Any items you use as agility equipment for your hamster needs to be stable enough for the animal's weight and have no sharp edges. The pieces of equipment need to be the right size too. Some Rat or Rattie Agility pieces of equipment may work for your full sized hamster but for the most part these items or pieces will be too large. You may be able to use a couple of items a mouse would use for agility for your full sized hamster, but most of these items will be too small. Just like Goldie Locks, your hamster needs the right sized pieces of agility equipment.

You can buy items already made up or make some yourself.

Items as simple as a empty cardboard paper towel roll can become an Open Tunnel or a Sea Saw Tunnel.

Most hamsters, like guinea pigs do not do much jumping...it is more about climbing. So it is very important that the equipment will hold their weight in a stable manner.

Hamsters can and do walk Balance Beams, but keep the piece lower to the ground then you would for, say a rat, as the Hamster does not have the long tail for balance. Make sure the Balance Beam also has a wide platform for the hamster to walk down.

FENCE JUMP
The Fence Jump is a staple in all animal agility equipment. All animal agility started as an off shoot of Horse Steeple Chase, or Horse Show Jumping. Horses compete jumping over jumps that are made to look like fancy fences in a timed event.

This is also why many people call agility "showjumping" or Show Jumping" and each piece of equipment "fences".

Fence Jumps are where you are most likely to see the fanciest jumps too. In the horse world they make these very fancy and the trend has held for the smaller animals too.


TIRE JUMP
This jump is made with a small dog toy tire tire and frame. It is one of the cutest pieces (in my opinion). It must have a stable frame to hold the gerbils weight should the gerbil climb through this piece, in training, rather then jumping through it.

The rope on top of this jump will be cut when I am sure just where I want the tire to hang.


BAR JUMPS
Bar Jumps can come in many shapes and sizes. The important thing is that they stable and set for a fair height. Hamsters will not jump over the jumps like a gerbil or a rat will so you will need to keep the bars a bit lower for them.

The Bar Jumps should also be the right size for the animal. In other words, you would not want to use a set of Bar Jumps for your Gerbil or Hamster that were made for a Rabbit. A Dwarf Hamster might need smaller Bar Jumps then a Gerbil would. Certainly a Dwarf Hamster would need smaller equipment then a rat.

Bar Jumps are made so that the bars are adjustable. Each side of the jump must match the other so that the adjustments are even when set up.

These Bar Jumps (for any agility species) are usually where you see the Agility Art, if you will, on the Agility Course. Bar Jumps are often times wood cut out shapes and painted in detail. Many times the bars themselves are part of the art.


STATIONARY BAR JUMPS
Stationary Bar Jumps are made basically like a Bar Jump, but the bars are glued to the jump itself. They are not adjustable.

This Bar Jump is made with colored Popsicles Sticks and is stationary enough to support a gerbil, hamster, mouse, or young/baby rat.

Most hamsters (and mice) climb the jumps rather then jumping over them while running an agility course.


OTHER TYPES OF STATIONARY BAR JUMPS
This is a fun little jump. It is made out of wooden blocks. It stands about 2" tall and is approx 3" wide. This type jumps could be laid out in a row for the hamster to jump, one after another. You could also spell out messages or your pet's name with the blocks.


WIRE "A" FRAME
For this Wire A Frame you may want to use a smaller sizing in the webbing of the wire. I like the larger wire as it teaches the smaller animals to reach (LOL once you teach them not to go through the wire and hang upside down)

These are two I use (photos coming soon). The first is approx 8" x 5" and is bent over at the first "squares" of the wire. I have found this size to be great for teaching the young ratties for the first time on a Wire A Frame.

The second is approx. 8" x 8" and is also folded at the first "squares". Both of these I have painted red with spray paint.


"A" FRAME
An "A" Frame is a "walk", if you will, that from the end is shaped like a capital letter A. It has some sort of planks, slats, or steps for the animal to climb up one side and down the other.

This piece is usually a favorite with animals....dog, cats, rats, mice, most animals really enjoy scaling the "A" Frame.


OPEN TUNNEL
For an Open Tunnel for a young (small) rat or a Hamster or Gerbil, 2" PVC pipe works well. It is light weight, easy to clean and can be painted or decorated if you desire.

Or you can use a fabric Open Tunnel. This one is a McDonald's Restaurant fabric print with purple polar fleece lining. It is approx.5 1/2" long with a 2 1/4" opening. It is machine or hand washable and I can let it air dry.

Toilet Paper rolls can be decorated and used, just watch for pee spots and start with a new one as needed.


CLOSED TUNNEL
The Closed Tunnel should have one end open and a drape in the "fabric" with a closed end.

This one I use for my hamster and gerbil. It is approx 10 1/2" long with a 2 1/2" opening. It is made with polar fleece that is washable.


TEETER TOTTER
A Teeter Totter is a smaller teeter Sea Saw. The Teeter Totter should be taught to your hamster long before teaching the Sea Saw.

A Teeter Totter should be approx 2" x 12" - 18". The pivot or teeter should not be any taller then 1 1/2" tall. 1" would be highly recommended.

Everyone loves to see the animals enjoying the Teeter Totter and the Sea Saw. There is a lot you can do to decorate the piece to make it fancy. Decorating however is not near as important as keeping it clean, so a coat or two of paint is necessary.


PAUSE TABLE


Source from hamsteragility.com