, if not worse.

To put it simply, wet tails or proliferative ileitis is an infection in the stomach that is caused by a number of bacteria.

It is characterized and named after the ever noticeable wet tail exhibited by hamsters inflicted by this disease which is basically loose stools or diarrhea collected around the tail area.

Stress: The Wet Tail Trigger

While this may happen to hamsters of any age, young hamsters are oftentimes the favorite target of this disease and the reason for this is widely believed to be due to stress.

Young hamsters are known to suffer through a lot of stress especially as they endure the sudden changes they are plunged into once they are separated from their mothers. Add the stresses of transportation, a new home, and environment, as well as improper handling; something is bound to go wrong with the hamster.

Unfortunately, the stress can trigger bacterial overgrowth in the stomach which would then lead to diarrhea and wet tail. Animals and even humans have natural bacteria growing inside the gut in order to help with digestion. Stress, however, causes these bacteria to proliferate and grow.

Other Causes of Wet Tail

Aside from stress and intestinal bacterial overgrowth, how do hamsters get wet tails?

Well, a dirty living environment can certainly increase a hamster’s chance of getting the disease especially when it has been living there for quite some time. An unsanitary environment can expose the hamster to bacteria that could lead to wet tail disease as well.

Another cause of wet tail, albeit a rare one, would be the excessive use of antibiotics which could lead to an upset stomach. However, since hamsters seldom find the need for antibiotics, the wet tail is less likely to be caused by this. But it could still happen.

Wet Tail Could Be Fatal When Left Untreated

Wet tail is a serious illness and what makes it incredibly scary is the fact that when it is left untreated, a hamster’s health could rapidly deteriorate and die in a span of 24 to 48 hours.

Not only that, the wet tail disease can also be quite contagious which isn’t good if you have other hamsters around. When you notice one of your pet hamsters exhibiting signs of a wet tail, remove it immediately from the rest and clean the cages. This is because fecal matter contaminating the food and water can help spread the disease to other hamsters.

Symptoms of Wet Tail in Hamsters

If you think your pet may have caught a wet tail, make sure to watch out for the following symptoms. If your hamster is exhibiting these symptoms, don’t wait for it to get better. Take it to the vet immediately to get treated.

• One of the first and most obvious signs of wet tail disease is the wetness around the animal’s tail which is brought by diarrhea. In some cases, the tail can also become matted or very sticky.
• Watery diarrhea may also spread in puddles around the cage.
• Hamsters suffering from wet tails will smell terribly bad due to watery diarrhea. Since hamsters are self-groomers and rarely need to get cleaned by their owners, smelling bad is an indication that something is wrong.
• Their appearance would be uncharacteristically unruly with ruffled and dirty coats.
• The hamster would also appear to be very weak and lethargic; often finding it asleep or unable to move. Since hamsters are generally active creatures due to their high metabolisms, persisting inactivity may also be one of the biggest signs that something is wrong with your pet.
• If a hamster has the wet tail disease, you may notice a loss in appetite and would refuse to eat or drink. When this happens, it is highly likely that your pet would become dehydrated. Dehydration is one of the biggest causes of death for hamsters with wet tails that is why you should immediately take your pet to a veterinarian for immediate treatment.
• Other symptoms would include a prolapsed anus due to the straining, runny nose, sunken eyes, and discharge coming out of the genitals or ears.
• Blood may also appear on the stools if your pet is suffering from wet tail disease.

Hamster Wet Tail Treatment & Care

There is no other effective treatment for wet tails besides taking your pet to the vet. Meeting up with a veterinarian is important because he or she would be able to administer the necessary antibiotics. Furthermore, a vet would be able to rehydrate your pet when it refuses to drink water or eat.

Below are some ways you can do to help your pet hamster when it is stricken with a wet tail.

