Fun Things for Hamsters

Hamsters are members of the rodent family and have long been enjoyed as family pets. They love to burrow to make nests, and their continually growing incisor teeth necessitate lots of chewing. To meet these needs, provide your hamster with some toys that will keep it occupied and provide hours of fun for both you and your pet.

  1. Critter Cruiser

    • Your hamster will be a hit with hamster ladies with his new Critter Cruiser. The plastic toy is molded to resemble a dune-buggy type vehicle, including the four wheels. The hamster is placed in a plastic ball, which is then set into Critter Cruiser. When the hamster starts to run, the plastic ball rolls and the Critter Cruiser takes off. The hamster can drive his Critter Cruiser freestyle around the floor, or you can buy the eight-piece Run-About Hamtrac to test his driving skills. Three different size balls are available.

    Habitrail

    • You can turn your hamster into an explorer with a Habitrail. Habitrail helps you create mazes as simple or as complex as your hamster can handle. Made from transparent plastic, the parts come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Straight tubes can be connected to elbows, curves, T-joints, four-way connectors and living spaces so that you can customize your trail and change its design whenever you want. Perforations provide air ventilation. There are areas where you can stash food to motivate your hamster's exploration.

    Innovative Chew Toys

    • Hamster love -- and need -- to chew and there is a plethora of fun chews toys available at your local pet store. For example, the Super Pet Nut Knot Nibbler is a series of small, natural wood logs, brightly colored with safe vegetable-based food coloring that wrap around a real almond nut. The Cheeze-E-Corn Clubhouse is a colorful toy made from natural corn leaves and sisal rope. Your hamster will have fun chewing on it, or shredding it apart to make bedding.

    Homemade Toys

    • If you find store-bought hamster toys pricey, you can make your own fun toys with a few household items. Dangle empty toilet paper tubes from the top of the cage and create a homemade swing for your little pet. If you have an apple tree, use some small branches to create climbing toys -- you can fashion a ladder or a trapeze -- that you hamster will also enjoy nibbling on. Egg cartons can also be turned into hamster toys. Cut holes on the sides of the box and small hamsters, such as the dwarf hamster, will enjoy burrowing through the carton and making nests in the egg cups.