2ft tank

[Queen Of The High Teas]

Okay so I have a spare very empty glass tank in my room and I'm struggling not to give into temptation and fill it! It is 24" long x 12" wide x 16" high, not a perfecto type - just a normal fish tank with a purpose made lid. Is it too small to house a Syrian? Or would it be better for a Russian or a few robos? It is in my room so no way can I have something noisy or smelly or I'll get complaints. I ve gotten no room for the tank to be stored in my pet shed so I put it in my room and now a nice empty cage is taunting me..

[Christmas_hamster]

That size tank is recognized by the SPCA (in Canada in the US) as the minimum size for a hamster or two however most people believe this to be outdated. The RSPCA calls for much bigger than this at about 75cm by 50cm sized cage. Other European countries such as Switzerland call for even larger.

It doesn't provide much room at all, in fact my first pair of dwarfs fought for space in the same sized tank. Afterward the dwarf that remained in that tank after they were separated became cage aggressive because of the lack of room. Dwarfs may be smaller than syrians but they need just as much room as them, they tend move a whole lot more than syrians. Especially robo hamsters who are a very active species.

This tank isn't good for a permanent home for any small animal in my opinion. While it is often recommended for mice, I did that for my own mouse and looking back it was pathetically small even for a single mouse.

This is what it would look like set up with supplies:

Syrian's:


Dwarfs':


Barely enough room for basic supplies, and not enough room for the hamster(s) to actually move around, burrow, forage, explore and do other hamster-y things.

[fluffychick]

at 16" high you could add a shelf, something like the wooden guinea pig shelter, something like this http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000WFFZ9...linkCode%3Dasn or you can get this without the step and add your own ladder with hooks and that would give space and an extra play area though I am still not sure it would be big enough for a syrian.

I have the 30"x12"x15" perfecto with 2 shelves for my syrian, Teddy, and I think it gives him just enough room, though he is a very small syrian, I wouldn't want to go any smaller to be honest. I do keep looking at it thinking I would like to get him a 3 or 4 foot tank, every time I upgrade the size of his cage I want to get him something bigger.lol

[samincittagazze]

There are a lot of differing opinions on appropriate cage sizes here, so you are unlikely to get a definitive answer. Personally, I think with a decent sized shelf, this might be suitable for a single dwarf. It would work out similar to a Mini Duna proportions. But I wouldn't put two dwarfs in it, and I'm fairly sure most people would say it's too small for a Syrian.

[Queen Of The High Teas]

Thanks for suggestions guys. Forgot to say I could put a wire cage topper with 2 shelves (like a gerbilarium) of the same size on it as well to double the space.

[Christmas_hamster]

Unless the shelf was full length it doesn't really add to the floorspace at all. And then with a single dwarf you're just running into cage territorial problems what with the cage being too small.

[Queen Of The High Teas]

Okay thanks for that. Maybe I'll make my Harvest mouse a superhome with it instead!!( he's half an inch in size so itd be like a palace to him!)

[sully]

Half an inch, would love to see picture of him!!!!!

[StarlightSerenity]

OMG pictures of your mouse! Now! I demand pictures! Half an inch pictures!

[Elliriyanna]

yes if he's that tiny that would be a great option I currently have my male mouse in a tank just a little smaller while we work to get him better and it truly is pathetically small.