Hamsters

• Attach a water bottle to the side of the cage. A bottle is better than a bowl as water bowls can quickly be soiled with food and bedding, or tipped over, making your hamster’s home damp. • Because hamsters are clean animals, they can easily be toilet trained. Your hamster will choose the part of its home it thinks suitable as a toilet area for urinat- ing. You will know where this is by the soiled bedding or by the white crust formed from the dried urine. In this spot, place a jam jar on its side with some clean bedding and a little soiled bedding in it. This tells the hamster that this is its new toilet. The jar should be cleaned regularly, at least weekly, and replaced as necessary. • Ensure your hamster’s home is safe from other pets, such as cats and dogs, and that he has places to hide if he feels scared. •When you take your hamster out of the cage do be very careful. They are quick to escape and not easy to recapture! • You should have a dedicated play pen area that is blocked off so that your hamster cannot escape under the furniture, or even under the floor boards! The play pen area should have a dark box or tunnel that your hamster can use as a safe hiding place if it feels scared.

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Hamsters