Hamster care has changed a lot in the last few decades and Ireland now has minimum standards based on scientific research.
The aim of this blog is to teach you about those minimum standards while giving you examples of products you can use to obtain them.
HamStore was created with proper hamster care in mind, our products exist to fulfill and exceed the Irish minimum standards so that hamster keepers can find everything they need in one place.
My main aim is to make proper hamster care affordable and accessible.
If you take anything away with you after reading this blog, let it be the 3 S's: Substrates, Sprays and Safe spaces - this is the best way to ensure you're providing the right items for your hamster.
Enclosure:
A suitably sized hamster enclosure should be 100x50cm or 5000sqcm internally. A lot of cages on the market, especially those found in chain pet shops, are far below these standards. Other cages that claim to meet these standards are actually smaller than advertised, as their measurements are external and the internal dimensions can make the enclosure a lot smaller.
A suitably sized enclosure should also be tall enough to add 30cm of substrate depth and 21-28cm wheel (depending on species). So you're looking for an enclosure that's at least 60cm tall.
You should also make sure your enclosure is secure so your hamster can't escape. This means the lid fastens and there's nothing that makes the walls of the enclosure easy to chew on.
HamStore offers a build service for the IKEA Komplement DIY enclosure. With dimensions of 100cm x 58cm internally, you get 5,800sqcm of unbroken floorspace, exceeding the national minimum standards by 800sqcm. This enclosure also measure 60cm tall, so you know you have plenty of room for deep substrate and a suitably sized wheel.
The Komplement enclosure also provides a full front glass wall, giving you the chance to see any burrows your hamster might build, and enjoy their evening antics above ground.
https://hamstoreire.com/collections/enclosures
Wheel:
Your hamster's wheel is one of the most important accessories. Dwarf hamsters require a wheel of no less that 21cm in diameter. Syrians require a minimum of 28cm in diameter.
You should ensure your hamsters back is straight while running, if there's a curve, it's time to upgrade. Another point to keep in mind is the running surface, which should be solid, not made of wire or mesh - these materials can cause an infection called bumblefoot. Cork lined wheels are some of the nicest for your hamster, as cork is soft on their feet.
Right now, HamStore doesn't have wheels, but it's something we hope to expand to in the future. I highly recommend GetZoo cork lined wheels but if your hamster tends to pee while running, you're probably better off with a plastic wheel from Trixie or Rodipet.
Getzoo: https://www.getzoo.de/en/furnishings-amp-accessories/running-wheels
Rodipet: https://www.rodipet.co.uk/wheels/
Trixie: https://www.petstop.ie/products/exercise-wheel-33cm?variant=42491732525276
Main Substrate:
The main substrate/bedding needs to be 25-30cm deep depending on species. The main issue we face in Ireland is that a 99% of the wood shavings on the market are not safe for hamsters.
Hamsters have very delicate respiratory systems so dusty shavings are going to cause irritation which can lead to worse issues. The type of wood is also very important. Trees contain phenols, and when phenol levels are high, it's dangerous for hamsters, so trees like Pine and Cedar are off the table. Trees such as Spruce, Birch and Fir are low in phenols so they're safe for your hamster!
The only brand of shavings on the Irish Market to date is Chipsi Classic, which luckily comes in 20kg bales. This bale fills a Komplement enclosure perfectly (I've tested it myself) so for €33.60, you can fill your enclosure knowing you probably wont have to swap it out any time soon because you only need to spot clean your enclosure - we'll talk about that more in another blog post!
Chipsi 20kg: https://www.petstop.ie/collections/all/products/classic-soft-woodflakes-bedding-20kg
Sand + Sand Bath:
Sand is the most important substrate (that's not your main substrate) as it's how your hamster cleans itself. Hamsters can also be trained to use their sand bath as a toilet making spot cleaning even easier for us humans.
Depending on the species, you may need a larger sand bath. Believe it or not, the species that needs the most sand, is the smallest. The Roborovski dwarf hamster requires 1300sqcm and when provided a hide in their sand bath, they sometimes choose to build their nest there!
