Although Hamsters are small animals, but they need proper maintenance and care. They require basic safety, food and shelter to stay happy. Also, they get bored pretty quickly. Therefore, as owners, it is our responsibility to enrich our little one’s life with necessary physical and mental stimulation.
There are a lot of things we can do to entertain our Hamster. Add toys of various shapes and sizes to keep them engaged. You could also do a photoshoot with them. Use some PVC pipes to make tunnels for them. Cage upgrade could be a game-changer altogether.
Hamsters need proper mental stimulation to keep themselves busy as well as entertained. All these prevent depression and sadness in them.
Also, regular exercise is important to keep your Hamster fit. Climbing toys, exercise wheels, etc. will help you to keep up with their physical stimulation.
Boredom can cause stress in Hamsters which in turn can lead to destructive and aggressive behavior in them.
You should do your best to make sure that your Hamsters are living the life they deserve.
How Can I Make My Hamster Happy?
It is crucial to keep your Hamsters happy and entertained. Many owners don’t even realize even Hamster to have emotions. and they can feel sad or depressed sometimes. Trust me, a depressed Hamster is tough to handle and care for.
Starting right from choosing a appropriate sized enclosure to understanding your Hamster’s basic needs, is important to keep them happy.
If we fail to meet the basic needs of our little ones, it can lead to stress in them. Hamsters also need mental stimulation to stay busy and entertained. That will help them to avoid depression and sadness.
Read this article, ‘Top 16 Ways To Keep Your Hamsters Happy‘, to have a detailed study about your Hamster’s happiness!
How Can You Tell If Your Hamster Is Bored?
Hamsters are quite active and they cannot sit quietly in one place for a very long time.
If your Hamster is bored they will probably start to bite the cage or will just lie down lethargically at one corner of the cage.
You will also see that your Hamsters tend to sleep more than usual.
Try choosing different varieties of toys so that your furry friend does not get bored.
Hamster Boredom Breakers: Physical & Mental Stimulation
Both physical and mental stimulation is important for Hamsters to live a happy and a healthy life.
In the wild, Hamsters have the capacity to run more than four miles a day. In the same manner, domesticated Hamsters have similar energy levels. Therefore, it is important to provide them with sufficient floor time every day or at least once in 2-3 days.
Also, if you allow your little one to engage in their natural behaviors, they will be much more comfortable. Get them enough stuff to climb, chew or dig.
These are some of the basic needs if you want a happy pet. It is not that difficult to provide your Hamster with what they want.
Some of the best boredom breakers or the basic ways to provide your Hamsters mental and physical stimulation are listed below:
Provide Them With Some Waste Paper For Shredding
Hamsters can spend hours shredding the paper. Once you provide them with some paper, you will see them spending hours tearing it. They love the ripping sound it makes.
If you have an old diary or an old telephone directory, which is of no use, you can place them in your Hamster’s enclosure.
Your little one will not disturb you for hours, they will spend blissful time tearing the pages apart into pieces.
Also, you must check the quality of the paper you are providing. The cheap ink can be toxic to your Hamsters. Free newspapers and leaflets contain harmful toxins, which can be very dangerous to our Hamsters, therefore it is best to avoid them.
Add Different Varieties of Chew Toys In Their Cage
Chew toys are a must for Hamsters. They are essential for our little one’s enrichment. Hamster teeth are different from human teeth, chew toys are a great way to keep their teeth healthy and well-shaped.
Besides keeping their teeth healthy, chew toys are a great time pass for our Hamsters. Hamsters love to nibble or chew on one thing or the other.
Also, it is important to keep rotating the chew toys or adding new ones over time. Hamsters will get bored and lose interest if they are not changed with time.
It is not necessary to buy the chew toys from the pet stores. Sometimes, it might not be a pocket-friendly option. You can always go for natural toys to fulfill your Hamster’s needs.
Wooden Branches could be an excellent addition to your Hamster’s cage. You could get branches from your lawn or have a look at these amazing chew sticks from amazon. However, you must be careful, branches from all the trees are not safe for our Hamsters. Some of them can prove to be extremely toxic. Read this article to under better, ‘Can My Hamsters Chew On Tree Branches? (Safe Wood+Unsafe Wood)‘.
