You need more than a hamster to call yourself an actual hamster owner. You’re going to need a proper cage equipped with all the right accessories.
But with so many different toys, feeders, bottles available — what are the best hamster cage accessories out there?
It can be tricky to decide just what it is you need. But fortunately, we’ve gone through and found the best accessories for your little furball. Your hamster will be sure to love each of these selections. The following list includes food and water supply, hidey-holes, exercise wheels, and more. Let’s get into it!
The number one thing you should consider when you get a new pet is how you’re going to keep them fed. Hamsters are pretty easy when it comes to this. And it’s even easier when you have something like the Kaytee Hay-N-Food Bin.
It’s a combination bin that stores both food pellets — or seed mix — and much-needed hay. What we really like about this accessory is that it connects to the cage via carabiners — not some flimsy little hooks. There’s little to no chance your hamster will be able to pull down the feeder from the cage.
It also large enough to for multiple hamsters to share if you have more than one in your habitat. Plus it’s super easy to clean. Just a little warm water and some mild detergent will scrub off any mess.
The biggest drawback actually all depends on your little one. If your hamster is extremely picky about their food/feeder choice, this may be an unwelcome addition. This is especially true if your hamster will not eat anything they have stepped on. There’s a good chance your hamster will have to step on the pellet feeder to reach the hay. If this isn’t a problem though, you should be A-OK.
All in all, when it comes to hamster cage accessories, we think this is the best out there this year.
Pros
Super cheap
Carabiner attachment
Easy to clean
Individual compartments for pellets and hay
Cons
Picky hamsters might not approve
2. Lixit Wide Mouth Small Animal Water Bottle – Best Value
If you’re looking for the best hamster cage accessories for the money, it’ll probably be found when shopping for a water bottle. High-quality water bottles don’t have to be expensive. The Lixit Wide Mouth bottle costs just as much as a meal at a fast-food restaurant, and it’s built to last.
The bottle’s constructed out of weather-resistant plastic making it great for both indoor and outdoor habitats. Also, it comes with a wide nozzle design making it easier for your hamster to drink from. But it’s not just the nozzle that’s got a wide design, the bottle opening has one as well. This makes filling up the bottle super easy to do.
The bottle we tested doesn’t leak too much — if at all. However, there have been some reports of leaking. We noticed that if we follow the provided instructions fully we didn’t have any issues. So in our book, the Lixit Wide Mouth water bottle is a sure winner.
Pros
Wide nozzle
Double ball bearing with silicon seal
Wide bottle mouth for easy filling
Cheap
Cons
Reports of leakage
3. Lixit Critter Space Pod Small Animal Hideout – Premium Choice
There are so many cages out there that have built-in shelters or hidey-holes for your hamster to nest in. But that doesn’t mean all of them do. And if your cage doesn’t have a designated nesting area, you’re going to need to provide one.
The Lixit Critter Space Pod is a great option to do just that. And it’s bright colorful design will look super cool in any habitat. It comes in two sizes as well — small or large. The large can easily house a hamster, and the small can as well. It all depends on how much space you have in your habitat and how many hamsters you have in it.
It is slightly more expensive than some of the other accessories on this list, but well worth it if you need a nesting area. And as far as cleaning goes, it’s a breeze. You can easily take it apart to ensure it’s nice and clean.
Pros
Large enough for a hamster or two
Aesthetically pleasing
Comes apart easily for cleaning
Cons
Relatively pricey
4. Ware Fun Tunnel Play Tube Hamster Cage Accessories
Hamsters just love to run and play! And tube toys are a great way to get them moving. The Ware Fun Tunnel Play Tube is one of the best tube toys on the market today. It’s fully collapsible accordion style ensures that it will fit any habitat. But if your habitat is large enough, this tube will extend a full 2.5 feet long.
And it’s made out of durable plastic too. No more holes developed through wearing down plastic or punctures. Plus there’s no need to worry if your little adventurers give it a nibble because it made out of non-toxic materials. The tube is also odor-resistant and completely washable to keep their area hygienic.
The tubes come in two different diameters. The medium size measures 4 inches in diameter which is perfect for Dwarf hamster breeds, but we recommend you go with the large for a Golden or Syrian. The large measures 8 inches across giving way for even the largest hamsters to comfortably maneuver.
Pros
Durable
Non-toxic
Adjustable size
Multiple sizes
Cons
Can be tough to clean if your little one uses it as a restroom
Long gone are the days of the traditional hamster exercise wheel. Enter the Ware Flying Saucer. It’s a horizontally mounted exercise wheel instead of the traditional vertical style. You may find that hamsters that don’t enjoy a regular wheel will take to the Flying Saucer quickly and happily.
The Saucer comes with a solid running surface as well. This means that you won’t have to worry about your hamster’s toes getting caught up. It’s also super-quiet and squeak-resistant, so there’s no need to fret about your little booger keeping you up all night with his running.
They also come in three different sizes so you ensure you get one that best fits your hamster and habitat. We absolutely recommend you get the 7.25-inch medium wheel for Dwarf variety hamsters and the large 12-inch wheel for Syrians.
There are just a few concerns we have with this product. First, there’s no way to choose what color you receive. While that’s just aesthetics, it would be great to have that option. Second, this will take up precious room in your habitat due to its horizontal nature. And lastly, this might be too complicated for some hamsters to figure out and enjoy.
Your hamster needs more than just basic food, water, shelter, and exercise. It needs to have fun too! And that’s why we like the Kaytee CritterTrail Accessory Kit. The CritterTrail isn’t just a single toy. It’s actually a whole system of interconnecting toys.
And when put all together, it resembles a kid’s play area — minus the ball pit, of course. There are a total of four different kits you can purchase, all of which interlock together. And if that’s not big enough, you can always purchase extra CritterTrail accessory tubes and funnels.
There are two major issues we have with this hamster accessory system though. Firstly, they get expensive. And to build the play area of your hamster’s dreams, it’s going to require more than many are willing to invest. Secondly, these hamster accessories can be a bit of a pain to put together. Nevertheless, if you’re up for a good puzzle and want your hamster to have a full-on playset, check out the Kaytee CritterTrail system.
Pros
Connectable to all other Kaytee CritterTrail accessories
If your hamster’s a climber, you might want to consider Niteangel’s Cotton Rope Net toy. It’s a sturdy weave of 100% cotton that’s non-toxic. However, you really don’t want your hamster to eat this. So if your hamster’s a hardcore chewer, you may want to avoid this as they may be able to gnaw off pieces of cotton and digest them.
The net comes included with metal clips as well that you can use to hang it in the best position suited for your habitat. And it is a great way for your hamster to get the exercise it needs and prevent overgrown nails. You can also purchase multiple nets and hang them together to form a sweet hammock or rope nest.
While it’s a great product, there are a few things we would change. We wish the metal clips were a bit easier and more reliable. A quick swap out for a carabiner clip would really make a world of difference. Also, we wish the nets were a bit bigger. Sure, you can always buy a second one. But with this size, you may want to purchase an extra two.
This suspension bridge by Niteangel is a really novel idea. It’s made up of natural wood sticks held together with flexible metal wire. The metal wire is easily bendable and shaped to produce whatever kind of walkway that you think of for your hamster.
Use it as a way for your hamster to access higher parts of its habitat or as a bridge from place to place. It can be firmly secured onto any standard wire cage through the use of four metal hooks with two on each end.
And unlike many other toys, since this is made of natural wood, this hamster cage accessory is completely safe for your hamster to gnaw on. And it encourages them to do so! A hamster needs to gnaw on something in order to keep its teeth filed down and prevent them from growing too long.
Our biggest gripe about this is the wood itself. We think it could be sanded just a bit more. It’s a little soft and splintery. Other than that, it’s really a neat toy for hamsters and super affordable as well.
Pros
Made out of all-natural wood
Easy to set up
Customizable track
Allows hamster to control incisor growth
Reasonably priced
Cons
Wood too soft and splintery
Conclusion: What Are the Best Hamster Cage Accessories?
Building the perfect hamster habitat is a neat puzzle, but it can definitely be challenging. Trying to balance a budget with high-quality toys can be exceptionally tough. So hopefully, these reviews were able to help you make the right choices for your habitat.
That being said, if we had to recommend only three accessories from this list they would be the following:
Our top choice is the Kaytee Hay-N-Food Bin, which is an all-around reliable feeder. Sometimes a flat bottom porcelain just doesn’t work. You might find your hamster using the restroom in his food dish and you’ll have to do a lot of extra cleaning. With a sturdy carabiner side-mounted food dish, you won’t have that issue. Besides, it provides a handy place to store hay alongside, so it’s a win-win.
Our best value choice is the Lixit Wide Mouth Small Animal Water Bottle. A good water bottle is crucial to any hamster’s habitat. The Lixit Wide Mouth is easy to set up, has minimal leakage, and is easy to refill. Just follow the directions on the packaging, and you should be good to go. It’s honestly the best water bottle you can buy for the money.
If you’re looking for a premium choice, the Lixit Critter Space Pod Small Animal Hideout is it. While this is one of the more expensive options on this list, it’s an absolute necessity if your hamster cage doesn’t have a built-in nesting area. We actually almost like it more than built-in nesting areas because this is so much easier to clean.
Nicole is the proud mom of 3 rescue fur babies, Baby, a Burmese cat; Rosa, a New Zealand Huntaway; and Mac, a Lab/Mastiff. A Canadian expat, Nicole now lives on a lush forest property with her Kiwi husband and new baby daughter in New Zealand. She has a strong love for all animals of all shapes and sizes (and particularly loves a good interspecies friendship) and wants to share her animal knowledge and other experts' knowledge with pet lovers across the globe....Read more
