Getting started

So you've decided to get a hamster? Excellant! First lets look at a checklist of things you're gonna need for this little bundle of fur!

Bedding
What your hamster will walk and sleep on. To line the bottom of your cage, most owners generally use sawdust, sawdust is best purchased from your local pet shop, becuase other sawdusts can contain too much dust which can be breathed in by your hamster-not good. If your hamster is a long haired, you may find the saw dust tangles in his fur, causing matting. Bedding which consists of what looks like shredded jay cloth, i'll warn you now...it gets everywhere! but may help prevent matting. Sleeping bedding is nice for hamsters to sleep in as well, there are many sorts, fluff, paper shreds or cloth. it doesn't matter what you choose for your hamster unless she is due to give birth, when paper/tissue shreds are best, so babies do not tangle in the cotton fluff. you can use kitchen towel for bedding for your hamster, but toilet roll is not good, becuase it may get stuck in their pouches.

Extras
Anything you can put in your cage to make things more interesting, houses to sleep in, things to chew on- good for teeth, toys, tubes, loo rolls, Wheels- these play a important part in a hamsters life for exercise.You will also need a hamster water bottle and food bowl too

A running ball is an important toy for a hamster, so he can really stretch his legs and run around..watch those stairs though!

Food
In the pet shop you buy your hamster they'll advise you to which you hamster has been fed on, they say its so it doesn't upset his diet, but most foods are the same anyway,its always good to give your hamster vegetables, and keep treats to a minimum unless they are natural ones like nuts, my hamsters love Hazelnuts, monkey nuts and chestnuts.(see below)