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View Poll Results: What do you think the minimum cage size for hamsters should be?
Under 400 sq inches 4 19.05%
400-600sq inches 3 14.29%
600-800sq inches 9 42.86%
800-900sq inches 5 23.81%
900-1000sq inches 0 0%
1000+ sq inches 0 0%
Voters: 21. You may not vote on this poll

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Old 05-22-2016, 03:13 AM   #11
Ceretrea
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Default Re: What do you think the minimum cage size should be?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Serendipity7000 View Post
I'm trying to do the maths lol! 1000 square centimetres is 150 square inches? Which is less than a 20cm by 10cm cage. That's smaller than my pet carrier!
1000 square centimetres is the same as a Criceti 9 cage I'm told. a 20cm x 10cm cage is only 200 square cm
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Old 05-22-2016, 03:22 AM   #12
Pebbles82
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Default Re: What do you think the minimum cage size should be?

Lol - thanks Ceretrea -I had already edited the post when I realised my maths was skewiff
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Old 05-22-2016, 03:22 AM   #13
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Default Re: What do you think the minimum cage size should be?

I think a 1000cm2 is equivalent to 40cm X 25cm or 50cm X 20cm.

Edit: sorry Serendipity, I posted before you edited.
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Old 05-22-2016, 03:26 AM   #14
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Default Re: What do you think the minimum cage size should be?

I guess a lot does depend on the hamster as well, but it can be expensive upgrading later. Our Syrian grew very big! Too big for a 27cm wodent wheel. And with rat sized toys in an 80 x 50 cage there wasn't much floor space left (although I did have a big house in there).

I also found the University of Bern studies on bar chewing interesting - that it decreased significantly the larger the cage was. Although that might also depend on what other enrichment is provided (they all had deep substrate in the cage but it didn't say what other toys etc were provided).

An absolute minimum is important though.
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Old 05-22-2016, 03:29 AM   #15
Ceretrea
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Default Re: What do you think the minimum cage size should be?

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Originally Posted by velma View Post
I think a 1000cm2 is equivalent to 40cm X 25cm or 50cm X 20cm.
Sorry Serendipity, I've had a lot of caffiene this morning so a bit quick off the mark

Velma is right, or 46cm x 22cm which seems to be a common dimension for cages of that size.

Putting my rescue hat on for a moment. We often encountered hamsters who couldn't live in a large cage. We'd sort of size them up by starting small and working up until we hit a size that the hamster was stressed in. We'd then rehome to the size below that. Alternatively we'd see hamsters who weren't even happy in 100cm and wanted even more! Famously one who was a terrible bar chewer in an Alexander cage and escaped by chewing out of the base. The owner asked us what cage to upgrade her to and I think ended up with a very large aquarium in the end. I think hammy would have liked the whole flat personally
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Old 05-22-2016, 03:32 AM   #16
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Default Re: What do you think the minimum cage size should be?

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Originally Posted by Serendipity7000 View Post
I guess a lot does depend on the hamster as well, but it can be expensive upgrading later. Our Syrian grew very big! Too big for a 27cm wodent wheel. And with rat sized toys in an 80 x 50 cage there wasn't much floor space left (although I did have a big house in there).

I also found the University of Bern studies on bar chewing interesting - that it decreased significantly the larger the cage was. Although that might also depend on what other enrichment is provided (they all had deep substrate in the cage but it didn't say what other toys etc were provided).

An absolute minimum is important though.
Bar chewing is a complex issue I've found. It depends on hyperactivity, habitual chewing and a whole host of other factors. Most of my syrians don't chew their mesh and they live in 60cm cages. One or two are terrible at it but stop when I put in sufficiently large amounts of cardboard. The issue with them is the need to chew something, rather than boredom or the size of the cage. I also believe these things might be genetic so it's important to know what hamsters were used in that study.
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Old 05-22-2016, 03:35 AM   #17
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Default Re: What do you think the minimum cage size should be?

Yes I think there are a lot of variables Rescue hamsters must all be different in their needs I guess, and sick or older hammies could be better with less space. When people get them from being a baby though, upgrading can be stressful sometimes and I wished I had got something bigger to start with. But it's perspective too. 80 x 50 seemed absolutely massive to me - within a few months it looked quite small lol.
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Old 05-22-2016, 03:41 AM   #18
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Default Re: What do you think the minimum cage size should be?

With timid, sick or elderly hamsters I do think what you do with the space is just as important as how much, elderly hams may not necessarily need less of it but may need everything on one level, like everything ham I don't think there is ever an easy answer!
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Old 05-22-2016, 04:03 AM   #19
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Default Re: What do you think the minimum cage size should be?

True - I'm glad I have the bigger cage now Charlie has more things at ground level, because he can still be active and less risk of falls. But then if he had bad arthritis and couldn't walk much it could be frustrating if he couldn't get to places so maybe smaller is better then for an infirm hamster.
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Old 05-22-2016, 04:14 AM   #20
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Default Re: What do you think the minimum cage size should be?

How they age is fairly unpredictable really so I think it's up to us to be adaptable, in all situations not just old age, be observant & let them guide us as much as they can.
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