• If you think your hamster may be suffering from wet tail disease, schedule an appointment with your vet immediately because doing so would increase your pet’s chances of survival.
• While waiting, it would be a good idea for you to isolate the sick hamster from the healthy ones. Don’t feel bad about doing this since the sick hamster would want to be alone anyway and you’d be able to prevent the disease from spreading.
• While fruits and vegetables would help keep your hamster from dehydration, the water content of these types of food would only aggravate diarrhea further. Try making your hamster eat dry food only during recovery.
• Do not miss out on your scheduled appointment and take your sick hamster to the vet as soon as possible. When it is determined that your hamster’s illness is wet tail disease, the vet would prescribe antibiotics and anti-diarrhea medication that you would need to follow religiously.
• Avoid adding the antibiotics to the food and water because it is highly unlikely that your hamster would want to eat or drink. If your pet is able to drink, you also wouldn’t want to ruin this by adding a different taste to the water.
• Your vet may have to inject the antibiotics if the hamster is too sick. If it is refusing to drink, the vet may also need to inject saline to prevent your pet from dehydrating.
• Allow your pet to be hospitalized if the vet thinks it is necessary. That way, the vet and nurses would be able to monitor your sick hamster closer and make sure it is given the proper medication that it needs.
• Once you and your pet get home, you should give a considerable amount of focus on your sick hamster and make sure that it is given the proper amount of medication at the right time. If you have other hamsters to take care of, ask someone close to you to take care of them in your stead while you devote your time caring for the sick one.
• Your sick hamster would definitely want to keep warm while it tries to recover from the wet tail because these animals get cold easily. Try to make its living conditions as warm as possible and make sure that it is not further stressed out.
• Since the recovery rate for hamsters stricken with wet tails is incredibly low, you should also ready yourself for what may come. If your hamster’s condition does not get any better after 48 hours, then it may not get better at all. Sometimes the best care you can provide for your sick hamster is to help free it from its pain.

Hamsters, marvelous creatures they may be, are still highly susceptible to sickness and disease. Because of this, it is important that you make a routine check on your pet to make sure that it has not caught anything that would be detrimental to its health.

The best way to approach this would be during the time you clean your hamster’s cage because doing so would help you observe your pet’s droppings and see if anything is out of the ordinary.

It is important to remember: proper care and feeding are the keys to the good health and the long life of the rodent. Under natural conditions, the animals do not live long, barely reaching one and a half years. The reason for this is a disease, poor nutrition, predators hunting hamsters. A calm home environment, absence of stress, disease prolongs life up to 3 years or more.

The opinion that Dzungarian hamsters can eat everything is wrong. Although they look like mice, they are not nearly as sturdy. Fatties are constantly gnawing, not refusing any food offered. But only high-quality food, the right menu will help to ensure a good mood for hamsters and keep them healthy. When starting a small rodent, the owners need to familiarize themselves with the rules for keeping a dwarf hamster, find out how to feed dwarf hamsters at home.

Basic rules for keeping Dzungarian hamsters
When composing a diet for animals, one should focus on their natural nutritional needs. Life in the steppe conditions adapted them to a low-calorie food. Nutritious, fatty, it will damage the digestive system: the Dzungarian hamster is prone to obesity, and sweets are the cause of diabetes. In a confined space, when the animal does not have the opportunity to move a lot, the diet of the Dzungarian hamster should be composed correctly, avoiding the appearance of excess weight. On the day, a hamster needs only a tablespoon of feed. The activity of the rodent is increased by frequent walks, outdoor games, and, of course, the wheel on which the animals like to run.

Wild individuals feed on seeds and grain. Collecting supplies in a burrow, they are sealed in it, feeding on dry food during the cold period. In spring and summer, the diet is more varied: berries, fruits, vegetables, herbs, insects, and smaller animals are used. The teeth of the Dzungarian hamster grow all their lives, so it is necessary to give them the opportunity to grind them down.

The teeth of the Dzungarian hamster grow all their lives, so it is necessary to give them the opportunity to grind them down.

The metabolism of a small glutton is fast, hamsters eat constantly. Starvation of the Dzungarian hamster should not be allowed, because of this, his health will become worse. But obesity will not do the hamster anything good either.

What products are required and allowed

The well-being of the pet is facilitated by competent content, a carefully selected diet.

What should be given to a Dzungarian hamster at home? Food must contain:

Dry feed (grain mixtures).
Juicy food: greens, vegetables, fruits, herbs, berries.
Animal proteins (lean meat, fish, insects, eggs).
Mineral stone, vitamins, tree branches, shrubs.
Dry food
Grain mixes form the basis of food for Dzungarian hamsters.

