Minimum Cage Size
Hamsters and other small rodents need plenty of space to move about as they are highly active at night. Without adequate room, these little animals will become unhappy and/or overweight.
The RSPCA used to stipulate a minimum hamster cage size of 75cm x 40cm. Unfortunately, they no longer advocate a minimum cage size, but they do state any pet should be able to exhibit all normal behaviours, which for hamsters includes running, exploring, climbing, and burrowing. The majority of commercial cages don’t provide anywhere near the amount of space required, so do think twice before you buy – the more space you can give your pets, the happier they will be.
Our Pet Homes
We make 4 standard sizes of Pet Home for small pets – all of which will be suitable for your hamster, mice or gerbils depending on how much space you want to provide.
Our smallest size is 90 x 60cm (see first pic above). We also offer a 120 x 60cm (see main photo below) and if you’re looking for a truly luxurious home, you want to consider one of our extra large sizes (150 x 60cm or 180 x 60cm) typically used to house guinea pigs.To view our range of Hamster Cages, just click on the button below.
Housing Two or More Hamsters?
Syrian hamsters must be housed individually, but dwarf hamsters, mice and gerbils are more social creatures, and can be housed in pairs or groups.
When housing two or more dwarf hamsters together, choose a cage without any platform levels or compartments, as this can lead to territorial behaviour and fighting.
Our 90cm Hamster Home is ideal for a dwarf pair, as there is plenty space for a separate wheel, nesting box, food bowl and water bottle for each animal, which will help them get along harmoniously.
Exercise
In the wild, hamsters can run up to 3-5 miles every night foraging for food, which is a long distance for such tiny feet! It’s therefore important your pet has access to an exercise wheel to fulfil this natural instinct.
Hamster Behaviour
Hamsters, mice and gerbils love to climb and burrow, so it’s important to give them the space and means to be able to do this.
We offer a range of platforms, ladders, tunnels, and activity toys for enriching your little pet’s home. Scroll down to view some options.
What if My Pet likes to Chew?
When hamsters and other small rodents chew their homes, it’s usually because they are bored and unhappy in too small a cage, or where they are unable to exhibit all of their natural behaviours. Your hamster will be much happier in the largest home space you can give them, with a deep substrate and plenty of interesting and fun activity toys to play with, and some chew toys to gnaw on.
If your hamster has had a tendency to bar bite, this is most likely learned repetitive behaviour due to being unhappy in their current or past environment, particularly in the case of a rescue hamster. To prevent your little pet from biting the bars of their cage, we recommend choosing a home with a perspex front, rather than one with bars or mesh.
We hope this information helps you choose the right home, but if you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch.