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Learn how to care for a gerbil, recommended diet and habitat setup. Find the right food, supplies and equipment at your neighborhood Petco.
Updated on November 13th, 2025
Short-haired, Long-haired, Hairless and European Hamsters are clean and captivating companion animals that are best kept individually.
Updated on November 13th, 2025
Learn everything you need to know about caring for your hamster, including habitat setup, diet, and tips for keeping them happy and healthy.
Updated on November 13th, 2025

As your hamster settles into their new environment, learn how to build trust with them and pick them up with training and treats.
Updated on November 13th, 2025
Hamsters are a lot of fun in a small package. Learn 25 fun facts about these small pets.
Updated on November 13th, 2025
Hi! Hamsters can make great pets if they are socialized and handled gently. A standard hamster cage with a wheel, tunnels, a hide box, some soft bedding in which to burrow (like carefresh), fresh food and water are the basic needs of any pet hamster. If you want, you can add a network of tunnels to provide more exercise and enrichment opportunities. Hamsters can get sick and should only be fed hamster specific food items to decrease the chances of tooth and gastrointestinal problems. It’s also a good idea to take your new pet to the vet shortly after you get them so you have a baseline of health and have an established relationship with a vet in the event your hamster does become ill. Good luck!
Updated on August 12th, 2025
If you feed a good quality gerbil food it will have all the nutritional requirements. You can supplement the diet with hay, fruit and veg, meal worms etc. If you find that the gerbils are picky about what they eat you could add a vitamin and mineral supplement to their water, but it is not a definite requirement.
Updated on August 12th, 2025
1. No, not true. A high-fiber, fortified food should make up approximately 90% of your hamster's diet. A complete fortified food such as Oxbow’s Essentials Hamster and Gerbil Food would be the best option. You don't want a diet that contains a lot of seeds. https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/oxbow-essentials-hamster-and-gerbil-food Here are some things you can try to offer in small amounts as a treat: Asparagus Baked or Steamed Chicken, Turkey or Cod Fish (Skin and bones removed.) Bananas Boiled or Scrambled Eggs Blackberries Blueberries Cantaloupe Cauliflower Cooked Brown Rice (plain) Cooked Whole Grain Pasta Flax Seed Lentils Mango Melon Mild Cheeses Nutritional Yeast Oatmeal Plain Tofu Raspberries Romaine Lettuce Seedless Apples Seedless Grapes Squash Strawberries Sweet Potatoes Unsalted Popcorn (no butter) Unsalted Pumpkin Seeds Unsalted Soybeans Fruit and whole grains can upset the GI tract if offered in too high levels. As a rule of thumb, only 5-10 percent of
Updated on August 12th, 2025
for right now, keeping Eliot fed & providing adequate moisture is the key. Soaking his pellets, offering fruit & vegetable baby foods, even using Oxbows Critical Care for bunnies is appropriate. If he is still symptomatic on Monday, have your veterinarian evaluate him in case he needs deworming or an antibiotic. Thanks for using PetCoach, & sorry for the disconnect. The dog hit return on my keyboard.
Updated on August 12th, 2025
It depends on where you go but in general anywhere between $10-20 per hamster. You must then add in the cost for a cage, toys (they love wheels), water bottle, food and a dust free litter. Sometimes you can find kits that will include all these items. Once again prices vary widely based on the size of the cage. Hope this helps!
Updated on August 12th, 2025