Hammocks and hanging bridges for hamsters: low, sturdy and safe

Hamsters are diggers first and foremost. They prefer to live on and under the ground, in tunnels they make themselves. Still, many hamsters also like to climb up a little way. A low hanging bridge, a platform or a soft hanging basket makes the enclosure more varied and gives your hamster an extra spot to explore or have a short rest. See it as a fun addition, not as the foundation of the enclosure.

In this category you will find hanging bridges made of bark wood and wood, platforms to hang up, a ladder, coconut houses with a hanging bridge between them, and soft hammocks and hanging baskets. The foundation remains a thick layer of bedding in which your hamster can dig and onto which it lands softly if it falls. For that we use bedding from Zooply, our own brand.

In short

• ✓ Hang everything low: hamsters are poor at judging height and fall easily.
• ✓ Provide a thick layer of bedding under every hanging bridge and hammock.
• ✓ A hanging bridge is never the only route; your hamster must also be able to get everywhere via the floor.
• ✓ Regularly check fabric and rope for loose threads and fraying.
• ✓ Wash soft hammocks regularly and replace damaged ones.

What will you find in the Hammocks & Hanging bridges category?

Hanging bridges made of bark wood and wood

The Trixie hanging bridge with chain is made of bark wood and measures 27 × 17 × 7 cm. The flexible bark wood hanging bridge is 61 cm long and 8 cm wide, and you can hang it straight or in an arch. The wooden hanging bridge with rope ladder (35 × 15 × 15 cm) and the hanging bridge with rope ladder and toy (29 × 25 × 9 cm) combine a bridge with a climbing section. These bridges connect two spots in the enclosure, for example a platform with a house. Hang them as flat and as low as possible, so your hamster can walk across them easily.

Platforms and ladder

The Trixie bark wood platforms come in 17 × 17 cm and 28 × 28 cm. You hang them on the bars or the wall as a small extra level. A platform is a nice spot for a sand bath or as a lookout post. The bark wood ladder (55 × 7 cm) leads up to a platform. Don't set the ladder too steep, so your hamster has a good grip on it.

Coconut houses with hanging bridge

Two real coconuts, connected by a hanging bridge, with a total length of about 100 cm. This Trixie climbing toy is made for hamsters, mice and gerbils. The coconuts are hideaways, and the bridge between them is a route. Hang the whole thing low and above a thick layer of bedding.

Soft hammocks and hanging baskets

Flamingo makes soft hanging products from padded textile with a plush interior, especially for Syrian hamsters and dwarf hamsters: the Clavio hanging basket (10 × 10 × 10 cm), the Clavio hanging pouch (12 × 15 × 2 cm) and the Clavio hammock (27 × 27 × 2 cm). They are attached to the cage with clips and can be hand-washed. The Trixie Sunny hammock (ø 12 × 17 cm) is a small, washable hammock for rodents. Some hamsters love to sleep in them, others hardly use them and prefer to stay underground.

Is a hammock really suitable for a hamster?

That varies per hamster. A hamster is not a climber like a rat. It has short legs, has poor depth perception and easily falls off a ledge. Still, many hamsters are curious and like to climb up a little way if it is safe. A low-hanging basket or a platform with a gentle ladder is then often used. Other hamsters prefer to stay down below, in their tunnels and houses. That is just as normal.

So offer a hammock or hanging bridge as an extra, and see how your hamster responds. If it doesn't use it, that is no problem. As long as it has enough room to dig, run and hide, it isn't missing out on anything.

Hanging them safely

Hang hammocks, bridges and platforms low. A fall from a great height onto a hard surface can injure a hamster. The lower, the better, and always above a thick layer of bedding. Don't place them above the running wheel, the sand bath or a hard food bowl, where your hamster could fall onto.

Make sure everything is firmly attached. A bridge that wobbles or a hammock that hangs crooked makes your hamster feel insecure. After hanging, check that it can't get trapped anywhere between the fixing and the bars, or between the links of a chain. A hanging bridge should never be the only route to a hideaway: your hamster must always be able to reach its house via the floor as well.

