There are 24 different types of hamsters but the Syrian hamster and 2 dwarf hamsters: Roborovski and Russian dwarf hamsters, are the most popular to be kept as pets. 

Syrian hamsters 

Now considered endangered in the wild due to a loss of natural habitat. Their natural geographical range is northern Syria and southern Turkey 

Dwarf hamsters 

Roborovski - These are the smallest dwarf hamster. They originate from the deserts of Central Asia 

Russian – These have a distinctive stripe on their back. They originate from China, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Russian Federation.  

The initial cost of buying a hamster and starting equipment is usually quite affordable, however you must always consider the ongoing costs associated with housing, food, bedding, toys, holiday care and veterinary fees. 

Explore our curated Essentials for Small Animals collection, featuring everything from nutritious food to comfortable bedding, ensuring your hamster's comfort and well-being.

Hamsters are relatively straight forward to keep compared to some other pets, although they still need regular feeding and cleaning out. 

Hamsters are nocturnal, so you can expect your pet to sleep for most of the day, before waking up in the evening and being active at night. 

Hamsters can live for around two years. Some may live for longer so you should be prepared to look after a hamster for a few years, giving you lots of time to create happy memories with your pet. 

Giving your hamster the right diet is a crucial part of ensuring a healthy pet. The right diet can prevent a wide range of health conditions – as well as maintaining good body condition.  

It is important to give your hamster food that mimics their diet in the wild. You should look for a complete and balanced food that has all the nutrients they need to stay healthy. This could include: 

• Pelleted foods – these allow foraging but stop selective feeding 
• Mixed foods (muesli) - should include nuts, seeds and grains. If you feed a mixed food rather than a pelleted food you must ensure the hamsters are eating more than just one or two parts of the food, this will ensure a balanced diet has been consumed 
• Fresh fruit and vegetables - remember to give these occasionally and in small amounts. Too many too often could cause digestive issues such as diarrhoea. This can quickly cause dehydration and could be catastrophic. Dwarf hamsters are also prone to diabetes which can be caused by too many sugary treats 
• Items to gnaw and chew – these could include; a fibre rich hay such as Timothey hay or untreated softwood, apple, pear, poplar, and hazelnut which are safe varieties for gnawing. Other enrichment items such as cardboard, coconut shells, unbleached loofah and pumice stone are also ideal items for your hamster to gnaw 
• Water – always have fresh, clean water available to your hamster. The best way to do this is usually through a bottle and a sipping tube 

Explore our range of hamster food options, designed to meet the nutritional needs of your furry friend.

There are some things that hamsters shouldn’t eat. Some of these can be poisonous for your hamster and other foods could cause weight problems, especially if fed in excess. 

Avoid giving too much sugar to your pet and do not give your hamster sugary treats meant for humans (like chocolate or sweets). Fruit can be fed in very small amounts but is very high in natural sugars. Even hamster specific treats should be fed in moderation 

Rhubarb (both the leaves or raw rhubarb), citrus fruit, garlic, onions are either poisonous to hamsters or can cause serious harm in other ways.  

In their natural environment, hamsters tend to eat seeds, nuts, grains, fruits and vegetables. Some hamsters also eat insects and other animal material (such as carrion). That means that they’re classed as omnivorous, so can have both meat and plant-based food in their diets. 

Hamsters are very small creatures that originate from the desert. Hamsters do not drink a large amount of water, on average a hamster will drink around 2-4 teaspoons of water a day, perhaps less if they are fed fresh fruit and vegetables. If your hamster is drinking significantly more or less than this, it is advisable to speak to your vet.  

It is good practice to check their water bottle is working correctly by lightly tapping the metal spout, making sure drops of water are released.  Also make sure to check the water bottle’s position to make sure they can easily reach it. 

The right environment is a vital part of keeping your pet healthy and happy. A home that causes your hamster stress or doesn’t meet their needs could lead to behavioural and physical problems. 

Typically, your hamster needs: 

• A good quality cage. Be sure that your cage has enough room for your hamster to exercise and nest. A multi-levelled cage can be a great choice. Choose the largest cage you can as hamsters need lots of space 
• Plenty of bedding and nesting material and places to hide. Hamsters naturally burrow and nest, which is why it’s important to give them deep layer of bedding to let them enact those instinctive behaviours 
• Nest boxes are important to allow you hamster to have a safe and warm place to sleep. Make sure you choose one your hamster can fit into comfortably at their adult size. Nesting materials can then be used to loosely fill this. Your hamster will rearrange them later to suit their needs. Regularly check nest boxes for food stores and remove them before the food can go mouldy 
• Food and water are essential for your hamster. Choose a complete diet and prevent selective feeding. Our store colleagues will be happy to advise you on foods 
• Items to gnaw on help to keep your hamster’s teeth healthy. Hamster teeth never stop growing and gnawing keeps them the right size for eating and comfort.  
• Opportunities for mental stimulation. Hamsters are engaging pets with wonderful characters, so it is important to provide them with toys and opportunities to play. Setting up a playpen with tubes, cardboard, hides etc for supervised play at a time your hamster is naturally active is a great way to give your pet both mental and physical stimulation 
• An exercise wheel. Choose the biggest you can and ensure it has solid sides to avoid damage to feet and toes 
• Many hamsters enjoy a sand bath to help remove excess grease in their fur. Make sure you get sand specific for small animals. Add a layer of the sand to a shallow bowl for your hamsters to climb in and out of.  It’s good practice to routinely provide a sand bath to help keep hamsters coats clean and healthy 

