Different Types of Cages

You know you need a nice big cage that's safe, suitably sized and stimulating, but which type of cage is best when? What types of cage even are there? There are four main types of cages, and this is our handy guide to them!

Wire Cages

Wire/barred cages are the most common sort of cage. When you think of a hamster cage, you probably think of a wire one. They are well ventilated, but not always as escape proof as people would like to think, and they're not ideal if you have a hamster who likes to barchew (this can cause serious damage to their teeth).

Pros: Well ventilated, lots of different designs, easy to attain, easy to clean, allow for 'through bar' interaction.

Cons: Not good for barchewers, sometimes easier to escape from, not as secure from other pets.

Glass Tank Cages/VivariumsI'm another title

Glass tank cages are gaining popularity, especially in the UK and Germany. Often you can pick up large ex-fish tanks which are for sale for a pittance as they're not watertight any more! They're also great as you can see your hamster easily, but they can be heavy and more difficult to clean. You may also need to construct your own mesh lid.

Pros: Good for barchewers, reasonably easy to attain, good to see your hamster in, often more secure against other pets if they have a sturdy mesh lid.

Cons: Heavy, sometimes difficult to clean, may have to construct own mesh lid, not always great ventilation.

Plastic Tank/

Storage Bin

CagesI'm another title

Plastic Tank Cages (the most popular among concientious hamster owners is the Zoozone Large with a sheet of mesh cable/ziptied to the lid) and Storage Bin cages are really highly popular in the UK pet market. Both often require a bit of DIY to make them suitable for hamsters, but it's pretty easy stuff. They are light and easily manoeuvrable, reasonable to clean and provide good protection from other pets if well constructed. (Instructions for how to make a bin cage may be added at a later date, contact the website if you would like them in the meantime).

Pros: Light, easily manoeverable, reasonable to clean, good for barchewers, quite easy to make

Cons: Requires some ingenuity and DIY, can be chewed out of by a really, really keen hamster (very rare)!

Modular CagesI'm another title

Modular cages look attractive and are popular among less knowledgable/slightly misguided hamster owners. Hamsters need at least 75cm by 40cm of floorspace in one go, not in lots of little 'modules'. Modular cages are often overpriced and are wholly unsuitable for most hamsters. As well as this, Dwarfs will find steep tubes too difficult to navigate and Syrians may grow too large for the tubes. Groups of dwarfs may also trap each other in the tubes leading to awful injuries.

Pros: Can look quite attractive.

Cons: Too small, very expensive, not really suitable.