What to Buy Before Getting a Hamster (Full Checklist)
Updated: Aug 10
Preparing your hamster's home before they arrive is one of the best ways to help them settle in quickly and feel secure. Having everything ready means you can focus on giving your new pet time to adjust without the stress of rushing out to buy supplies.
While pet shops often sell starter kits, many include items that are too small or unsuitable for modern hamster care. Instead, it's worth building your own setup with products that meet your hamster's natural needs.
This checklist covers everything you'll need before bringing your hamster home, from essential equipment to optional extras that can help create an enriching environment.
Contents
The Essential Shopping List
Choosing the Right Enclosure
Bedding and Nesting Materials
Food and Water
Enrichment Essentials
Cleaning Supplies
Health and Safety Items
Optional Extras
Frequently Asked Questions
The Essential Shopping List
Before your hamster arrives, make sure you have:
A suitable enclosure
Safe bedding
A correctly sized wheel
A multi-chamber hide
Additional hides
Hamster-safe sand and a sand bath
A balanced hamster food mix
Fresh vegetables (for occasional feeding)
Water bottle or water bowl
Food bowl (optional)
Seed sprays
Safe chew toys
Cork logs or tunnels
Grapevine wood or natural branches
Dig box (optional but recommended)
Cleaning supplies
Having everything set up beforehand allows your hamster to settle into a calm, fully prepared environment.
Choosing the Right Enclosure
Your hamster's enclosure is the most important purchase you'll make.
Look for an enclosure that:
Provides at least 100 × 50 cm of unbroken floor space
Has excellent ventilation
Allows for 25–30 cm (10–12 inches) of bedding
Has enough room for all essential accessories
Remember that this is a minimum recommendation. If you have the space, choosing a larger enclosure can provide even greater welfare benefits.
Avoid small cages with colourful plastic tubes, as they often don't offer enough room for natural behaviours.
Bedding and Nesting Materials
Hamsters spend much of their lives underground, so bedding is more than just something to sleep on—it's an essential part of their environment.
Choose:
Unscented paper-based bedding
Kiln-dried aspen (where appropriate)
Provide at least 25–30 cm (10–12 inches) of compressed bedding across most of the enclosure.
Avoid:
Cedar shavings
Non-kiln-dried pine shavings
Cotton wool or fluffy nesting materials
Scented bedding
These products can pose health or safety risks.
A Correctly Sized Wheel
Every hamster needs access to a solid-surface exercise wheel.
Choose a size that allows your hamster to run with a straight back:
Syrian hamsters: 28–30 cm (11–12 inches)
Dwarf hamsters: 20–25 cm (8–10 inches)
Avoid wire or mesh wheels, as they can cause foot injuries.
Hides and Shelter
Hamsters naturally spend much of their time inside burrows.
Your setup should include:
A multi-chamber hide
At least two or three additional hides
Cork tunnels
Natural shelters
Providing multiple hiding places helps your hamster feel secure.
Food and Water
Before bringing your hamster home, have the following ready:
A High-Quality Food Mix
Choose a species-appropriate hamster food mix that provides a variety of seeds, grains and other ingredients.
Scatter feeding is often encouraged, as it promotes natural foraging behaviour.
Fresh Water
Provide either:
A water bottle
A sturdy water bowl
Whichever you choose, ensure it is cleaned and refilled daily.
Enrichment Essentials
Hamsters are intelligent, curious animals that benefit from a varied environment.
Some excellent enrichment items include:
Seed sprays
Cork logs
Grapevine wood
Apple wood sticks
Willow balls
Dig boxes
Cardboard tubes
Safe chew toys
Natural branches
Moss (hamster-safe varieties)
Rotating enrichment items occasionally helps keep the enclosure interesting.
Sand Bath
A sand bath is an important part of many hamster species' routine.
Choose:
Hamster-safe sand
A large container that allows your hamster to roll comfortably
Never use bathing dust, as the fine particles can irritate the respiratory system.
Cleaning Supplies
You'll also need:
Spot-cleaning scoop
Small dustpan and brush
Pet-safe disinfectant suitable for small mammals
Spare bedding
Bin bags for waste
Avoid removing all bedding during routine cleaning, as this can be stressful for your hamster.
Health and Safety Items
It's a good idea to prepare before you need them.
Consider having:
Contact details for an experienced exotic or small mammal vet
A secure travel carrier
Digital kitchen scales for monitoring weight
Nail scissors are not usually needed, as nails are often kept short naturally with appropriate enrichment
Optional Extras
These aren't essential but can enhance your hamster's environment:
Platforms (used safely without increasing fall risk)
Additional substrates such as coco fibre
Dried forage mixes
Extra cork pieces
Larger dig boxes
Cameras for observing night-time behaviour
Natural climbing structures suitable for hamsters
Remember that enrichment should never replace the essentials of adequate space, deep bedding and a correctly sized wheel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I buy a hamster starter kit?
Many starter kits contain undersized enclosures or unsuitable accessories. It's usually better to choose each item individually so you can create a setup that meets modern welfare recommendations.
What is the most important thing to buy?
The enclosure is the single most important purchase. Everything else is built around providing a safe, enriching living space.
Do hamsters need toys?
They don't need toys in the same way dogs do, but they do need enrichment. Natural items that encourage foraging, chewing and exploration are far more beneficial than brightly coloured plastic toys.
Do I need a food bowl?
Not necessarily. Many owners scatter feed instead, which encourages natural foraging behaviour and provides mental stimulation.
Should everything be set up before bringing my hamster home?
Yes. Your hamster should be able to move into a fully prepared enclosure immediately, allowing them to settle with minimal stress.
Final Thoughts
Preparing your hamster's home before they arrive is one of the best ways to set them up for success. Choosing an ethical enclosure, providing deep bedding and offering plenty of enrichment gives your hamster the opportunity to express their natural behaviours from day one.
Rather than buying everything marketed towards hamsters, focus on products that genuinely improve welfare. Quality and suitability are far more important than quantity.
At Bellamy Pet Wellness, we believe good preparation is the foundation of responsible hamster ownership. A carefully planned setup helps your hamster feel safe, secure and able to thrive from the moment they arrive home.
Visit our Amazon Storefront for a wide selection of hamster products and great value essentials for your pets!
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Disclaimer
All content provided on this website, including blog posts, guides, social media content, and recommendations, is created for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered veterinary, medical, or professional pet care advice. Always consult a qualified veterinarian or animal care professional before making decisions regarding your pet’s health, diet, or wellbeing. See Full T&C's here.
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