Hamsters are a favorite choice for people to have as pets for many reasons. They are bright, tiny, cute, and fluffy. However, owning a hamster is no joke as you care for a living, breathing creature.
Because of this, it is imperative to review the pros and cons of owning a hamster, especially if you are considering getting one as a first-time pet or even allowing your child to own one. So, what can you expect in hamsters? We will find all of this out down below.
The first thing to note is that hamsters are primarily nocturnal, so it might not be the best idea for your child to own a hamster, but it would be a perfect match for those who are naturally night owls. On the other hand, hamsters are brilliant, easy to care for, and keep you entertained for hours.
Although that was a summary of the subject, we have many more things to discuss regarding whether you should or should not own a hamster. It is essential to look at all aspects of the situation, especially if this is your first time researching hamsters. Let us continue reading for more information.
What Are The Advantages & Disadvantages Of Owning A Hamster?
Hamsters can bring so much joy into our lives! You can get creative with how to keep them entertained and constantly learn how to improve their environment.
However, as mentioned above, it is essential to know all aspects before jumping into something you might regret soon enough. This is why we have developed the pros and cons of owning a hamster.
For those pressed on time, here is a quick rundown of what is good and bad. For further information, please keep reading.
Pros | Cons |
You do not need much space | Hamsters can bite |
Hamsters are fairly clean animals | Nocturnal animals |
They are entertaining to watch | Has a short lifespan |
Extremely affordable | Not cuddlers |
You do not need to take them out for walks | Can chew on cables |
Hamsters are fairly quiet | Small and delicate animals |
Can be tame with lots of handling | Some hamsters escape their cages |
Hamsters need to live alone |
Pros
1. You Do Not Need A Lot Of Space
Because of their size, hamsters do not need much space. This means you can easily place them in the corner of your bedroom, on top of a dresser, or somewhere similar. A hamster needs a minimum of 700 square inches, which equates to 40 x 17.5 inches per hamster.
The best bedding amount for a hamster is roughly 10 inches to allow them to burrow, but 6 to 8 inches is also ideal if you cannot do that. Keeping them away from drafty areas like windows and doors is also important.
2. They Are Relatively Clean
Hamsters are clean animals to care for. They groom themselves, ensuring their coats remain shiny and healthy. Also, with time and patience, you can litter-train your hamster!
In addition, you do not have to give them baths, especially since doing so can harm their health or, even worse, cause death. Nevertheless, you can instead provide your hamster with sand baths, which they will happily roll around and play in.
3. Entertaining To Watch
Hamsters are highly entertaining to watch. That is when they are not asleep! However, during their waking hours, hamsters will do silly things that can help keep you entertained for a long time. On top of this, you can become creative in how you handle your hamster.
For example, if you get a lot of cardboard boxes from online shopping, consider making an obstacle course for them to figure out. This will keep them from getting bored and become a mentally stimulating puzzle for them to solve and find out. Make sure you add a special treat at the end for all their hard work if you take this route!
4. Very Affordable
Owning a hamster does not have to cost you a fortune. Your initial upfront cost will be $120 or above, with the largest cost being the cage. If you have room, find a cage big enough for your hamster to be happy. However, hamsters cost roughly $30 to $40 a month, depending on the type of food, bedding, sand bath, toys, etc. that you provide.
5. They Do Not Need To Go On Walks
Unlike dogs and other animals, hamsters do not need to go on walks, which is a huge blessing. They would be the perfect animal to keep if you are living in a big city where there is little to no place for them to roam around. This also means you do not need to worry about them not going outside to use the restroom for 8 to 10 hours daily, especially when working a full-time job!
6. Hamsters Don’t Make Much Noise
Suppose someone comes and knocks on your house. A hamster will not bark at it and will remain very quiet. Another example is if you are making food, you will not have to deal with your hamster coming up to you and begging for food as a cat or dog will.
If it is a cat, it might meow at you constantly, whereas hamsters will not care about that. Although hamsters make squeaking noises, they are not extremely loud, making them good pets if you have sensory issues or sensitive hearing.
7. Can Be Tame With Lots Of Handling
Suppose you got your hamster at a young age. If you pick them up enough, they can be tame and learn not to bite or bite less. You can also easily tame them with many treats, patience, and understanding.
Cons
1. Hamsters Can Bite (Especially If Not Handled Much)
On the other hand, if you leave your hamster and do not handle it much, especially during the early stages of its life, or if you have them, then they can bite you. Some other reasons hamsters may bite you are that they get scared or mistake your fingers for food, mainly if you just ate something and it smells like it.