Explore our range of hamster cages and homes to find the perfect setup for your hamster.

It’s always best to give your pet as much space as you possibly can. They are active characters, so a wheel is recommended for your hamster to run in, as well as tubes to squeeze through and room to burrow and explore. You can connect some cages together using a series of tubes and tunnels, which is a brilliant way to increase the amount of space your pet has. 

Moving to a new home and enclosure can be stressful. We recommend keeping a close eye on your hamster for the first few days in their new home but disturbing them as little as possible. Leave them to settle for a few days before you handle them. 

Always ensure your hamster is awake and you have not woken them. Start slowly but letting them get used to your voice and then your smell before attempting handling. Always handle them over a table or similar in case they jump or slip from your hands. Encourage your hamster to climb into your hand or scoop them gently with cupped hands to lift them. Always ensure children are closely supervised when handling hamsters.  

If you go on holiday, you’ll need to find a someone to look after your hamster every day while you’re away. It’s best to keep them in their own home environment rather than being moved, and they shouldn’t be left unattended for long periods of time. 

If your hamster would be in an unheated house, then moving the enclosure to another house may be beneficial. In this case the stress caused by transportation would likely be less than the cold environment.  

Even though hamsters are small they require a lot of space. In the wild hamsters can cover 9km in one night when they’re foraging for food. If resources are plentiful in the environment, they won't cover as much ground. But because of this, a wheel is advisable to allow them to increase their exercise should they want to. Playpens can also be used under supervision during the evening to allow extra space for exercise. Wheels can help to prevent boredom, weight gain and help to maintain physical and mental health. Scatter feeding food (or hiding it in tubes within the cage) is also an ideal type of enrichment and promotes exercise from foraging behaviour 

Buy the largest wheel that fits inside your hamster's enclosure. Avoid wheels with metal bars or mesh surfaces as these can injure your hamsters' feet and cause them to become stuck in the wheel. 

In the wild, hamsters have tunnels and burrows to live and sleep in. It means they feel secure there. They may also drag their bedding material in with them and make a nest. Make sure you have enough bedding material in your hamster's nest box so they’re able to sleep comfortably. Although it’s not unusual for hamsters to move their beds to another location in their cage, it’s a good idea to check there isn’t an underlying reason such as excessive heat or cold draughts. Always make sure your hamster’s cage is in a quiet place, away from your home’s hustle and bustle, to help make them feel more secure. 

This is often a sign of boredom. Boredom is a big problem for hamsters and can lead to obesity, health problems, and behavioural problems.  

Always keep your hamster active by providing them with lots of suitable toys and activities such as: 

• A deep layer of suitable bedding to burrow in - hamsters really love to dig! 
• Shelves and branches to climb on 
• An exercise wheel - just make sure it’s large and has no spaces between the rungs which could injure their legs 
• Cardboard rolls and boxes – great for hiding in and chewing 
• A gnawing block to help them wear their teeth down 
• Fun feeding - scatter some food around the cage and hide some in tubes, so they have an interesting treasure hunt 

Explore our range of hamster chews, toys and playthings to keep your furry friend entertained and active.

First, try to remain calm, there are a couple of options to try. 

Start by placing your hamster cage on the floor and leaving the cage door open, with a small amount of food in their bowl and some tasty treats such as a small piece of apple to get your hamster’s attention and tempt them back in their cage. 

Another option is to purchase a humane rodent trap and again place your hamster’s food or treats inside. Make sure to frequently check your cage/trap. 

Be patient as hamsters can go missing for several days, then just suddenly appear. Don’t feel down hearted if you don’t catch them immediately within the first 24 hours. 

Hamsters are nocturnal, which means they sleep during the day and are most active at night. This is completely normal. 

Domestic hamsters rarely experience the environmental conditions that would normally initiate the hibernation response. More stable living conditions due to them being kept indoors and a higher temperature than in nature during autumn/winter prevent the need for hibernation.  

