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lucyhope · 05-05-2019, 06:37 AM

Hello, I'm looking to get a dwarf hamster sometime between June and September and I am trying to do the research.
The largest possible cage I can accommodate is 80x50. This is because my bedroom is about 190x210 cm in diameter so any larger and I wouldn't be able to have a wardrobe or a desk which I need for my work. The cage will have to sit between the bed and the wardrobe on a dresser 80cmx40cm. It's okay to have some overhang to the front but overhang to the side will mean that the cage won't fit in the gap it needs to go in.
80x40 is above the commonly quoted minimum and the RSPCA has switched its focus to enrichment rather than just a big empty space so I do intend to keep a hamster in this space. There are also many hamsters who do manage to live happily in this amount of room. I have already made the decision to get a dwarf because the space is definitely too small for a Syrian. I'd love to go larger but absolutely cannot.
I'm not looking for criticism of the space I have available, I'm looking for some advice on ways to manage keeping a hamster in a smaller than ideal environment. Is having levels beneficial? How often should I be rotating toys and hideys? I want to get a good balance between not stressing the hamster out and keeping them entertained. Would having both a wheel and a running disk be beneficial? What about scatter feeding?
I'm also wondering about cage recommendations. The 80 width limit is pretty fixed but I might be able to manage 85ish if I removed the skirting boards and switched my bed around so that the slight overhang wouldn't interfere with my pillows. I like the Savic Ruffy link and I like the look of the multi Maxy Duna but unfortunately this is too big for the space available.

Thank you for reading all that information and for any advice you're able to give

TLDR : How can I keep a hamster happy/busy in a small (but still above minimum cage?

05-05-2019, 06:37 AM
lucyhope Newborn Pup Join Date: May 2019 Posts: 5	Keeping a Hamster in a small cage. Hello, I'm looking to get a dwarf hamster sometime between June and September and I am trying to do the research. The largest possible cage I can accommodate is 80x50. This is because my bedroom is about 190x210 cm in diameter so any larger and I wouldn't be able to have a wardrobe or a desk which I need for my work. The cage will have to sit between the bed and the wardrobe on a dresser 80cmx40cm. It's okay to have some overhang to the front but overhang to the side will mean that the cage won't fit in the gap it needs to go in. 80x40 is above the commonly quoted minimum and the RSPCA has switched its focus to enrichment rather than just a big empty space so I do intend to keep a hamster in this space. There are also many hamsters who do manage to live happily in this amount of room. I have already made the decision to get a dwarf because the space is definitely too small for a Syrian. I'd love to go larger but absolutely cannot. I'm not looking for criticism of the space I have available, I'm looking for some advice on ways to manage keeping a hamster in a smaller than ideal environment. Is having levels beneficial? How often should I be rotating toys and hideys? I want to get a good balance between not stressing the hamster out and keeping them entertained. Would having both a wheel and a running disk be beneficial? What about scatter feeding? I'm also wondering about cage recommendations. The 80 width limit is pretty fixed but I might be able to manage 85ish if I removed the skirting boards and switched my bed around so that the slight overhang wouldn't interfere with my pillows. I like the Savic Ruffy link and I like the look of the multi Maxy Duna but unfortunately this is too big for the space available. Thank you for reading all that information and for any advice you're able to give TLDR : How can I keep a hamster happy/busy in a small (but still above minimum cage?