Pets At Home "Large" Wire Hamster Cage

[freyashamsters]

P@H "Large" Wire Hamster Cage Review
Size: 59cmx38cmx30cm (lxwxh)

PROS
• Quite sturdy
• Nice colours
• Comes with bedding and accessories
• Lightweight
• Fairly cheap compared to cages like Crittertrails

CONS
• Too small for permanent living
• Wheel supplied is too small for all species of hamster except maybe some very small Robos
• Accessories flimsy and small
• Tubes are quite unstable
• Clips aren't very strong - my sister's hamster managed to pop them open quite easily

Please note that this cage is too small for permanent housing of any species of hamster - my sisters' Syrian was okay in it only until she was about 3 months old. For the price it isn't that great value either, you can get an Alaska which is bigger for around the same price on Zooplus. Although it's not suitable for a permanent home and will be outgrown quite quickly, it makes a great temporary/travel/hospital cage!

[Lalsa87]

Agree - got my syrian with one of these cages. She was chewing the bars and just seemed really unhappy and cramped. Just upgraded her to an enormous Eco Living World Tank and she is much happier.

It does make me really annoyed that they are allowed to see this stuff as if it's approved and people are doing the right thing. Would make people think twice about getting a hamster is they realised how much space they actually needed.

[freyashamsters]

Yes I completely agree! I'd say the maximum amount of time you could keep a hamster in this would be about 2-3momths, it's horrible how people think it's okay to keep a hamster in tiny cages like Crittertrails when it really isn't :(

And they say it's a 'large and spacious accommodation for 2 dwarf hamsters or one Syrian'!:(

[Pebbles82]

I know! It's the description that worries me as people see this online and think it is big enough.

Glad you got your Eco Habitat set up Lalsa! Looking forward to photos :-)

[chesca_27]

You should post this review on the p@h website. That would be a great way to help spread the hammy knowledge although they wouldn't accept my essay of a review a few months back. Can't wait to see photos of your hammy and cage.

[freyashamsters]

You should post this review on the p@h website. That would be a great way to help spread the hammy knowledge although they wouldn't accept my essay of a review a few months back. Can't wait to see photos of your hammy and cage.

Ooh good idea! I will do it now, hopefully they accept it xx

[Pebbles82]

Lol that will be interesting to see if they leave it on. I think you will need to word it carefully if you don't want it removing. If the wording is too strong, or mentions other peoples' products, I think they can take it off. I had a review of a darth vader costume removed by the Disney shop because I mentioned another product name!

[freyashamsters]

Lol that will be interesting to see if they leave it on. I think you will need to word it carefully if you don't want it removing. If the wording is too strong, or mentions other peoples' products, I think they can take it off. I had a review of a darth vader costume removed by the Disney shop because I mentioned another product name!

Oh okay - I'll keep that in mind then! I know what you mean about being specific; I have written about 6 reviews and only 2 of them made it to Amazon!

[PinkStarburst]

I made a complaint about this cage and they let me return for a refund, to which I purchased a barney

[Cinnamon Bear]

If I make product review on Amazon US it ends up on my Google public profile? So now I don't write reviews anymore.

[Pebbles82]

I've written loads of Amazon reviews and they've always been published :-) Even the long rambling ones. Just avoid swearing ha ha. (Joke - I'm sure you didn't).

[freyashamsters]

Lol so have I, I just have a naughty habit of mentioning other brand names in reviews which the websites clearly don't like ;)

[Cinnamon Bear]

So I guess they publish the reviews they like then? Every time they want a review now I don't review it cause I don't want the whole world to know my review. I don't know why but I prefer they don't post them publically.

[freyashamsters]

Pretty much :? I'll be writing the review soon :)

[Pebbles82]

It may not get published if they think you are cricising their product. With Amazon it's a bit different because you're reviewing other peoples' products and they just sell them. Let us know :-)

[Fluffagrams]

I recently acquired one of these cages and whilst I agree that it would be too small for an active young Syrian hamster, it was perfect for my small Chinese girl, who like some Chinese can be, has had issues with too much space in larger cages.

