Options for Hamster Cages and Habitats
Selecting the proper hamster cage for your pet is almost as important as selecting your hamster itself. Your small pet will spend the most of its life in the habitat option you end up choosing. But before you can call this a nice home, you have to make it as pleasant as you can.
Your small pet shouldn’t be always on watch or go stir crazy from an uncomfortable environment. Examine the advantages and disadvantages listed below of each option.
- Wire cages
Traditional hamster cages are made of metal wire and are frequently constructed from galvanized steel. Any bars covered in rubber or plastic will eventually be chewed through by hamsters due to their natural tendencies, revealing the inexpensive metal inside. This results in a compromised, rusted framework.
- Plastic habitat
Except for tough plastic with non-gnawable parts, using plastic to construct a hamster habitat is not the best option. Pet stores provide a ton of interesting and inventive plastic cage alternatives. Habitrail and CritterTrail are two suppliers of excellent goods.
- Glass tanks
If you want a clear view of everything going on within your hamster’s home, a glass aquarium is your best bet. The odours that come with owning a fuzzy tiny creature will be contained more by an aquarium’s thick walls than any other type of housing. To construct levels, some owners purchase a cage extension top. Pet retailers typically stock a variety of name brands of plastic or a combination of plastic and wire crates in a wide range of colors. Your hamster can get bored and restless even at this size, which is unfair to it. You can add floors and build upwards in your hamster cage to expand the available space inside a small area.
Wire Cages
Traditional wire cages are the most typical, easily accessible, and affordable hamster cages at most pet stores. These cages normally have a plastic bottom base, small metal wire door, and wire bar sides and top. Sizes ranging from extremely little to somewhat large are available at pet stores.
These smaller alternatives aren’t necessarily appropriate for all hamsters just because a pet store sells them in that size. One hamster needs a cage that is at least 12 inches by 15 inches by 12 inches high (30 x 38 x 30cm). Cheap metallics are frequently found inside of cages with plastic or rubber coatings, and when a hamster eats through the shell, the unattractive exposed bars can corrode and disintegrate. For a Syrian hamster, the wire bars should be no more than 4/8 inches (1.3 cm) apart, and for dwarf size hamsters, no more than 3/16 of an inch (0.5 cm).
- Galvanized steel
Galvanized steel is the ideal material for constructing a wire hamster cage. This kind of metal is resistant to corrosion, won’t rust, and won’t break if a hamster chews on the bars. It’s too small if it resembles a five gallon fish tank in size.
- The benefits of wire
Compared to alternative hamster habitats, a wire cage provides a number of advantages. They are initially more affordable than other hamster cage solutions. Second, the cage can always have fresh air thanks to the wire bar sides’ open design, which maximizes air circulation. A cage door adaptor can always be added to enable a tunnel to connect to another hamster habitat, and extra levels may be quickly installed and securely fastened to the crossbars.
- Disadvantages of these cages
The metal bars that make up a cage’s floors are uncomfortable for hamsters and are rough on their feet. However, the floors, including the one on the bottom level, can be made more comfortable by adding a mat or canvas material. A wire cage’s additional flaw is a hamster’s ability to scale its sides.
Although this is undoubtedly a healthy kind of exercise, it may also cause a fall. A hamster can fall off the edge of an open side of a cage if it has numerous levels without complete floors in addition to climbing accidents because they have poor depth awareness. If you are worried about drops, consider choosing a cage with vertical bars that your hamster will find more difficult to climb and building levels with whole floors connected by a ramp or ladder that passes through a tiny hole in the floor.
- Habitat modules and additions
Hamster habitats are a type of modular housing that can be stacked, or attached to one another through a span of tunnels or tubes.
- Proper size and location
The minimum cage size for one hamster is 12″ x 15″ x 12″ tall or (30 x 38 x 30cm).
Glass Tanks
A hamster tank habitat can also be created in an aquarium intended for fish. It’s also crucial to remember that, even if you only have one cage, it shouldn’t be circular. Hamsters frequently experience confusion, which causes stress. If they can move into a corner and get their bearings, they will feel considerably more at ease. Corners can be used as a bathroom or a location to store food when needed.
- Plastic habitat benefits
If you’re trying to replicate a hamster’s natural environment, this kind of housing is a great option. A hamster spends most of its life in its den in the wild, moving between the various compartments via a network of tunnels. You can combine and match components anyway you like by linking the hamster habitats together. To keep the hamsters interested and never bored, these can subsequently be modified. You may keep your spending in check by purchasing a few new items at once.
