Hamsters are one of the cutest pets. Many people love hamsters for many reasons, but the main reason is that they are cute and entertaining to watch. Hamsters are entertaining to watch inside their cage, especially when they are exercising on their wheel.
Some owners are not satisfied enough to watch their hamsters inside the cage. They love to take their hamsters out of the cage. Some owners will let their hamsters play around their living room or outside their backyard.
Those owners who bring their hamsters out of the house sometimes put harnesses on their hamsters. However, are harnesses safe for hamsters? Here is the answer!
Are harnesses safe for hamsters? No! Harnesses may be dangerous for your hamsters. Hamsters are not built for harnesses. They are much more fragile than dogs and other animals that we put leashes on. Even though there are harnesses for sale online for pet hamsters, it is not guaranteed safe for your pet hamster.
The reason why owners put harnesses on their hamsters is to make sure that their hamsters won’t run away if they bring their hamsters out of the house. However, aside from that explicit reason, there are other reasons why owners put harnesses on their hamsters. Let us check them out!
Why Do Owners Put Harnesses To Their Hamsters?
There are many reasons why owners put harnesses or leashes on their hamsters, which we will talk about right now. Let us first check the first reason.
The first reason why owners put harnesses on their hamsters is that they want to take their hamsters out of the house. Yes, it is scary to let a pet hamster outside the house without a leash because it might run away and will never be seen again.
Putting a harness on your pet hamster when you take it outside to prevent them from running away seems impractical. Why? Because why would you take out your pet hamster in the first place? If you want them to have the health benefits of sunlight, put their cage near the window. And if you want them to play in a larger area, make a specific room for them.
There is no need to take your hamsters outside and put harnesses on them, which will make them feel irritable. You can build their larger playhouse in a specific room inside your house. You should think and use your mind to become creative in creating a playroom for your pet hamster.
The second reason why owners put harnesses on their hamsters is that they want to walk their hamsters across the street. Yes! This is so illogical. Hamsters are not built to walk with you. They are not dogs! Hamsters are more fragile compared to dogs.
If you want your hamster to exercise, buy them some wheels. Or you can consider my idea above, which is to create a playroom for your pet hamster.
Never put harnesses on your hamster, even though some owners and Google suggest you do so. I have seen one article about how to put harnesses on your hamster.
These kinds of articles may be deceiving and may turn on your desire to put a harness on your pet hamster. Never listen to these articles. If you execute what these articles are saying, you will just hurt your hamster.
Why Harnesses Are Not Safe For Hamsters?
The reason why harnesses are not safe for hamsters is that they might feel irritated or choke if not properly attached. Harnesses can cause serious injury and even kill your hamster. That is why even though some websites tell you it is fine to use a harness for your pet hamster, never execute it. Never try to use any kind of harness or leash on your pet hamster.
If you want your hamster to roam around in a large area, don’t bring it outside and put a leash on it. Instead, create a specific playroom where your pet hamster can run. Your hamsters are not meant to be controlled but supervised.
Proper supervision is mandatory when your pet hamster is out of the cage. You are not meant to control their actions, you are supposed to be there to prevent anything bad from happening. It is all your responsibility! If you can’t supervise your pet hamster, never let them out of their cage!
Can I Take My Pet Hamster Outside?
It is good to take your pet hamster outside to get sunlight. However, since your pet hamster is a prey animal, your pet hamster may get stressed when you take them outside, exposed to all sights and sounds of the outdoors. Some hamsters may enjoy being exposed to fresh air and sunlight, but outdoor time for hamsters is not compulsory.
However, if you really desire to bring your pet hamster with you outside, you should only let them outside for 10-15 minutes. It is enough already. Also, make sure that it is early in the morning, not in the afternoon where sunlight is strong and very hot.
Your hamster thrives at indoor temperatures. That is why if your pet hamster is brought outside, it should not be exposed to extreme temperatures, either too hot or cold. If you expose your hamster to direct sunlight, it might become overheated, and if you expose it to freezing temperatures, your hamster can suffer frostbite.
Also, you should make sure that you don’t put harnesses on your pet hamsters when you bring them outside. Like I have mentioned above, harnesses are not safe for pet hamsters.
You should keep your hamster in a secure, locked cage and should never be left supervised because they might escape or get eaten by predators. These tiny rodents are adept at escaping. They can escape even in the safest enclosures.
So basically, bringing them outside the house is useless since they can’t run around your grass because they are still kept inside their cage. If your only reason why you bring your pet hamster outside is for it to get healthy sunlight, you can just put their cage near the window.
Whatever will be your decision, make sure that you don’t put harnesses on your pet hamsters and keep them away from dangers.
Do I Have To Take My Hamster Out Of The Cage Everyday?
Actually, it really depends on your preferences. If you are not busy, you can take them out of their cage to interact with them to build rapport between you and your pet hamster. However, it is not required to bring your hamster out of the cage every day.
In fact, your hamster is more glad to stay inside the cage and enjoy its alone time. It is not that essential to bring your hamster out of its cage. If you just want your hamster to play with you or wander around your house, it is fine to get them out of their cage.
However, when your hamster is out of the cage, make sure to never leave it unattended. Your hamster might wander to a dangerous place inside your house or find a way to escape.
How About Clothes? Can Hamsters Wear Clothes?
Hamsters don’t need clothes. They have fur just like other animals that serve as a way of regulating their body temperature and preventing them from getting too cold. Putting clothes on your pet hamster is dangerous! Even though there are lots of greedy advertisers showing hamster clothing, it is still not a great idea to put clothes on your hamster.
Final Thoughts
Harnesses are not safe for hamsters. They might get irritated, stressed, injured, and worse, die. If you plan to bring your hamster out of the house for sunlight, make sure that they are inside their cage and their cage is locked up properly to prevent them from escaping. You should not control every move your hamster does. Instead, you should supervise what they are doing and prevent bad things from happening. Never use hamster harnesses or leashes!
