Looking to add a bit of enrichment into your hamster’s cage or considering padding out their home with a bit of comfy toilet roll? Then knowing how they treat toilet paper, the rolls, and the uses they might have for them is important. Making your hamster comfy doesn’t have to cost a lot of time or money – and you could have the right tools at home to add a special treat to your hamster’s cage.
Can I give my hamster a toilet paper roll?
Yes, you can give your hamster toilet paper rolls as a quick and easy toy and enrichment activity. Keeping your hamster entertained isn’t always easy, but using what you already have in the house can be a great way to interact with them and add a bit of fun to their enclosure.
Are kitchen roll tubes safe for hamsters?
Yes, kitchen roll tubes are also safe for hamsters as they are very much the same as toilet paper rolls. They can even be great toys and enrichment tools for your hamster and act as tunnels and tubes for smaller hamsters if the tubes are large enough.
However, too much toilet paper or even scented brands can cause your hamster to have an upset stomach – making sure you’re checking with a vet if you’re worried is the most important thing to do.
Uses for toilet paper rolls in hamster cages
Hamsters can use toilet paper rolls for many different things in their cages. Not only can toilet paper rolls be made into safe and free toys for hamsters, but they can also be a great enrichment tool that hamsters like to chew on or destroy. As toilet paper and toilet paper rolls are safe for hamsters, there is no worry about your pet having any problems with toilet paper tubes in their cages.
Some hamsters will also use toilet paper tubes as toilets – making it an easier clean-up process for you if your hamster chooses to do so.
You can also use a toilet paper roll as a makeshift bottle holder if your cage attachment breaks. Simply cut a hole midway through your toilet paper roll and feed the mouthpiece of the bottle through the hole. This should be able to hold the water upright until you get a replacement holder.
Can I use toilet paper for hamster bedding?
You can use toilet paper for hamster bedding, as well as kitchen paper, and newspapers. Hamsters don’t eat these materials, and toilet paper is non-toxic to hamsters, meaning that it can be a great, insulating, material for them to bury themselves in.
You can make hamster bedding from toilet paper by ripping it up into small strips and lying it in their cage.
Toilet paper roll toys you can make for your hamsters
You can even do some DIY with your toilet paper rolls to make some great toys for your hamster, for free.
Treat ball
Simply flatten your toilet paper roll and cut thin strips widthways. These should create small loops. Feed the loops together by feeding one through the other. Continue this until they’re all interlinked and create a small ball. Push one edge to the side and slip some treats inside before closing it back up and giving it to your hamster.
Treat tube
Start with one toilet paper roll. Cut small dashes into the side of the tub, large enough to snuggly fit sunflower seeds or whatever your hamster’s preferred treat is. Feed these treats into the slashes, making sure they’re sticking out slightly from the holes, then give it to your hamster.
Spiral tube
Starting at one end of the toilet paper roll, start cutting the toilet paper on a diagonal slant, rotating the toilet paper roll, until you have one long cardboard spiral. This is a great toy for your hamster to run in and out of.
Toilet paper seesaw
Start by joining one and a half toilet paper tolls together, making one long toilet paper roll – you can even use a kitchen roll tube if it is wide enough for your hamster. Cut another toilet paper roll in half and attach this to the bottom of your other tubes, gluing the surface side of the toilet rolls, rather than the hole edge.
To find some more DIY activities for your toilet paper rolls, see our blog for some free inspiration.
