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Congratulations on deciding to bring a hamster into your family! Make sure you have their new home set up before their arrival with this essential hamster shopping supply list.
Updated on June 19th, 2026
Learn how to care for a gerbil, recommended diet and habitat setup. Find the right food, supplies and equipment at your neighborhood Petco.
Updated on April 9th, 2026
Learn about hamster habitats, bedding and nesting which will help your hamster to live a long and happy life.
Updated on June 19th, 2026
Learn everything you need to know about caring for your hamster, including habitat setup, diet, and tips for keeping them happy and healthy.
Updated on June 19th, 2026
Hamsters are a lot of fun in a small package. Learn 25 fun facts about these small pets.
Updated on June 19th, 2026
Do not use an aquarium tank. A suitably sized (and secure) wire cage with a solid bottom is recommended. HabiTrail and Kaytee have excellent choices for cages. Buy the largest cage you can afford and fit in the chosen space. You can use recycled paper bedding such as CareFresh or Yesterday's News. Aspen shavings or pellets are also acceptable. Do not use pine or cedar shavings as these can be irritating. A commercial diet from Kaytee or VitaKraft can be fed from a ceramic bowl. A ceramic bowl prevents gnawing and tipping. A non chewable water bottle can be hung to provide fresh water daily. Other necessary items include chew toys and an exercise wheel. Find a veterinarian experienced in treating pocket pets and have your new addition examined to confirm good health. Feed, water and exercise daily. Clean the cage weekly. These little guys require very little care and can provide lots of entertainment. Congrats and enjoy!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Yes, there is. I would recommend Oxbow Critical Care for Herbivores: http://www.oxbowanimalhealth.com/vets/products/critical_care There are good instructions on the label on how much to feed and how to mix it up. Hope this helps. Best wishes to you and Geri.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
There is commercial gerbil food available at the pet store, they also need a water bottle and a warm enough environment. Their cage needs to be cleaned about twice a week at least and food needs to be provided twice a day.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
I would recommend a commercial diet as well to ensure he is getting all the nutrients he needs. He also needs hard substances to chew on to help file his teeth down. Hamsters have constantly growing teeth and without proper diets and care, they can have malocclusions and teeth problems in the future. I hope this helps!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Hello, This is a great question. This food should be fine for your hamster since they have similar teeth to rats and mice. However, seeds are very high in fat and have little vitamin content. Therefore, they’re considered “junk food” and really should be a minority of the diet. A rodent block type food (the ones that are very boring looking, tan, and all look the same) would be idea as he majorly of the diet. These rodent blocks come in different sizes for rats vs hamsters but they’re likely the same formulation.
Updated on September 24th, 2025