Your hamster needs to exercise and play. Outfitting their cage with an ample selection of toys will help to ensure that your pet is healthy and happy. But how can you know if a toy is safe? Or even if the average hamster would want to play with it?
In this guide, we highlight eight toys that hamsters go nuts for. We’ve included options that can accommodate a wide range of budgets and pet behaviors. With that in mind, read on for some hamster toy reviews!
A Quick Comparison (updated in 2024)
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Best Overall
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Prevue Hendryx 1095 Nature's Hideaway Ball Toy |
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Best Value
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Kaytee 100516388 Chew Toy |
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Check Price |
Premium Choice
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Niteangel Tunnel Exploring Toy |
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Check Price |
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Kaytee 100079351 Hamster Exercise Ball Toy |
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Check Price | |
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Niteangel Small Animal Chew Toys |
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Check Price |
The 8 Best Hamster Toys
1. Prevue Hendryx Nature’s Hideaway Ball Hamster Toy – Best Overall
Handwoven, the Prevue is made entirely of all-natural grass to ensure that it will be safe for your pet to use. The unit is shaped like a ball and features crevices in which your hamster can satisfy its natural impulse to hide and burrow.
Even the smell is optimized for exciting your pet. The unit emits a sweet, completely natural fragrance that hamsters really love. Finally, the diameter is approximately 9”, making it compatible with bigger animals as well, like ferrets or guinea pigs.
The big issue is that it won’t last very long. Because it’s essentially just a ball of dried-up grass, a few exploratory bites will essentially render it useless in the long run, and replacing it multiple times will be pricey.
All in all, we think this is the best hamster toy out there.
2. Kaytee Hamster Chew Toy – Best Value
For those needing something more affordable, we have the Kaytee. Our best hamster toy for the money product features three carrot-shaped chew toys. These are the best chew toys for hamsters. Each unit is crafted from softwood and features a range of different textures that should keep your hamster occupied for some time.
Unfortunately, some users have mentioned serious design concerns. The main complaint is that many of the toys feature glue that is visible on the exterior. Not every toy features this, but those that do may not be safe to use.
3. Niteangel Tunnel Exploring Hamster Toy – Premium Choice
The Niteangel is a wooden maze that is designed to simulate the underground experience rodents would naturally gravitate to in the wild. It features two points of entry and six interior rooms that should keep your pet engaged for long periods of time.
The interior chambers come in a wide range of different sizes, further simulating the nest of a wild rodent. Hamsters may appreciate this variety as an opportunity to compartmentalize their space, using some rooms for sleeping, others for food, etc.
Dimensions are sizable at 12.4”x 8”, and the material is made of durable wood that should last for a long time. This is one of the most expensive toys featured today, but your hamster will certainly love it if you decide to splurge.
- You may also like: What Do Hamsters Like to Play With?
4. Kaytee Hamster Exercise Ball Toy
The Kaytee is an affordable exercise ball with a 5” diameter. The way it works is simple. Place your hamster in the ball, secure the door, and watch as they have fun rolling around! It’s an exciting twist on the exercise wheel, and it also doubles as a great place to store your pet when it comes time to clean their cage.
The big issue is that the ball can be very difficult to clean. The opening is more than big enough to get your hamster in and out, but it won’t fit the human hand very well. Naturally, this means that the interior of the toy will get nasty pretty quickly.
5. Niteangel Hamster Chew Toys
The Niteangel is an affordable 6-pack of chew toys for hamsters. The designs are varied, with a range of textures to help keep your pet interested, and all of the ingredients are natural. Components include firewood, apple sticks, willow sticks, and seagrass sticks.
The materials are specifically designed to help keep your hamster’s teeth clean and at an appropriate length. The most consistent complaint was indifference. Many reported that their hamsters simply weren’t attracted to the toys. Of course, every animal is different, and this may not be your experience!
6. Ware Manufacturing 3292 Fun Tunnel Toy
The Ware Fun Tunnel toy features 30” of flexible fun for your pet. The flexibility of the tubing makes it easy to craft into interesting shapes to keep your pet’s imagination stimulated, while the opening of the tunnel is broad enough to make it easy to clean.
When you are all done, the tunnel folds up very easily so that it can be quickly and conveniently stored. The unit is made of stain-resistant plastic to further enhance its user-friendliness.
Unfortunately, the plastic does not hold up very well to chewing, so you will have to make sure your hamster’s teeth don’t get idle.
7. Prevue Hendryx Nature’s Hideaway Hamster Tunnel Toy
The Prevue Hendryx is an affordable hideaway toy that is made out of natural, handwoven grass. It features several different holes that your hamster can climb through to satisfy its hiding and burrowing instinct.