- Climate control issues
The majority of hamster homes lack appropriate air circulation, which raises concerns about overheating. You should think about adding modules or add-ons made of wire cage material if you live in a hot region, or you might use a wire hamster cage. On the other hand, on a chilly winter day, these largely enclosed habitats might make a lovely warm cozy place to curl up. Make sure the habitat has at least enough air holes to maintain the main dwelling chamber between 59-77F (15-25C).
Understand that a single module is too small and that they were made with the idea of connecting at least two different modules if you choose to purchase a habitat for your pet hamsters. This choice for your hamster’s new home is typically quite accessible and reasonably priced. In fact, your garage may even include an old can tank that is idle. There aren’t many advantages for glass hamster tanks outside the affordable pricing.
- Benefits of glass
A glass hamster tank is more difficult to chew through than a plastic one, making it less likely that a hamster will ever manage to escape. Solid walls, as opposed to the openness of wire cages, prevent hamsters from escaping as well as the bedding from the hamster tank from being thrown out as they dig about. The same solid glass walls that give advantages over alternative housing options also produce a number of drawbacks.
- Disadvantages of glass
On warm days, these tanks can get too warm for a hamster to be comfortable and potentially cause heatstroke because they have solid glass walls that don’t allow for much air circulation. The probable build-up of ammonia fumes brought on by the breakdown of hamster pee may worsen the lack of air circulation. Ammonia gasses will accumulate in a tank if the owner doesn’t clean it frequently enough, which could cause respiratory issues.
- Minimum tank size
If you decide to use a glass hamster tank, it must hold at least 10 gallons (40 liters). A hamster can become restless even at this size, which might result in behavioral issues. These actions resemble human OCD in terms of conduct. You can install a tank topper that snugly covers the top of the hamster container to prevent this.
Hamster tubes can be fastened to the holes in the tank topping. This not only expands the habitat’s size but also keeps your hamster from getting bored. A wire cage-made upper level connected to the glass tank by a ramp or ladder is another feature. On chilly days, this offers a lovely warm location in the bottom, and on warm days, it offers a nice airy space.
Size Requirements
Although hamster cages come in a variety of designs and sizes, not all of them are appropriate for hamster habitats. Small wire cages, cages with an extensive system of hamster tubes and tunnels, and typically repurposed and improvised housing alternatives are all available. The alternatives for handmade caging are endless and include everything from an old aquarium to a birdcage. Given the variety of design alternatives, it could be challenging to determine whether the cage of choice will serve as an appropriate residence for the hamster. Here are the minimal hamster cage sizes for the various options and solutions to assist in answering that query.
- Minimum size
It’s crucial to remember that these cage proportions are the absolute bare minimum; a hamster won’t necessarily be content, but it will be able to survive if you additionally provide it with a hamster wheel and plenty of exercise outside. This situation will involve a great degree of responsibility and is typically not the best course of action.
A hamster can start to exhibit unhealthy behaviors resembling obsessive-compulsive habits, such as running continuously along the same path or scratching at the glass, if it doesn’t have enough room to exercise and feel comfortable. Because of this, you must give a cage with adequate space for your pet to feel at home.
Location Tips
- Quiet low traffic
Hamsters can’t tolerate a lot of noise since they need to sleep during the day. Place your hamster cages away from any televisions, radios, or other noisy or vibrating gadgets. Your hamsters will experience stress if you choose to place their cage adjacent to one of these locations, which could lead to health issues and hamster illnesses. A hamster with excellent hearing may find the noises bothersome, even though you and I might not.
- Low levels of light
A hamster spends almost all of its time underground in its native home, so it doesn’t appreciate a lot of bright light and particularly not direct sunshine. A hamster cage shouldn’t be placed close to a window that receives a lot of light during the day, and harsh lighting should be avoided at night. Our next point is influenced by the fact that hamsters have trouble sleeping in constant light environments. If your hamster decides to run on its hamster wheel at 4 in the morning and you share a bedroom with it, it could be tough for you to fall asleep.
- Ideal temps
Last but not least, a hamster needs a cage that is no colder than 59F (15C) and no hotter than 77F for it to be content (25C). This indicates that you should keep your hamster away from heaters and drafty windows. The best place for your hamster cage is in a dimly lit room with little traffic during the day, away from where you attempt to sleep at night.
If you want more helpful advice on looking after your hamster, including tips on food, toys, accessories and accommodation, add a comment below to let us know!
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