5 Ways to Provide Hamster Enrichment Besides a Wheel

5 ways to provide hamster enrichment beside a wheel in their enclosure make a difference. A wheel is the first thing a pet store will tell you to get and they are not wrong. Depending on the size of the hamster it can be 3 miles a night or higher. If a hamster doesn’t get their daily exercise will gain too much weight and just be lethargic. Hamsters also have a short life span, which is usually between 1-3 years. They may also live longer if healthy, happy and well taken care of. As wells as being an inexpensive pet, they also bring moments of great enjoyment to their owners. Adding extra enrichment to your hamster’s daily activities will keep your hamster more active, interactive with you and less stressed.

Hamster Sensory to Remember

Understanding hamster sensory capacity is vital in deciding how to properly provide your hamster extra enrichment besides a wheel. Hamsters have a great sense of smell and can even scent their owner when getting to know them with obvious responses. They have great hearing as well and respond to the sound of an owner’s voice. Hamsters are sight-challenged. They only see 6 inches in front of their nose. They are colorblind as well. Get close so they scent you first and hear your voice as much as possible. These highlighted senses are what make them so unique, and it is the main way they explore the world.

1 Hamsters Like to Chew

Hamsters have forever growing incisor teeth that grow consistently after they are born. Chewing is in their second nature. If the hamster enclosure has bars you may see the hamster chewing on them, but it is out of boredom. Hamster sometimes made holes in plastic bases as well. (A suggestion of a chew-proof cage with a metal bottom will enrich your hamster’s environment if that happens.) Pet stores provide a wide variety of inexpensive small animal and hamster chews to help with your hamsters enrichment. Make sure that the chews chosen don’t have toxic paint and are animal-safe. Chews made to be animal safe usually have vegetable dye coloring. If the chews with holes bored into the pieces they can be strung together with oven string. Hang onto the cage to make a fun enrichment activity toy for the hamster.

2 Enrichment with Various Hamster Hides

A hide is more than just a safe spot to sleep for a hamster. It is the same place they sometimes store their self-foraged food. Having several hides in the enclosure will afford them extra places to explore, and periodically will be a new favorite spot. Multiple hides are suggested if there is more than one hamster in the enclosure. Plastic hides can easily be found. Inexpensive hides made from coconut shells, peanut edible hides and soft plushy hides are also available for your hamster’s enrichment. Did you know the they do not sweat? If the temperature is too warm you will see a hamster sleeping out in the open and not in their hide.

3 Food That Entices Hamsters

Food is one of a hamster’s main driving focuses in existence and an easy way to provide hamster enrichment. A basic diet of pet store variety hamster food is always good option, but we all like a little variety in our diet. Treats in addition to a normal diet should be spread out and not given too often. Your hamster could have diarrhea (which could be life threatening if not handled immediately) or get sick. Give treats in small amounts only. Hamster enclosure options that encourage creative forging are available. Feed the hamster the treat by hand to incorporate into the fun. Make sure any added choices are plain and unsalted. Some easy “gourmet” adds could include:

• A variety of grain and seed options (i.e oat spray, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds).
• Dried fruits in small amounts as treats. Too much natural sugar can make hamsters sick.
• An unsalted roasted peanut in the shell.
• Plain grain cheerios (Inexpensive and addicting to the writer’s hamsters, while making a fun feedable treat.)
• Fruits such as apples, pears, bananas, and grapes cut in small pieces. (No citrus fruits.)
• Vegetables such as carrot, Broccoli, cucumber, romaine lettuce and kale.
• Dry Pasta (i.e. Broken up pieces of un-boiled spaghetti.)
• Protein Option: Usually available at a pet store. Mealworms are usually a live feed and very much enjoyed by most hamsters. (A small flat dish is suggested for this treat. Live mealworms will hide and disappear in the enclosure bedding. Do not handle the hamster immediately after eating them or you will get nibbled.)

4 Enclosure Enrichment Besides the Wheel

Making a natural habitat for your hamster can be challenging and fun at the same time. Try to make a natural habitat as a hamster would have in nature if the room allows, and you feel creative. Some people will even make a do-it-yourself enclosure using a large bin and make their own net top. Supreme hamster happiness and enrichment if you go this route, but just know it will get messy quickly. Add multiple bits of foraging fun. Otherwise, if you have prefab store bought enclosure, it doesn’t mean it has to be boring. A multi-functional second level is suggested, especially with larger hamsters. Hamsters are climbers and like to explore their world. Natural adds are easy to get with either cage and usually include base options of the budget allows such as:

• Climbing Aides (i.e. climbing rope, wooden log bridges and ladders)
• Tunneling options (i.e. tunnels made from natural plants and pieces of wood found in the reptile section at the pet store)
• Thick varied bedding options which include paper and pull apart bedding. (Requires more periodical cleaning and will get stinky if urinated on by the hamster.)

5 Time for Open Free Play

Hamsters need space to exercise if not in a wheel.  Sometimes there are space limitations or other animals in the home that prevent this option. A fold-able play yard or kiddie pool works well to safely give the hamster more stretching room. A daily 15-20 minutes supervised play time is suggested. Not only is it great for your hamster but it is fun for you to watch. Make a maze and even use tunnels. The more to explore the merrier the hamster.

A quick note about plastic hamster balls: The hamster cannot see out of the thick plastic ball can only see 6 inches in front of their nose and doesn’t know where it is going. It can be a stressful experience for the hamster as much as people think it is fun to watch.

A hamster with a variety of chews, hides, food, toys and surprises to provide more enrichment beside a wheel in their enclosure will make hamsters more active and interactive with you. There are many DIY hamster enrichment tips that can be found. Enjoy the world of hamsters, and all that having them as pets can teach you.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © iStock.com/Conny V