Choosing the Right Hamster Cage
Guide to Choosing the Right Hamster Cage
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©2011 Choosehamstercages.com
Choosing the Right Hamster Cage
Introduction
Congratulations! You’re getting a new hamster and you want him or her to have a great
place to live. Or maybe your old cage is scratched, cracked, or is just too small for your
hamster.
Either way, you need to think about what you want your new hamster habitat to be like.
Help is on the following pages. There you’ll find a lot of questions you should be asking
yourself when picking out a new hamster cage.
Included are pictures of different size cages so you can have an idea of what your new
cage might look like. There’s a clickable link under each cage so you can find more
information. If you don’t want to click the link, just go to Amazon.com or your local pet
store to find out more.
I hope that reading through this guide helps you find a great home for your hammy!
Table of Contents
What type of hamster do you have? ................................................................................ 3
What type of cage do you want? ..................................................................................... 3
Pieces and parts ............................................................................................................. 3
Which features do you want for your cage? .................................................................... 4
How much money can you spend? ................................................................................. 5
What will take up space in the cage? .............................................................................. 6
What size cage do I want? .............................................................................................. 7
Wire ............................................................................................................................. 7
Wire and Plastic Combination Cages ........................................................................ 10
Aquarium ................................................................................................................... 14
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Choosing the Right Hamster Cage
What type of hamster do you have?
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Dwarf (Roborovski, Winter White Russian, Campbell’s, Djungarian, Chinese)
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2 to 4 inches (4 to 12 cm) long when an adult
Can live with another dwarf hamster
Syrian (Teddy Bear, Golden)
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5 to 7 inches (13 to 18 cm) long when an adult
Must live alone
What type of cage do you want?
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I want a wire cage
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I want a combination wire and plastic cage
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Available in different sizes
Measured in inches/centimeters
Available in different sizes
Measured in inches/centimeters
Can be connected for multiple habitats
I want an aquarium
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Available in different sizes
Measured in gallons (10, 20, 30, etc.)
Pieces and parts
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I want a cage that comes with all the pieces – a kit
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Often includes exercise wheel, water bottle, food dish
May include hamster house, bedding, carrying case
I want to buy all the parts for my cage separately
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More choices available
May cost more than a kit
Required for fish tank
©2011 Choosehamstercages.com
Choosing the Right Hamster Cage
Which features do you want for your cage?
When choosing a hamster cage, carefully consider each of the following.
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Space between metal bars
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Door
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Which additional pieces come with it and which have to be bought?
Does water bottle leak?
Is exercise wheel noisy?
Is food bowl big enough?
If wire, quality of wire
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If too thin, hamster can gnaw a hole through it.
If kit:
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Is it at least 2 inches to hold bedding?
If plastic, what is the quality of plastic?
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If not, you must add one so your hamster doesn’t escape.
Depth of base
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How many?
Does door have a latch or just snaps? (Latches are better for keeping your
hamster inside the cage.)
Is the opening wide enough so you can easily reach in and get your hamster?
If aquarium, does it come with a mesh covering for the top?
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Minimum ½ inch for Syrian
Minimum 3/8 inch for dwarf
Chew proof? (So gnawing on wire won’t make your hammy sick)
Powder-coated? (Safer than just paint)
Are wire bars too easy for your hamster to bend with its teeth? (Hamster can
escape if it can bend cage wires)
Ease of assembly
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Are instructions included? Are they any good?
Do parts fit together well?
If platforms, do they connect solidly to the sides?
©2011 Choosehamstercages.com
Choosing the Right Hamster Cage
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Ease of cleaning
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Ladders and platforms
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Do pieces come apart easily?
If aquarium, how heavy is it to carry to sink or tub?
Can your hamster safely climb up the ladder?
Is the platform large enough / sturdy enough for your hamster?
Hamster tubes
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Are they large enough for your hamster to crawl through?
How much money can you spend?
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$15 to $25
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$25 to $40
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Usually 2-story
$40 and up
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Smaller sizes
Usually 3-story or larger sizes
$25 to $50
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10 gallon to 20 gallon aquariums
©2011 Choosehamstercages.com
Choosing the Right Hamster Cage
What will take up space in the cage?