Unfortunately, we did notice that the material within the tunnel is fairly rough. Your hamster may not be extremely comfortable within it. It also doesn’t survive excessive chewing very well, which means it probably won’t last for very long.
8. Kathson Hamster Nest Toy
We close out the list with the Kathson Hamster Nest Toy. This affordable two-piece set equips your hamster’s cage with a play bridge and seesaw. The materials are made of wood and have been vibrantly painted to add color to your pet’s setup. Materials can be safely chewed, which should ensure that the unit stays around for a long time.
We did notice some problems. For one thing, the wood itself is very fragile, and may not last for very long. It’s also very difficult to put together. Some users report that theirs broke in the assembly process.
Buyer’s Guide: How to Find the Best Hamster Toy
You’ve seen the products. Now, here are a few details that will make it easier to select the right toy for your pet.
Natural Components
Ideally, you will be able to get something that has completely natural components. Remember, hamsters have a strong impulse to chew, and will put their teeth on pretty much anything that you stick in their cage. If a material on one of their toys is toxic, chances are that those components will find their way into the hamster’s system.
Natural components tend to solve this dilemma. For example, several of the toys on our list were made of dried-out grass. Others were made of untreated wood. These materials will help ensure that your pet stays safe while it has fun.
Is it Chew Proof?
As mentioned above, your pet will bite the toys you give it. Therefore, you need something that can resist their sharp teeth. Chew-proof toys may cost a little bit more, as the materials tend to be better, but they might save you money in the long run.
Remember, it’s almost always more affordable to buy one high-quality toy than it is to continue replacing a low-quality one.
Does the Toy Attract Your Pet?
Every pet has its preferences. Unfortunately, this means that there is no guarantee your hamster will be particularly interested in the treat that you give them. However, there are ways that toys can make themselves a little bit more appealing.
For example, some of the units on our list featured special scents that serve to draw hamsters in. Small touches like this will go a long way towards ensuring that your pet has the opportunity to enjoy its new gift.
Does the Toy Stimulate Your Pet?
Hamsters have several different instincts. The best toys are specifically designed to help cater to these interests. For example, hamsters are natural burrowers. For that reason, several of the options on our list were designed to simulate the crawling/hiding experience that rodents in the wild thrive in.
Rodents are also big chewers. Therefore, it may be beneficial to get something that features a variety of different textures. This will help to ensure that your pet remains interested in the long run.
Is it Easy to Clean?
Unfortunately, hamsters are not extremely particular about where they relieve themselves. Chances are they will wind up going potty in or on their new toy. When they do, you will want to make sure that the toy is easy to clean up.
Make sure that the surface is easy to wipe down. Some even feature stain-resistant coatings that further aid in the cleaning process.
Exercise
Your hamster needs exercise just like any other animal. We are all familiar with the hamster wheel, but there are other ways for your pet to get cardio. For example, exercise balls are a fun way for your hamster to shake things up.
With this toy, they will be able to enjoy free rein over the house, all from the safety of a well-padded ball. These toys are particularly nice because they can double as a place to store your pet when you clean their cage.
Price
Determining an optimal price range can be a little bit tricky. After all, even if you get a great toy, there is still the chance that your hamster isn’t going to want anything to do with it. The good news is that even good hamster toys usually aren’t terribly expensive.
A high-end unit might be very reasonably priced, so you shouldn’t have much trouble getting something that is both good and affordable. Prioritize getting something natural, and at least relatively durable, and your money will be well spent.
Variety
Some toys come with several different pieces. This is great for a few reasons. For one thing, it gives you more bang for your buck, allowing you to gradually introduce new toys into your pet’s cage.
It will also help to keep your hamster interested for longer. Just like humans, animals like to mix things up from time to time!
Suitability
The pet toy niche tends to broadly lump all manner of rodent toys together. For example, a toy may be marketed as being great for ferrets, rabbits, gerbils, and hamsters. However, these animals are obviously all very different, which means the toy is probably more suitable for some of them than it is for others.
Size is a good indicator of whether or not the toy is right for your hamster. Hamsters tend to gravitate towards cozy spaces that mimic the underground setting.
Conclusion
Which of our hamster toy reviews lept out to you the most? We know that all of the toys are pretty awesome, but if you’re trying to narrow it down to just one, you may gravitate towards a high-end pick, like our top choice, the Prevue Hendryx 1095 Nature’s Hideaway Ball Toy.
Or, if you want to get something a little bit more affordable, or are looking for the best chew toy for hamsters out there, we would recommend trying our best hamster toy for the money pick: the Kaytee Chew Toy.
And of course, there is no rule saying you can only buy one toy for your pet. You may also want to really treat them by getting a few awesome units from our list!
