Register FAQ Calendar Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read
Navigation
Front Page
Forum
Gallery
Wiki

Ads by Google


Go Back   Hamster Central > Hamster Central Forum Topics > Housing

Notices

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 01-09-2012, 05:30 AM   #1
StarlightSerenity
Wicked Witch of Manchester
 
StarlightSerenity's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Bourne, Lincs
Posts: 5,379
Default Guide to Buying a Cage

This is something I quickly wrote for my blog but I thought it might help some new members here

Guide to Buying a Cage

Hamsters are highly active creatures and need plenty of space - probably a lot more than most people realise! Not only does a good sized cage provide room for the essentials - wheel, house, food bowl, water bottle etc - but plenty of room for toys and running about as well.

The RSPCA recommend cages be at least 75cm by 40cm although most experienced hamster owners will tell you that Syrians need a little more space and most dwarf species are happy in cages slightly smaller than that. However, bigger is better*. There are numerous cages on the UK market that reach and exceed, this size. Some are quite costly, reaching up and over £100 but a lot are relatively cheap (£50 and under). There are also alternatives to the bog standard, wire hamster cage including aquariums, bin cages (storage boxes converted into cages using a bit of DIY), furniture "hacks" and cages marketed for other species.

There are a number of things to consider when searching for the right cage for you and your hamster, I'll try and cover as much as possible in this post. In no particular order mind you! This is to help you make a more informed decision when choosing a cage - so that when someone recommends a particular cage you can decide if it's a good recommendation, or if it's suitable for yourself and your hamster.

Bar Spacing: Syrian hamsters shouldn't be kept in cages that have bars further apart than 1cm, a cage with larger bar spacing should be meshed to prevent escapes. Dwarf hamsters can squeeze through tiny gaps, although most adults will be fine in cages with 1cm bar spacing, babies and smaller dwarf hamsters are safer in cages with smaller bar spacing or in aquarium, tank or bin cages.

Shelving: If the cage includes a bar or mesh shelf, it must be removed or covered as they can cause injuries and bumblefoot. Solid plastic or wooden shelves are best. Shelves should be avoided when housing pairs or groups of dwarf hamsters, to prevent potential territorial fights.

Holes: Tank style cages, such as the ZooZones, have holes for water bottle spouts and that, although a lot of hamsters will ignore them, if you have a hamster that has a thing for chewing anything and everything, the holes will need to be covered or blocked.

Height: The height of a cage can vary greatly. A tall cage (40cm plus) must have a selection of shelves and hammocks to prevent falls, or even better a full sized shelf which will not only prevent falls but provide loads more room. Short cages can pose a problem where wheels are concerned - make sure that the cage is tall enough to accommodate the right sized wheel. Flying Saucers are good for shorter cages as they aren't very tall.

Base Depth: Cages with separate bases and tops (like wire cages and tank style cages) need to have a base that is deep enough to contain plenty of substrate. Hamsters are burrowing animals and require a deep layer of substrate.

Access: A lot of commercial, wire cages only have small doors which makes accessing the inside of the cage difficult. Although putting your hands inside the cage while the hamster is in it should be kept to a minimum it does make life easier having decent access to the inside of the cage. The position of the access should also be taken into consideration - front access is needed if you plan on stacking cages, on shelving units or relatively high.

Weight and Bulk: Heavy, bulky cages are difficult to move so unless you are sure you can get help to move the cage when needed, ensure that where it will be placed means you can clean it where it stands or that it's light and easily picked up (Savic wire cages have secure handles which makes them much easier to move).

*In most cases at least - nervous, shy, sick, injured or older hamsters are often better in smaller cages

There are loads of reviews of specific cages within the Review forum here and if you have questions regarding specific cages, don't hesitate to post them in the Housing forum. Leedsgurl has done a fantastic cage size comparison chart, found here which is also really useful.

Last edited by StarlightSerenity; 01-09-2012 at 07:09 AM.
StarlightSerenity is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-09-2012, 05:44 AM   #2
Erin Loves Dwarf Hamsters
Robolicious Bobtails
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Cyprus
Posts: 3,754
Default Re: Guide to Buying a Cage

Very nice SS, full of really good information You seem to have covered everything!
I need to make one of these for my website but Im so busy right now >.<
Erin Loves Dwarf Hamsters is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-09-2012, 06:49 AM   #3
souffle
Moderator
 
souffle's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Yorkshire, UK but my heart lies in Scotland!
Posts: 28,184
Default Re: Guide to Buying a Cage

That is a very useful post and I am going to sticky it on the forum
Thank you
souffle is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-09-2012, 07:09 AM   #4
StarlightSerenity
Wicked Witch of Manchester
 
StarlightSerenity's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Bourne, Lincs
Posts: 5,379
Default Re: Guide to Buying a Cage

Aw thanks Glad its useful

I added a little bit at the bottom re the review forum and leedsgurl's comparison chart.
StarlightSerenity is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-09-2012, 10:00 AM   #5
samincittagazze
PM Fluffy for custom title
 
samincittagazze's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Burton-on-Trent, UK
Posts: 1,306
Default Re: Guide to Buying a Cage

This is great SS! Really useful.
__________________
Sam, plus Maggie and Cas.
Pawprints on my heart: Frohike, Langly, Byers, Max, Albert and Charlie
samincittagazze is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-09-2012, 11:03 AM   #6
Jandrhamster
Zoo Owner
 
Jandrhamster's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: South Wales, UK
Posts: 1,456
Default Re: Guide to Buying a Cage

Very professional blog! good guide! it really is useful with people with no clue
__________________

Bella my dear sunshine. RIP darling 8/10/09 ~ 12/2/12 ♥
Jandrhamster is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-09-2012, 11:19 AM   #7
fluffymunchkins
#1 Hamster Mom
 
fluffymunchkins's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Nottingham, East midlands, UK
Posts: 13,209
Default Re: Guide to Buying a Cage

Really nice
Simple and to the point, not too over complicated x
__________________
Love from Mel and the ham hams xxx
http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx57/Piggylicious2009/fluffymunchkins_sig_280112.jpg
fluffymunchkins is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-27-2012, 10:22 AM   #8
smidgey
Hamster Pup
 
smidgey's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 115
Default Re: Guide to Buying a Cage

I know a Syrian needs an 80 x 50 cage, but is that just if it's one level? If it's multi level can it be a bit smaller? TIA x
smidgey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-27-2012, 10:33 AM   #9
jesselle
hearts dwarf hams
 
jesselle's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: St. Albans
Posts: 2,549
Default Re: Guide to Buying a Cage

Much needed I think! Covers a lot and would be great reading for first time owners
jesselle is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-30-2012, 08:23 AM   #10
DwarfHam
Hamster Pup
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 64
Default Re: Guide to Buying a Cage

Very good information! Will check if i purcase a new cage
DwarfHam is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Search Engine Optimisation provided by DragonByte SEO v2.0.43 (Pro) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.
Copyright © 2003-2022, Hobby Solutions
All times are GMT -7. The time now is 12:56 PM.