Hamsters are naturally energetic creatures; they need all-day exercise and a wide variety of toys to keep them entertained and give them a chance to maintain the size of their teeth. Several toys are available for your hamster’s use, but below are top picks that will guarantee all-day entertainment for your hamster.
1. Hamster Wheels
Hamsters are super agile and restless creatures, and you’re easily the world’s best hamster owner when you provide your hamster with one or two wheels. There are different versions and sizes of a hamster wheel, and while some hamster cages come with wheels, others do not.
It is better to have the wheel made after buying the cage. Consider your hamster’s size because a wrong-sized cell may lead to injury. If you have issues with the constant noise of the hamster wheel, you can opt for a muted version.
Alternatively, you can go for the running disc or any exercise equipment that allows your pet to run longer distances on a flat surface to reduce the risk of spine and paw injury.
2. Hamster Chewy Toys
Do you know that hamsters are always in a lifelong teething stage? An average hamster has large, buck teeth that may become too long without proper management. Constant chewing affords your pet a chance to trim down their teeth and maintain a proper size. An excellent way to do this is by providing non-toxic, chemical-free chewy toys. These toys come in all forms and sizes from hardwood like oak or maple. You can also go DIY and provide recycled cardboard tubes or toilet paper for your hamster to chew.
There are some chewing toys that you must avoid; they include toys made from cedar or evergreen trees, pine, yew, rubber, metal, and foam toys.
3. Hamster Balls
As the name indicates, hamster balls are sphere-shaped balls that your hamster uses for exercise and entertainment. Your hamster can physically roll the ball around, or you can place it in a clear plastic ball called a Run-About, where it can run in the ball and roll around.
When using an external ball, be sure that the ball is the right size for your hamster, as your pet may injure itself if the ball is too big and there are dangerous objects on the floor.
4. Hamster Climbing Toys
You should provide good climbing toys for your hamster in its cage to encourage adventure and activeness. You can do this by getting organic ropes and attaching them to the cage’s body or a structure. You can also purchase plastic or wood ladders to encourage safe climbing. As an advice, try not to buy ladders with metal rungs or too much space between the rungs, as this may cause your pet to slip and injure its paw.
5. Hamster Sandbox
Hamsters are burrowers and diggers in the great wild. It is in their nature, and you’d be keeping them entertained if you provided a sandbox filled with fine sand or purified sand for them to play around and dig to their heart’s content. You can also give them a traditional sand bath that imitates the wild’s natural habits.