Too small for a hamster?

[daisyisobel24]

I have been looking at several cages for my dwarf winter white hamster and have a size limit (much to my annoyance) from my mum meaning the cage cannot be too big. I was going to make a bin cage but now I am not allowed so I am trying to find a new cage as my hamster still needs one as he is in an even smaller cage at the moment and I want him to have more space. Are these cages too small? Any other suggestions would be helpful
- Also have looked at the Alaska cage and its probably too big but haven't measured yet so I may be allowed it, suggestions of other cages still welcome though! Thank you

Cage 1: https://www.ferplast.com/gb/kios.html

Cage 2: https://www.ferplast.com/gb/mini-duna-multy.html

[cypher]

Both of those really are too small, your ham will need a 20cm wheel plus a good depth of substrate & that alone probably wouldn't fit & there really is no room to forage or explore in either.
If you can persuade your Mum the alaska would be much more suitable, the hamster heaven is another reasonable sized cage for a dwarf that would be worth a look, not as tall as the alaska so a bit safer too as they can be prone to falls in taller cages.

[Pebbles82]

I would have a look at the Duna multy Not too big, not too small. I might have linked it to you already on another thread! It's also one of the cheaper cages and it wouldn't cost much less to make a bin cage once you've got all the bits and pieces.

Cage Duna Multy

Here are some examples of hamster set ups in one (some of the photos are of the maxi duna which is bigger, but most are of the standard duna multy). You can get an idea of size from the photo on the top row where it is sat on top of a small chest of drawers. I wouldn't really go any smaller than that.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=fe...w=1366&bih=608

They look very nice, easy to clean, and the bedding doesn't fall out

You need to try and imagine what you would put in the hamster's cage as well - and have enough space for a house and a wheel and toys and some floor area for the hamster to run around in. The small ones like the Kios and Mini Duna could end up with no floor space left by the time you've put a house and wheel and toys in.

I think if you can fit a mini duna in you can fit a standard duna multy in probably. And it will give you more scope to fit toys etc in and more enrichment for the hamster.

[InkyPen]

Hi Daisy

I think the best thing to do would be to educate your mum on the needs of hamsters - it's likely that things have moved on since she last owned a hamster!

Wood Green Animal Charity (which is a well respected animal shelter in south east England) recommends a cage that is at least 80x50cm - perhaps if she sees that site she'll start to realise that hamsters do need more space than she realises? https://www.woodgreen.org.uk/pet_adv..._accommodation

The Alaska cage from Zooplus is almost exactly that size and cheaper than the other cages you've linked to (£33, but you can get a 10% discount code from anyone on this site - you just need to PM your / your mum's email address and I can send a code over)