The cage was about three months old when I got it but already I'd noticed that one of the bars had come unstuck from the frame on one of the doors. I was able to repair it prior to putting Jessie in there and I don't think she'll cause a great deal of damage but that might be something that an owner of a particularly chewy hamster will need to be aware of.

The accessories included aren't the best quality however I've replaced them with existing items from Jessie's old cage and they'll do as spares. The cage has the option of adding tubes from holes within the cage and I don't know if they'd be included if you were to purchase this cage new but I did not receive these from the owner and probably wouldn't have used them. Again, I think that these would be too small for a Syrian to use comfortably but a Chinese or a Robo would be able to fit through them quite easily. There are covers for the tube attachments which I'd imagine could provide a chewing/escape point so owners will have to keep an eye on this and make sure that the covers are attached properly.

I personally wouldn't pay the £37 it costs to buy this cage new but it's suited Jessie very well.

[chesca_27]

I have a blue one as a travel cage for Jasper. I got it on special offer for £30 so that was quite good!

The wheel and shelf went straight in the bin as the wheel is far too small and the level is very flimsy. Attaching Jasper's 8inch comfort wheel was a NIGHTMARE and took ages. I kept the rest as spares (although 4 water bottles are enough aren't they? ;)).

I wish the base was deeper and I don't like the tubes very much so I removed those. The base of mine pops open so easily, not very secure. The doors and wire are very flimsy.

Larry-Jasper spent about a month in one of these over the summer and didn't seem fussed about the space (I think he's one of those hamsters that doesn't like a big cage but enjoys a big play pen), even when my mum left the cage open, he didn't escape. I guess he is a little angel lol :)!

[LunaTheHamster1]

yes, that is the one I mean. I live in the USA and don't have a lot of space and this is the biggest I can get. :(

I would't recommend it for a syrian, the smallest I would go for a syrian is the prevue528, but even then you may have to work quite hard to please your hamster i.e. the setup of the cage making sure has lots of enrichment.

[Izzy_the_Cookie]

ok
thank you. if u have any recommendations for a hamster that will live happily in that cage please let me know!

[miiko]

ok
thank you. if u have any recommendations for a hamster that will live happily in that cage please let me know!

I think hamsters are happy in large cages, for example. You could make a DIY bin cage that is inexpensive and at the least 450 sq in (or larger) For $16 or €13.

I also recommend a more expensive but safe cage called the Ikea Detolf glass door cabinet for $60 or €48. This one is about 953 square inches.

[Sayburn]

i brought this one for my hamster she was only small at the time i got her in jan but shes growing fast but the cage platform was splitting at the side anymofe force it would of snapped but glad i got her a bigger cage :)

[NanaBeaver]

My grandson has got one of these cages and it seems they are notorious for being poor quality. Syrian hamsters easily chew through the plastic base and escape. They have been described in reviews as "not fit for purpose" and "rubbish". The plastic shelf is substandard, as is the food bowl which comes with it and the wheel is only fit for a mouse. Overall it is too small for a syrian hamster and I am trying to talk my son into getting a bigger enclosure, preferably an aquarium as the little mite is monkey barring and bar chewing.

[NanaBeaver]

I think hamsters are happy in large cages, for example. You could make a DIY bin cage that is inexpensive and at the least 450 sq in (or larger) For $16 or €13.

I also recommend a more expensive but safe cage called the Ikea Detolf glass door cabinet for $60 or €48. This one is about 953 square inches.

I have a detolf, bought earlier this year and it was £75 plus £40 delivery. But I think it is still worth it as my Coco is much happier and you can fit in loads of enrichment. It's not very high but I put deep, deep substrate in one end (12 inches) and less in the middle bit with shallow aspen at the other end where the 11 inch wheel is.