Hamster Supplies: Everything You Need for Hamster (Checklist)

We’ve created this checklist that includes all the useful hamster supplies you need for your pet, including both essential and non-essential items.

Hamster Supplies Checklist (With Prices)

Here is our list of hamster supplies to purchase before bringing your new pet home. Once you have everything below, you’re all set!

Essentials are:

  • Suitable hamster cage (more on this later)
  • Water bottle
  • Toys for enrichment (climbing frames, tunnels, wheels, etc.)
  • Chew toys
  • Exercise wheel
  • Exercise ball
  • High-quality food mix
  • Suitable bedding and substrate material
  • Hamster home(s) (nesting area)
  • Food bowl(s)
  • Hamster treats
  • Non-toxic cleaning products
  • Fresh fruit and vegetables

Non-Essential:

  • Gnawing blocks or sticks
  • A ladder or climbing frame
  • Plastic tubes
  • Litter scoop
  • Travel cage
  • Sand bath & hamster bathing sand

Choosing Your New Hamster

There are a few different types of hamsters, all of which grow to different sizes and have slightly different care requirements. If you want to keep two or more hamsters, you’ll want to keep a species of dwarf hamster. The larger Syrian hamster must be kept alone.

Dwarf hamsters are often more energetic and entertaining to watch although that does make them slightly harder to handle (it just takes some practice).

Bedding & Substrate

A substrate is a material used to cover the bottom of your hamster cage. This is usually wood shavings or some form of soft material such as CareFresh. A substrate will keep your cage clean, absorb odor/waste and provide a soft surface for your pet.

Hamster bedding is the nesting material used by your hamster to create a comfortable place to sleep. Bedding is usually a softer material than the substrate and will be kept in the hamster home/hide within your cage.

There is a huge range of different substrate and bedding materials out there. Sawdust is not recommended as it can cause breathing issues in your pet (due to the dust sawdust creates). We recommend going for a reputable brand and using a material such as wood shavings for the substrate with a material like CareFresh for bedding.

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