Is my cage big enough?

[nicole_]

I have a syrian hamster... she is fully grown but she's really not that big. I bought her two of the crittertrail cages and I connected them with tubes. In one of them is a 12 inch silent spinner, and I have multiple levels in the other cage, one of which has a flying saucer wheel on it. She has a house and a nesting area up top which she sleeps in every day and nests. I know these cages are discouraged in the hamster community but I can't understand why, because it seems to accommodate everything she needs. Would you still suggest switching to a different cage?

[DanniDorrito]

You should post photos so we can get a better idea, from what you said it sounds quite spacious though.

[NiceCrocs]

Hamsters should have one big space instead of lots of small spaces, this better simulates their natural habitat. The general rule of thumb is a minimum of 360 square inches, which is much bigger than a Crittertrail. My syrian is in a 40 gallon tank that has 650 square inches. I believe a Crittertrail clocks in at about 200 square inches. Also, many Syrians are too big to use Crittertrail tubes when they're fully grown!

Here's the logic behind the discouragement of crittertrails: Small cages do technically contain everything a hamster needs to survive, but it's a very unfulfilling environment - imagine if you were locked in a tiny room all day with only the bare essentials. You'd go mad! A nice big cage has plenty of space for the hamster to run about an explore, and contains enough substrate to let them dig their own tunnels.

[Pebbles82]

It's difficult isn't it . I thought along the same lines as you when I got Charlie about 6 weeks ago. I got a Rotastack Space Command which had a big (I thought) base unit and three other smaller units and lots of tubes connecting them. In a way I am glad that Charlie grew too big for the tubes (very quickly!) because it made me read up about Hamster housing and realise his current set up was too restrictive - and I had already noticed he wasn't moving around that much and sleeping a lot.

I think what you might be able to do is buy a cage that attaches to the crittertrail units you have now so he can go into a bigger space as well. But then that would spread out a bit space wise, and if you get a cage you might as well get rid of the Crittertrail! I was totally p'd off after spending nearly £40 to find I needed to get something else. It is good that your syrian is quite small now fully grown with regard to the tubing. I have just looked up Crittertrail units and there are quite a few different sizes - some are big, some are small - which ones do you have please? That might make it easier to see if she needs more space or not, but really, as Nice Crocs says, it is the big floor area they need and the biggest crittertrail I saw was 25cm by 47 cm, even though it is tall. Could you add a photo?

The RSPCA say minimum floor area should be 75cm by 50cm - you might have that if you double up the floor area of the two cages, but as Nice Crocs says, it really needs to be one area of floor space, not divided into separate rooms. Unfortunately, manufacturers are just out to make profits and even some bigger cages come with wheels that are too small etc. In a big cage of 75 x 50 you can put little nest areas so they can still feel cosy but have plenty of space to explore, bars to climb etc - it is like a small house in a big habitat (ie a world to explore!), instead of a big house with lots of rooms, but no habitat. Charlie didn't like being moved - it took him two weeks to settle into his new big cage, but now he climbs bars, goes foraging, hides behind things and loves his little pod house and interacts with us more. I am wishing I had bought an even bigger cage! If you don't want to get into diy (I didn't - I hate it and am not very good at it) you won't want one with wood shelves etc that need waterproofing, or a bin cage (which could be a cheap option if you are ok with diy).

If I were you I would get the Barney cage from zooplus but don't put the wooden shelf in. It is less than £40 and a good cage. It comes with a nice house and then you just need a wheel and a few toys - a corner potty litter tray is good too, because they tend to use them and then the cage doesn't get smelly. It is 82cm x 52cm maximum size (although the base is slightly smaller), or the Hamster Heaven might be good for you - it still has tubes if your hamster likes them and isn't too big, although personally I would never have tubes again! It comes with everything - little pod house, platforms etc, although I think the wheel is too small and would need replacing, so ends up not being cheaper than the other cage and buying things separately, and it is supposed to be a big of a pig to put together (and therefore take apart for cleaning). It is about £60. But from what I have heard, Hamsters tend to use the top penthouse to sleep in and end up weeing in it too and it is messy. Plus I am not convinced about the corner tubes (Charlie got stuck in one of those when we had it inside his new cage - they are too flat and the angle is too much - and your Hamster only has to be feeling unwell one day). Personally I would never have tubes again! And there are stories of Hamsters pushing the tubes out or chewing them out and escaping. I reckon cost wise, the Barney cage is a good buy - just leave the platform out, keep the house then all you need is a wheel, food dish and water bottle (I always have two water bottles in case one fails), a plastic corner tray for potty litter and a few toys - you could fit some really nice big toys in a cage like that which means you won't need a platform- see below. She will have bars to climb, lots of space to explore and run around in. I've added some links with photos below. I thought I didn't have enough space for a big cage, but it makes you get creative! I moved the room around, put a load of stuff on shelves and had a good tidy and made a lovely big space against a wall for the cage. If the Barney is TOO big, there are others, but I think it is the cheapest.