What cereals are needed:

corn,
oats,
barley,
wheat,
rye.
Shoots of cereal plants sprouted on the windowsill are useful.

You can give nuts, seeds:

walnuts,
cashews, hazelnuts,
peanut,
flax, sunflower, sesame, pumpkin seeds.
It is recommended to purchase ready-made industrial special brands from the pet store, including the necessary nutrients, the required vitamins, and mineral supplements. They are hard enough that Dzungarian hamsters can grind down teeth that grow throughout their lives. Pay attention to quality products from trusted manufacturers. As in any business, it is better not to buy cheap dry food of economy class.

The ready-made mixtures include peas, rolled oats, oats, corn, nuts, seeds. This package lasts for two months. Can be diluted with buckwheat, lentils, beans, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds.

Fruits, berries
Fresh fruits are given peeled, seeds should be removed – they contain poisonous, deadly substances. It is important to remember that most juicy fruits contain a lot of carbohydrates; it is often unacceptable to feed sweet to your pet. The diet of a dwarf mammal should contain no more than 5% sugars.

Few fruits are allowed. From the age of two weeks, you can give, for example:

Apple – cut into small wedges. Sour, unripe, spoiled fruits cannot be a rodent.
Pears are given a couple of times a week. Frequent use has a laxative effect.
Peaches, cherries, plums – every 7-10 days.
Strawberries, grapes – a limited amount.
Tropical fruits (banana).
The presented list can be supplemented with dried fruits. In winter, it is difficult to provide complete, vitamin-rich foods. It is worth preparing the fruits for future use by freezing or drying them. Dried bananas, dried apricots, figs, raisins, dates, previously soaked in water for 3-4 hours, are introduced into the menu. They are added to food in a small amount due to the high glucose content.

Vegetables

The low sugar content is favorable for feeding the Dzungarian hamster with vegetables. Given twice a week.

What is allowed:

Cucumber, zucchini, pumpkin.
Cabbage (broccoli, cauliflower).
Radish, carrots.
Tomato is rare.
Bulgarian (sweet) pepper – unlimited.
Green beans – young shoots of asparagus, green peas.
Green forage
Greens are collected far from the city limits (it has the ability to absorb harmful substances from the soil, air), highways, washed, dried.

Allowed:

Household herbs (dill, parsley (not allowed for nursing, pregnant women), lettuce, coriander, basil). Celery is limited, it contains a lot of liquid. The tops of carrots, beets will also be useful.
Wild plants (plantain, dandelion, nettle, clover, alfalfa, bamboo shoots).
Succulent feeds often contain pesticides and are thoroughly soaked for several hours. It is better if the greens are grown by the owners on their own, without the use of chemicals that can cause poisoning, cause the death of the pet.

Hay of alfalfa, timothy will be a good source of fiber, necessary for intestinal motility.

Tree branches
It is necessary to place branches of fruit and deciduous trees in the cage. They are required for grinding teeth. Before use, the branches are washed, boiled for about an hour, dried. Conifers cannot be used – they contain essential oils, resins.

What else should be given to Dzungarian hamsters
Other foods are important to maintain a good mood and well-being. These include:

Mineral stone.

Hard treats (dog biscuits) are given every seven days to grind down the incisors. If the teeth become excessively long, they can damage the palate.
Protein food (low-fat cottage cheese, yogurt, kefir, boiled rabbit, turkey, chicken, eggs, low-fat boiled fish, earthworms purchased at the pet store, butterflies, daphnia, Gammarus, grasshoppers, peeled shrimp. A Turkmen cockroach is ideal). Wild-caught insects are often contaminated with microorganisms that cause disease in rodents.
Clean, daily changed water, even if the animal drinks a little. The stagnant liquid is poured out. Filtered spring water will do. Protect the drinker from sunlight, which can cause algae to grow inside the container.
The feeder is washed regularly. Grain, dry food is poured every day. Learning to a new component is carried out gradually, starting with a small crumb. Throw away the leftovers. A small glutton is inclined to stockpile; eating spoiled food is fraught with poisoning.