Remember, your cage has to hold not only your hamster, but many other items.
Considering which of these items will be in the cage and how much space each takes
up will will help you figure out how large a cage you should buy.
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Exercise wheel inside the cage (Attached or freestanding)
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Exercise wheel outside of cage (top or side)
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Entire water bottle
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Tip of water bottle (if attached from the outside)
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Water bowl
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Food bowl
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Chew toys
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Salt lick
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Treat bar
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Hamster house / Hidey house
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Hamster tubes on floor
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Climbing tubes between levels
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Ladder going between levels
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Platforms/shelves above floor
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Sleeping area / petting area at top of cage
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Bedding for bathroom
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Bedding for burrowing
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©2011 Choosehamstercages.com
Choosing the Right Hamster Cage
What size cage do I want?
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Use smaller cage sizes for one dwarf hamster
Use larger cage sizes for 2 dwarf hamsters or 1 Syrian hamster
NOTE: Hamsters are nearsighted and can hurt themselves if they fall from tall
heights!
Wire
Super Pet Deluxe Hamster My First Home
1 story
11” long x 13.5” wide x 14.5” high
CLICK HERE for details
Super Pet Deluxe Hamster My First Home
2 story
11” long x 13.5” wide x 14.5” high
CLICK HERE for details
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©2011 Choosehamstercages.com
Choosing the Right Hamster Cage
Super Pet Deluxe Hamster My First Home
3 story
11” long x 13.5” wide x 20” high
CLICK HERE for details
WARE Chew Proof Four Story Hamster Cage
12.5” long x 12.5” wide x 25” high
CLICK HERE for details
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©2011 Choosehamstercages.com
Choosing the Right Hamster Cage
Super Pet My First Home for Critters, Teal
12.5” long x 24.5” wide x 24.5” high
CLICK HERE for details
Hamster Rodent Gerbil Mouse Mice Critter Cage - H4294Blu
15" long x 10" wide x 16.5" high
CLICK HERE for details
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Choosing the Right Hamster Cage
Wire and Plastic Combination Cages
Super Pet CritterTrail Mini One Habitat
8” long x 12.5” wide x 7.5” high
CLICK HERE for details
Super Pet CritterTrail Mini Two Habitat
8” long x 12.5” wide x 7.5” high
CLICK HERE for details
Super Pet CritterTrail Primary Habitat
10” long x 16” wide x 11” high
CLICK HERE for details
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Choosing the Right Hamster Cage
Super Pet Critter Trail Double Decker Habitat
11” long x 15.5” wide x 17” high
CLICK HERE for details
Super Pet CritterTrail 2-Level Habitat
16” long X 10.5” wide x 16” high
CLICK HERE for details
Super Pet CritterTrail Extreme Challenge Habitat
16” long x 10.5” wide x 18” high (plus exercise wheel
on top)
CLICK HERE for details
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©2011 Choosehamstercages.com
Choosing the Right Hamster Cage
Super Pet CritterTrail Discovery Habitat
20” long x 14.75” wide x 11” high
CLICK HERE for details
Super Pet CritterTrail Discovery Deluxe Habitat
15.75” long x 23.5” wide x 12.75” high
CLICK HERE for details
Ware Manufacturing Critter Universe Expanded Cage
16” long x 9” wide x 20.5” high
CLICK HERE for details
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©2011 Choosehamstercages.com
Choosing the Right Hamster Cage
Penn-plax Here & There & Everywhere Hamster Home & Traveler Cage SAM450
16.6” long x 11.1” wide x 6.4” high (plus Traveler Cages on
top)
CLICK HERE for details
Here and There Large Unit Home and Traveler
9” long x 15.5” wide x 24” high (plus 2 Traveler
Cages on top)
CLICK HERE for details
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Choosing the Right Hamster Cage
Aquarium
Db 10gal Tank Black 20x10x12
20” long x 10” deep x 12” high
CLICK HERE for details
Db 20gal Long Tank Black 30x12x12
30” long x 12” deep x 12” high
CLICK HERE for details
Super Pet My First Home Tank Topper
Fits on top of 10 gallon fish tank
CLICK HERE for details
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