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Get these hamster cage accessories if you want your pet to be happy

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Once you’ve made sure you’re ready for pet ownership, the first step when buying a hamster is to find a good spot in the house for her. The second step is to purchase all the absolute necessities, such as a cage, food, bedding, and dishes. But then the fun part begins. You need an idea of what your cage will look like once it’s set up, and you need to know what kind of hamster you’re getting and how many. Once you have an idea for the cage, though, you can decorate to your heart’s content – and then redecorate as soon as you and your furry friend have grown tired of a design. When planning (or updating) your hamster’s housing, think about these cool hamster cage accessories to add to the decor. 

Hamster enjoys his tubing in well stocked cage
Darya Komarova / Shutterstock

What should I not put in my hamster’s cage?

There are lots of materials out there that don’t belong in your hamster’s cage, or anywhere near her for that matter. Luckily, the makers of many modern pet toys and accessories work really hard to ensure everything is safe, but you should still do your research. When keeping a hamster, do not include any bedding that breaks down or is too small, like cotton or sand. You also need to avoid some types of wood, especially pine and cedar. Lastly, hamsters love to chew and will work right through most plastics, often swallowing large pieces in the process. 

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What is the best thing to put in the bottom of a hamster cage?

We covered what not to do, but now it’s time to look at the good things to include in your pet’s home. Most important, you want bedding on the bottom, and the more the better. Stack up about six inches of your chosen substrate, usually either paper-based, wood-based, or hay.  

What should I put in my hamster’s cage?

Now that you have the basics, you get to glow up your pet enclosure. You need at least one thing for exercise, one for exploring, and one for chewing. But you get to decide what style and varieties to bring in that work well in your personal environment. Here are some recommended products.

Niteangel Super-Silent Hamster Exercise Wheels

We’re starting with the most important gift you can give your hamster: the famous wheel. While the main drawback usually entails keeping you up all night with her jogging, this one stays quiet. One reviewer claims: “Even though I thought it looked gigantic in comparison with his previous wheels… it is SILENT!” You can choose the right size for your pet.

FULUE Hammock Bed

After all that wheel-running, your hamster’s bound to need a break. Try out this little hammock, which can go in her cage or convert into a sleeping bag for another area (like a travel case). Reviewers comment that it’s “extremely soft” and a delight to their animals of all shapes and sizes. 

Sofier Hamster Chew Toys Set

What really makes this set is that you get so many different things, which you can either spread throughout your hamster’s cage all at once or dole out one piece at a time. She’ll enjoy a whole slew of chewable yet safe items for play and exercise like the see-saw or rattan ball. Remember, all of these types of toys should be considered temporary – she will chew through them eventually.

Amakunft Small Animals C&C Cage Tent/Pet Playpen

Just because something works well for your pet doesn’t mean it can’t really be for you too. A portable pen will often make your life a lot easier if you want to bring her somewhere for a few hours. This doesn’t mean you can leave her in this alone, but you can both get a little playtime while you enjoy another activity. 

Kaytee CritterTrail Fun-nels Value Pack

Last, but certainly not least, get as wild as you want with tubing. We recommend starting small with only a short section and adding more as you become comfortable with it. Make sure the tubes are always wide and long enough that your little guy won’t get stuck (so get larger tubes for a bigger animal). Create a full tower or place them “underground” for a tunnel system just like a hamster would navigate in the wild as one purchaser suggested. Best of all, you can update and reconfigure these as many times as you need. 

Adjust the cage accessories as needed

Anytime you’re creating a play space for a pet, you want to adjust to suit her needs. Start by covering all the basics but then change things up as you get to know her. You both could wind up with many feet of tunnel filling up a room or a very chic decoration inside the cage. Frequently re-creating the space keeps your animal engaged and happy.

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Rebekkah Adams
Rebekkah Adams
Contributor
Rebekkah’s been a writer and editor for more than 10 years, both in print and digital. In addition to writing about pets…
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