In this video, we will discover 14 things hamsters love the most.
Deep Bedding
Hamsters are naturalborn burrowers. In the wild, they dig through substrate to make a network of intricate tunnels for warmth, protection, and to sleep in.
Since hamsters love to burrow, you'll want to make sure you're providing your hammy with the opportunity to express their natural instincts. It is important to give your hamster at least 6 inches of safe bedding to dig and create burrows. The deeper the bedding, the better.
A Large wheel
Hamsters are highenergy animals and their bodies are built to run. A large wheel is an essential item in any hamster cage to help them get exercise and cover the miles of distance they would in the wild.
Sleeping during the day
Remember, hamsters sleep during the day and are more active at dawn and dusk. If you want your hamster to be happy, let them sleep as much as they want during the day. Clean the cage and interact with your pet in the evening hours when they wake up on their own.
Hiding spots
Hamsters are prey animals and they find the most comfort in small, dark places where they can hide and feel safe. A hiding spot allows them to shelter when they are spooked or feel threatened. Having nowhere to take cover, will make your pet scared, stressed and anxious.
Foraging
Hamsters are natural foragers.
In the wild, hamsters run long distances every night to explore and find food. Consider providing fun, nutritionallyappropriate foraging opportunities for your small pet.
This can be achieved by sprinkling their food around the cage, or hiding treats in their bedding and toys. This will make your hammy search and work for its food.
A variety of food
Hamsters love a highquality, highvariety diet. In the wild, hamsters would eat seeds, grasses, nuts, fruits, vegetables, insects, frogs, lizards and other small animals. Make sure to provide your pet with a high variety seed mix along with highprotein pellets.
Things to chew on
Hamsters’ teeth grow continuously all their lives. They’re designed to be worn down to the right length by grinding away at hard objects. Make sure to provide your pet with a variety of hard objects such as wooden chew toys, walnut, coconut shells or even cardboard to chew on. The more your hamster has to chew on, the happier it will be.
Spreading their scent
Like many other animals, hamsters are territorial creatures and they love marking their territory.
Syrian hamsters have scent glands that are located on their sides, whereas some dwarf hamster scent glands are on their lower abdomen.
In order to mark their territory, a hamster will often rub their bottom or sides across the floor or against cage furnishings.
Hamsters also mark with their scent to signal to other hammies that they are ready for mating.
A soft massage
Once you have gained the trust of your hamster, you can pet them with light, delicate strokes.
Although most hamsters are solitary in the wild, these pets have since become affectionate and love getting attention from their owners
But remember, there are some hamsters that simply aren't big fans of being held or touched by people. If you have a new pet hamster, they may simply need time to get used to you.
A large cage
Although hamsters are small, they need plenty of room to exercise, burrow and explore. Be sure to provide your hammy with an environment as large as possible with the enrichment they need to stay happy.
One scientific study done on cage size revealed that housing hamsters in small cages induce chronic stress.
Cardboard Tubes
A fun item for any hamster is a cardboard tube that comes from toilet paper rolls or paper towels. Hamsters love to crawl through these tiny spaces and might even chew up the cardboard to play with.
Keeping their enclosure in a good spot
Where you put your hamster's cage can have a bigger impact on their health and happiness than you probably realize.
As prey animals, hamsters can be prone to stress, so their enclosure should be placed in an area where there isn't a lot of noise or traffic.
Stress can affect your pet’s physical wellbeing in addition to their mental wellbeing.
Sand baths
Wild hamsters originally lived in dry and warm places such as sand dunes, savannahs, and near deserts, so it’s natural that they’ll enjoy a sand bath.
Provide your pet with a container of petsafe sand. Your hamster will dig and roll around in the sand granules. As the sand is abrasive, it removes grease, moisture and dirt from their fur.
Yummy treats
Healthy treats are certainly a way to make your hamster happy. When they realize that you're the one providing them with such deliciousness, they'll love you for it!
Clean enclosure
Hamsters are very clean animals and they appreciate a clean, nice environment. Dirty and smelly homes will create mental and physical health problems for your pet.
Make sure to spotclean and remove visible debris from the cage on a daily basis.