[Fluffagrams]

I am currently using a glass tank as a starter cage for Jessie and whilst I like it and she's happy enough in it at the present, she is a fairly lively hamster and will need upgrading in the future. I was lucky enough to get mine free from another member of the Hamster Club but if you're buying new and are buying something specifically designed for rodents it could work out to be a bit pricey.

The tank I'm using has a mesh lid although the mesh does not have particularly large gaps so hanging things would need a bit of thought. It also has an inbuilt glass shelf which can make things a little awkward for cleaning. As others have pointed out, tanks can be quite heavy and whilst mine is easy enough for me to lift, anything too big could present a problem. Owners would also have to think about how they're going to add a water bottle to a tank style cage but there are plenty of options out there that could work.

The pros of a cage like this is that it reduces the risk of escape as there's less chewing points and this was one of the reasons that I decided to put Jessie in it rather than my usual bin cage. I also like the fact that it looks tasteful in room rather than being the bright colours that you'd usually see on commercial caging.

A small tank cage seems to suit the purpose of a starter cage for my hamsters but I don't think I'd buy a larger one as a permanent home.