Tips for Choosing the Right Hamster Cage

If you are shopping for a hamster cage, the number of options available can be intimidating. Sometimes, especially for a person who has not owned a hamster before, it can be hard to tell which options matter and which options don't. So what things are important to consider when buying a cage for your hamster? Though it is hard to choose a bad cage, there are some strategies you can follow to get the most value, and keep your hamster in the best health.

Space

Hamsters are small, but they need their space. Unlike many other rodents, they are very territorial, and cannot be kept more than one to a cage safely. Multiple hamsters kept together will fight, and injure or kill each other. For this reason, if you plan on taking care of multiple pet hamsters, you should buy separate small cages and plan on keeping them apart, rather than one large cage for them to share.

Hamsters do not need a great deal of space, but they do need a minimum amount of space. About 1 foot by 2 feet of floor space is plenty. A cage with multiple levels is ideal, as it gives your hamster more to do.

Security

Obviously, you want a cage that will actually contain your hamster in a reliable manner, no matter what happens. Hamsters are notorious for being great escape artists, so a secure cage is vital, unless you want to find a hamster living under your couch in a nest made of shredded documents.

You should check all doors, flaps, and intentional entrances and exits to the cage to make sure they are secure. You should also make sure that all connections in the cage are tight, including attachments between walls, the floor to the walls, and any extras such as tubes.

If there are gaps between the bars of the cage greater than 1/2 inch, most hamsters will eventually jam their heads through and wiggle out.

Additionally, if there are any bars that can be forced apart, a hamster will eventually do so, so check all of them. Unreinforced corners are vulnerable to this.

If you build your own cage, use wire exclusively, and absolutely never use wood or plastic, even to attach sections together. Hamsters love to chew on everything, and when they are up against something soft, it is only a matter of time before they break through it.

Safety

Hamsters and other small rodents should not be walking on bars, chicken wire, or any sort of floor that contains holes or gaps. Do not put a hamster in such a cage, as it can cause them serious injuries.

Multiple platforms are perfectly safe, and a good way to give your hamster extra space, and activities to do.

Again, putting multiple hamsters in one cage is dangerous for them due to their territorial nature.

Extras

Tubes are a great add on for a hamster cage. Many cages come with tubes attached, which allow your hamster to have an enclosed space to feel safe in, and are fun to watch.

Cages with a small enclosed area for your hamster to build a nest in are good too.