If I was starting from scratch again, and learning what I have so far, I would get the barney cage - this ladder with food bowl (below), and a big 29cm floor standing wheel - then all you need is water bottle, a chew stick or log and you could put a dish of some kind in with chinchilla bathing sand and watch her have a sand bath and also have room for a climbing toy - you can add things a bit at a time and make home made things. Some people find they like cardboard toys best and they are safe - and old shoe box with a hole cut in and a cardboard tube from the centre of a kitchen roll. Charlie loves his cardboard tube! And loads of space to roam, burrow and roll in.

You could keep one of your Crittertrails as a carry case in case you ever need to take her to the vets or anywhere, or as a temporary playground while you are cage cleaning, so could put it away in a cupboard somewhere.

Run your mouse over the first photo and they will open up bigger so you can scroll through.

Have a look at the reviews for the Barney cage

Great Deals on Cages at zooplus!: Barney Pet Cage

but I would definitely leave the wood platform and ladder out or they will get stinky. The house is ok as it is hollow underneath.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kerbl-Nature...hamster+ladder

this is really big and will go most of the length of the cage - it has ladders to climb and an inset food bowl. The knob comes off if it is in the way.

Hamster Potty corner Litter Tray for Mice Hamster Gerbil Cage House. Size: 16 × 7 × 12/12 cm: Amazon.co.uk: Pet Supplies

This is the corner potty tray I use - you put potty litter in it and it stays fresh, hamster wants to wee in it as it is in a corner, and it only needs emptying and new litter in about every week to 10 days.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rosewood-Bor...ewood+log+roll

This is a chew and a toy, lasts for ages - Charlie likes to nibble at it and climb over it.

And that's about all you need, apart from a cardboard tube, a water bottle and the shavings or bedding in the bottom, plus some white paper so she can built a nest in the house. You already have a 12" silent spinner.

Photos of these products - and have a look around on here at other peoples' set ups, but I'm not that clever with making habitats and like to keep it simple!:

[Pebbles82]

Ps - I have heard a lot of people take all the plastic stuff out of the Hamster Heaven in the end, and end up blocking the tubes off, so better to get the Barney cage! She will love it (after two weeks!)

[spyro87]

For some reason crittertrails as a stand alone home are heavily frowned upon. Having never used the crittertrails or rotastack I can't begin to comment on sizes.
However I would just like to point out that people say "all one floor" but then, sometimes it's apparently ok for multi level homes (imac fantasy for example).

However yes, then general consensus on housing appears to be all one floor as big as you can possibly provide.
In my experience, and I have a range of personalities here, it's not always about the bigger the better! My timid boy is totally unhappy when I move him to large accommodation. Whereas my bold as brass out going girl seems to think that's still not big enough!

It's not just about bigger = better it's about your hamster and whether he or she is happy in their current home. There will be signs that she isn't.
Excessive gnawing (boredom destruction), not touching toys or not running on wheels is indicative that your hamster is quite unhappy with what they've got.

My main question would have to be in the crittertrails what wheel are you using and is it causing your hamsters back to arch/dip/bend? Should be straight or it will be uncomfortable for her... However that seems to mean an 8 inch wheel+ so :/
My smaller hams are in the 29cm (chinchilla wheel!) and it's ridiculously big! Keeps their back straight sure, but it's for a chinchilla! :/ however they'll be a perfect size for my breeder boy who is likely to grow like a mini Guinea Pig...

[cypher]

Originally Posted by Serendipity7000

Ps - I have heard a lot of people take all the plastic stuff out of the Hamster Heaven in the end, and end up blocking the tubes off, so better to get the Barney cage! She will love it (after two weeks!)

I just bought a hamster heaven with no intention of using any of the plastic bits & have blocked the holes off, I prefer it to the barney simply because it has such good front access, some of the doors on cages can be really small & make it difficult especially if you're taming a new ham.

[Pebbles82]

Good point - yes it has excellent front access - as does the Savic Mickey 2XL that I bought - the Barney is quite a bit cheaper though.

Here's a reason not to use tubes - it is from the description of a Rodi house which has a 7cm opening:

"Why are the inputs of 7 cm?
An adult golden hamsters (teddy bear hamsters, etc.) can be up to 7 inches wide with filled cheek pouches. If the inputs are in the hamster house too tight, the hamster must squeeze themselves. The hoarded grains, the mucous membranes of the cheek pouches insides hurt, possibly leading to abscesses cheek pouches...." This includes Syrian hamsters - and I think it means 7cm wide not 7 inches wide!!!!

[Pebbles82]

Most tubes such as Savic, crittertrail, Rotastak etc are only about 5cm wide, maximum 6cm and they are rigid, so don't flex or expand. Even a small syrian could fill it's pouch and get stuck. Cardboard they can chew their way out of.

[NiceCrocs]

iMac fantasies are generally considered okay because even one level is something like 350 square inches, just a hair under the recommended minimum. By comparison, you could nearly fit 2 crittertrails side by side in a one-level iMac fantasy, they are just ridiculously tiny.