Playing with your hamster

Hamsters may be small, but they bring lots of energy and fun to your home. Playing with your hamster during their active hours is one of the most rewarding experiences that stems from owning a hamster. From tubes and tunnels, to homemade mazes, discover how to make the most of playtime with your hamster.

How do I play with my hamster?

Just because some hamsters have to live in solitude, doesn’t mean they don’t want interaction. They may be territorial, but it’s healthy for your hamster to interact with you to keep their mind and body stimulated. Hamsters are very energetic during their waking hours, and will crave playtime with you.

There are several ways to play with your hamster. Handling, playing with toys and accessories together, or through creating a playground for your pet. Whichever way you choose, make sure that you’re following safe hamster-handling practices, and that all of your pet’s toys are safe for them.

Adding a hamster wheel, hamster tunnels and other accessories to your hamster playpen is great for enrichment

Hamster toys

There are many different types of toys for your hamster. From those designed for human-hamster interaction, to boredom busting accessories that go in their habitats, here are some common types of hamster toys.

Climbing toys

Hamster ramps and platforms help your hamster gain a new vantage point while strengthening their leg and back muscles. These also help utilize aerial space in their hamster habitat, giving your pet even more space in their home. Other climbing toys that can be found are made from wood, and usually resemble small houses or other architectural themes. You can also make your own climbing toys from recycled cardboard and crafting supplies. Whichever climb you choose, it’s important to make sure that there aren’t any holes or gaps that your hamster’s paws can get caught in.

Adding ramps and platforms to your hamster cage gives them more space to run and play

Chews and gnaws

This type of toy is both fun, and serves a practical value. As rodents, a hamster’s incisors (front teeth) will grow continuously throughout their lives. To keep them trimmed and in-check, your hamster will need safe, healthy options to chew and gnaw on. Applewood is the best material for hamster chew toys, and Timothy hay gnaws are a safe and healthy option. Small chews and gnaws can even be tossed around during playtime, in a hamster-version of fetch. Just be sure to remove any chews or gnaws from your hamster’s home as soon as they’ve been whittled down enough to become a choking hazard.

Tunnels

Perhaps one of the most entertaining of hamster toys, hamster tunnels show off your pet’s prolific skills in exploration and navigation. Hamsters have a remarkable talent for squeezing through small spaces with speed and agility. The best way to witness this for yourself, and to give your hamster the opportunity to use this important skill, is through creating a network of tunnels attached to their habitat. These tunnels will serve as a playground for your hamster, giving them ample space to explore and tunnel to their heart’s content.

Hideaways

Hamsters are prey animals in the wild, so they have an innate drive to seek shelter for sleeping, taking a mental break from stimuli, or for stashing their hoard of snacks. Hideaways for hamsters give them a special place to call their own, perfect for playing and relaxing in. You can purchase a hideaway for your hamster, or make one yourself from repurposed boxes. Just make sure it’s made from safe materials in case your hamster is tempted to taste their hideout.

Making your hamster their own hideouts will make their home more engaging

Hamster-proofing your home

It may sound a bit extreme to hamster-proof your home, but hamsters are known escape artists. While our hamster products are designed with their vanishing acts in mind, your hamster may get away from you during playtime or while being handled – so you want to make sure they can’t get into too much trouble. Hamsters can fit through surprisingly small gaps, and are excellent at climbing and burrowing.

While you might not need to hamster-proof your entire home, you’ll for sure want to take precautions in the room your hamster is housed in, or where you have playtime. Some hamster-proofing measures include:

• Making sure that no electrical wires are within your hamster’s reach, or at ground level.
• Barricading the bottom of the door threshold with a towel, blanket, or draft guard.
• Pick up any miscellaneous household items, especially those that contain liquids or powders, cleaning agents, or that may pose a choking hazard.

Omlet and your hamster

With so many ways to play, it’s no wonder that hamsters are such popular pets. Whether it’s for your first pet, or a remodel for your current hamster, our hamster habitats are the perfect homes for your hamster. From hamster-safe playpens, to expansive, customizable hamster tunnels, you can create the ultimate playspace for you and your hamster to enjoy for years to come.