Hamster Central - View Single Post - Wondering if I'm correctly estimating how much bedding a Syrian hamster needs (100L)

blueanghora · 04-05-2021, 09:32 AM

In the US, if that matters. I really want to get a syrian hamster and have been trying to do research and calculate how much it will cost monthly and yearly. I was surprised to hear that they need 8-10 inches of bedding! First of all, I've really struggled to find a bin tall enough. The tallest I've found is 17". Is that really adequate if 10 inches of that is substrate?

Now onto the bedding issue...If the bottom of my bin is 30" x 22" with 8" of bedding, that would be 86 liters each week! The cheapest bedding is aspen shavings and the largest/cheapest size I've found it in is $0.12/liter. 4128 liters per year means $500/year on just bedding.

For food I've heard a mix of seed and lab blocks is good, plus some veggies and maybe an occasional mealworm? And I read they should eat 10g of food/day? Higgins Sunburst is $6/100g so that's not an issue. Is that an accurate estimate? That a 2.5 lb bag would last me 3 months? Lab blocks seem to be around the same price, I'm thinking of mixing the Higgins with Kaytee Forti-Diet Pro Health Mouse, Rat & Hamster Food.

And then of course I'll need toys and such and I know there may be surprise medical costs.

It seems crazy to me that food would be $50/year but bedding would be $500. I was hoping to spend less than $300 on bedding. Less is better. To be clear I'm NOT trying to cheap out on getting a hamster; if I can't afford to give one a good life then I won't get one. I'm just trying to see if I'm right about how much this will cost. Pine shavings are only $0.03/liter, but pine is toxic, right?

04-05-2021, 09:32 AM
blueanghora Newborn Pup Join Date: Apr 2021 Posts: 1	Wondering if I'm correctly estimating how much bedding a Syrian hamster needs (100L) In the US, if that matters. I really want to get a syrian hamster and have been trying to do research and calculate how much it will cost monthly and yearly. I was surprised to hear that they need 8-10 inches of bedding! First of all, I've really struggled to find a bin tall enough. The tallest I've found is 17". Is that really adequate if 10 inches of that is substrate? Now onto the bedding issue...If the bottom of my bin is 30" x 22" with 8" of bedding, that would be 86 liters each week! The cheapest bedding is aspen shavings and the largest/cheapest size I've found it in is $0.12/liter. 4128 liters per year means $500/year on just bedding. For food I've heard a mix of seed and lab blocks is good, plus some veggies and maybe an occasional mealworm? And I read they should eat 10g of food/day? Higgins Sunburst is $6/100g so that's not an issue. Is that an accurate estimate? That a 2.5 lb bag would last me 3 months? Lab blocks seem to be around the same price, I'm thinking of mixing the Higgins with Kaytee Forti-Diet Pro Health Mouse, Rat & Hamster Food. And then of course I'll need toys and such and I know there may be surprise medical costs. It seems crazy to me that food would be $50/year but bedding would be $500. I was hoping to spend less than $300 on bedding. Less is better. To be clear I'm NOT trying to cheap out on getting a hamster; if I can't afford to give one a good life then I won't get one. I'm just trying to see if I'm right about how much this will cost. Pine shavings are only $0.03/liter, but pine is toxic, right?