Hamsters can however perform a sort of short-term ‘emergency hibernation’ when conditions are unexpectedly harsh for them. We call this state torpor. Torpor is a survival tactic that automatically happens when the hamster gets too cold or has limited access to food and water. It can be very dangerous for your hamster and is not designed to last for prolonged periods.  

Hamsters should not be encouraged to enter torpor and it is important to maintain a stable room temperature within your hamster's enclosure. If you suspect your hamster is in torpor, then you should handle them gently and carefully. Warm them gently close to your body and contact your vet as soon as possible.   

You’ll need to spend time interacting with your pet every day, being as gentle and positive as possible. Predictability and routine are important to reduce stress. Never wake a sleeping hamster and remember they are nocturnal so they’re awake in the evenings and night, but not during the day. Some hamsters prefer to live alone, while others can live in pairs or groups. Make sure you know what your pet needs before bringing them home. 

To help dwarf hamsters live happily together, provide them with a substantial sized enclosure. They also need lots of hiding places in their cage, so they can get away from each other if they want to. Make sure each hamster has their own hide, food bowl and water bottle. One way to avoid conflict over food is to scatter their food all over their cage to encourage foraging. Make sure the cage contains plenty of enrichment such as toys, hides, tunnels and chews. If they start to fall out with each other, you may need to house them separately to avoid injury.  

Syrian hamsters are naturally solitary as they are extremely territorial, so must live alone as adults. 

While hamsters may not be very suitable for young children, they can be great pets if your kids are a bit older. As your kids grow up and mature, they’ll develop a better understanding of how to behave around animals, which will help your hamster to respond better to being around humans. Hamsters are nocturnal and like predictability. It’s best not to wake them when they are sleeping and to handle them regularly when awake. 

Hamsters have strong survival instincts, and they don’t like encountering animals bigger than themselves. Hamsters should never be taken out of a cage with other pets around. As they’re nocturnal, avoid pets that are very active in the day disturbing their natural sleep patterns. It’s up to you to protect your hamster from becoming stressed by other pets. 

A healthy hamster is a happy hamster. Here is a list of some of the key things you can do to make sure they are at their very best: 

• Give them fresh water and wash their water bottle/dripper. 
• Ensure any spoiled fresh foods are promptly removed. 
• Ensure they have a wheel and toys to keep them entertained and active. 
• Clean out their cage and put fresh bedding down for them. Remembering to return a handful of used (but not soiled) bedding. Bedding should be deep enough to allow burrowing as this is a natural behaviour for hamsters. 
• Make sure you take some time to give them gentle handling and check over each day.  

It’s important to regularly check your hamster so you can spot health issues, there are some conditions that are more common than others. 

• Wet tail/diarrhoea – many causes are stress related although it can also be caused by a bacterial infection. This issue can prove to be fatal quickly if not treated. Symptoms include diarrhoea (which causes wetness around the tail), lethargy, loss of appetite, and a ruffled coat 
• Trauma/wounds - your veterinary team should always be consulted in cases of trauma or wounds. Infection and pain can quickly cause serious problems in hamsters due to their size. Small amounts of blood loss can be severe for hamsters due to their small size. Any blood loss should be discussed with your vet 
• Overgrown nails and incisors – both the nails and incisors of your hamster grow constantly throughout their lives. These should naturally wear down as they dig and run in their enclosure, and consume hard, fibrous food items. Incisors can easily be viewed in hamsters. Gently grasp your hamster and lift it so you have a clear view of the mouth. Gently lift their upper lips to view the incisors. These should meet neatly in the centre of the mouth and should not overlap at all. If the gap between the incisors when the mouth is open is not large enough for them to pick up a peanut, the incisors are likely too long, and you need to get them checked by your vet. If you are unsure or do not feel confident checking your hamsters’ incisors discuss this with your vet practice and they can check them for you. 

You may also notice the following symptoms: 

Respiratory changes - changes in breathing, sneezing, discharge from the eyes and/or nose, wheezing, decreased activity, and loss of appetite are all signs of ill health. It is important that respiratory conditions are treated at the vet quickly as they can become life threatening 

Changes of the skin - parasites such as mites cause irritation to the skin. Cancer and hormonal diseases can also cause changes to your hamster's skin and coat. It is important to discuss changes you notice with your vet 

Weight loss - parasites such as worms can result in rapid weight loss despite eating a lot more than usual. 

Excessive vocalising, loss of mobility or sudden inactivity - this could mean your hamster is in pain or distress. This should always be checked by your vet urgently 

Lumps and swellings - it’s best to get veterinary advice about any abnormal lumps or swellings. There are many possible causes, some of which are treated more easily than others.  

Abscesses - this is pus that gathers in the skin, causing pain and swelling. They form because of cuts and scrapes on the body and inside the cheek pouches. Abscesses must be diagnosed and treated at the vets, and if you think your hamster has one, you should take them in immediately