can a cage be too big

[Vadhaag]

Sorry if this was answered somewhere else. I searched and can't seem to find an answer.

My daughter wants a hamster for her upcoming birthday. From when I had a corn snake for a pet and did research first, I told her to do research. Since she will be nine years old and I think that any pet needs to have proper care I am doing research as well.

I have heard that if you get two dwarf hamsters of the same species (i.e. robo) then there should not be multiple levels or this can cause fighting. Is that true and is there such a thing as a cage that is too big for a single or pair of hamsters?

Also since I am planning on a DIY set up so I can create more space for less, is there an arrangement for set up that I should absolutely stay away from?

Thank you in advance

[atsui]

Hi, I believe that Robos should live together as long as they were adopted together young. If they are introduced as adults making sure they get along is much much harder. There's really no such thing as too big of a cage, hamsters love lots of space and run 8 miles a night! As for the levels, ive never heard of them fighting because of the levels themselves, but i dont own dwarves so i'm not qualified to say so. Other than that, just make sure you have two of everything in the cage (food bowl, water bowl, wheel) so that they dont begin getting territorial.

[cypher]

Keeping dwarf hams in pairs is quite a challenge as it's not a natural way of life for them so you do have to do things differently & a smaller cage than you would have for even a single dwarf ham does seem to work better than a larger cage as there is less for them to become territorial over, the same goes for having no levels or shelves, no hideouts or houses with less than two exits, even so the chances of a pair continuing to live together without fighting after maturity are very slim regardless of the cage set up.
If you do have a pair of hams it is essential to have a second cage ready to use from the start as they can fall out & need separating at any time.

Generally speaking for any species most will enjoy all the space you can give them provided the cage is set up well with lots of deep substrate & not too much open space however some hamsters can be a bit nervous if the cage is too big for them even with lots of hideouts etc, it's a very individual thing & you won't know for sure until you've had a ham for a while & it's had time to settle in if this is the case.

If the cage is set up right most of the dwarf species will be happy in a cage of around 80x50cm although some will enjoy more space that seems to work well for them, Syrian hams tend to do best in a cage around 100x50cm.
Shelves or levels are generally considered an extra & not essential, multiple levels or shelves aren't good as hams are ground dwellers & the main part of the cage should all be on one level.

[Fluffagrams]

I have to disagree with the popular belief that bigger is always better. I have had experience with several Chinese hamsters who have become overwhelmed in cages of around 80X50cm and above regardless of how they are set up and have not settled until I have downgraded them into a smaller cage. I am not the only one to have experienced this with Chinese and it has been known in Roborovskis too. My own Roborovski is living in a Mini Duna and is quite happy. I've heard of less occasions where a Syrian or a Russian has had an issue with too much space but it does depend on the hamster's personality.

In terms of keeping pairs, several people have found that pairs do not do well if given too much space or things such as additional levels or compartments and even then there's no guarantee that they will get on forever. They can fall out without warning and you may have to prepare yourself for injuries and that you might have to split them up at any time.

[souffle]

I would agree with Fluff with regard to cage size. I firmly believe that no cage fits all characters and lifestyle as well as the species.
I would tend to suggest not getting a pair for a child's pet. More often than not fighting happens as they reach maturity and the results of a fight are not a pretty sight for your child to deal with and fights can happen without warning. Robos are not ideal first pets for children. They are very very fast and some do not tame easily. Single sex pairs (you don't want babies) are not a natural situation and often do not work out well. A single Chinese is a nice pet or a Winter white I would say but children often do better with a Syrian who is well tamed and males especially I find can be quite laid back and placid. I'd favour the Duna Multy cage for a childs pet. They are easy access and can be done up nicely with a decent size wheel and plenty enrichment. She can make toys from boxes and tubes for her pet.
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