Cardboards prove to be great chew toys for the Hamsters. You can use sturdy cardboard, such as a box from online deliveries. Avoid using glossy printed cars, they contain toxic ink and are harmful for our little ones.
You can also use willow to make Hamster chew toys at your home. Tie it up into the shape of a ball, your Hamsters will love to play with it.
In addition to all these, you can buy chew toys from the pet stores. Avoid anything soft, as they may tear the soft toys and may end up choking on small, indigestible parts.
You can check out this set of 10, Hamster Chew Toys, your Hamster will surely love it.
- 💖 12 PACK WOODEN CHEW TOYS: Include Bark Watermelon Balls, Bell Roller, Dumbbell,...
- 💖 NATURAL and NON-TOXIC: High-quality wood origin of wooden chinchilla toys,...
You should never refuse your Hamster’s demand to chew toys. Lack of chew toys will provoke your Hamsters to chew on the wires or the bars of the cage, which can create holes.
You must know that Hamsters are very good at escaping as they can easily squeeze their body through the gaps that may look mall to us.
Add Some Containers Or Wicker Baskets
Wicker baskets are another great addition to your Hamster’s cage. They love wickers.
Wickers are totally safe for our Hamster. As it is hard, your Hamster will spend hours playoing with it or simply chewing it.
You can use the basket in other ways too. Line the basket with a blacket, now your Hamsters can hop in for a nap.
You can also knock it upside down and hide a treat inside. This will keep your Hamster engaged for a long period.
Have a look at this Wicker basket I got from Amazon, my Hamster totally loves it!
Play Some Calm Music For Them (Once In A While)
Hamsters are know to love music. Many Hamster owners even use music as a therapy to calm their little ones, and it works wonders.
Most Hamsters love classical music in general. Always select a soft and a slow-paced music to play near your Hamsters.
However, you must be careful of the volume. Do not be overenthusiastic and play it too loud. It may lead to stress in your Hamsters.
Avoid genres like rock, pop or metal. Also, do not put the stereo or the television set too close to your Hamster’s cage.
Read this article to learn more about, ‘Do Hamsters Like Music?’.
Add Some Large PVC Pipes
You can use PVC Pipes to make an excellent tunnel for your Hamsters.
Use a 4 inch full PVC pipe. Use your creativity to make different shapes and tunnels that can be easily curved in different directions for our Hamsters.
Mirrors Could Be An Excellent Distraction
Mirrors are a great distraction for Hamsters. They do not understand the concept of mirrors or reflection.
When Hamsters are first introduced to a mirror, they react depending on their personality.
Some Hamsters are just fascinated, as they will think they have a company. While others may react aggressively thinking, another Hamster is trying to intrude in their territory.
Hamsters are not stupid, though. They will soon realize everything. To offset their anxiety, leave them alone for some time.
Read this article to learn more about, ‘Do Hamster Understand Mirror?’.
Provide Them With A Lot Of Hiding Space
Adding several hiding spaces in your Hamster’s enclosure will definitely make them feel at home. It will keep them happy and stress-free.
Hamsters love to snuggle into hiding spaces as it helps them to maintain their body temperature and themselves warm.
You can also prepare hideouts at your home for your little ones just by following the necessary measure:
Cut slash a small opening out of a cardboard box to make an opening. Make sure that you do not leave any sharp edges, or your Hamsters might hurt themselves. Your Hamster can use this place to relax.
You can either get a wooden made hiding spaces for your Hamsters or fleece made snuggle bed, which they can get into and feel at home. These are some of my favorites.
Get Your Hamster A Play Pen
Play pens are great ways to let your Hamster run around. Play pen will make sure that your Hamster does not escape.
You could also add a few toys or treats in the pen, to let your Hamsters enjoy to their fullest.
Your Hamster will enjoy this change of scenery, and will also get sufficient exercise. Have a look at this foldable playpen I got for my little for from Amazon!
Hide Some Treats For Your Hamsters
Hide your Hamster’s favorite food in their cage and you will see that they will work very hard to get a hold of it. This behaviour of them can be turned into a game.
Hide some fresh veggies under their bedding (do not hide it too deep inside). As Hamsters have an excellent sense of smell, you will see that they will get on to their work to find out the snake.
This activity is something that they would cherish a lot. Also, they will enjoy the treats even more because they have earned it.
However, you must keep a regular check on the veggies. The vegetable could get mouldy if not found and eaten within a few hours. The smell of the rotten vegetable could be devastating for your Hamsters.
Do A Photo Shoot With Your Hamsters
A photo shoot is a great way to spend time with your Hamsters and build a bond with them. Pictures will help you to capture some valuable and beautiful memories, which you will cherish life long.
Capture a lot of photographs of your Hamsters from different angles. Provide them with a small piece of a veggie, then capture them muchning on it.
You could also entice your Hamsters to standing on their back legs to get an amazing shot.
Hamsters Love To Play With Toilet Roll Tubes
Kitchen towel tubes or toilet roll tubes are one of Hamster’s favorite things to play with. They are the ultimate natural toys for our Hamsters.
Hamsters love to roll the empty tube around their cage. They can spend hours doing so.
You can also try hiding some treats in the tube. Your Hamsters will enjoy finding the food.
As Hamsters love to shred, they will love to chew and shred the tube into pieces. They will enjoy throwing the tube around the love. Also, they love the ripping sound of the paper.
Add Some Exercise And Climbing Toys
Hamsters love to cling on to things. In the wild, it is quite a natural behavior in Hamsters. They climb on the higher grounds, to keep keep an eye on the surroundings.
Providing your Hamsters with climbing toys of various shape and sizes will keep your Hamsters engaged. You can also create your own climbing toy at home using wood or card.
Besides climbing toys, you can also consider providing your Hamsters with logs or rocks as an obstacle course for your Hamsters. You will see that they love to jump around and explore it.
Keep rotating or adding new toys in your Hamster’s enclosure. This way they will not get bored, also it will satisfy their thirst for adventure.
A Few Best Climbing Toys For Your Hamsters:
Cage Upgrade Can Be A Game Changer
The cage which you choose for your little one must be comfortable as well as safe.
You must ensure that your little one does not run away and find itself in danger.
The first thing you should be considerate about is the size of the enclosure. Always remember that the enclosure will be your Hamster’s home. Get them an appropriate enclosure which has enough space for them to play and run around.
We can say that your Hamster must be provided with at least a 30-40 gallon tank or say 4 square feet of space and 20 inches height square feet of space to be comfortable. The bigger the cage, the better.
If you do not have enough space for a larger cage, then add more toys to enrich their lives.
Increase Their Floor Time
Adding a few minutes of floor time is important to keep your Hamster fit and healthy but also to keep them happy.
To make sure your Hamster does not escape, let them out in an open and spacious room with closed drafts and ventilation.
If possible let them out for at least 1 hour each day. If not, at least once in 2-3 days. This will also help you to bond with your Hamster.
Lack of exercise can lead to various health complications in Hamsters. It can also make your Hamster obese.
Exercise also helps your Hamsters to keep their bodies warm, which is excellent for those cold days.
Teach Your Hamsters A Few Tricks
Teaching a few tricks to your Hamster will also help you to build a bond with them.
Although it is not easy to train a Hamster, but with patience and time, you can train them pretty well. Some of the common tricks you can teach your Hamsters are:
- Bedtime
- Sit
- Fetch
- Dance
- Stop that
Training sessions can be fun for you as well as your Hamsters. Also, you will see that they are likely to start performing tricks whenever they see you.
Can A Hamster Die Of Boredom?
Although it is very rare for a Hamster to die out of boredom, but it can definitely lead to excessive stress and depression in them.
In turn, depression and stress could shorten their life. Provide them with sufficient toys and other things for mental stimulation.
How To Treat A Stressed Hamster?
A Hamster can easily get stressed. They may start to avoid you, hide from you, and run away from you when they are under stressed.
It is important to build a bond with your Hamster so that they prefer to stay close to you to eliminate their fear, whenever they are scared.
Allow your Hamster to come close to you when they are stared. However, you must remember that Hamsters do not enjoy too much cuddling or handling.
Never hold them forcefully. Instead, give them some time to figure out things on their own.
Another way to calm your Hamster is to treat them with their favorite food, it will help them to get back into their comfort zone.
Read this article, ‘ How To Calm Down A Stressed Hamster?‘ , to understand more about them.
