Accessories

 

There are endless options when it comes to cage acessories, such as toys, food dishes, wheels, water bottles, bedding, and even D.I.Y.s

 

Bedding: 

There are so many bedding brands out there and it can be difficult to choose. However there are some things you need to look for when choosing the right bedding. First off, pine and cedar shavings are not safe at all. Not only can they cause respiratory issues, but it can irritate the feet as well. Any wood shavings bedding are not safe, try to stick to the paper-based bedding. My personal favorite brand is Carefresh. This bedding can be quite expensive, but it is high quality and does its job well. This bedding is all natural and keeps the odor under control. It also comes in many colors and has seasonal colors. Another good brand that is cheaper is the Kaytee Clean and Cozy bedding.  This bedding is all paper based as well, but does not have a large selection of color. I recommend both of these brands. If you can't get either of these brands basically any paper-based bedding is safe, but always read the label just in case there are harmful substances included. When you put bedding into the cage, use at least 2-4 inches of bedding so your hamster can burrow and dig. 

 

 

Wheels: 

The variety in wheel types is nearly endless. With so many types of wheels it is hard to decide which one to get. Never buy a mesh or metal wheel with rungs, those are very painful and can cause injuries and bumble foot. When looking for a wheel always keep in mind that it needs to be large enough. Many people have wheels that are too small. If a wheel bends a hamster's back even the slightest bit, the wheel is too small, and you need to upgrade. For Syrians you want to stick to the 8"-12" range, depending on your hamster's size, and for dwarves a 6"-8" wheel works best, same thing goes for the Chinese hamster. Some of my favorite brands are the Wodent Wheel, the Silent Spinner, and the Comfort wheel. My favorite out of these is the Wodent Wheel, because they are very sturdy wheels, the are quiet, and thye are enclosed so a hamster won't fall out and get injured. These wheels aren't sold in stores, (you can buy them on Petwiser.com for abput $25 each). The silent spinner is perfect for dwarves, the most common size is the 6.5 inch wheel. These wheels are very quiet and come in many different colors. These can be found at your local pet store for about $18-$20. The Comfort wheel is another great wheel, but these wheels are known to be noisy, hard to clean, and easily breakable. If properly maintained, these wheels can be perfect for any hamster. These wheels range between $5.99-$17.99 depending on size. 

 

 

Toys:

Toys are very important for keeping your hamster active and healthy. There is an endless selection of toys, there are wood chews, edible chews, jungle gyms, puzzle play grounds, and many more. You should have enough toys to rotate them out each week so your hamster doesn't get bored. Each week you should give your hamster 10-15 toys so they have plenty to choose from, and so they are kept busy. (If you have a big enough cage, go right ahead and use more toys).  Not all hamsters are chewers, so keep trying different types of toys until you find one that works best for your hamster. 

 

Water Bottles & Food Dishes:

Pretty much any water bottle and food dish works fine for all hamsters. But there are are a couple of things that should be avoided. Such as plastic food dishes because they can be chewed on tipped over. Plastic water bottles are great, but if your hamster is naughty (like mine) and chews on the water bottle, a glass water bottle is a good idea. You may be wondering how you attach a water bottle to a bin cage or a tank. For a tank the best way is to get industrial strength velcro and velcro the water bottle to wherever you would like, and for a bin, you can do the same thing or connect the water bottle to the mesh in a bin cage. The best kind of food dish is anything ceramic becaue they can't be chewed on or easily knocked over. You can buy a food dish from the pet store or simply buy a ceramic dish from the kitchen section in any store. 

 

DIY:

Get creative! Gather some supplies and create something of your own. One of my favorites is the popsicle stick creation. All you need is a hot glue gun with some non-toxic glue and popsicle sticks, you can make a platform,  a hide-away, or pretty much anything you'd like. Some other ideas include toilet paper rolls. Cut up a toilet paper roll onto sections, make an x with the strips put a treat in the middle, and add some treats. Many others are difficult to explain, so I will put in a few pictures.