Hamsters are curious, playful animals that make great pets for every owner. But although hamsters are pretty undemanding, you need to be careful about the choice of their cage. Their new home will affect their health and overall comfort and happiness.
The best hamster cages are easy to clean, have good security and provide good ventilation. The cage should also offer ample space for a nesting box and food storage while giving the hamster enough room to explore freely. The bigger the cage, the happier the hamster.
In this article, I will tell you all you need to know about hamster cages. I will explain which materials are used the most and their advantages and disadvantages. In addition, I will show you how the size of the cage affects your pet and why it is important to give them as much space as possible to freely explore and play.
Pick the Right Cage by Choosing the Best Material
Hamster cages are usually made from mesh wire, plastic, glass, or wood, with the most common choice being a wire mesh cage or a glass tank. Here is more about these cages—the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Wire Cage
Cages made from wire are great for easy cleaning and offer good ventilation. However, they can be a choice that leads to a lot of mess, as the hamster can kick the bedding out through the wire. Since hamsters are great chewing machines, they can also misalign or break their teeth while chewing on metal wires.
To prevent this from happening, give your hamster something else to chew on. Hard shell nuts or hard doggy treats will do the trick. If you choose to provide them with something wooden to chew on, avoid pine and cedar as they are harmful to hamsters.
If you want to avoid vacuuming the bedding every day but are set on a wire cage, I recommend this Favola Hamster Cage with a plastic bottom from Amazon.
This spacious two-floor cage has an easy-access ramp, water bowl, exercise wheel, food dish, and a hideout. It measures 23.6 x 14.4 x 11.8 inches (60 x 36.5 x 30 cm) with a 340 square inch (2194 square cm) base and a 0.25 inch (0.6 cm) width between the wires.
Favola Large Hamster Cage Includes Free Water Bottle, Exercise Wheel, Food Dish & Hamster Hide-Out Measures 23.6L x 14.4W x 11.8H-Inches & Includes 1-Year Manufacturer's Warranty
5 used from $42.00
Plastic Cage
Plastic cages are colorful, often with lots of tunnels and platforms, and since they have no bars, there is no bedding-strewn-all-around-the-floor problem. They are also a chew-proof, lighter, and mess-free option when transporting your hamster to another location. Plastic cages, however, have terrible ventilation and can be awkward to clean.
Glass Tank
Glass tanks allow you to have a clear view of your hamster, enjoy watching it play and explore, and keep it safe from other animals and little kids that don’t know how to handle animals yet.
However, they are poorly ventilated and tend to get hot quickly. They prevent any foul odors from spreading around the house but can lead to ammonia buildup and cause respiratory problems for your hamster.
Wooden Cage
A wooden cage is the most natural and eco-friendly option for your hamster. Combined with acrylic or glass fronts with holes, it has good ventilation, keeps your house clean, and looks elegant.
The only downside of a wooden cage is that wood absorbs moisture, so it’s harder to clean than the rest. However, this has an easy fix: add a plastic tray at the bottom and put the bedding on top.
Try this MEWOOFUN Wooden Hamster Cage from Amazon – a 39.4 x 19.7 x 19.7 inch (100 x 50 x 50 cm) enclosure with holes on both sides and on top that provide excellent ventilation. It also has a front opening with a latch that allows for easier feeding and cleaning. This cage will fit well in any home with its elegant and modern look.
MEWOOFUN Large Wooden Hamster Cage for Syrian Hamster (39.4" L X 19.7" WX 19.7”H) Acrylic Hamster Cage Without Accessories (Front-Opening)
How Does the Size of the Cage Affect Your Hamster
When buying a cage for your hamster, remember that the bigger, the better. Hamster Society Singapore says that smaller hamsters require a minimum of 434 square inches (2800 square cm) of unbroken space, while bigger hamsters need a minimum of 620 square inches (4000 square cm).
The cage should also be high enough for 6 to 10 inches of bedding and a hamster wheel, 12 inches (30 cm) high for bigger and 8 inches (20 cm) for smaller hamsters.
Studies have shown that hamsters kept in smaller cages had a higher body temperature than the ones in cages with bigger surfaces. This means that the hamsters in larger cages had lower stress levels, while the ones in smaller cages suffered from high chronic stress.