Cuteness overload, hamsters are excellent pets.

Many people find hamsters endearing because of their cuteness and naivety.

Hamsters are popular pets, particularly amongst kids. They’re endearing, hygienic, low-maintenance, and pleasant.

Nevertheless, the price tag is a significant consideration for first-time hamster buyers.

A hamster is more cost-effective as a pet than a dog or cat because of the lower cost of food and veterinary care. Still, it shouldn’t lead you to believe these animals are cheap.

Although hamsters don’t break the bank, you need to save money for the cage, wheel, toys, food bowl, etc., before you ever consider buying one. All of this equipment may easily cost over a hundred pounds, but if you plan on maintaining a single hamster, you’ll only need to make this investment once.

So that you can budget appropriately, let’s take a closer look at the costs associated with hamster ownership.

How Much Does a Hamster Cost?

Hamsters as pets themselves are not very expensive. The cost can start from $5 and can go all the way up to $50. The price of a hamster may change entirely a little based on factors like weight, breed, markings, and mutation.

You may have to spend a few bucks, more or less, for your favorite breed of hamster. Where Teddy Bear Hamsters, Chinese Hamsters, and Dwarf Hamsters cost around $5 to $20, Syrian Hamsters’ cost fluctuates from around $5-$10. 

You can visit Petco to get a brief idea of the price of a hamster. Besides, it’s always wise to do some comparative research before buying a pet. 

Upfront Cost (Cost of Supplies)

If you want to make your hamster feel at home, supplies cost is a step that you cannot skip. 

There may be a fee of up to $10 for the bedding, $10 for the wheel, $2–$20 for the toys, $6–$14 for the exercise ball, $2–$8 for the food dish, $10–$50 for the cage, and $5–$10 for the food initially. All of these items should be bought while bringing home the new hamster. 

While shopping for a cage, you should consider the size of your hamster and buy the cage accordingly. 

When stocking up, you will see that several of the components need to be shopped once. All other essentials should be available in a single location for as long as possible to make your pet comfortable. 

Weekly Cost

Hamsters are lively little rodents, but they don’t eat or poop too much, so once-daily feeding and weekly cleaning are generally plenty. 

Hamsters have low weekly maintenance costs, often amounting to only a few bucks for food and bedding. Of course, the number of hamsters you have and the size of their cage will affect this.

Annual Cost

Hamsters are a lot of work since you always need to locate a new home for them, purchase new food, and find an unusual vet. The annual expense can go up to $200-$600 yearly. Costs might escalate unexpectedly if they have any strange medical problems.

How Much Does It Cost to Take a Hamster to the Vet? 

Every once in a while, your hamster can have a little different appearance than average, which might indicate that your hamster is unwell or dying. Do you know the signs of your hamster dying? 

Just as you take your car in for an annual checkup, you should take your hamster for a yearly checkup with your vet. At first glance, you may not suspect anything is wrong with your child, but a thorough checkup just could reveal hidden pain.

Antibiotics for bacterial infections like wet tail will set you back between $10 and $20.

Getting checked out might set you back $70. It’s not uncommon to pay up to $100 for a single injection. It would cost you $117 to get your hamster in for emergency treatment.

If the condition worsens in your pet hamster, it might have to go under the knives. The cost of hamster surgery might be above $75. So, getting your hamsters’ pet insurance is smart to cover all their medical expenses. 

Are Hamsters Good as Pets?

Hamsters are cute, no doubt about it! They are also great as pets.

In many cases, hamsters serve as the “first pet” for a youngster. As a relatively low-maintenance pet, hamsters are suitable for even the youngest children to take care of, provided their parents are confident in their responsibility. 

Many kids convince their parents to get hamsters because having a pet hamster makes them popular among their social circle!

Having a pet hamster is pretty cool. You can gain a lot of respect and admiration from your peers, who will be eager to visit your home to check in on your new little pet!

So, if you are considering getting a hamster as a pet, go get one! 

Hamsters as Pets: Pros and Cons

Hamsters as pets have both advantages and disadvantages. Let’s get to know them one at a time. 

Pros of Having a Pet Hamster 

• Hamsters are the cutest little pets! Many people find hamsters endearing because of their cuteness and innocence.
• The fact that hamsters don’t require a lot of food is a perk of having them as pets. A small amount of wholesome food can make a healthy diet for them.
• You can have a hamster even if you have a small apartment or other living situation. A hamster requires only a little space to live in.
• Hamsters tend to be relatively quiet pets. This means you and your neighbors won’t have to put up with any noise from your pet! 
• In terms of training, hamsters don’t need a whole lot of time invested. However, they gain confidence and trust in their human caregivers through consistent socialization and handling.
• A hamster might be the perfect pet for you if you’re the kind of person who craves constant companionship.
• To keep a hamster happy, you do not need to provide them with constant attention.
• Hamsters are often content when left alone in their cage, yet they can enjoy quality time spent with their people when given adequate space and exciting toys.
• If you know what you’re doing, your hamster can be more than just a fantastic friend to you. It can also help you earn a significant income. You can start a pet hamster business; it is pretty lucrative. 
• Finally, having a pet hamster can be therapeutic for your mental health.

Cons of Having a Pet Hamster 

• Hamsters are not known for long lives. So, sooner or later, you need to part ways with your beloved hamster. It can leave you devastated.
• Hamsters are prone to diseases. So, you will be scheduling appointments with your local veterinarian regularly.
• It’s possible that your pet hamster may get restless pretty quickly. So, during playtime, try to be patient.
• Hamsters are not known for their ability to communicate with others.
• While training your hamster, you need to be patient. Hamsters are really difficult to train to do stunts.
• One fine morning you may find out your pet hamster is not in its cage! There is a possibility that your hamster might run away.
• You are responsible for cleaning out the hamster cage and it can be tiring from time to time.
• You will need to do general cleaning tasks in and around your house more often, as hamsters like to play around with toys.
• If you suffer from hamster allergies, you should have to be careful.
• There is a chance that the animal rights agency will take your hamster in at the animal shelter if you do not take proper care of it.
• There is a possibility that your hamsters may prohibit you from traveling on vacation. In that case, you need to be extra careful while planning vacations. 

Summary

It’s possible that you’ll have to spend more than you planned when getting a hamster as a pet. But it’ll be well worth it in the end when you realize how much you care for your hamster’s soft fur and adorable little face!