Everything retailers need to know about these small furries
The small pet category is thriving. In a sector where companionship comes in all shapes and sizes, hamsters are capturing the hearts of more households than ever before.
According to Statista’s 2024 data, the ownership of these small rodents has risen to 2.1 percent of UK households, a rise from the previous 12 month’s 1.5 percent. With pet hamster numbers now totalling 900,000, their popularity continues to climb. And if any more evidence is needed, the social media presence of popular hamster accounts, regularly enjoying follows, likes and views in the tens of thousands, serves as a testament to their appeal.
While hamsters may be considered a starter pet, it is just as important that the care and attention they receive is on a par with that provided to any other pet. Considering that hamster owners seek veterinary care less frequently than for other companion animals, such as dogs, cats and rabbits, retailers play a vital role in ensuring that the needs of these popular pets are met.
Hamster fast facts
- Average lifespan 1.75 years
- Sexually mature at 4 — 5 weeks of age
- Hamsters are nocturnal
- Hamster teeth grow continually
- Population stats: Syrian 73.5%, Djungarian (winter white dwarf) 13.8%, roborovski 6.4%
- Syrian hamsters should be housed singly
- Species such as the Russian dwarf are more social
- Fighting is more likely if the cage size is too small
The latest insights
Despite the popularity of these small pets, knowledge surrounding their requirements, especially in terms of veterinary care, has been limited until recently. A study carried out by the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) aimed to address this.
The RVC collated data from 4,000 hamsters to reveal the 20 most widespread health issues affecting these small pets. Notably, the top five conditions (see box below) are all issues in which husbandry and diet play a crucial role in prevention. From inadequate living conditions predisposing to wet tail and poor diet adversely affecting dental health, to lack of enrichment resulting in boredom and behavioural issues, making sure owners have access to the best advice is key.
Common hamster health issues
- Wet tail (diarrhoea or liquid discharge) 7.33%
- Bite injuries from other hamsters 5.88%
- Overgrown nails 4.13%
- Overgrown front teeth 3.98%
- Traumatic injury 3.8%
Wet tail
- Also known as proliferative ileitis
- Mainly affects hamsters 3 – 10 weeks of age
- Sometimes used as a general term for diarrhoea
- Signs include poor appetite, lethargy, unkempt coat
- Many causes including infections
- Poor diet, poor husbandry, and stress are contributory factors
- Prompt veterinary treatment improves prognosis
Elevating standards of husbandry
So, what does gold standard husbandry look like? Lack of space is one of the most common issues when it comes to hamster care. Hamsters love to explore, travelling large distances in the wild to forage for food. Unless this wanderlust is catered for, pets will easily become frustrated, leading to stress and a host of behavioural problems such as biting. The Blue Cross advise that a hamster cage should be at least 100 centimetres by 50 centimetres floorspace, and at least 50 centimetres tall. Of course, this should be considered a minimum, and bigger is almost always better.
Minimum hamster cage size: 100cm x 50cm floorspace, 50cm tall
Creating a hamsterscape
Cage size is not the only consideration. Hamsters love to burrow and adding sufficient bedding to their living quarters is essential. Bedding should be absorbent, dust free, and changed regularly. In terms of substrate, paper bedding is preferable as it may reduce bacterial contamination. In addition, paper does not predispose to respiratory disease unlike some wood pulp bedding. Tiny Friends Farm Eco Bedding is virtually dust-free and made from surplus paper that would otherwise have gone into landfill. It is highly absorbent and fully compostable after use. It is worth noting that fibre bedding, such as cotton wool, should be avoided as this can cause cheek pouch and gut impactions.
Minimum bedding depth: 20 centimetres
But why stop here? Hamsterscaping was first popular in mainland Europe but in the last few years, the concept has caught on in the UK. The hamsterscaping ethos centres around creating a living environment that allows hamsters to express their natural behaviour. Not only does that mean adequate space, deep bedding, and suitably sized wheels, but also hiding places, sand baths, and an emphasis on natural materials.
Hamster wheels should be solid (not slatted or runged) and an adequate size. This means:
- 27 to 32 centimetres diameter for Syrian hamsters
- 22 to 27 centimetres for dwarf breeds
Beyond the basics: sand baths
In addition to standard enrichment, sand baths, which had been traditionally associated with chinchillas and degus, are now seen as an essential for hamsters. Offered several times a week, a sand bath can provide enrichment and improve well-being. Sand baths also support healthy skin and coat, removing excess oils and keeping fur clean and shiny.
Hamsters may also benefit from toilet training. They tend to naturally use one area of their living quarters and with food rewards for positive reinforcement training is relatively straightforward. Bathing sand provides the ideal substrate but must be cleaned out or changed regularly to maintain good hygiene.
Products such as Tiny Friends Farm Harry Charlie and Gerri Bathing Sand and Science Selective Bathing Sand can be recommended to hamster owners or incorporated into an in-store hamsterscaping display.
Optimum nutrition
Mirroring the natural environment as closely as possible will help to reduce stress and decrease the incidence of behaviour problems. Ultimately, a happy hamster is easier to tame, less likely to bite, and more likely to bond with its owner. But of course, that is only half the story and species-appropriate nutrition is also crucial to optimum health and well-being.
In their natural environment, hamsters enjoy an omnivorous diet. This includes seeds, leaves, and cereals, but also protein. Offering a commercial dry diet formulated to meet the specific nutritional needs of hamsters is the best way to ensure dietary requirements are met.
Navigating nutritional options can be a daunting task and owners will often turn to retailers for expert guidance and product recommendations. Supreme’s Tiny Friends Farm Harry Hamster Food is a consistently strong performer in the small pet food aisle, with a majority share of the hamster food market and robust year on year growth. Nutritionally balanced and suitable for all hamsters, including dwarf breeds, Harry Hamster is made with ingredients including sunflower seeds, peanuts, and pumpkin seeds and contains no added sugar.
Offer choice
Owners appreciate choice. In 2022, reflecting consumer demand, Supreme added Harry Hamster Fruity Nutty Mix to the Tiny Friends Farm range. Both flavour variants are highly palatable and promote natural foraging behaviour.
Science Selective Hamster completes Supreme’s range of nutritionally complete hamster diets. The single component nuggets are highly palatable and fully extruded, which helps to make the nutrients easier to digest and can be useful to recommend if selective feeding occurs. Pets are family and stocking a selection of diets will ensure all tastes and budgets are catered for.
Added extras
In addition to the main diet, treats can be offered in moderation. These can be hidden round the enclosure to provide enrichment and encourage natural foraging behaviour. Treats can also be hand-fed to build up contact and trust between hamster and owner.
Treats will often be an impulse purchase and having a selection on offer will ensure all tastes and budgets are catered for. From Tiny Friends Farm Harry Hamster Yippees to Selective Naturals Harvest Loops, Supreme has options to suit all small pets.
Prevention is better than cure
Ensuring optimum nutrition and husbandry is important in all species, but especially so in small pets. A large enough enclosure with plenty of thought given to enrichment, alongside a species-specific nutritionally complete diet, will go a long way to supporting health and wellbeing, reducing the incidence of serious conditions like wet tail and promoting a strong pet-owner bond.