Although Hamsters are solitary animals, they need our attention to stay happy and stress-free. You may be wondering how much time should you spend with your Hamsters? So, I did some research and consulted a few experts, and here is what I learned!
The best option would be to spend at least one hour a day with your Hamsters. Hamsters are nocturnal, therefore the perfect time to play with them are late evenings or early mornings. Youngers Hamsters news more floor time as compared to older ones, as they are more energetic.
You must try and set aside an hour a day where you do nothing else, and your only focus should be to build a bond with your Hamsters. This includes active play with mazes, tricks, and toys.
You can also hide some treat and it will keep your Hamster occupied and engaged. You can also let your Hamster roam in one particular portion of your house but make sure you keep an eye on them when you allow them to roam freely.
If you have a busy schedule or don’t have enough time to play with your Hamsters then you can go with two sessions of half an hour each. It is always better to provide them with some attention than no attention at all.
Do Hamsters Need A Lot Of Attention?
Although most Hamsters are not difficult to handle, still they need a little bit of attention from you.
Unlike other rodents, Hamsters prefer to stay alone but there is a difference between alone and lonely. Therefore, it is imporatant to provide your Hamsters with all the love and attention they deserve.
If your Hamster gets lonely then there is a possibility of certain behavioral issues in them. These include:
- Aggression
- Depression
- Stress
- Destructive behavior
How Do I Bond With My Hamster?
Overstimulating your Hamsters will do more harm than good. If you interact with your Hamster correctly, then they will feel content.
In any instance, the best way is to build a bond from scratch. Here is what you can do:
Give Them Adequate Attention
You must never force your Hamster to play with you. If your Hamster seems scared or aggressive, then it would be best to stay away from them for a while.
Hamsters can easily get upset, tired, or uncomfortable if you force them. They may even bite you, hideaway, or refuse your care in the future.
On the other hand, if your Hamsters seem interested in your care and loved, then provide them as much attention you can.
Feel free to cuddle, play, and stroke your Hamsters as long as they allow you to do so. They are having fun in they seem very active for a long period, but if your Hamster’s playtime lasts only for a short period you can try again after some time.
A Few Best Climbing Toys For Your Hamsters:
Recommended Reading:
- Why Doesn’t My Hamster Like Me? (Causes+What To Do)
- How Long Do Hamsters Take To Settle In? (New Owner’s Guide)
- Why Is My Hamster Always Hiding? (Reasons+What To Do)
- How Long Can I Leave My Hamster Alone? (A Day, Week & More)
- Why Is My Hamster Losing Patches Of Fur? (Reasons+What To Do)
- Top 12 Ways To Keep Your Hamsters Warm In Winters! (Complete Guide)
- Why Does My Hamster Stare At Me? (This Is What You Must Know)
Observe And Understand Your Hamsters
As a Hamster Owner, you need to learn to observe your little one. Each Hamster has its unique personality and observing them intently will help you learn more about their behavior.
It is important to understand your Hamster’s body language and also take note of how they react in front of you.
It is also essential to build a bond with your Hamster, creating the trust can enable your Hamster to respond to you when you call them.
There are many ways to build a bond with your Hamster, which includes:
- Training them
- Feeding them
- Grooming them
- Playing with them
Delivering the treats and food to your Hamster will always encourage them to approach you.
It would be best if you made sure that there are no other pets or people in the room so that you can easily enjoy some quality time with your Hamster.
Get Down At The Ground Level
Hamsters are tiny creatures and for them, we humans are just a pair of feet if we place them on the ground.
Therefore, it is best to get on the ground or crouch low on the ground whenever you are playing with your Hamster.
This will help your Hamster feel more comfortable and at home. You will not be accepted as a tall and arrogant animal.
Handle Your Hamster With Care
It is very important to hold your Hamster the correct way, or else they just become aggressive or overexcited and try to jump off your Hamster.
Do not make a tight grip whenever you hold your Hamster, otherwise they may get uncomfortable.
Always keep your Hamster close to your chest or lap, they will make him feel safe.
Never try to hold your Hamster forcefully, this will just make your Hamster hostile.
Spend Some Quality Time With Them
One hours next to your Hamsters is totally different from a good floor time of 15 minutes. Providing quality time is more important for your Hamsters than the number of hours spent.
This implies, 15 minutes of floor time is better than lying beside them for an hour.
It is essential to be focused and provide more attention to a young Hamster. You can train your Hamsters to perform some tricks, play, or run mazes.
However, when it comes older or less energetic Hamsters, you may need to take a subtle approach.
I found these amazing Hamster play toys on Amazon, my Hamster loves it. Check it out!
What Is The Best Time To Play With Your Hamsters?
Hamsters are nocturnal animals, this means they are mostly active at night.
Late evenings or early mornings are the best time to spend with your Hamsters as they are most active and energetic during those hours.
During these times, you will see that your little ones are busy grooming themselves, running around, playing with their toys, and foraging.
Also, if they are hungry, they will runs towards you for the meal. This could be the best time to teach them some tricks.
During the middle of the day or at the afternoon, you will probably find your Hamster hiding somewhere or lying down to relax.
Things To Do With Your Hamsters:
The best way to spend time with your Hamsters is to be around them and play with them.
However, if you are bored with all the play ideas and don’t have any other thing in your mind, then you can check out these alternatives or creative ways to build a bond with your Hamsters.
