Maintenance of a Hamster's Habitat

Choosing a hamster as a pet involves setting up a habitat in which your pet can live and thrive. A proper hamster habitat provides a hamster with everything it needs, including food, water and shelter, while allowing you to view the hamster as it goes about its daily routine. Cleaning and maintaining your hamster's habitat helps it live a longer, healthier life.

  1. Cage Type

    • Choosing the type of home for your hamster involves personal preference. Some people prefer wire cages so they can interact with the hamster a little more. Others use a glass aquarium with a screen lid. If you choose to use a wire cage, monitor the wires on the sides for signs of wear and tear. Your hamster may chew the wires and cause the paint to peel. If this happens, you may need to replace the cage. Use soap and water to clean the plastic bottom of the cage. If you use a glass aquarium, wash the walls of the tank occasionally when you change the bedding.

    Bedding

    • Hamsters like to burrow to create a nest in which to sleep and to hide. Therefore, it is important to provide your hamster with enough bedding to burrow underneath. Choose from one of several types of bedding, including hardwood shavings, pellets and shredded recycled materials. Each of these bedding types are available at most stores that carry pet supplies. Avoid using cedar shavings, because cedar can cause allergic reactions and serious health problems for your hamster, according to the SPCA. Change the bedding at least once a month or whenever it appears soiled or wet.

    Feeding

    • Providing your hamster with plenty of fresh water and food on a daily basis ensures the health of your hamster. Refill the hamster's water bottle every day so it has a fresh supply. Because hamsters often eat an unusual times, keep the food bowl filled at all times. Give your hamster healthy food by choosing meal that contains more than one kind of grain. You can also give your hamster fruit, vegetables and nuts to supplement the hamster food.

    Toys

    • While a hamster doesn't play with toys the same way a cat or dog would, maintaining a few toys in your hamster's habitat is important. A hamster's teeth grow throughout its lifetime and must be ground down on a regular basis so it can eat. Providing your hamster with wooden chew toys gives it a natural way to keep its teeth trimmed with no effort from you. Monitor the toys to make sure they are large enough for chewing and remove any smaller splinters that break off. When the toys become too small, replace them so your hamster doesn't choke on them.