How to travel with a hamster

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Wondering how to travel with a hamster or other pet? Learn from someone who has. After all, why should dogs (and cats) have all the fun adventures?

Hamster sitting in a cage - Traveling with hamsters

We talk a lot here about traveling with dogs… mainly because that’s all we know! But people travel with all kinds of pets – including cats, birds, rabbits, reptiles, guinea pigs, ferrets and hamsters. Since we have no idea what a trip with other types of pets is like, we’re happy to bring you this post from Emmy Scammahorn who went on a long road trip with her hamster.

Traveling with a hamster

When I found out I was going to be traveling from Washington, DC, to the southwest for six weeks, I wanted to take my hamster, Maggie, who, despite her name, is a boy.

But travel can be very stressful for hamsters. How would he get out of it? To test the waters, we took a “test trip” over the weekend and Maggie was not bothered by riding around in a car or being in new surroundings. We were ready to go!

So Maggie and I set off on an adventure, flying from Washington, DC, to Arizona, then driving through the Southwest.

Emmy and Maggie

Fly with a hamster

Frontier Airlines is the only commercial airline to welcome hamsters to fly in the cabin. I booked our flight when Maggie was asleep, which was easy because hamsters are nocturnal. And I chose a backstage seat, so it was quieter.

Frontier’s Traveling with Pets page provides all the details for planning your flight except one… you’ll need to take your hammie out of its cage and carry it through the scanner to security.

LEARN MORE ⇒ US Airline Pet Policies

Hamster sitting in a person's hand eating lettuce

A traveler hamster needs the right carrier

To carry Maggie on the plane and in the car, I purchased a small travel carrier (affiliate link) – about 12″ x 8″ x 7″ tall at its peak. Hamsters love to dig, so to make him comfortable and entertained, I scattered a generous amount of food, seed mix and dry treats on the floor of the carrier.

Along with food and snacks, I placed a mix of used and fresh bedding and his hut. I carried this little cage in a lightweight, lightly ventilated tote bag, and on the plane I kept the carrier in the tote to minimize drafts. Keeping your hamster hydrated is a major concern, so I offered Maggie water, fruits, and vegetables periodically throughout the trip.

Instead of packing food and bedding, I bought these things from a pet store when we got to our destination and donated the leftovers to an animal shelter before heading home.

Where’s Maggie? Sound asleep under his house in the travel cage.

Traveling with a hamster by car

In the car, Maggie mounted a shotgun in the small travel carrier (affiliate link), strapped in with the seatbelt. I kept the windows open so he didn’t get drafts, the radio turned off so it was quiet so he could sleep, and periodically gave him fruit or vegetables from the cooler. .

When I stopped to eat or shop, I brought the carrier—stored inside the tote bag—with me, so it wasn’t left alone in the car.

LEARN MORE ⇒ Is it illegal to leave your pet alone in the car?

Little girl in the yard with a hamster in her hands - Traveling with hamsters

Make your hamster comfortable in a hotel

Because a low price and unique experience was important to me on this trip, Maggie and I stayed primarily in vacation rentals and bed and breakfasts. But I’ve also found pet-friendly hotel chains like Motel 6 to be good options…but be sure to check reviews before booking. I was lucky – no one charged a pet fee for Maggie!

LEARN MORE ⇒ Pet policies for all US hotel chains

For our overnight stays, I also packed a larger cage (affiliate link) which, when folded up, easily fits in my 30″ suitcase. This was handy, as it gave Maggie more room to move around.

When we arrived at each new destination, I climbed the large cage (affiliate link) and, without waking Maggie, placed the small basket inside. Then I set up his water bottle, food bowl, and exercise wheel.

Most of the space in the large cage was for exercise – the small carrier was where Maggie slept. During the day, if he was waiting for me at the hotel, I’d drape a towel over the whole thing to keep out the noise and drafts!

At home, I let Maggie run around a bit every night, but it’s not safe for your hamster to be let loose in a hotel. A small animal exercise ball (affiliate link) is a much safer way for your hamster to explore its new surroundings. And for ultimate security, use a piece of tape to hold the ball lid closed until your hammie is ready to return to its cage.

Maggie at motel 6

Keep your hamster fed and happy during the trip

The small town grocery stores we visited didn’t have salad bars, so to get a variety of fruits and veggies each day, I ordered salads from restaurants, asked for “leftovers” from food vendors. grocery store or bought packaged salads. I chose hotel rooms with a fridge and we stayed at least two nights in each town so Maggie could rest.

At night, when he was most active, he ran on his wheel, circled hotel rooms in his exercise ball, or played with the trash I had turned into treasures to amuse him.

Maggie in Tunnel

Should you travel with a hamster

Maggie was my companion through a landscape of new places and new people… my one constant. With him, I did not feel alone. He showed no signs of stress: he ate, slept and exercised as usual. Still, I questioned my decision. Should I bring it?

In Sedona, Arizona, I shared my concerns with an extraordinarily intuitive friend. She tilted her head, as if listening to something far away. “The trip was a little uncomfortable,” she said, “but your hamster is fine. He just wants to be with you.

My heart sang. Being together…that’s all our pets really want.

Emmy Scammahorn is an animal energy healer who lives in New Mexico. She and Maggie wrote a journal about their adventure in the Southwest.

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