hamsters
social or solitary?
When planning for living space (enclosure) please note that all Syrian Hamsters require a solitary enclosure while some (but not all) Dwarf breeds will tolerate a shared enclosure.
enclosure requirements
The ACR minimum ethical enclosure size for a single hamster is 500 square inches of continuous floor space (length x width of a single open space within your enclosure). Note that none of the popular Crittertrail line of habitats sold by major retailers meets these minimum ethical standards for floor space.
An exercise wheel is a must but be careful to select an appropriate size for your Hamster as many on the market are too small to be used safely. When using a wheel, your hamster’s spine should be more-or-less straight as opposed to curved; Syrian Hamsters require a 10” wheel and Dwarf Hamsters require an 8.5” wheel.
diet
High-variety seed mix combined with a lab block. Recommended seed mixes include: Higgins Sunburst, Higgins Vita Garden, Vitakraft Vita Smart, Versele-laga Crispy Muesli, Versele-laga Nature Hamster and Puur Hamster. Recommended Lab Blocks include: Mazuri Rat & Mouse, Envigo-Teklad 2018, Power of 5 Mouse & Rat, Vita Prima Sunseed Critter Cubes, Versele-laga Crispy Pellets Rat & Mice, Kaytee Forti-Diet.
other resources
For more information check out these great resources: