Hamsters are small, easy to take care of, and adorable little creatures. However, they do get bored sometimes, and will need some toys to keep them preoccupied and happy like any other pet. Fortunately, hamster toys are inexpensive and you can even easily make some yourself. The best hamster toys are just a concoction of items one can find lying around the house. To be specific, most hamsters love to play with toys that they can hide in and chew on.
One way to get some hamster toys is to simply visit a pet store for a wide selection. Plastic tubes and boxes are a chew-proof way of providing entertainment for any hamster, especially if your hamster is given wood chips or shredded paper to make a little fort with. You can buy modular tubes of the same brand to screw together and make a sprawling maze within the cage. Another great toy for hamsters are chew toys to keep them busy and their teeth strong. Some toys, such as toys made from pressed alfalfa as well as binding materials or wooden blocks can double as chew toys and hiding places.
One essential toy for every hamster cage is a hamster wheel. Whether or not they are made of plastic or metal, these are a great way for your hamster to exercise and be entertained. Hamsters are nocturnal creatures, though, so if the cage is near one’s bedroom or a room where peace and quiet is desirable at night, then you will either need to get a wheel that is very quiet when turning or a better place to put the hamster cage. Also, plastic balls are a popular item that people like to get so that they can place the hamster in and the hamster can run around in. However, we’ll leave it up to you to determine whether or not placing your hamster in a ball that is difficult to breathe in and is tightly cramped is a good idea (Note: we’re kind of biased on this topic).
Homemade hamster toys are extremely cheap, easy to make, and can provide several hours of entertainment for you and your hamster. Toilet paper and cardboard tubes from rolls of paper towels are great chew toys, particularly when crammed with bedding and treats. Similarly, boxes packed with bedding can be greatly amusing; hamsters can decide if they want to climb them, stack them, or burrow inside. Plastic cartons can be used by carefully cutting off any rough or sharp edges and the hamster can use them as a burrow. If your cage is large enough, pieces of untreated wood may be used to create a series of ramps that can also double as chew toys.
Treats and food can also be a type of hamster “toy”, depending on how they are used. For example, placing a paper bag filled with bedding and a few treats will give your hamster an incentive to dig in and find the treats. This may seem a cruel way for them to earn their meal, but hamsters love to shred things and rearrange them. So, the next time you replace the bedding in the cage, consider giving the bedding to your hamster in this fashion, and watch him decorate his own living space. You do less work, and your hamster gets to have fun and customize his own living area – that seems like a win-win scenario. Lastly, placing a plastic bottle filled with sunflower seeds and other treats are another way for your hamster to have fun chewing on and shredding things to get the prize inside.