I haven't tried this cage yet, but I bought it for travelling for when I get my hamster. I posted this review on the Pets at Home website, but I thought I would post a review here so you can see what I think Also, they have a habit of editing reviews so this is my honest opinion without Pets at Home's editing. This was written towards people who currently aren't too aware of the complex needs of hamsters including huge cages so it might read a bit weird to all the knowledgeable hamster owners. I know this review is written quite harshly but I am sick of seeing 5 star reviews of this cage saying it is gigantic. Just want to mention I have the Ikea Billy Extension Cage (nearly complete) which is 80 by 35cm.
I copied and pasted it from the e-mail they sent so the general overview might look weird. I explain the star rating at the end with my conclusion.
WARNING this is very long.
Your Rating: 1 stars
Headline: Travel Cage only
Pros : Great Travel Cage, Cheap, Easy to Clean
Cons : Not For Permanent Living, Too Small, Cramped
Best Uses : Travel, Travelling, Small Animals
Describe Yourself : Long-time Pet Owner
THIS PRODUCT IS NOT SUITABLE FOR FULL-TIME LIVING. The RSPCA states that the minimum cage size for any hamster (even tiny roborovskis) is 80 by 50 cm. At 30 by 47cm, this is obviously too small. So even though Pets at Home state it is a starter cage, most people will ignore this fact because a pet shop sells it and shows animals living in it.
It is not suitable for: Syrians, Chinese hamsters (NOT DWARF HAMSTER because it is not part of the Phodopus genus which is the genus of the three dwarf species but part of the long-tailed hamster genus Cricetulus. There's your hamster origins science lesson for the day
), Roborovskis, Winter Whites, Campbells or the Hybrid hamster that Pets at Home refer to as a "Russian Dwarf Hamster".
Please note that it is totally suitable for travelling just not permanent living. It doesn't matter if your hamster gets two hours outside of the cage, it will still get bored. Now, imagine if you could live in a house, or a room for the rest of your life. You would choose the house and your hamster would choose a bigger cage ie bigger than 80 by 50cm.
However, this cage is not totally useless. I have purchased this to be used for travelling (vet trips, taking to pet sitter etc). It is absolutely perfect because it is small, compact and cheap. Cages like these are perfect for this purpose because the hamster doesn't have too much space to get thrown around inside on car journeys. I bought the small one in turquoise and I love the colour so much.
This cage also comes with accessories. for £15, you get: a food bowl, a water bottle, house, wheel, bedding, food and nesting material. I replaced the food bowl for a ceramic one as it much sturdier and cuter. I have bought a different water bottle as it has a smaller spout so easier for drinking. The house is useless as it's so small and bacteria will probably end up building up inside. Now the wheel I will be binning as it is suitable for no species of hamster except maybe baby Roborovskis. It is also extremely loud and flimsy. If you're looking for a wheel, I reccomend the Flying Saucer, Comfort Wheel or the Silent Spinner. I gave the bedding away as I don't like these shavings due to the lack of information (like what type of wood it is). The muesli is a nice addition if you want to use that type. I think the paper nesting is great though because fluffy bedding can be really dangerous so this is a much better choice by Pets at Home.
Overall I think this is a really great travel cage with relatively sturdy bars, nice digging room although I wish they made it deeper and I like the inclusion of multiple accessories. I would recommend this for travelling. I gave one star because I feel the accessories could be better and I don't like how this is sold for permanent living. Also it really is tiny.
I've just got to wait and let my baby test it when I finally get him from the breeder.
EDIT: I changed a few words from the original review to make it a bit clearer.
Pets at Home Small Wire Cage Honest Review
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