How Long Can You Leave a Hamster Alone? Let’s Discover

Last updated on January 22nd, 2023 at 06:41 pm

What should you do if you have to go somewhere for a few days and you have a hamster at home?

You must be worried about what will happen to your hamster and whether to leave it alone.

How long can you leave a hamster alone?

You can leave the hamster alone for about 2 days, of course, it depends on each individual hamster, but in general, they could be alone that long.

In order to leave the hamster alone, you must first provide him with enough food and water so that he does not have problems with his diet, because otherwise, he will get sick without food and water.

In today’s article, you will learn everything about whether and how long you can leave the hamster alone, so let’s start right away.

Can you leave the hamster alone for a few days?

Yes, you can leave the hamster alone when you have to go somewhere, but it should not be longer than two days.

When you plan to leave your hamster alone for a few days you must come up with a plan to keep the hamster safe and have enough food and water while you are gone.

The hamster should have all the comforts while he is alone and when you come back everything will be fine with him.

So here are some steps you should take if you have to leave your hamster alone for a few days.

Feeding the hamster when it is alone

Before leaving the hamster alone, the most important thing is to provide him with enough food and water, otherwise, he can get sick or dehydrated, which is very dangerous for his life.

When hamsters become dehydrated they can die within days.

When you feed him daily, you probably give him a variety of food enriched with vegetables and fruits in addition to the regular diet of pellets and seeds.

But when you have to leave him alone for a few days, you need to make some changes to your pet’s menu.

Leave him more protein-rich food and fill two or three bowls with food. The bigger the hamster, the more food it needs to survive on its own for a few days.

Do not leave vegetables and fruits because they will spoil, can make the hamster sick, and attract insects to the cage.

Leave him plenty of pellets and seeds while he is alone, it is the best choice on the days when you will not be with him.

Hamsters should have enough water when you leave them alone

Hamsters cannot survive without water for more than a few days or rather about 3-4 days. Staying hydrated is very important to keep your hamster healthy and disease resistant.

If you decide to leave the hamster alone for a few days, you must leave him two to three bottles of water.

Calculate how much water the hamster drinks per day so you know approximately how much it will need while you are away.

Here is how much water hamsters need per day:

  • 0.33 fluid ounces of water for a 3.5-ounce hamster weight
  • 0.66 fluid ounces of water for a 7-ounce hamster weight

These two examples will help you determine for yourself how much water your hamster needs per day and how much to leave in their bottles.

A hamster can survive a day or two without water, but it won’t be able to do it any longer and it can die without water.

Cleaning the cage

Although you may think to do a general cleaning of the cage before leaving your hamster alone, you really don’t need to.

It is enough to just clean the cage a little because if you do a detailed cleaning you will also clean his hidden food, which at that moment is not the best solution.

When you get back you can then thoroughly clean the entire cage as it will certainly smell more than usual due to the hamster peeing and pooping while you are gone.

Examine the cage

Before leaving your hamster alone for a few days, do a good inspection of its cage.

You certainly don’t want to come back to find an empty cage, or even worse, not find your hamster at all.

So do a good check and if necessary make additional modifications to the cage so that your pet cannot escape while you are gone.

Dim light

When you have to leave the hamster alone it is necessary to regulate the light.

Hamsters like to have weaker light in their room because they are crepuscular animals, that is, they like weaker light to be more active.

The more active they are, the easier it will be for them to spend time when they are alone in the cage for a few days.

Soft bedding

Place soft bedding in the cage while you are away to make the hamster more comfortable.

The soft bedding will help absorb the pee and poop from the hamster more easily and will reduce the chance of them getting dirty and messy.

Soft bedding will also reduce odor in the hamster’s cage.how long can you leave a hamster alone

The temperature should be adjusted for the hamsters’

Hamsters can’t stand either very hot or very cold.

That is why it is very important that the temperature in the room where the hamster is kept is between 65-75 F, this temperature is ideal for our pets.

You would not want when you come back to find your hamster sick or too cold, so the temperature must be optimal, it is a very important factor that you must keep in mind.

Don’t let them get bored

When the hamsters are left alone in the cage, they should have some activity so that they are not bored and the time passes faster while you are away.

Check the exercise wheel to make sure it’s not broken or damaged because the hamsters run 4-7 miles on it every night.

Besides the training wheel, make sure they have enough toys, cardboard tubes, wooden toys to reduce their teeth, etc.

From all toys, you can remove the toys with a rope so that your pet does not catch his feet while he is alone, because there will be no one to help him.

What should you take into account before leaving your hamster alone?

Before you decide to leave your hamster alone for a few days, you should first consider whether your pet will be able to be separated from you.

Here are two things you should know before you decide to leave your furry friend alone.

The age of the hamster is important

If your hamster is very young or older than two years then these two groups of hamsters will have a harder time if you leave them alone.

Young hamsters require more care and attention, they do not have enough immunity and can easily get sick if you leave them alone.

Hamsters older than 2 years, just like young ones, require much more care for food and care.

The best chance that you can leave a hamster alone and everything will be fine is if the hamster is about a year old.

This group of hamsters has the best health and immunity, so they should be fine if you leave them alone for a few days.

Nearness to the owners

It is very important if your hamster is very attached to you.

Some hamsters are more and some less attached to their owner, which can play a significant role when you leave your hamster alone.

If you play with your pet every night, then he will miss you a little when you are gone.

It will notice your absence and will be worried and a little stressed for the first two days. Then he will get used to it, but he still will miss your presence.

Can you leave the hamster alone for a week?

Anything more than two days is risky for the health of the hamsters, a week is still a long time to leave your hamster alone.

If it still happens that the hamster has to be alone for 7 days then it is best to find someone who will take care of it during that period.

Find a loved one you trust and tell them what to do and how to keep a hamster. You should point out some basic things they will need to do like providing food and water.

You should not give more responsibilities to the one who will supervise it, such as playing with or cleaning the cage of the hamsters, because the hamster will be afraid of someone who sees it for the first time.

Do you need to leave your hamster alone often?

No, you should not leave your hamster alone very often, it is not good for your pet.

No matter how much food and water you leave for him, we still have to take care of them every day, that’s why we took them, to keep them and play with them.

When the hamster is alone, unexpected things can happen, such as breaking or spilling the water bottle, which will cause dehydration of your pet, or it can get injured and there is no one to help it.

Hamsters should be kept by their owners and should not be left alone except in exceptional situations where you have no other choice.

Read more: Can Guinea Pigs Drink Tea? All You Need to Know

Conclusion

Hamsters can be left alone for 48 hours, but you will need to leave them enough food and water before leaving them alone.

To be able to be alone, hamsters should have a normal temperature, weaker light, and enough toys to have enough activity when you leave them alone.

If you have to leave them for more than 2 days then it is best to find someone to look after them and supply them with water and food and check that everything is ok with your pet.

Finally, we should take care of the hamsters, not leave them alone because they can get hurt or sick.

Read more: Can Guinea Pigs Eat Leaves? Let’s Find Out