How to Create a Habitat for Dwarf Hamsters
Hamsters are energetic, naturally curious creatures. Those who are going to keep them as pets should be aware that they need habitats that will fulfill their needs. The more fulfilling the habitat is for the hamster, the more enjoyment you'll get out of watching him in it, too. We're going to look as some easy ways you can make home more fun for both you and your hamster.
- Difficulty:
- Moderately Easy
Instructions
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Get something to use as your habitat. One of the best and easiest things to use for your hamster habitat is an aquarium. It'll keep your little one safe as well as keeping the mess to a minimum. Hamsters love to burrow under, tunnel through and throw their bedding, and this will keep the bedding on the inside. Make sure you have a top on the aquarium that is very secure; a wire mesh with clips works the best. Hamsters have an amazing reach and and equally amazing ability to move things, so make sure it's always on tight. You can also get plastic cages that are made specially for hamsters, but these can be expensive and hard to keep clean.
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Make sure you always have a decent amount of wood shavings to cover the floor of the habitat. Pet stores will sell shavings in bags; one bag will last a long time! Make sure you get aspen, or a similarly safe wood.
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Make sure there is always have fresh food and water available. A water bottle hung on the side of the cage is the best way to make sure they always have water, and a food dish for mix and one for fresh greens will do nicely. Make sure that any uneaten vegetables are removed the next day, as they can begin to mold.
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4
Exercise your hamster, too. One way to make sure they get plenty of exercise is with a wheel. You can use a regular hamster wheel for a dwarf hamster, but make sure you line it with something to make it safer for their smaller feet and shorter legs. Lining it with a strip of plastic canvas--available at any craft store--is an easy way to do so.
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Provide for the most basic of their natural traits: chewing. You can satisfy this urge with some chew toys, sold at any pet store. A cheap, easy substitute for these are dog biscuits or one of the tiny rawhide chew toys for dogs.
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Make sure they feel safe and secure in their habitat. Hamsters are extremely particular about their nests, and will spend an amazing amount of time getting it just right. They also like their privacy, though, and you should give them somewhere safe to hide while they sleep. Such a hamster hide-away is easy to make from things around the house. Take a plastic milk jug or orange juice jug, and cut off the bottom. You can cut away a hamster-sized door, turn it upside down, and put it in the corner of their habitat.
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Make sure they have plenty of toys to keep them busy. They love to tunnel and hide, so paper towel tubes are perfect for them. Also, give them a toilet paper tube with a few sheets of unscented paper left on it. They'll have great fun tearing off the paper for their nests, and then playing with the tube.
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Tips & Warnings
Hamsters are largely nocturnal. Make sure you place their cage somewhere that their nighttime activities aren't going to be bothersome.
Make sure you spend time with your hamster each day, letting him out of the cage to play under supervision. A plastic ball is great for this; they do make smaller, dwarf hamster-sized balls.
NEVER use cedar for bedding; it can be deadly.
Always make sure you clean out your hamster's habitat regularly. As angry as it might make him, take out all the bedding and replace it with fresh, and wipe out the bottom of the habitat.
