training & behaviour
On the
Hamster Wheel
From solo housing to burrow-worthy bedding, these 10 tips keep whiskers twitching and wheels spinning.
By Kerri Fargher, Boggle and Brux Rescue
Seen as the training wheels of the pet world, hamsters bring so much joy to households. Despite their small size, they’ re not as hands-off as some might think. Here are 10 ways to keep your hamster happy and healthy.
House hamsters alone
Hamsters are naturally solitary and territorial animals and should not be housed together. While young ones may sometimes appear to coexist peacefully for short periods, cohabitation can quickly lead to stress, fighting, serious injuries, or even death. Each hamster should have its own separate habitat.
Provide a large habitat
Hamsters need a spacious enclosure with enough uninterrupted floor space to explore, forage, exercise, and display natural behaviours. We recommend a minimum of 0.5m 2 floor space. Larger habitats also allow room for enrichment, deeper bedding, hides, and appropriately sized wheels. Many habitats sold commercially are unfortunately far too small, and wire habitats are not recommended as primary enclosures due to safety concerns.
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