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Pebbles82 · 10-08-2017, 01:03 PM

Hi there. Is the cage going to be a tank style or have mesh/bars? If it's solid sided like a tank (perspex eg) then the height isn't as relevant as long as it's tall enough. It can't be too tall really as you can fill the base with deep substrate up to 30cm or so if you want. In terms of fall height - hammies shouldn't fall more than 30cm. So you'd need 30cm height between the top of the substrate and the roof. Slightly over 30cm fall height is ok as long as they can't land on anything hard - you'd actually need more than 30cm to fit a 12" wheel in - although you could have substrate slightly lower in the wheel area and keep to a 30cm fall height in the rest of the cage.

If it's not a solid sided cage - eg meshed - and you have a limited depth of substrate then you wouldn't want the cage too tall. Again a 30cm fall height plus the depth you have for substrate.

Some hamsters would chew wood edges, some wouldn't. If it does get chewed you might be able to fit metal corner guards inside. Ideally something like melamine sides would avoid having thinner wood strips for edges.

10-08-2017, 01:03 PM
Pebbles82 Hamster Antics Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 23,533	Re: Cage height requirements and wood Hi there. Is the cage going to be a tank style or have mesh/bars? If it's solid sided like a tank (perspex eg) then the height isn't as relevant as long as it's tall enough. It can't be too tall really as you can fill the base with deep substrate up to 30cm or so if you want. In terms of fall height - hammies shouldn't fall more than 30cm. So you'd need 30cm height between the top of the substrate and the roof. Slightly over 30cm fall height is ok as long as they can't land on anything hard - you'd actually need more than 30cm to fit a 12" wheel in - although you could have substrate slightly lower in the wheel area and keep to a 30cm fall height in the rest of the cage. If it's not a solid sided cage - eg meshed - and you have a limited depth of substrate then you wouldn't want the cage too tall. Again a 30cm fall height plus the depth you have for substrate. Some hamsters would chew wood edges, some wouldn't. If it does get chewed you might be able to fit metal corner guards inside. Ideally something like melamine sides would avoid having thinner wood strips for edges.