We make a point throughout the site to say that the most important consideration for any hamster owner is to ensure that their pet is comfortable and has all the space they need. While your pet will undoubtedly come out of the cage on occasion, it will spend a fair percentage of its time behind bars ? or glass and plastic if you go with an aquarium hamster setup.
Minimum Hamster Cage Sizes
The longest part of this topic involves how big your cage could be, so we?ll get the simpler part out of the way first. In order to be truly comfortable, your hamster needs a certain amount of space at a minimum. Even if you are tight on space, you should stick to the following minimums:
24 Inches Long x 12 Inches Deep x 12 Inches Tall
That gives the little guy enough room to move around in, space to climb without too far to fall and enough room for you to place your choice of toys around the cage. Anything less than this can be considered as cramped conditions. Anything more is down to you and depends on how much space you have, which toys and treats you plan to put in the cage and how much work you?re willing to put in to cleaning the cage out.
The Ideal Minimum-Size Hamster Cage
- Structure on two-floors
- Made of robust plastic with transparent base
- Wire net upper part
- Fully accessorized. Hamster cage with high bottom
- Product Dimension: 23.6 x 14.4 x 11.8 inches
Last update on 2020-03-19 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The Favola Hamster Cage is a great pick for anyone with limited space for their hamster?s cage. While it is not exactly spot on in every dimension for what we outline above, the overall area is exactly what any hamster owner should loo for in their hamster?s home.
We really like the combination of bars and plastic as well as the two-floor design. The hamster bedding can go at the bottom, meaning that it mostly stays in the cage rather than spreading out all over the floor, and the bars on the second level ensure your pet can climb as much as it likes without ever having far to fall if it loses its grip. If exercise is a priority, as it should be, then the built-in wheel will also score high marks in your buying decision.
Can a Hamster Cage be Too Big?
Your hamster cage can be too big, but not in the eyes of the hamster itself. Historically, a natural hamster habitat will see the little guys running for miles every night. Unless you live on a farm, it is unlikely that you?ll be able to truly emulate their natural habitat. At the same time, the responsibility to clean out the cage and to keep it out of direct sunlight falls squarely on your shoulders. Size-wise, if you can manage it, your hamster will be more than happy with it.
Last update on 2020-03-19 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Most larger cages extend upwards rather than outwards, and this is understandable. To dedicate space that covers two feet in one direction and another foot in the other is already a big ask in even decent-sized homes. Naturally, hamsters have no qualms about climbing and so if you decide to go bigger, you can expect the regular dimensions to remain pretty consistent, while the cage extends upwards. The Fun Land Cage above even comes with a dedicated bedroom and long tubes for when the little guy fancies a run but is not keen on the wheel.
The Modular Hamster Cage Solution
As long as you stick to the minimums, the sky is the limit. You could build your own hamster cage or take some of the hard work out of it with the modular solution.
Kaytee?s CritterTrail range is probably the best known and, crucially, there are more options in this series than with anything else. Whether you like tubes, tunnels, rooms or anything else, as long as you don?t mind bright colours, something like the CritterTrail One or CritterTrail Two serve as the perfect baseline.
Last update on 2020-03-19 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Crucially, none of the CritterTrail habitats meet our minimum measurements out of the box, and so we only recommend them if you have every intention of expanding from the original product. There are obvious advantages, from the ability to change the layout based on your mood to the opportunity to add and expend as you see fit rather than needing to get everything in place right from the outset.
There are dozens of addon accessories, most of which can be customised further depending on what?s in the box. You can go with special sets or individual components ? as long as you ultimately put together a cage that meets the minimum floor space requirements, the choice really is yours.
- The original hay and salad buffet with safe salt spool hanger
- Covered metal frame for safe animal eating
- Easy to re-locate in the animal's home with hanging hooks
- Great for your animals to snack or enjoy their salt lick
- Keeps hay from getting soiled on the cage floor
Last update on 2020-03-19 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
How Big Should a Hamster Cage Be? ? In Summary
As long as your hamster?s cage is two feet wide, along with a foot deep and high, it will have enough space to work with. Most hamster cages are designed to meet these measurements, even the luxury cages. Bigger cages tend to be taller rather than wider.
Unfortunately, there are no legal minimums on hamster cages, although we can see why there needs to be flexibility for travel cages and other options. Nevertheless, just because a hamster cage is on sale, there are no guarantees that they meet the minimum specifications so you should always keep an eye out for measurements. If you buy your hamster cage on Amazon, you?ll find the dimensions on the product page. If you go to the local pet store, you?ll often need either a good eye or a way to measure the dimensions before you come to a decision.
Your hamster will appreciate a bigger cage but, once again, you need to make sure you are up to the task of cleaning it out regularly and that you definitely have the space for it. If you move your hamster around regularly, that will also factor into your choice of cage. If you want to work on your cage gradually, then the modular solutions are a great investment, especially with reputable brands like Kaytee behind them.
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