If I am at your place, I will try not to take him for camping because your hamster can feel discomfort, unease, and can feel threatened when they find themselves in some unknown camping places.
I would rather ask my friends or family to take care of him in my absence. If you want to take your hamster camping, first do the same in your backyard then try camping nearer to your home or city to find out whether your hamster is made for camping or not.
I have seen some people who successfully took their hamster camping without any problem. They did it with some care. Here are some tips for you if you’ve decided to take your hamster camping.
How to keep your hamster safe during camping?
He is your pet, you know him better than anybody else. If you don’t know much about your pet or he is new to your family then make a camping like situation in your backyard. This will help you know your hamster better and will give you some insight over what can you do to make camping fun for him.
The most important rule you must follow to keep your hamster safe yet in joy is to keep him in his cage all the time so that he won’t get lost and don’t get caught by predators like snakes. We’ve already written a good piece on keeping snakes away while camping.
If you’ve a great bond with your hamster to the level where you know he won’t leave you then you can leave him outside the cage for sometime.
But, you should do this when you’re in protected areas like your RV with all windows closed.
If you finally decided that you wanna take your hamster for camping then keep reading because now we need to know some simple but very important things.
Can you take a hamster on a road trip?
Yes, you can take a hamster on a road trip. In fact, they can become a great companion as they are easily transportable and do not need that much space as a dog takes during camping. Just make sure that your pet enjoys the trip as much as you do.
Here are few things you can do to make your hamster comfortable and safe on road trips:
- Keep him in a designated travel carrier or his cage
- Replace heavy things with lightweight things like you can use plastic igloo or cardboard teepee instead of wooden blocks.
- Add extra layers of paper bedding to the cage so that he will feel comfortable even on bumpy roads.
- Strap the cage to a seat using a seat belt as it protects from bone-shaking bumps.
- Shade its cage using the towel. You don’t want your hamster to feel the warmth all day in hot summer. This will also reduce the visuals to keep him stress free (If your pet love to watch outside then feel free to remove the towel whenever the sun is not directly touching his cage).
Can I leave my hamster in the car?
If you wanna leave him in the car for few minutes then it is ok. But this is not advisable to leave him for a longer period in the car. If you are going to stay in some hotel, then bring his cage if the hotel permits it. It is better to research in advance about the hotel’s rules for your pet.
Why is it not good to leave your hamster in the car? Because at night or whatever time, when you leave him for a longer period inside that close car, the temperature can get extreme inside it as it will like a glass greenhouse.
So whenever possible, bring him with you or just leave him for few minutes with proper ventilation and airflow available.
Should I get 1 or 2 hamsters for camping?
It depends on the type of hamster you have. If you have Syrian hamsters then it is not a good idea to put them both in the same cage. For camping, arrange two comfortably sized cages for them.
Why? Because when the Syrian hamster gets matured (maturity time is normally 8 and 12 weeks) they tend to become more territorial and like to live alone. When they live together they’ll start fighting whenever they get nasty (I don’t think you want this to happen).
If you’ve dwarf hamsters then you can put them together with adequate space. Dwarf hamsters enjoy the company of their species and will live happily in groups.
Thus if you have dwarf hamsters then with some care you can bring them for camping and it will help them with changing surroundings as they are now in pair.
What hamsters eat in the wild?
Pet hamsters like to eat seeds, nuts, cracked corn, vegatables, fruits, and grains. On the other hand wild hamster also east frogs, insects, lizards and other small animals. Even in the wild, a large part of hamsters like to eat seeds and grains.
Foods you should not give them to eat
Some foods are toxic to hamsters! Here is the list of 10 toxic foods that may even kill a hamster. So do not include them in his diet.
- Beans and potatoes
- Garlic, onions, leeks, and chives
- Chocolate and caffeine products
- Potato chips
- Citrus fruits
- Celery
- Apple seeds
- Avocados
- Non-organic almonds
- Raisins and grapes
Is it OK to wake up a hamster?
If you’re waking up your hamster to clean the cage or something then it is ok. But when you do this very often, it will stress out your hamster. That’s why until it is very necessary don’t disturb his sleep. Remember the time when someone wakes you up from that lovely state of deep sleep,
Do hamsters like music?
Hamsters love music that is peaceful and instrumental. This kind of music relaxes them to the extent where it can lull them to sleep.
To make use of this you can set up a little music system inside his cage (like on the roof of the cage) and play some relaxing instrumental music or natural sounds (like raining, waterfall, river, ocean, etc) in a low volume.
This low-volume music will tell their brain that he is in some safe and relaxing place which signals the hamster to relax and feel secure. Try this on your camping trip and tell me how it helps?
Why does my hamster keep making noises?
It is very natural for a hamster to make noise. They demonstrate their feelings through different types of noises like squeaking sounds to demonstrate that they are feeling scared or distressed.
They usually make noises when they see some unknown place. But don’t worry as you can train your dog for camping, you can train them too.
