How to take care of a hamster: Expert tips to get your setup on point
Hamsters are small, cuddly balls of fur enjoyed by many families and experts say they're perfect pets for inexperienced owners.
"They are really a pet, just like any other," said Tony Adler, co-president of the California Hamster Association, a nonprofit hamster advocacy organization. "I think of them similar to cats, where they are definitely self-sufficient. They can take care of themselves, but they do benefit and enjoy human interaction."
So how does one take care of these "cat"-like rodents?
How to take care of a hamster?
Adler says it's time to move away from the 160 square inch cages that have been used for hamsters and give them a bigger space to live.
"The current recommendation is 600 square inches of space or larger that's unbroken," she said.
Owners should fill the bottom of the enclosures with 6 to 15 inches of bedding to allow the animal to burrow, Adler said.
Dr. Brittany Childs, a veterinarian at the VCA West Suburban Veterinary Hospital in Westmont, Illinois, encouraged new pet parents to thoroughly research a hamster's diet before adopting one. She added there are a number of hamster species, but the most common ones are the Syrian and Russian Dwarf Hamster.
Childs and Adler agreed that hamsters are animals that cannot live in the same habitat as one another. It's important to keep hamsters apart and to have them under strict supervision when exploring outside of their enclosure.
"Hamsters are best kept solitary as they do not tend to get along with other hamsters," Childs said.
If your hamster has babies, Adler urged owners against separating pups from hamsters until they're four weeks old and to keep the hamsters' environment as stress-free as possible to avoid the mother hurting the babies.
"She has to be on her own, and then the babies - males and females - need to be separated so that they don't create more babies," Adler said. "And then at six weeks, they have to be completely alone."
How much does a hamster cost?
That depends on where a person lives, Childs said. It's best to call local veterinarians to learn how much it would cost to own the rodent.
Alder estimated a hamster to initially cost at the cheapest $100, then about $200 to $300 per year.
Are hamsters nocturnal animals?
Hear a hamster rummaging in its cage at night? That's because hamsters are nocturnal and most active at night, Childs said.
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Contact reporter Krystal Nurse at knurse@USATODAY.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter,@KrystalRNurse, and on BlueSky @krystalrnuse.bsky.social.