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Hamsters just want to have fun, and yours is no exception. He's got a lot
of excess energy to burn, so you'll need to keep your pet busy to keep him
happy. Play sessions with appropriate toys in and out of the cage will keep
him in tip-top physical condition, too.
Hamster Toys Are Perfect for Playtime
What's the first step to ensuring that playtime is the best time of your
hammy's life? Do it on HIS time, please! As you've probably noticed, your
little fellow is most active during the evening and night, and sleeps
during the day. Commence playtime when he's bright-eyed and alert--sometime
in the evening. Disturbing a fast-asleep hamster is not a good move--and
can result in mistrust on his part, plus a nip or two for you!
Provide Lots of Hamster Exercise
In addition to respecting your pet's inner time clock, it's important to
provide toys and diversions that encourage him to do what comes naturally.
Wild hamsters have been known to cover five miles a night as they gather
food, so it's no wonder their domestic counterparts enjoy burning up their
energy on the exercise wheel. Make sure to get the solid metal or plastic
kind without any rungs. Tiny tails and feet can easily get caught in runged
wheels.
Wild hamsters spend a lot of time hanging out in secret hiding places, so
you must provide yours with a cozy cave for napping and nesting. An empty
flowerpot or a wooden box with an entrance hole will do just fine. And
cardboard tubes, PVC pipes and plastic connecting tubes make great hamster
tunnels.
Hamster Toys Include Things to Gnaw
We can't stress enough how important it is to always provide something for
your little guy to gnaw on. A hamster's teeth grow continuously, so the
animal needs to chew--and chew!--to keep his choppers worn down. Make sure
your hammy has a twig or branch that hasn't been treated with chemicals for
this purpose. Pieces of hard dog biscuit are good too, and there are also a
variety of chew toys available at the pet supply store.
Once you've hand-tamed your hamster, you should let him play outside of the
cage, in a secure, enclosed area, while your supervise. Watch him closely
and take care that he can't get lost or hurt himself. Be sure to remove any
electrical wires from the area, and anything else your curious hamster
could, but shouldn't, gnaw on.
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