Don't hang anything so close to the lid or the top of the enclosure that it becomes a stepping stone to the outside. Hamsters are skilled escape artists.

Fabric, rope and gnawing

Hamsters gnaw on everything, including fabric and rope. With soft hammocks and baskets, this can mean that threads come loose. Long loose threads can wrap around a little leg and cut off the circulation. So check soft products regularly. If you see fraying, loose threads or holes, remove the item. The same applies to rope ladders and rope fixings.

Bridges and platforms made of bark wood and wood may be gnawed on. The wood is untreated and keeps your hamster busy. Replace them when they are so damaged that they are no longer sturdy or have sharp edges. Also provide gnawing wood, so your hamster mainly gnaws on that.

Young and older hamsters

Young hamsters are often curious and climb on everything, but are still clumsy. Keep bridges and platforms extra low for them. Older hamsters become stiffer and sometimes don't see as well. If you notice your hamster struggling to climb or slipping more often, hang everything lower or remove the highest parts. Above all, give an older hamster plenty of hideaways and soft resting spots on the floor, with easily accessible food and water.

Keeping them clean

Soft hammocks and baskets absorb odour and moisture. Wash them regularly according to the washing instructions, by hand for the Clavio products, without strongly scented detergent. Rinse well and let them dry completely before hanging them back up. A second one is handy, so there is always a clean basket ready. Brush bridges and platforms made of wood and bark clean. If they have become wet or smell musty, it is better to replace them.

Useful combinations

Hanging bridges and hammocks complete an enclosure, but only with a good foundation underneath:

• Bedding: a thick layer of Zooply bedding to dig in and land softly on.
• Houses: hideaways on the floor that can always be reached without a bridge too.
• Hamster scaping: cork, roots and branches as natural climbing spots close to the floor.
• Gnawing wood: Zooply apple branches and dandelion roots, so your hamster gnaws less on bridges and rope.
• Cages: enclosures with enough room for a platform without reducing the digging area.

Frequently asked questions about hammocks and hanging bridges for hamsters

How high can I hang a hammock for my hamster?

As low as possible. Hamsters are poor at judging how high something is and fall easily. So hang a hammock or bridge only a short distance above the bedding, and make sure that layer is thick and soft. That way a fall remains harmless. Don't hang anything above hard objects such as the running wheel or the food bowl.

My hamster doesn't use the hammock. Is that a problem?

No. Many hamsters prefer to sleep in a nest under the bedding or in a house. A hammock is an extra that some hamsters enjoy and others ignore. You could put a little nesting material in it or hang it in a quieter spot, but don't force anything. As long as your hamster has enough hideaways on the floor, there is nothing to worry about.

Are soft hammocks safe for hamsters?

Yes, as long as you keep an eye on them. The risk lies in loose threads that appear when your hamster gnaws on the fabric. These can wrap around little legs. So check the hammock regularly and remove it as soon as you see fraying or holes. Also wash it regularly, so no moisture and odour linger in it.

Can a dwarf hamster walk across a hanging bridge?

Yes, dwarf hamsters are light and nimble and often walk across a bridge without any trouble. Do pay attention to the gaps between the slats: they must be small enough that no little foot can get caught between them. Hang the bridge flat and low, and make sure there is a thick layer of bedding underneath it. A flexible bridge in a low arch often works well for dwarf hamsters.

Where is the best place to hang a platform?

In a quiet spot, low in the enclosure, with a ladder or bridge leading to it that isn't too steep. A platform is handy for a sand bath or as an extra resting spot. Don't hang it directly above the nest or the running wheel, and not so high that your hamster can reach the top edge of the enclosure via the platform.

Hammocks and hanging bridges at Knaagplaza

At Knaagplaza, the webshop of 't Knaagplein, you will find hanging bridges, platforms and soft hammocks to make the hamster enclosure more varied. Hang them low and combine them with a thick layer of Zooply bedding, our own premium brand that we use every day for our own animals in the shop and at our breeding facility. That way your hamster can climb safely and digging remains the foundation.