You can keep hamsters in your fish tank if you have a tank and enough room for him or her.
However, your hamster’s behavior is crucial to manage if you want to have a successful aquarium. So, can you keep a hamster in a fish tank?
Hamsters and goldfish are very similar. They both like to nibble on food, swim around, and have their space.
However, keeping hamsters and goldfish in the same fish tank won’t work. Hamsters and goldfish have different eating habits and needs.
A fish tank is not big enough for a hamster and goldfish to coexist peacefully. Hamsters like to nibble on food and nip at things, so they need more space than a goldfish does.
Hamsters also need to be kept warm, so a fish tank is no place for a house pet hamster. However, goldfish are peaceful creatures that don’t need a lot of space to live happily in a fish tank.
So, if you’re considering buying hamsters and goldfish as pets, don’t put them together in a fish tank.
Can You Keep a Hamster in a Fish Tank?
Contents
Hamsters are adorable little animals.
However, many people don’t know whether hamsters can live with other fish in the tank. The answer is yes – hamsters can live with other fish in the tank.
However, you should only keep fish in the tank if you intend to breed them. Keep in mind that hamsters and goldfish don’t live well together.
They also don’t live well with other fish that are bigger than them, such as clownfish and goldfish. Furthermore, hamsters and guppies don’t live well together.
So, if you’re considering keeping hamsters and guppies in the tank together, you should think again. Hamsters can live with other fish in the tank, but it’s important to select compatible species.
The Advantages of Using Fish Tanks as Hamster Cages
Cleanliness
Hamsters like burrowing in dirt, making clean-up after them.
When they do, most owners report that their tanks smell bad after a few days of neglect.
That gunk can go all over your floor and attract insects and other pests into your home.
So you must not only clean the tank but also wash the bedding regularly to keep any unwanted visitors away.
Safety
The aquarium hamster housing keeps pets away from young children who may try to grab them out of curiosity.
For starters, your hamster will find it safer to hide from the prying eyes of children than in a cage on the floor where toddlers can approach it easily.
Hamsters can climb around the wires in aquariums, but they are safe from toddlers this way as well.
Worse, they may get injured or die from swallowing small items when left loose in the house or in cages on the ground where kids can easily reach them.
The aquarium reduces escapes and probable injuries that may happen when your toddler tries to play with your hamster unsupervised.
Visibility
Because aquariums are glass or plastic on all surfaces except the bottom, it is easier to see what’s going on inside the tank without opening the doors.
You can see it running in its wheel or jumping from one branch to another while cleaning its cage bottom.
When they burrow deep into their bedding, you can see when they dig down too deep and their nose pokes out through the top of their bedding.
How to Turn a Fish Tank into a Hamster Cage
Include a Mesh Top
Most fish tanks have a mesh top to provide enough air supply to the aquatic animals inside while keeping out large predators such as cats and raccoons.
Avoid using a plastic top, and ensure that the mesh is wide enough to let sunlight pass through for illumination during the day.
Using it would very certainly make the cage more ideal for a hamster than a fish one.
Empty the Tank
Cleaning the fish tank is simpler when you empty it completely.
If the tank is utilized, a thorough cleaning may be next to impossible.
For difficult stains, a tablespoon of bleach per gallon of water will help dissolve any residue and kill germs in the substrate that remained after cleaning the tank with water alone.
Allow the mixture to settle on the substrate for at least 15 minutes then rinse with clean water.
Other Important Elements
Cover the bottom of the entire tank with a thick layer of newspaper or paper towels before placing your hamster inside.
Hamsters need bedding in cages for burrowing and hiding, so adding a thick layer on top of the paper will make an ideal environment for them.
Hamsters also need exercise wheels, so add a wire one to your fish aquarium if it was not there already.
Make sure you pick them a hefty size that fits snugly into the narrow space of the fish tank and is large enough for the pet to run around on freely.
Also Read: What Hamster Lives The Longest?
Conclusion
Hamsters need a safe environment that keeps them away from children’s hands.
Many hamster owners keep their pets in aquariums to keep themselves and their children safe as well as provide a better habitat for the hamsters.
Both tanks and cages have advantages and disadvantages over the other, but a combination of the two gives you the best of both worlds for your pet.
If you opt to put your hamster in this kind of setup, don’t forget to always supervise your pet to prevent accidents.
Keep in mind that these tanks should ideally be cleaned out weekly to keep the environment clean for your little friend.
A fish tank, on the other hand, needs regular maintenance and cleaning as well, especially when used for hamsters.
