Forums » Smalltalk » Any Hamster Owners? Need Some Advice!

Kinda weird to ask on a roleplay site, but I'm not sure if I'm finding the right info.

I have a cleaned out 20 gallon long fish tank that currently has the shavings inside.

Once I am able to get to PetSmart, (only pet store in my area) I am getting the rest of the stuff I need and the hamster.

Questions:

What breed will be ok living in the tank size I have for the rest of its life?

I know I need a food dish, water bottle, and a wheel. What are other good things to have? I keep seeing too many things.

For a place for them to go to the bathroom: is a container of sand or a hamster litter box/toliet better? (saw it on an ad)

Can aquarium hides work for a hamster? I read that the resin ones were fine, as long as they were cleaned and have no sharp edges.

I am looking to not be that person who spends a ton of money at once for pet supplies. I already have a source for the shavings, so that's good there.

If there is anything else I am missing, let me know below! Thank you in advance!

I had rats but my friend did have hamsters. The rolling thing ball was great because it got to roam around the house safely. I know you have a tank, he did too. Eventually he rigged his tank up with those pipes and tubes and made it run through another tank and cage. He made an awesome little playground type area. If you like it enough maybe you can try that in the future.

I dont know how hamsters are but my rats loved to climb things so I had ladders and swings and things like that.

And I never knew anyone to use a potty area. Seems hard to train them for that. Maybe it's easier than I think lol

I read somewhere that the ball was bad? Idk... I keep seeing this info and want to make sure I'm doing what will make the hamster thrive.

20 gallons seems plenty big enough for even the larger teddy bear hamsters assuming you have a wheel for it to run on. Make sure to get a wheel that doesn't make a lot of noise if it'll live in your bedroom as they tend to run on them at night. The first one I ever bought squeaked terribly and I had to get a different one after a couple nights of it keeping me awake.

It would probably also appreciate a little "home", like one of those small plastic burrows it can go inside and feel safe to sleep. The 'natural fiber' ones are nice too, but some hamsters will destroy them. (Though, to be fair... some hamsters will destroy the plastic ones too!)

Start saving paper towel tubes and TP tubes! It'll likely chew more holes through them and you'll probably have to replace them weekly (cause they tend to get a little gross with pee), but mine always loved them and would sleep inside of them instead of the aforementioned plastic burrow.

Wheel is definitely on the list, just cannot decide which hamster I want. I figure it out when I finally go see them.

I will add a burrow to the list, thank you for reminding me. I'm hoping the aquarium hides I have will work as well.

They might? Not sure on that one, but it seems reasonable.

Just thought of one more thing... I don't know if you've already got your heart set on male vs female, but out of the 10 or so hamsters I've had through my life (don't have any currently)... the females tended to be both nicer and cleaner.

(All but one of those was a teddy bear hamster and one male was SUPER nice and friendly, but he stands out in my mind cause he was the exception. BUT, he was one of those long haired Teddy Bear hamsters and always seemed to have poop or pee in his long fur. I had to give him baths in the sink. LOL.)

I'm aiming to get a female as I already have a male dog. I'm living with a male friend and I'm the only female atm. (My dog, his cat, and him) I want to even that out.