Best online shops?

[Tibbinova]

I live in South Carolina, USA. I'm trying to find some good online shops that have affordable shipping rates to USA. It sucks. Petco and Petsmart really do not have a lot to choose from for Syrian hamsters. I like https://www.viovet.co.uk/. But the shipping is not that great. I'm hoping someone has a flat rate with good hamster products.

Thanks, Tibbinoa

[Pebbles82]

It depends what kind of things you want to buy. If it’s toys and tunnels etc most sold are pretty rubbish and not that suitable. Amazon is probably the best place for those as well as substrate. I think they sell Kaytee clean and cozy. Walmart sells Boxo I think (bulk paper substrate). Pringles tubes make good tunnels

[Tibbinova]

I want chews and toys. Boredom breakers.

[AmityvilleHams]

Small Pet Select sell one of the highest quality substrates(their paper substrate which is pure virgin fiber and dye free).

For treats, you could easily just stick with safe fresh veg and such from the grocery store. With nuts and human foods as treats you do need to stick to things that don't have added ingredients - so no salt, added oils, etc.

https://nuts.com/nuts/almonds/raw-in-shell/1lb.html

Nuts.com does sometimes have decent potential treats but you do need to be careful of ingredients and such as mentioned. Those almonds in shell are a great example, and the shell being left on gives hamsters something to chew through for enrichment and tooth maintenance purposes.

https://www.farmerdavepetsupply.com/

That link offers organic USA grown apple wood for chewing, and while I wouldn't necessarily recommend everything they sell the apple wood is a great idea.

One chew that always goes down well with hamsters would be Whimzees. The only precaution with those would be making sure not to get the veggie sausage type Whimzees as they contain clove but the toothbrushes, alligators, hedgehogs, etc are all excellent choices!

[Pebbles82]

I second whimzees- the mini toothbrushes- you can stick sunflower seeds between the bristles and they have fun getting them out.

For treats, natural things are best - eh pumpkin seeds - the occasional half a walnut or pecan or cashew nut. Or human grade monkey nut (peanuts in shells).

I give a very small bit of fresh veg each day, their hamster mix and one extra. Boredom breakers are a bit of a misnoma as they don’t exactly relieve boredom as they don’t take much notice of them - but they can fill up a cage floor to make it have more variety and not too much open space.

My experience of what they get most pleasure from is a big house/nesting box, lots of substrate and nesting material, their wheel of course, tunnels and hidey places (eg a coconut hut or tissue box hide) and a shelf or platform - it gives them somewhere to go and a good place for heavier items (which can get tunnelled under and fall on them otherwise). I have a hyacinth ball, a hanging thing - both get ignored but they like things to stay the same and don’t like it if they’re taken away as they become part of the furniture.

Another good thing is a cork log - something to climb over and run through and interesting texture.

If you do find some toys etc to buy, come on here as some are too small or dangerous.