Back to hamsters respiratory systems, you must ensure the sand is not dusty, chinchilla sand is not suitable because of this, but reptile sand is!
HamStore is in the process of sourcing sand baths and will be working on sand in the future too.
Any kind of container can be a sand bath, deep baking trays, wooden boxes from IKEA, or you can buy one from the likes of GetZoo.
GetZoo: https://www.getzoo.de/en/furnishings-amp-accessories/sandbaths
Additional Substrates:
There are substrates that your hamster can dig/forage in, you'll need a container for these. Substrates that offer structural support for burrows, nesting materials, the list goes on!
Please note, paper bedding should be unscented.
There are so many substrates available that it's easier to list them.
Structural Support:
Timothy Hay - https://www.petstop.ie/collections/all/products/nature-timothy-hay-original-1kg
Meadow Hay - https://www.hayyourway.ie/product/farm-fresh-meadow-hay/3
Digging/Forage:
Corn Granules - https://hamstoreire.com/products/corn-granules
Cork Granules - https://hamstoreire.com/products/cork-granules
Terrarium Soil - https://www.maxizoo.ie/p/multifit-terrarium-soil-5-l-1350437/
Beech Chips - https://www.maxizoo.ie/p/multifit-beech-wood-15-kg-1255980/
Coco Soil - https://www.petstop.ie/products/trixie-coconut-fibre-soil-for-reptiles?variant=42491384070364
Forage/Flower Litter - https://hamstoreire.com/products/flower-forage
Coconut husk - https://www.getzoo.de/en/hugro-coconut-litter-25l
Nesting Materials:
Moss - https://www.getzoo.de/en/bedding-hay-amp-sand/mats-amp-nesting-material
Hemp Mats - https://hamstoreire.com/products/hemp-mat
Paper Bedding - https://www.petstop.ie/search?q=kaytee
Hides and cover:
Hides and cover should be in abundance in a hamster enclosure. Prey animals need to feel safe, not on show. Providing different kinds of hides and cover will make them feel right at home.
The most important hide you will need is a Multi Chamber Hide (MCH). This replicates how hamsters burrow in the wild. They have a sleeping chamber, a food chamber and a toilet chamber. (I know I said we can toilet train them in the sand bath, but that's just for peeing, they still poop at home). The MCH must be on stilts to ensure it remains above the deep substrate. The last thing you want is for it to start sinking when your hamster burrows underneath it. The same goes for all large/heavy items (like your wheel and sand bath), they must all be placed on stilts/platforms.
I have created a hide on stilts with 3 chambers and a cork lid - https://hamstoreire.com/products/multi-chamber-hide
Other hides and cover come in various materials, grass, wood, ceramic, etc. We already have a few available and we're working on sourcing a few more to offer a wider range of textures!
HamStore Hides:
Grass Nest - https://hamstoreire.com/products/grass-nest
Small House - https://hamstoreire.com/products/small-hamster-house
Bendy Bridge - https://hamstoreire.com/products/bamboo-bendy-bridge
Food:
Hamsters are omnivores meaning they can have a wide range of food. Their main diet is seeds, but fruit, veg and other sources of protein are nice treats once or twice a week.
While HamStore doesn't stock food, we do have treats and sprays. Sprays are a brilliant source of enrichment as they provide hamsters the opportunity to forage like they would in the wild. They also offer a lot of cover, so they're great to add in between hides to give your hamster a covered pathway between all of their hiding spots.
https://hamstoreire.com/collections/edible-treats
Other products that provide enrichment:
Hamsters love a challenge so we have to provide them with enough enrichment to keep their minds occupied.
As food motivated little critters, the best way to keep them busy is to put food in hard to reach places, make them work for it. It keeps them happy and you'll love watching them trying to figure everything out.
Other ways to add enrichment to the enclosure is through accessories such as terracotta tiles - these help keep a hamsters nails trimmed.
Chews such as Whimzees and shelled nuts help keep their teeth filed which is so important for a species who's teeth never stop growing.
https://hamstoreire.com/collections/enrichment
For more in depth information on a wider variety of proper hamster care topics, head over to https://hamsterinfoireland.ie/education/