In case of indigestion, the Dzungarians are given rice broth, which has an enveloping, fastening effect. Babies who find themselves without mother’s milk are supplemented with dairy-free formulas, ordinary cereals soaked in water, vegetable, meat baby puree without adding salt or sugar.

cute hamster
What can not be fed
Some foods used by humans are poisonous to animals. It is impossible to treat everyone without fear for the health of the rodent. The animal is small in size, an insignificant crumb will cause suffocation, intoxication, death.

What is forbidden for a Dzungarian hamster to eat:

Cabbage, beans, bread – cause fermentation, start the processes of putrefaction in the intestines.
Potatoes – Contains a lot of starch.
Spices – irritate the digestive tract.
Mint.
Mushrooms are hard food.
Onions, garlic, sorrel.
Honey, chocolate (rich in theobromine, which affects the cardiovascular system).
Sour berries: sea buckthorn, drumstick.
Raspberry – weakens.
Almonds – contain toxic cyanic, hydrocyanic acid.
Melons, watermelons – often processed with nitrates.
Fatty food.
Bakery products, pasta. Black bread – has high acidity, causes gas formation.
Milk, sour cream, cream, butter.
Sausage, sausages include prohibited soy, starch, spices.
Muesli, breakfast cereals – rich in sugar, harmful flavorings.
Exotic fruits – persimmon – are rich in astringents, tannins that cause constipation. Avocado (mass fat), pineapple, pomegranate, mango, kiwi, orange, lemon (acid).
Pits of apricot, peaches, cherries.
Unpeeled seeds, pasta – injure the cheek pouches of animals.
Brightly colored berries, fruits – cause allergic reactions. Watery eyes, redness of the skin, itching – a reason to refuse the product.
Fatty cheeses – contain an excess of salt, milk sugar – lactose, which is difficult for the stomach to digest.
Spices are rich in essential oils that cause allergies.
It is highly undesirable to treat an animal with food from the table, sweet, spicy, salty, flour, fried, flavored with spices, spices. Food from the refrigerator is prohibited, it must be at room temperature.

What is given to weakened, elderly individuals?
With age, the teeth of the animal become weak, food is difficult to chew. You need special, mashed, ground food. Chopped nuts, crushed peas, rye bread crumbs, rolled oats, baby food, cereals, puree without spices are suitable. It is impossible to refuse the grain component – cereals contribute to the activation, normal activity of the digestive organs. You can offer a grated fruit mixture, add medicines, vitamins to the trough with the prepared product. Human drugs cannot be given – their dosage and composition are destructive.

The pet’s menu needs to be diversified. You cannot constantly feed the same foods. Mono-diets are not allowed. It is good if dry, juicy, protein foods are present in the diet every day.
It is useful to give chamomile broth to sick, elderly pets. If the animal is weak, refuses to eat, the food is ground to a paste consistency, fed, and watered warm from a syringe without a needle.

The nutrition of a small mammal at home is entirely up to you. When living in an apartment, a pet needs a reasonably composed menu that includes vital components. Try to make a crumbs menu that includes a lot of fresh, healthy vegetables.

Treat your pet correctly, at the same time, without relying on his choice. Poisonous plants are laid in the feeder, the baby will eat without a doubt, he is illegible, omnivorous. He will have high-calorie food to taste. The pet will be happy to eat sweets. Remember: in nature, rodents do not receive such food, which means that there is no benefit in it.

The bowl is selected in accordance with the nutritional needs of the animal, it should be small, not allowing overfeeding, made of ceramic. This will not allow it to be gnawed or choked on parts of the dishes.

There is controversy over the need for various products. These are, for example, beets and radishes. In case of doubts about the usefulness, potential risk, fears for the existence of a pet, it is better to refuse, not to conduct experiments. There are many more useful and useful products.

If the animal was bought for children, adults should immediately explain to the kids the rules of keeping, proper feeding of the pet. Play with the animal, keep in constant contact. Then the life of your tiny funny friend will be joyful, happy, long.

The Syrian hamster has a thirteen-centimeter stocky body with short legs, medium rounded ears, a short muzzle, beady-shaped eyes, and a small tail that can hardly be seen under its thick coat. The rodent’s belly is light, and its back has an ocher-gray or brownish-gray color. The hind legs of the animal have five toes, while the front legs have four toes and a rudiment of the fifth. The rodent lives in hallow burrows lead an active life at night. The Syrian hamster uses convenient cheek pouches to transport materials for building the nest and food.

