Choosing the right habitat for a hamster means understanding what the requirements that a cage must have to satisfy its needs fully are.
Just like any other animal that lives in a delimited environment far from its natural habitat, if hamsters live in a habitat that is not suitable for their needs, they can develop some health and behavioural problems that can give many headaches to the boys and children who are they have to take care of them.
Here we had selected the best hamster habitats for you that are present below.
Hamster Habitat Buyer Guide
Size Matters
Have you ever tried to live in a narrow and narrow space where you can hardly breathe freely and move without hitting anything? You know perfectly how it feels. That is why it is very important to pay attention to the size of the habitat you want to buy for your hamster.
For example, if you have a Syrian hamster at home, it is of fundamental importance that your little friend has at least 1 m2 of space and vertical space of approximately 45 cm to be able to move freely, spend his days quietly, and play.
The dwarf hamsters, for their part, need a minimum of 800 cm² surface and vertical space of about 20 cm from the bottom of the cage. We strongly recommend that you comply with the minimum dimensions required for the most classic hamster habitat, i.e., 80 x 40 cm in the surface by 40 cm in height.
This is to ensure that hamsters and other animals that could live in these habitats have enough space at their disposal to be able to move freely, play, spend the day, and do some physical activity.
Metal vs. Plastic
Two of the most popular types of hamster cages are metal and plastic. Each has its pros and cons, of course. As a rule, cages with metal bars should always have a plastic bottom as metal surfaces can prove to be somewhat dangerous for the small legs of hamsters and rodents in general.
Also, the maximum distance between one bar and the other should not be more than 5 mm as the most curious hamsters who love to explore may be able to insert their heads in this confined space if the bars are too far apart.
The plastic cages are the most popular because they are easier to clean and offer a perfect view of what your hamster is doing at any time of the day.
Unfortunately, the walls of these cages do not allow the hamster to climb. Therefore you should buy accessories to allow your little friend to climb and play in his new home.
Vital Space
As already mentioned above, size matters, and these concerns above all the dimensions of the environment in which the hamster will have to live, including the space for games, to eat, to rest, to do his own needs, and even to mate and give birth to the puppies.
The key point is that the habitat in which a hamster must live should be able to offer him a large and well-organized environment in which he can be happy. For example, these small animals are particularly active.
It is, therefore, important to give them wheels, mazes, and tunnels through which they can run and play and which can help them feel comfortable in a new environment. This is why it is essential to evaluate the size of the living space that the hamster will have available, often relating it to the actual size of the cage itself.
Depth of The Bottom of The Cage
Hamsters are great diggers. They love very much to dig. That’s why one of the things you should pay more attention to is the depth of the bottom of the cage you are thinking of buying. At a minimum, you should be able to fill the bottom of the cage with about 5 cm of litter.
Therefore, the deeper, the better. This is especially important, especially if you plan to purchase a hamster habitat with metal bars. As the depth or, in any case, the overall height of the lower part of the cage can help you prevent or reduce the quantity of litter that your hamster could voluntarily or not push out of the cage.
Always remember that there is still a certain space between one metal bar and the other through which it is possible to pass the litter without too much difficulty.
Easy To Clean
There is one very important thing that you should always keep in mind when choosing the ideal habitat for your hamster. It must be very easy to clean. Otherwise, your room will have a bad smell due to faeces, urine, and other body fluids, as well as other liquid and solid substances that could easily rot.
You will certainly agree with the fact that the more complex and complex the structure of a cage is, the more difficult it will be to clean. That’s why cages with houses, tunnels, wheels, and other accessories can be a real nuisance when they have to be cleaned as each of their components must be removed and cleaned individually.
As for the cages, the habitats with metal bars and plastic bottom are the easiest to clean. The cages with glass or aquarium-style walls are, in turn, equally easy to clean. Although unfortunately, the latter can be somewhat heavy.
Ventilation
All living creatures need oxygen to survive. And if you are unable to supply your little friend with the air he needs, he may even die of suffocation. The cages with metal bars are undoubtedly the best in terms of ventilation since the only part that is really “closed” and therefore does not let air pass is the plastic bottom at which you have placed the litter.
If you want to opt for a plastic cage, make sure that the structure is equipped with “windows” or panels that have metal nets or bars that allow good ventilation of the cage itself.
Unfortunately, even with these measures, the quantity of air circulating in and out of these habitats may not be sufficient to fully satisfy the supply of oxygen that your little friend needs. The same also applies to cages with glass walls.
Security and Protection Links
Since hamsters are much smaller than other pets, they are also particularly vulnerable and could easily find themselves in situations likely to undermine their safety and health.
They could inadvertently find themselves with parts of the body stuck between one bar and the other, or they could “open” their cage without your knowledge, lifting the bolt or unlocking the mechanism of entry of the cage itself.
Hamsters are very skilled at opening “closed doors,” and this is part of their instinct that requires them to search for food constantly. Some hamsters are also known for their ability to chew and gnaw things.
It has also been seen that some of them love to gnaw the metal bars of the cages. Therefore it is very important to understand what are the characteristics that distinguish the breed of your hamster from all the others.
If your hamster is part of the category of tireless nibblers, a habitat with solid walls could be the ideal solution compared to a cage with metal bars. Do you want a cage to test your little friend’s teeth? A cage with glass walls is the perfect answer to all your questions.
Wheels for Physical Activity
If you have to think of a particular accessory that cannot miss in your hamster’s habitat, then you will certainly think of a wheel to do some physical activity.
This wheel should not have crossbars, which could prove somewhat dangerous if your hamster’s legs should inadvertently get caught in the cracks between one bar and the other while the wheel is moving.
Experts advise to always opt for wheels with a smooth and uniform surface. It is also important that the wheel diameter is slightly larger than your little friend’s body length.
