Housing and Accessories

Getting your hamster's housing right is one of the most important parts of hamster ownership. Needless to say, bad housing can cause illness, lethargy, boredom and even an escaped hamster! Good housing can leave you with an energetic, happy, healthy hamster with a zest for life. So, what should you look for in a good hamster home?

Size

A lovely Syrian set up in an Alaska cage (£40)

The RSPCA and Southern Hamster Club reccomended minimum size for a hamster cage is 75cm by 40cm of floorspace. Although this sounds quite big, hamsters would have miles and miles to run about and explore in the wild, so the least we can do is provide them with a big space.

Big cages don't need to be expensive either, with a little ingenuity,

you can find them very cheaply, or even make your own!

There are some exceptions to the big cage rule, but only a few. An ill, very shy, or an injured hamster may benefit from a smaller cage, but as a general rule, the bigger, the better. Most of the cages on are well priced and suitable.

HERE

Safety

The perfect cage for a dwarf trio

(A Zoozone Large, available for about £50 new. Will need a sheet of mesh cable/ziptying to the lid.)

Obviously, a good cage is safe for your hamster. This means that the doors/openings are secure, any large drops are prevented with a hammock, there isn't anything that your hamster can get badly stuck/injured on, and there are no wire shelves (these can cause a nasty little condition called bumblefoot).

The largest 'safe' drop to have in a cage is about 30cm, less for a young, ill, or elderly hamster and for dwarves.

If you have a cat or a dog, the cage should be made secure against them. The best way to do this is to put the cage out of their reach and put a clip on each cage opening. A glass tank with a secure top is safest against other pets, a sturdy plastic 'tank' cage is safer than a wire one, but a wire cage is safer than a flimsy modular cage.

If you have a group of dwarf hamsters, you should lessen the chance for terratorial behaviour by removing any levels in the cage and ensuring that all houses and toys have more than one opening. It is also a good idea to have a waterbottle and a wheel for each hamster.

Stimulating

Every hamster needs a good sized wheel (see

for guidance), something safe to chew and a house with safe nesting material (not anything that feels/looks like cotton wool!).

A good cage follows the two above rules, but a great cage goes one step further. Your cage should be interesting and exciting for your hamster. Toys should be rotated once a week or so.

Good toy ideas include-

The good old toilet roll tube
Bridges and ladders
Cardboard boxes (a hamster owner's best friend)
A sand bath
Tubes and tunnels
Hanging toys and chews (Treat k-bobs are great)

See Enrichment for loads more ideas and specific toys

Wheely Confused

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