Roam Around
You can allow your Hamsters to wander freely around one portion of your home. Allowing your Hamsters to come outside their enclosure is one of the best methods for their enrichment and exercise.
If you are not giving attention or playing with your Hamsters, then they will start analyzing the objects.
Although it is very important to give your Hamsters enough floor time, at the same time you should make sure that your little one is safe and secure while running free.
Hamster proofing home is significant as your little one can hurt themselves in several ways. Some of the common concerns among Hamster owners are:
- Escape Routes: You must know by now, how smart your Hamsters are. They may even squash through the holes in a garden fence if you are letting them out to play. You should block every escape route as the domesticated Hamsters will not be able to survive in the wild.
- Electrical Cables: Electrical cables are too attractive for your Hamsters. They start chewing anything they get their hands on. Besides hurting your Hamsters’ teeth, chewing wires can also lead to a fire break out.
- Other Pets: Keep your Hamsters away from the other pet if you have one. Make sure to keep them separated until they come to understand each other.
You can put some hay to chew or eat on, a litter box, some toys on the floor where your Hamster is playing. Allow them to have some fun as long as they will not get away from this area.
Forage
In the wild, Hamsters search widely for food or other requirements. In domesticated Hamsters, this tendency can be easily converted in the form of play.
To keep your Hamsters engaged and fir, you can hide some of their food in those places that are a bit hard for them to reach.
You will see that your Hamster jumps, wiggles and will be smart enough to find the treat. Some right places to hide the food or treats are:
- Inside the maze
- Knotted inside some paper bags
- Inside the empty toilet paper
- Inside their toys
- Under their blankets
- Inside their tunnels
You can also hide different food mix. Vegetables, fruits, or their favorite treat are some great options.
What To Do If I Don’t Have Enough Time For My Hamsters?
Though Hamsters are not so social pets, it is important to have bond with them and build trust. You must make sure that you are giving sufficient time to your Hamsters. However, it is not always possible.
If you do not have much time for your Hamsters, then there is no need to worry. There are ways by which you can ensure that your Hamster gets the attention they need.
Provide Them A Small Duration Of Floor Time Whenever You Are Free
The best option would be to spend at least one hour a day with your Hamsters. Hoever, if you do not have much time, then you can try to break small additions of that hour.
For example, before leaving for work, you can try to spend at least 25-30 minutes with your Hamster. And in the evening, after you return back home, you can spend the rest 30 minutes with them.
Also, you can play 5-6 times with your Hamster each day, for 10 minutes everytime. This can be the best way to relax yourself if you work from home. Your Hamsters will enjoy the efforts too.
Here, our main objective should be the quality and consistency. One or two minutes is not enough for you little ones to play or bond with you.
Therefore, you need to make sure that you provide at least 10 minutes in each session of bonding. Otherwise, your Hamster will just get uncomfortable and not get time to enjoy any of it.
Do Your Activities Alongside Your Hamsters
It is always better to provide your Hamsters with little attention than no attention at all. You can always choose to do your activities in the same room where the enclosure of your Hamster is placed.
While working from home or doing some of the regular house cores you can try to converse with your Hamsters in a very gentle and calm tone.
You can also do your workout in the same room where your Hamsters are housed but it is advised not to use loud music near them.
You can always draw, paint, sew, or write, sitting by your Hamster’s enclosure. This way, they will also get used to your presence. You can also have your meal near them.
You must try and give them as much attention as you can. The smallest period will also count if you are trying your best to build a bond with your Hamsters.
What If I Have No Time At All For My Hamsters?
If you cannot give attention at all to your Hamsters, then you can always ask for help.
You can try reaching out to your social group. This way, your Hamster can easily get attention for one-two hours.
Also, most social groups will be happy to help. You just need to make sure that your Hamster is comfortable with the person you are leaving them with. Also, make sure that person knows how to take care of a Hamster.
Hamsters can spend most of their time on their own and do not need much attention, by there is a difference between being alone and being lonely.
You can make your little one feel loved and well socialized by spending only one hour with them. You need to select the favorable activities and need to understand what your Hamster likes and enjoy the most.
Providing Them With Toys, Hideouts, Etc. For Mental Stimulation
Hamsters are active animals. They cannot sit quietly in one place for a very long time.
It is very important to provide your Hamster with adequate hiding space and toys, to keep them happy and stress-free.
Besides keeping them engaged, toys also help Hamsters to work out. Try choosing different varieties of toys so that your furry friend never gets bored.
Chew toys can enrich your Hamsters life and always keeps them engaged. Also, Hamster teeth are different from human teeth, their teeth grow throughout their lifetime. Chew toys help to keep their teeth healthy and well-shaped.
You can also try some of the listed tips and tricks to engage your Hamsters:
- Hide some treats for them to find
- Give them some rope to chew on
- Create a maze for them to run around and play
Toys are one of the best ways to entertain your Hamster even when you are not around.
If your Hamster is exhausted or bored, they will probably like to chew on objects, hit or kick out on something, or mess their habitat.
Some of the popular toys amongst Hamsters are:
- Wicker baskets
- Big brown paper bags
- A cardboard box which opens from both side
- Tunnels or PVC tubes
- Newspapers and paper towels
- Untreated wood chips
You can also check out a wide range of chew toys for your Hamsters here.
For hideouts, 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.
Sources: Research Gate, Science Mag, NCBI, Science Direct, Journal of experimental biology, Louisiana Veterinary Medical Association,
