The main costs of keeping a hamster include the initial one-off costs of buying the hamster itself and the necessary equipment, which comprises a cage, food dish, water bottle and toys, followed by the recurring costs of bedding, food, and chew toys. You may also want to buy treats for your hamster to eat, while vitamin supplements will be necessary if your hamster is a fussy eater in order to give it a balanced diet.
These costs are summarised below:
Hamster
Usually around $10 – $20 depending on the type of hamster and where you buy from.
Cage, Food Dish and Water Bottle
$20 – $200 depending on the size and quality of the cage.
Toys
$10 – $30.
Bedding
$4 – $8 per month.
Food
$5 – $10 per month.
Chew Toys
$2 – $5 per month.
Treats
$2 – $5 per month.
Vitamin Supplements
About $5 per month.
Other Expenses
In addition, other expenses can potentially include replacement equipment, medication, veterinary treatment and flea treatment. Therefore you may want to factor in around $50 to $100 per annum when working out the overall cost of a hamster.