For the first time in 1797, the Russell brothers wrote an article about the Syrian hamster. This rodent species has been considered extinct since 1839 after Waterhouse made their first scientific description. On April 30, 1930, after a long search, the zoologist Israel Aharoni discovered a hole in which eleven newborn rodents were together with the female, he transported them to the University of Judea. Of
all the individuals brought in, three males and one female survived. After unsuccessful attempts to find other representatives of this species in the wild, Ahoroni made a related mating of the female with one of his brothers, who became the progenitors of this species in captivity. Their descendants in 1938 first entered the territory United States of America. Simultaneously with this event, pundits concluded that the Syrian hamsters were completely extinct in the wild.

However, this turned out not to be the case. The Syrian hamster lives on crops, in meadow steppes and foothill steppe landscapes, which are located on the territory of Iran, Western Asia, Turkey, the Balkans.

Syrian hamster – maintenance and care

Hamsters of this species are best accommodated in a cage with a deep plastic tray and metal rods, and an aquarium
made of organic or regular glass. The dimensions of the cage for the animal must be at least 30 × 40 cm, and the minimum aquarium height is 30 cm.

As for bedding, it is most optimal to use large dry sawdust, the layer thickness of which should be about 3-4 cm. For long-haired representatives of the species, it is not advisable to lay sawdust, as they can entangle the wool. Purchase a special natural wood filler by pairing it with colorless paper towels.
Pieces of paper, hay, and straw work well for building nests.

Inside the cage, you need to put a house where the animal will hide and rest. It is also important to take care of your pet’s active life in order to avoid weight and well-being problems.
In addition to the food bowl and drinker, given the spirited nature of the Syrian hamsters, a large jogging wheel, perches, and a
variety of obstacles must be placed in the cage.

Cleaning is necessary every 4-5 days. The drinker and bowl should be rinsed daily. Once a month, be sure to wash the cage and
all the “furniture” of the hamster with a special detergent that contains bleach.

The content was translated from Syrian hamster. Great thanks to the author!

Hamsters are more likely to be frightened if they were not handled at the pet store where you bought them from.

Although they usually don’t carry rabies, bites from dwarf hamsters can still cause pain and infection. Owners must be aware of every detail about what makes their pets bite and what’s the right way to tame them.

Reasons Why Dwarf Hamsters Bite

Dwarf hamsters don’t bite without a reason. As mentioned, usually, biting is caused by the feeling of being in danger. As an owner, you have to make adjustments too. The most common causes of this behavior in hamsters are the following:

• Their form of defense

Naturally defensive, dwarf hamsters protect themselves from invaders and predators. They act that way whenever they feel that something is a threat; even their owners or other people. Putting your finger into their cages can make them bite you especially if you put it near their face because they are territorial.

• They are afraid

Some people disturb a sleeping hamster which causes it to get startled and end up biting the person who woke it up. Some even intentionally startle the hamsters which makes them scared. Like any other type of hamsters, they respond to threats as part of their instincts.

• You’re mistaken as food

Because of poor vision, hamsters rely more on their sense of smell. They distinguish things through scent. A person’s hand can smell like the food at times so the hamster thinks it is food that is supposed to be eaten.

• Biting is part of Dwarf Hamster’s traits

Dwarf hamsters are not that friendly so biting can be part of their personalities. What’s worse is that their bites, if not properly taken care of, can even lead to diseases like Tularemia, Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis, and Hantavirus which are known to be caused by rodents.

One good thing is that they are unlikely to spread rabies because like most hamsters, dwarf hamsters are mostly kept as indoor pets.

Things to Do If a Dwarf Hamster Bites You

To prevent having infections or severe conditions because of a dwarf hamster’s bite, you must know the first aid. Aside from saving yourself, you will also be able to help other people. Plus, it can help you avoid going to the hospital needlessly, thereby reducing your medical expenses.

Follow these steps to treat a hamster’s bite:

• If a dwarf hamster is still biting you, gently remove it. Do not shake the hamster to remove its teeth from your skin.
• Wash your wound with mild soap and warm water.
• Apply an anti-bacterial cream or solution.
• Cover the wound with a bandage.
• Check and clean the wound daily.
• If there are signs of infection, see a doctor so that the bite can be further assessed.
• You’ll likely be prescribed with antibiotics so make sure to take them on time.

