Hamster Central - View Single Post - What kind of hamster will be content in 1000 sq. inch cage?

Pebbles82 · 08-04-2022, 06:08 PM

I'm trying to work out what 1000 square inches is in length and width in cm! Ok it's at least 120cm by 50cm. Which is a very large cage and I am sure a male Syrian would be very happy in there. Most females would be as well (although for some females, no cage is big enough!). Even the most active of male syrians should be very happy in there.

The key may be to how it's set up - not only enough depth of bedding but plenty of overhead cover - eg a platform and a labyrinth house plus lots of floor tunnels and hidey places. So they have places to dive under and not too much open space above - it can make a big difference - especially if it's a tank style and you can't have things hanging from the roof to give overhead cover.

So maybe a platform one end, a labyrinth house the other end (it'll need to be on legs to sit above the bedding), large cork logs make good floor tunnels - the extra height is like overhead cover - and it's an interesting texture to climb over. They can also make a good ramp up to a platform if wedged partly underneath at an angle.

Some dwarf hamsters might actually be overwhelmed by the space - that would very much depend on personality.

08-04-2022, 06:08 PM
Pebbles82 Hamster Antics Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 23,533	Re: What kind of hamster will be content in 1000 sq. inch cage? I'm trying to work out what 1000 square inches is in length and width in cm! Ok it's at least 120cm by 50cm. Which is a very large cage and I am sure a male Syrian would be very happy in there. Most females would be as well (although for some females, no cage is big enough!). Even the most active of male syrians should be very happy in there. The key may be to how it's set up - not only enough depth of bedding but plenty of overhead cover - eg a platform and a labyrinth house plus lots of floor tunnels and hidey places. So they have places to dive under and not too much open space above - it can make a big difference - especially if it's a tank style and you can't have things hanging from the roof to give overhead cover. So maybe a platform one end, a labyrinth house the other end (it'll need to be on legs to sit above the bedding), large cork logs make good floor tunnels - the extra height is like overhead cover - and it's an interesting texture to climb over. They can also make a good ramp up to a platform if wedged partly underneath at an angle. Some dwarf hamsters might actually be overwhelmed by the space - that would very much depend on personality.