To start off with, you need to figure out what cage you’ll be getting. HC does not have an official minimum, more so our minimum is do the best you can, so get the largest cage reasonably possible. It should be large enough that you can fit a suitable wheel (more on that later), a thick layer of substrate, a few different things for your hamster to hide and play with, along with enough space for your hamster to move. Larger cages can help prevent boredom and stereotypical behaviors (bar biting, bar climbing, pacing, chewing on parts of their cage like silicone).
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There are various styles of cages including wire cages, tanks, D.I.Y.s, and bin cages. If you are interested in learning how to make a bin cage read here and you can read these instructions to build a large cage.
Each style of cage has their own pros and cons. Tanks and bin cages allow for deeper bedding, a clearer view of your hamster, are easier to clean, and prevent bar biting. Tanks can be very expensive and heavy though, while a bin cage is light and cheap but can be chewed out of. Barred cages can be hard to find in larger sizes but they give more ventilation and you can clip items like dangling chews easier. Here is a list of commercial cages.
Note: the wooden tube with holes in it appears as though it is made of a wood that can leak resin, read more here
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As hamsters are burrowing animals, they need deep substrate in at least part of their cage, but the more the better. Most people recommend at least five inches, but you may find your hamster is happiest with double the amount. The type of bedding you use is important as well. It should be safe, while also being good at holding burrows. Avoid cedar, pine, and scented bedding as it can cause respiratory issues. Hemp and linum also isn’t the best as it is very poor at holding burrows. Teabag bedding is also debated, as just like hemp, it doesn’t hold burrows well, and some people are concerned about micro plastics, which is valid, although many things contain micro plastics and it’s pretty much impossible to avoid them. Safe beddings include aspen, paper bedding, fitch, spruce, and birch. In most animal communities, kiln-dried pine is also considered safe as it is believed the process removes most of the phenols, though the hamster community tends to be more on the wary side and majority of owners choose to avoid it. If your bedding doesn't hold burrows well some people suggest mixing in soft hay to help with stability.
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It is also good to provide your hamster with nesting materials like sphagnum moss or unscented toilet paper.
Even with a large cage hamsters seem to just love their wheels and spend tons of time on it. Wild mice and other animals have been observed to use wheels when given the chance. Mesh and wire wheels should be avoided as they can trap limbs and cause sores on the feet which can get infected (commonly known as bumblefoot). Dowels are also dangerous, but small grips are fine. The wheel should also be large enough so that your hamster’s spine is straight. There has been a study that shows hamsters prefer larger wheels. For most dwarf hamsters you’ll want a wheel of at least 8 inches, and 10 for Chinese and Syrians. Some recommended wheels are Silent Spinners (warning, in many people’s experiences these are indeed not silent!), Nitenagel, Bucatstate, Silent Runners, Wodent wheels, bucket wheels, Hopes Healthy Treats, and Rodipet. Some hamsters prefer wheels that have a partially enclosed front as they feel more secure. Flying saucer wheels are not a replacement and need to be extra large as they make your hamster more likely to curve their spine, some hamsters may also injure themselves because they can’t stop correctly.
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Enrichment is important for captive animals and this study found that hamsters were more optimistic when given enrichment.
A very common form of enrichment that could be argued to be a necessity (especially for the desert-dwelling roborovski) is a sand bath. Avoid dust as that is bad for their lungs. A sand bath lets them dig and remove excess oils from their coats. Reptile sand (without added dyes or calcium) is most commonly used, but you can also bake and sift through children's play sand to sanitize and remove sharp bits from it. The sand should be kept in an enclosed area such as a ceramic dish or blocked off by a cardboard barrier (make sure it isn’t too high). For robos it is generally suggested that ⅓ of their cage should be sand to help mimic their natural habitat. For the other species I personally recommend to get a sand bath that is at least 3-4x your hamster’s size. Syrians should have a deeper sand bath as they especially like to dig in it, but make sure your hamster can’t fully submerge themselves in the sand.
Other things you can give your hamster to stimulate them are chew toys (helps wear their teeth down, although their food should be doing a good enough job), wooden bridges, boxes, coco fiber, tunnels, grapevine wood, seed sprays, and forage mixes. Toys out of natural and ceramic materials tend to be better because if your hamster chews and accidentally ingests there isn’t much risk of a blockage. Make sure your hamster’s cage is full of different hiding spaces, Chinese hamsters especially appreciate this. Before you put anything into your hamster’s cage, check that it is safe and if it is heavy, put it on a platform if you are placing it on a deep layer of bedding so your hamster can burrow safely. For more ideas, check here.
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In your hamster’s cage you’ll also need a water bowl or bottle. A food bowl can be given, but as scatter feeding is best for enrichment, you can just reserve it for fresh food. Whether you use a bowl or bottle is up to you, you can also use both so your hamster has a choice. The benefits of bowls is that they are easier to clean and that your hamster can drink in a more natural position. You also don’t have to worry about a bowl not working. The benefits of bottles is that they are less exposed to bedding and bacteria. For a bowl ceramic or stainless steel is best and you can put it on some sort of sturdy hide or platform to prevent it from getting knocked over or from getting buried in bedding. For a bottle you can clip it onto the bars of a cage or if your cage doesn’t have bars you can use Velcro or buy a water bottle stand (Niteangel has some good ones you can order on Amazon, or at least for the US and Canada).
Those are the basic things you need to create an enclosure that will help keep your hamster happy and healthy. It would be great if you could post pictures of your cage setups for others to get ideas from!
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