Prevent Dwarf Hamster from Biting

A hamster that just got transferred to a new home usually gets scared and uncomfortable of its new environment. Taming it can be time-consuming but you have to be patient to gain its trust. Below are some useful tips that can help you handle your hamster well without getting a bite:

• Slowly introduce yourself to a dwarf hamster if you’re a new owner.
• Let your hamster adjust; don’t touch it as soon as you take it home.
• Dwarf hamsters are deep sleepers so don’t wake it up to play.
• Hold your hamster properly. Make sure you’re not holding it too tight.
• Don’t touch a hamster without washing your hands first.
• You can also try putting gloves while playing with a hamster.
• Avoid startling a hamster by making it aware of your presence first before touching it.
• Be friendly to your pet.
• Do not wear heavy perfumes when you’re going to hold your pet.
• Never grab a hamster.
• Choose the best time to play with your dwarf hamster.
• Make sure the hamster’s surrounding doesn’t cause stress.
• Give them treats so they will feel at ease with you.

You should always take precautions in caring for your dwarf hamster. As much as possible, make sure it is comfortable and stress-free. Training is also advised to avoid undesirable behaviors.

Training Advice

Young hamsters are easier to train than old ones. Since they are crepuscular animals, training should be done at dawn when they are most active.

Use a gentle voice when training your dwarf hamster because loud voices make it scared. Make it familiar with your scent too by washing your hand and gently touching the hamster. Never use punishment-based training. Instead, use treats as a reward for a good response from your pet.

Teach your hamster a “no” command by slightly tapping its nose in order to know that biting is bad behavior. Only use positive reinforcement. Once your dwarf hamster is comfortable with you, you can already carry it in your hands.

Before discussing dwarf hamster care tips, you need to know that the Dwarf hamsters follow their regular-sized family members in terms of eating habits and nocturnal activities. They have the same cheek pouches which are used to carry food back to their burrows.

The most common dwarf hamster species that are kept as pets fall under the Phodopus genus. 

The appearance of the hamster species under the other three genera tends to be more rat-like, thus, they are not considered as companions for domestic life.

A few examples of these wild dwarf hamster species are the Tibetan Dwarf Hamster, Chinese Dwarf Hamster, and the Kam Dwarf Hamster – all under the genus Cricetulus.

Types of Dwarf Hamsters

There are only three species of dwarf hamsters under the Phodopus genus. They are all considered to be great pets for beginner owners as they are low-maintenance in the sense that they don’t require any specific living conditions or special diets. They’re not aggressive to humans and generally get along well with other members of their species.

These three common dwarf hamster pets are:

• Roborovski Dwarf Hamster – Also known as “Robo Dwarf Hamster”, it’s the smallest of the three species. You can identify a Robo by the eyebrow-shaped white spots on its fur and its lack of a dorsal stripe.
• Djungarian Dwarf Hamster – Also known as “Siberian Dwarf Hamster” or “Winter White Dwarf Hamster”, it possesses the ability to change the color of its fur from dark to white as winter approaches. The ability is somewhat suppressed when in captivity as a pet.
• Campbell’s Dwarf Hamster – Closely related to the Djungarian, it’s differentiated by having smaller ears and no dark fur on the top of its head. It is named after Charles William Campbell who discovered the species in 1902.

4 Tips For Caring Your Dwarf Hamster

Whether you currently own a dwarf hamster or are looking to purchase one as a pet, there are four essential aspects of dwarf hamster care that you need to know. Consider this as your checklist for successfully owning and raising a pet hamster.

1. The Essential Dwarf Hamster Supply List

One of the most important first steps to caring for a dwarf hamster is making sure that all the equipment and supplies that you need are on hand. Here’s a prep lineup that you can use to guide you through the planning process.

• Shelter – Hamsters typically live in either cages or tanks. Both are viable options, but make sure you get one that’s big enough. The larger the better. A dwarf hamster is pretty small. So if you’re getting a cage, make sure that it can’t squeeze through the bars. An exercise wheel or hamster house is included with some types of shelters.

