When we think of drinking water the word “potable” readily leaps to mind. After all, the word literally means “suitable for drinking”. Tap water in your region may or may not be potable, but if it is, can your hamster also drink it?
Hamsters can drink tap water. Tap water is safe for hamsters, as long as it’s also safe for you and your family. That said, many hamster owners prefer to give their pets bottled or distilled water.
In this article, I’ll discuss whether or not hamsters need bottled water. I’ll also discuss the pros and cons of tap water, and how much water hamsters typically need. Finally, I’ll tell you how to check if your tap water is safe for hamster consumption.
Do Hamsters Need Bottled Water?
If your tap water is drinkable, then your hamster doesn’t need bottled water. Whether or not bottled water is safer or better for your hamster depends where it comes from, and how well the water treatment plant in your area does its job.
To make things easy, try to picture your hamster as royalty, and you as its humble “drink tester”. If the hamster sees you drink the water, it’s going to drink it, too.
Bottled Water Pros and Cons
The popularity of bottled water really took off around 1977 as a cleaner, safer alternative to tap water. Your hamster doesn’t know that stuff, but here are some things—good and bad—about bottled water that you should know for the sake of your furry friend:
Pros
- Some brands claim their water is sourced from artesian wells or springs (very clean).
- Bottled water is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
- Bottled water doesn’t contain trace amounts of chlorine or calcium (too much of which could be harmful to hamsters).
Cons
- Some bottled water manufacturers simply put regular tap water in the bottle (seriously).
- Bottled water may contain microplastics (particles of plastic less than 0.2 inches (0.5 cm) in diameter).
- Bottled water is more expensive than tap water.
Water treatment plants use chlorine to disinfect their water supply, which is certainly good. Too much of a good thing often becomes bad, especially if ingested by a small creature such as a hamster.
As for calcium—it’s excellent for human bone development, preventing blood clots, and overall muscle function. The same goes for how it affects hamsters, though because these rodents are so small, too much calcium does more harm than good.
Tap Water Pros and Cons
You didn’t think I would give tap water a free pass, right? Let’s look at the pros and cons of what comes out of your kitchen sink for the sake of our hamsters, if nothing else.
Pros
- Tap water is about 3,000% less expensive than bottled water, which can make a huge difference if you’re on a budget.
- Tap water doesn’t have you running back and forth to the store to buy more.
- Most public water systems do a very good job of filtering and disinfecting tap water.
Cons
- Your hamster drinks whatever kind of water comes out of the tap, which is something of a gamble.
- Tap water may contain too much calcium and/or chlorine for small animals to drink. Unfortunately, the only way to check this would be to use a water testing kit, which can be costly and time-consuming.
- Temporary public water system downtime leaves tap water unsafe to drink without boiling it first.
I should add here that tap water tastes almost identical to bottled water, so don’t worry about your hamster giving off a “cheap date” look every time it needs a drink. Hamsters don’t wet their whistles very often anyway, which is the subject of the following section.
How Much Water Do Hamsters Drink?
Being creatures of dry, arid climates, your little pet doesn’t need to hit the water bottle all that often. This generality aside, the amount of water a hamster drinks depends on the size of the hamster.
Your average little ball of fur consumes about 10 to 30 milliliters (0.34-1 oz) of water daily. To get a better picture, 30 milliliters (1 oz) adds up to just over 2 tablespoons (1 oz). Not very much at all, and if you’re lucky enough to live in an area where tap water is safe for humans to drink, then by all means, serve it to your hamster.
I’ve discussed how much water hamsters typically like to drink, but how much do they actually need? Well, that 10 to 30 milliliters (0.34-1 oz) is just fine. To avoid dehydration, hamsters need about 10 milliliters (0.34 oz) per 100 grams (3.5 oz) of their body weight every day. They take care of this need all on their own—trusting their owners, of course, to provide safe water.
How To Know if Your Tap Water Is Safe To Drink
Your hamster trusts you to provide food, drink, and shelter, and it’s your responsibility to ensure that they’re well-fed, watered, and rested. If you’ve decided to give your beloved pet tap water, how can you be sure it’s safe for something so small to drink?
Assuming you live in an area where tap water is usually safe to drink, there are a few other tests you can perform at home just to be sure.
Perform a Visual Check
Check to see if the water is cloudy or dirty. This one’s easy to do, and your hamster will thank you. Fill a glass, hold it up to the light, and give it an okay or pass. Cloudy or dark tap water is usually a no-no for consumption.
Do a Smell Test
Hamsters are generally odor-free, and your tap water should be, too. Any odd smells coming from a glass of tap water—bitter, sour, tangy—should be treated with caution. Abstain from serving it to people, hamsters, and any other pets in the house.
Hook Up a Water Filtration System
Water purifiers aren’t expensive and are pretty easy to install. They not only make tap water cleaner for you but for your hamster as well. Have look at this YouTube video that explains the installation process:
Check With Your Public Water System
Calling the water company for updates on issues is a good way to get peace of mind. The guy on the other end of the phone will be able to say right away whether or not the water for your street is safe to drink.
These same water companies are required by the EPA to provide yearly confidence reports to their customers. Hang onto these reports when you get them, and read them carefully. You’ve got a thirsty hamster to take care of.
Conclusion
It’s safe for hamsters to drink tap water, provided the water is cleaned and sterilized by a water treatment plant. If you live in Switzerland, congratulations: you’re in a country with the cleanest tap water in the world. Other countries with clean tap water include Norway, France, and Italy.
When in doubt over the safety of your hamster’s drinking water, check with the water company or, if you’re one of those people who just doesn’t like phone chats, go with bottled water. Now, why are you still reading this article when you could be playing with your hamster?