2. They Are Nocturnal Animals
Some people would say an animal being nocturnal is a good thing! However, because they are most active during this time, they can be rather noisy at night, especially if you are a light sleeper.
For example, hamsters typically have wheels in their cages. If the wheel is squeaky, it might disturb your sleep, making it relatively frustrating. However, this should not be an issue if you are a heavy sleeper.
3. Contains A Short Lifespan
Hamsters live two to three years. This is not a considerable lifespan for those who want a long-term pet. However, it might be good if someone has never had a pet before and wants to learn some responsibility in that area before getting another pet with a much larger lifespan.
4. Not Suitable For Cuddling
Obviously, hamsters are tiny. Because of this, they are not suited for cuddling. Hamsters are also not innate cuddlers in the first place. They will form a bond with you, especially if you play or talk to them a lot, but they will not care to cuddle. They will often attempt to run around on your hands, and you will have to move your hands to ensure they stay in them constantly!
5. Chew On Cables
Hamsters need to chew on things to keep their teeth trimmed down. Because of this, they will attempt to chew on almost everything. Unfortunately, this includes them chewing on cables. This is, of course, if you let them roam around, so a good way to prevent this is by buying your hamster a playpen like this one.
6. They Are Small And Delicate
Hamsters are only 2 to 7 inches long, depending on what you give them. They also weigh 1.5 to 2.6 pounds. Because we are much bigger than them, we have to be extremely careful about handling them and ensure not to squeeze or drop our little fluffy friends.
7. Some Hamsters May Escape Their Cages
It is a well-known fact that some hamsters may escape their cages. It could be for multiple reasons, like the broken cage door, accidentally left open, or if you are using a fish tank, you might be looking at the top not having anything heavy enough to keep it fully closed. Whatever the reason, ensuring that all parts of your hamster cage are secure is essential.
8. Hamsters Have To Live Alone
Lastly, hamsters are highly territorial, so they need to live alone. This means you cannot buy them a companion to live with. On top of that, if you wish to get another hamster, you will need to purchase an extra cage, toys, food, etc., for them, which could be costly upfront.
Lastly, keeping the hamster cages away from each other is essential as they can smell their pheromones and get frustrated even if they cannot see or hear each other.
Is It Worth Getting A Hamster?
Yes, it is worth getting a hamster as they do not cost much each month. On top of this, they are an excellent animal to bring joy into your life, especially if you are currently going through some mental health issues. Hamsters are very entertaining to watch when awake, as well. On the other hand, if you have a noisy household, getting a hamster might not be the best choice for you, as loud noises can cause you to become very stressed out.
Is A Hamster High Maintenance?
No, hamsters are not high-maintenance. For example, you do not need to go for any walks or pick up their poop off the ground (except any droppings you see in their cage). However, you must regularly clean their cage and maintain everything they need (food, water, and sand baths.)
Are Hamsters Good Pets For Kids?
Hamsters are not the best choice for active children, especially younger ones. However, they may be suitable for preteens and teenagers. This is mainly because hamsters become the most active when your child is about to fall asleep. Your child should be winding down for bedtime and needs to sleep as much as possible, especially since their bodies are still developing and growing.
What Are Some Things To Know Before Getting A Hamster
Now that we have discussed all of the pros and cons, let’s discuss some things to know before getting a hamster.
- Change their food daily. This should be a given, but some people might not understand. Your hamster will likely not want to eat leftovers, so make sure it is fresh daily!
- You do not need to help your hamster with grooming: Hamsters self-groom, especially if you give them a sand bath. They can come and go to it as they please.
- Provide your hamster with exercise every day. Hamsters do not want to be constantly in the same place, so letting them out of their cage daily is perfect for their overall health. Not only are they getting exercise, but they are also getting a “breath of fresh air,” so to speak.
- Clean the cage weekly and change their bedding at least once a month. This includes removing feces, changing their sand baths, wiping down the sides of the cage, etc.
- Always feed your hamster from a dish instead of directly on its bedding. This is because your hamster might mistake the bedding for food (due to its smell) and accidentally ingest it, which could harm its health.
- Make sure the bedding is made of all-natural materials like paper, aspen shavings, or Timothy hay. Avoid ones that have fragrances, dyes, cotton balls, cat litter, etc.
Conclusion
To summarize everything, there are many good and bad things about owning a hamster. However, if the pros outweigh the cons for you, then you will not regret the choice you made to get one! If this article is helpful for you, we recommend looking at the rest of our hamster help. We wish you the very best in your little pet journey!