As time passes they may develop ease to travel and will travel effortlessly and joyfully. The other general sound is chirping. They make this sound when they feel spirited.
Can I train my hamster to sleep at night?
We know hamsters like to sleep at daytime and stay away during the nigh. However, you can train your hamster to sleep at night instead of day. How to do this? Let’s look at this step by step.
- Build a relationship with your hamster. Hand feed him and play with him on daily basis. Once your hamster starts to bond with you emotionally, he will begin to play with you and being with you. This will change his sleep time with less stress and above all, he will enjoy doing this.
- Create an illusion of night. During the daytime, either your can close all the windows so that less light comes to him or you can cover his cage with a breathable blanket. Doing this will create an illusion of night at the day which slowly tells his body to stay awake when the light goes dim.
- Stick with the same schedule. Don’t do the mistake of changing his sleep routine instead stick with what you made. Like, close the curtain at the same time.
- Be patient during the training period. This process can take several months to get used to the new schedule. The thing you can do during the training is to keep him engaged with activities like playing with you, putting him in an exercise bowl, giving treats to your hamster. Make sure that the rooms your hamster venture have no heavy lightning.
How do I know my hamster is happy?
There are many ways to tell whether your hamster is happy or unhappy. If your hamster show any one or more things from the 12 things given below, you can tell that your hamster is happy.
- When your hamster responds quickly.
- Happy hamsters exercise.
- A happy hamster won’t hide from you.
- When you see your hamster playing with his bedding.
- Hamsters that show curiosity.
- Happy hamsters love to groom themselves.
- A hamster that collects and stores food.
- Happy hamsters are always active and energetic.
- Happy hamsters play with their toy.
- Happy hamsters will try to interact with you.
- If your hamster is stretching out his body.
- Hamsters come to their owner to show their happiness.
Is it bad if my hamster sleeps a lot?
When camping with hamsters, even a single mistake can lead to some major issues. This is the same. If your hamster sleep more than 6-8 hours then you should consider showing him vet.
The vet will run some tests and will tell you what can you do and adive on treatments if needed or lifestyle changes that can revert him back to healy sleep cycle.
Do all hamsters try to escape?
Any hamster can escape! Whether your hamster will escape or live happily with you will be decided by the environment and situation in which he’s living. Like, if your hamster feels threatened, if they’re constantly tormented by other pets or kids, or just don’t feel comfortable in their home.
That’s why in most cases camping with a hamster is not ideal as for camping you have to travel from one place to another. However, I know some people who camp with hamsters very happily without any problem by taking care of them very well.
Do hamsters poop where they sleep?
Yes, most hamsters will poop where they sleep. The best way to clean out their poop is to replace their bedding every other day. Don’t do this daily as it can stress out your little pet. Remove the pee and poops from the bed and change the tissues.
Can I leave my hamster alone for a week?
If you’ve decided not to take your hamster for that week-long camping. No worries! Just make sure either you give your hamster to your best friend or a well-wisher neighbor.
If they don’t want to pet your hamster for a week in their home due to their own reasons, Have all supplies (his food, water, some toys, etc.) ready inside his cage just next to him and request your friend or neighbor to replace his bed and add next 2 days supplies inside his cage. Request them to do this till you return.
If the camping trip is just a day or two longer then there is no need to bother anyone. Just have 2 days of supplies next to him. Don’t worry he won’t forget you and will not fall sick until you are not giving him toxic things like that we discussed above.
Can I put my hamster cage on the floor?
No, It is not good to put your hamster cage on the floor of your vehicle when riding. You know clearly that you’re heading out for camping and chances are that your car might pass some bumpy roads which can even take your mind out. If bumpy roads can do this to you, why won’t they do the same to your hamster?
For better comfort, you should put your cage on the seat and properly strap it using the seat belt.
What smell attracts hamsters?
We don’t want our dearest hamster to escape. But, as we know they have their own live so they want to escampe irrespective of dangers. But if it happens that your pet hamster escape, you can use some smells to attract him back.
As you’re camping so there are less chance that these smells can even touch your hamster’s nose. But doing something is always better than doing nothing.
The list of smells are given below (they work better if you’re hamster is hiding itself in your RV, tent or something like that):
- Fresh green vegetables like broccoli
- Apple slices
- Boiled or scrambled egg
- A thin layer of peanut butter on a cracker
- Cheese
What smell do hamsters hate?
The smell of citrus can really overwhelm them to the extent where they have no choice left other than to escape from this discomfort.
Michael is heavily inclined towards traveling to natural places and documenting cultures/people from different parts of the world. He also loves hiking and camping and is spirited toward all outdoor activities. He will share his passion for outdoor life and brands or products we use outside our homes. He has good research skills, and that’s why you can see why his articles are packed with info that is factual and not readily available. He also has the vision to travel the whole world and share it with all readers of Outdoor Favor.
