Plans for a Wooden Hamster Home

You can add all the toys and decor you want, but if you house your hamster in an aquarium, it will always look like a glass tank. Aquariums are commonly used for hamster habitats, but you can construct your little rodent a custom-built home made from wood. Because one of her favorite habits is chewing, you may have to be prepared to replace some sections when Stella gnaws them down.

  1. Types of Wood

    • Stella will go through soft wood like it's butter, so don't construct her wooden hamster home out of a soft wood like pine. Instead, build her home from hardwood. And choose a wood that is safe for your hamster. Hardwoods such as beech, alder or aspen are all safe for hamsters because they don't contain aromatic oils that can be dangerous if ingested or inhaled.

    Other Materials

    • You can't make Stella's home entirely out of wood. You need to gather a few other items for it, such as hardware cloth or wire mesh and a plexiglass panel or two if you don't want all of the open sides to be made from wire mesh. You'll also need nails, screws and two hinges for each opening you want to make for cleaning and feeding purposes. Since hamsters are are masters at escape, get a secure latch for each of the openings, too, such as a locking bolt that can't be jiggled free from the inside.

    Costructing the Floor

    • Wood isn't the best material for the floor of a hamster house. Even hardwoods are porous enough that they will absorb urine after awhile. You might be tempted to make the floors of Stella's wooden house out of hardware cloth, but the mesh would have to be small enough that her little feet wouldn't slip through. Linoleum or vinyl flooring is the best option for the floor of a hamster home. It is easy on their feet, and it cleans up better than wood.

    Go au Natural

    • You might be tempted to paint, stain or clear coat your hamster's wooden home to pretty it up and keep it looking new for as long as possible. The problem with that is that paint or clear-coat could poison Stella if she nibbles on it. Some paint contains lead, and even stain can have heavy metals in it. As much as you'd like to decorate your hamster's house to match your decor, leave the surfaces natural and untreated. It's safer for Stella, and you won't have to repaint every time you replace a section that she's been chewing on.