Hamsters and other small furries (guinea pigs, rabbits, gerbils, rats, degus, mice, and chinchillas) are popular pets. They can be a lot of fun if you provide the right enrichment for them. There are many things that you can do to keep these pets happy and stimulated.

Hamsters

Most hamsters snooze through the day. At night they are ready for action. Hamsters need plenty of exercises. They love running merrily on wheels. Get a wide solid wheel without spokes. Wheels with spokes can cause injuries.

Cardboard tubes are fun to run through. Apart from running through them, hamsters love to climb and chew the wooden ledges. They also like rolling in the sand. Special sand is available in pet shops for this purpose.

Rabbits

A happy bunny displays its natural behaviour by hopping and playing with other rabbits. Rabbits love climbing, digging, and tunnelling. Their natural instinct is to run and have fun. Ensure that there is plenty of space so that they can run and play around. Provide cardboard tubes, so that they can run through them and hide.

Fill a cardboard box with shredded paper. An entrance and exit on the box will help the bunny hop in and out. Rabbits love to chew on things. Give them safe things to chew like willow or apple wood. Hang vegetables on a string so that they can nibble on it.

Rats

Rats love being busy. They like exploring new things and playing every day. Rats are sociable and like playing with toys and cardboard boxes. They also enjoy running on a wheel like hamsters.

Guinea Pigs

Guinea pigs are curious pets and love watching things around them. A roomy hutch with an entrance and exit will help them get in and out without difficulty. These furry pets are shy and the roomy hutch provides them a perfect place to hide when they are scared.

Cardboard boxes, pipes, and tubes are toys that help them have a lot of fun. They love running free. Supervise them when playing so that they don’t escape through holes. Hide small amounts of food. Guinea pigs love searching for them. This will keep them entertained.

Gerbils

Gerbils love hanging out in tunnels. Ensure there is plenty of material to dig and tunnel. Dried peat moss or bedding will help them dig to their heart’s content. Cardboard tubes will help create a tunnel-like environment. They will have a great time running through it.

Gerbils like climbing on fruit tree branches. They often use it as a lookout point. Apart from this they also love to roll around in the sand.

Degus

Degus are active pets. They need lots of play to keep them enriched and happy. Exercise wheels will help them get their daily dose of exercise. Fill a box with hay so that they can forage through it. Degus also love playing in the sand.

One of the best ways to keep the hamster and other furry pets enriched is to set up a shared home environment. They get along well and love playing with each other.