Before getting your hamster, wash the cage with a few drops of mild disinfectant in water. Rinse amd dry it well.

Cover the cage floor with a deep layer of sawdust and throw in a small heap of nesting material - hay, white paper, cotton material, and cardboard. Put a little in the nesting box to encourage your hamster to make its nest there.

Lastly, put some food in the cage and set up the drip-feed water bottle. Put in the gnawing wood, the exercise wheel and perhaps a cardboard roller for your hamster to play in.

When you reach home, settle your hamster into its cage as soon as possible.

It is not wise to play with your hamster right away. The journey could have been stressful for it, so leave it alone and quiet to explore its new home.

Source: Taking Care of Your Hamster by Helen Piers.