Hamster care card
Hamsters sleep by day and play by night, so they need a quiet day and a calm, careful grown-up in charge.
- Home
- A big, escape-proof home with deep bedding to dig in, a solid floor, a dark nest box, and a big solid wheel.
- Food
- A balanced hamster mix, scattered so it can hunt for it. A grown-up chooses safe extras; grapes and rhubarb are left out.
- Water
- Fresh, clean water always. Check the bottle for leaks or blocks every day.
- Every day
- Say hello in the evening. Check food and water, and watch how it eats and moves.
- Every week
- A grown-up checks its teeth, coat and eyes. Clean the home when it is awake, keeping some old bedding.
- Handling
- Never wake a sleeping hamster. Let it sniff you, then cup both hands and hold it low over a table.
- Happy signs
- Digging, carrying food to the nest, running on the wheel, and sniffing every corner at night.
- Tell a grown-up if
- Not eating, hiding more, or a messy bottom. A vet who knows hamsters can help.
My jobs, with a grown-up
- Check the water bottle with a grown-up
- Be quiet near the cage in the daytime
- Scatter the food, with a grown-up's say-so
- Say a soft hello in the evening
- Wash your hands after
Wash your hands Wash your hands with soap and water after touching a hamster, its food, or its home.
Ask a grown-up to look at Peabody Pets with you: pet.peabody.kids
From RSPCA, Woodgreen, NHS, checked 29 Oct 2026. A vet always knows best for your own pet.