• Bedding – Softwood shavings from pine and cedarwood have been scientifically found to have some level of toxicity not conducive to animals of the Rodentia class, so stay away from those. There are a variety of commercial beddings available for dwarf hamsters that have built-in odor control and absorbent properties.
• Hydration – Your hammy needs fresh water and in a container that doesn’t easily spill. Most shelters include a free water bottle that either free-standing or hung. If yours didn’t come with one, make sure to buy one separately.
• Exercise – The stereotypical hamster wheel. Dwarf hamsters like the Roborovski are known for their running capability and love doing it daily. It is said that they can run an equivalent of four human marathons every night. If an exercise wheel wasn’t included with your shelter purchase, consider buying a silent one so that your hamster can run without bothering anyone.

• Victuals – Hamsters in the wild eat grains, fruits, and vegetables, with the occasional insect or frog thrown in. Unless you’ve got a handful of lizards and frogs lying around, consider purchasing a commercial hamster food mix that contains all the essential nutrients that they need.
• Entertainment – They love chewing on stuff. So, rather than letting them chew up their bedding or water bottle, try giving them a chew toy or wooden blocks. You can also get a hamster ball if you want to let them roam outside their tank.

Not only is it amusing to watch them rolling around, they also get good exercise while being able to explore their surroundings in a safe manner.

Once you’ve got all the essentials down pat, it’s time to take a closer look at safeguarding your hamster’s health.

2. Dwarf Hamster Nutrition

Buying a commercial hamster feed will save you a lot of time, but if you want to prepare everything yourself, here’s what you need to know. The bulk of a dwarf hamster’s diet should primarily consist of a grain and seed mix.

There are various millets and grass seeds that you can use for the base of the mixture. Sunflower seeds, corn, oats, and wheat are all viable options. If you’re having trouble locating the ingredients at the supermarket, try local health food stores or online.

In addition to the base, they also need a good supply of dried or fresh plants in order to provide the required nutrients that they need. You can collect plants or leaves outside as long as they’re clean and haven’t been contaminated with fertilizer.

Consider creating a stockpile of dried plants in storage to use if you live in a wintry or rainy area. Healthy ones to look out for are dandelion, bramble, and plantain or hazel leaves.

Finally, you’ll need to ensure your hamsters consume some veggies at least two times a week. Introduce them slowly to find out what it likes. A few examples of some great green and leafy vegetables are cucumbers, broccoli, lettuce, carrots, and cauliflower.

You may also feed your hamster herbs such as coriander, parsley, and basil. Fruits are an option but only as an occasional snack, as their high sugar content may be problematic for some hamsters.

Even though their primary diet consists mainly of herbs, don’t forget to provide a little bit of protein throughout the week. Peas and soy flakes are great sources of protein and you can also opt for small animals like crickets or mealworms.

3. Staying Clean and Fresh

Keeping your hamsters and their living area clean is essential for good health. The first thing you should be aware of is that hamsters don’t take baths in water. They don’t like it and can get sick. Instead, they clean their fur by rolling in the sand which serves to remove dirt and oil from their fur.

Consider getting a sand dish to put inside their tank or cage. Make sure it’s made of ceramic and not a light material like plastic so that it doesn’t get knocked over.

If your hamster misinterprets the purpose of the dish and uses it as a toilet, or doesn’t use it at all, don’t be alarmed. Just clean it out and replace it with fresh sand. It might take some time but your hammy will eventually learn what to do with it.

If you really care about your dwarf hamster, change the bedding once a week and disinfect using hot water. If the shelter smells bad, scrub it down with vinegar to remove the fumes. Make sure to remove any uneaten food and refill the water bottle daily.

All accessories including the exercise wheel need to be kept clean so keep a close eye on the interior for any soiling so that you can do on-the-spot cleanups as necessary. Charcoal is a great item that deodorizes and absorbs foul smells. Hang a block outside your hamster’s cage to keep the air fresh.

4. Fitness and Exercise

Hamsters that are left alone without any human bonding time can become increasingly solitary and eventually refuse to interact. To avoid this from happening, schedule some playtime every day. This will serve to keep your hamsters active and allow them to stay familiar with you as their owner.

Since hamsters are nocturnal creatures, set some time aside either during the evening or early in the morning so you can catch them at the moment when they have the most energy.

If you want to let your hamster exercise by itself, take the running wheel out of the cage and set it in a secure area (with four walls so it can’t escape). If you have a hamster ball, put your hammy inside and place the ball in a large open area with plenty of sunlight.

If you’d like to play with your hamster outside of its cage, here are a few things to keep in mind. Hamsters are sensitive to loud noises, so eliminate sources of loud music or other sounds. When picking it up out of the cage or tank, let it sniff your finger first so that it becomes accustomed to your presence and scent.

Avoid grabbing it from behind as this can startle the poor creature and frighten it so much that it won’t want to come out. Don’t hold your hamster up too high, as it might suddenly jump off your hand and injure itself on the ground.

It is always a must to have a hamster wheel whenever you get a pet hamster. This is advocated by veterinarians, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), and the old-timer hamster owners themselves.

Some habitats in the market even offer an installed hamster wheel together with the cages. But really, do hamsters need a wheel?

Hamsters are naturally active and energetic mammals. They are big on exercise since they are biological runners by origin in the wild. They run to forage food and thwart predators since they are usually seen as prey due to their size.

Hamsters can run as fast as 5 miles a night which is most probably at a minimum when they’re out in their natural habitat.

It’s in Their Genes

Simply put, hamsters just really love to run. This is the main reason why hamster wheels are always present in the needs section of a hamster supply list. Hamster wheels are especially helpful to hamsters in captivity since their cages limit their running space and this is where the wheels come in. They provide the basic health necessity of hammies which is exercise.

Using a hamster wheel will keep your hamster happy and devoid of boredom since it is also its way of playing around. It can also prevent possible mental problems such as cage rage and severe aggression.

Studies have shown that hamsters who don’t get enough playtime at a young age suffer weak coping mechanisms to outside stress factors when they grow older. Hamsters are known to get a low immune system whenever they get stressed.

Not only in hamster pets but interestingly, one research showed that wild animals go crazy for hamster wheels in a natural setting as well. The result of the study opposes the notion that hamsters do it as a form of neurotic behavior. The result simply suggests that running on a wheel is fun and is rewarding by itself.

Hamsters that live in small cages and those that don’t have wheels to run around are at a higher risk of having paralysis. These animals lose the feeling of not being able to move freely if not given the right amount of exercise or are unable to run around. If a hamster wheel is added, this may reverse the paralysis and get the hamster back on its feet.

Hamster wheels come in various designs and colors that would probably get you interested more than the others. There are a lot of hamster wheels in the market right now, so how do you choose the right one?

Choosing a Hamster Wheel

There are several factors to consider in selecting the suitable hamster wheel for your pet to keep it up and running. Probably the most important one is the hamster wheel size because of serious physical injuries that your hamster may end up with if it continuously runs in the wrong wheel.

Appropriate wheel size should be one where the back of your hamster is not arched when they are running. A small-sized wheel compared to your hamster’s size may cause joints and fatal skeletal injuries because of the arched back.

It is recommended that the Syrian hamster wheel has a minimum of 12-inch wheel diameter while an 8-inch wheel would be suitable for dwarf hamsters. The bigger the wheel, the better for the hamsters to run around.

Another factor is the type of wheel based on their material and the available wheels are either made from metal or plastic. A metal wheel is more durable and is less likely to be chewed on by your hamsters.

The disadvantage, however, is that most metal wheels are designed as rungs or ladder-like which has gaps. These gaps may cause bruising to hamster’s paws since their legs can easily get injured while running.

Plastic wheels, meanwhile, are often made from one solid wheel structure with textured flooring to keep the hamsters from slipping.  It is better for hamsters to run on a solid surface to prevent injuries.

Plastic wheels are usually shaped like a half tube or are just flat. They are quite easier to clean as well if you compare it to metal wheels.

A good hamster wheel should also be stable. You may choose from one that comes in a stand or the type that attaches to the side of the cage. You have to make sure that it is secure and won’t fall down whenever your hamster does its thing.

The hamster wheel should also produce little or no sound at all. Remember that hamsters are creatures that usually run at night so it might be a bother if the wheel goes squeaky when you are sleeping.

There are options of silent spinner wheels that you would want to choose to keep your sleeping habit in peace. If the hamster wheel still produces a sound, try putting in olive oil by the spindle to reduce the noise it makes.