10 things you should have to keep your rodent happy

The best option for living of a small rodent are big aquariums, plastic boxes or cages. And I don’t mean big as high but rather with as big area as possible. Hamsters are naturally running creatures and need enough space. Max has a space of the dimensions of 100 x 50 x 50 cm and he’s very happy there.

The basic thing is enough space

The best option for living of a small rodent are big aquariums, plastic boxes or cages. And I don’t mean big as high but rather with as big area as possible. Hamsters are naturally running creatures and need enough space. Max has a space of the dimensions of 100 x 50 x 50 cm and he’s very happy there.

Hamster on the run

A hamster is happy only in the safety of his own home. If it runs away, there are many dangers waiting for it which can cost it its life in the end. Hamsters are quite intelligent animals, therefore make sure your rodent cannot run away from its cage.

Silence, please!

Also remember that rodents are living creatures and they need their rest and comfort. The planned spot for Max was in the hallway. But I recommended my uncle to pick a calmer part of the house for him, with no draught or excess noise. Also remember that hamsters do not like heat so put your rodent’s cage out of the reach of sun beams.

Change the bedding, please

One of the most frequent parts of taking care of a rodent includes changing its bedding. You wouldn’t like to live in your own dirt as well. There should be at least 7.5 cm of the bedding on the floor of its home. Perfect material for that are shavings from poplars that do not contain any oils as shavings from pines or cedars. In general, avoid aromatic materials and cotton which is not digestible and very dangerous. Use normal toilet paper for nesting.  

Getting thirsty

Even though a rodent doesn’t drink much, fresh water is very important to it. We got Max a drinking fountain which is better than a cup with water as it doesn’t get easily overturned.

I also eat

As well as fresh water, your hamster needs fresh food. Get metal or stone bowls for your hamster. Give it as much food every day as it can stuff into its cheek pouches. Hamsters like to store food so don’t be surprised if the food quickly disappears from a bowl. Don’t forget to weigh your rodent. Hamsters tend to get overweight. If you find it too chubby, change its food.

Plastics is not friendly for the environment

When choosing things for Max’s home, we paid attention to get everything made from natural materials. Please avoid plastics, too. Rodents would definitely chew it. And they can also get hurt by it and there’s a risk of swallowing its part.

A circle or a merry-go-round

As I have already mentioned, hamsters tend to put on weight. That’s why a hamster needs equipment for exercising. For example, a merry-go-round is very popular for rodents. Max got a beautiful wooden merry-go-round. Rather get a larger merry-go-round so your hamster’s back doesn’t get hurt.

Let’s go to the pool

Hamsters are “bath” lovers. But instead of a bubble bath and champagne, get special chinchilla bath sand for it. It will have shining fur.

My house, my castle

When choosing your rodent’s home, focus on a house with more holes. The more holes and various chambers it will have, the happier your pet will be.  

 

Related articles

Cat expressions of love

Although it might appear that the cat doesn’t give a tail about you and it is indifferent towards you, maybe you will still find some displays of affection in its behaviour. Do you know how cats show such affection towards a person?

Cats need grass

Cats love grass. They nibble at it if it's to clean their belly from hairs or just for fun. In addition, if you get a cat its own flowerpot, you can hope that it will leave your other plants alone :).

Do you know how to properly remove a tick?

Whether you remove a tick from a dog’s or cat’s fur the right way might affect whether the animal will become infected with Lyme disease or another malign disease transmitted by ticks. Have you got the right technique and tools?

How to detect a Lyme disease infection in a dog

Just like with people, also in dogs, Lyme disease is a very grave illness. There are an estimated 20% of ticks infected in the Czech Republic. And because despite the use of antiparasitic agents, your dog might get a tick from time to time, it’s good...

Even cats have their drugs

I’ve already written about cat mint, today, we’ll take a look at another, lesser known drugs. Since not all the cats respond to all of them and they don’t respond to everything the same way. Therefore, if you didn’t succeed with cat mint, maybe you’ll...

First aid for hyperthermia in an animal

I’ve already written about the fact that you’re not supposed to leave your dog closed in a car on summer days or on how to prevent hyperthermia in cats and dogs. So you have mastered the prevention already. But it is also necessary to know how to...

How chinchillas got almost exterminated

Without a question, chinchillas are beautiful and cute furry animals with large ears, a long tail and distinctive eyes. Do you know where they actually come from, what their name means and that we almost succeeded in nearly exterminating them before...

The Mystery of Cat Tongues

You have probably noticed that cat tongues are quite unique. They are rough and somehow scratchy. It seemed weird to American biologists and therefore they decided to look deeper into it.

How to easily understand the cat food selection

It can be quite a task to choose the right pet food precisely for your cat. To even understand the contents... That’s why we’re going to take a look today what to focus on, what to look for in the contents and what you should rather avoid.