What's the Best Cage for a Hamster?

In the next month or so, I'll be getting a Syrian Hamster. Which is the better cage type: plastic or wire, preferably epoxy/powder coated wire?

What about size? There are 2 wire cages I'm looking at. One is 32" x 19" x 18" and the other is 30" x 18" x 24". The latter has a second floor, but I would probably make another floor/living area out of cardboard or something oin the other. I plan on carpeting the wire floored parts too.

When I was a kid I had hamsters....and they almost invariably would pick a corner of a plastic-bottomed cage, and chew their way out. Wire-floored cages are definitely more secure, but putting carpet on the bottom is not a great idea, unless you plan on replacing it daily....or it WILL get stinky. VERY stinky, very quickly.

I prefer keeping hamsters (or mice, or whatever) in a 10 gallon aquarium with wood chips for bedding. You can buy nice, secure screen tops to keep them in, and they still get plenty of ventilation as well. Plus, the glass is much more easily cleaned, chew-proof, and the wood chip bedding is easily spot-cleaned by picking out dirty areas (I've found most hamsters seem to choose a "bathroom corner" ) and adding a few fresh chips, then dumping it all and adding fresh as needed. You don't have to worry about the wire hurting their little feet either.

You can always add little cardboard boxes for chewing and hiding in, they seem to enjoy that too.

The Crittertrails I, II, III and X are the best sellers. I've sold literally hundreds of these in the last couple of years and I have not had one single complaint about a hamster chewing out. A gerbil yes, but a hamster, no. Don't get the Critter Trail Revolution. It was a great idea for a cage but poorly designed. The wheel is the entire outside of the cage and it revolves around the inner living space. It would have been a great idea if it worked. So far no hamster has been able to turn that wheel.

The Crittertrails also have an optional outhouse that connects to the cage. If you run tunnels above the cage and connect the outhouse there, the Syrian hamsters are pretty good about using it as a potty.

Good luck with your new hamster.

The best place for a Hamster is in a snake.

I agree with Cat. Plastic will shortly be chewed through. They are big time chewers and very persistent. I've known them to chew through various Critter Keepers. An aquarium would be your best bet.

Originally Posted by DAND

I agree with Cat. Plastic will shortly be chewed through. They are big time chewers and very persistent. I've known them to chew through various Critter Keepers. An aquarium would be your best bet.

An aquarium does work well but the Crittertrails are much more fun.

At work we breed our own hamsters in Crittertrail Xs, Crittertrail 1s and 2s and have done so for about 3 years. Not one single hole in any of them. Heck the wheels are also made of plastic and they have not been chewed on either. We breed both the Syrians and the dwarf hamsters. The dwarf hamsters, IMO, breed better in the Crittertrails than they do in aquariums.

Well, I was telling myself to not go the plastic and 'colorful' route, but I'm thinking of a Crittertrails 1 linked to a Crittertrails Outlook and then maybe to a Crittertrails 2 for lots of space and places to go. So, the Outlook will be first in line, connected to the 2nd story one byway of a T connector. The middle of the T will have a long straight funnel going to the Crittertrails 1 that will be inbetween the others. Then again, the planning and arrangement is half the fun!

All I need to do now is buy the cages and then the Hamster

Ok. i have a golden hamster, so this is the deal. DO NOT GET WIRE BOTTOMED CAGES! if the hamster gets it foot stuck it will break a leg. it will also cause foot sores. I keep her in a crittertrail outlook. here is the thing. aquariums do not provide enough ventilation. also get a solid wheel not a bar one. go to hamstery.com in the forums to get answers. If you get crittertrails, get a lookout and loop-d-loop. i would bring her home and put her in the outlook. observe to see if she has a chewing habit. if she does, do not get the wire cages or it will misalign teeth and hurt her. if this is the case, but you still wanna connect them, then get a outlook and the classic. i believe it has no wire walls or floors. also, carefresh bedding is cheap and easy to clean. if ingested it won't hurt. always get a hidey house. they love them. you will love the hamster! just one thing, if you keep it in your room, get the snap on wheel sold seperately because it will make less noise.

P.S. in the store, make them let you handle the hammys. like a dog, you will be able to pick one out. if there is none wait another day. i icked ours out because she was mellow and had a small bite in her ear. you cannot put two together.

you can also get good cages on E-bay

Originally Posted by DAND

The best place for a Hamster is in a snake.

LOL. that was wicked..... LOL.


Still laughing......ahahahahahahaa.

I got my hamster on Saturday at Petco, which has a decent department for small animals. The selection was pretty good, with both long and short haired hamsters in a variety of colors. After handling 6, it came down to choosing a black female or a tan and white male: I chose the male and named him Murray. I also picked up a Crittertrails 1 to start. Today was my first taming session (make that last night) after 2 days of leaving me-scented tissue in the cage (which was promtly turned into bedding) and it went well - he climbed out of the cage on his own and did some exploring, then I whispered to him and petted him. It's almost as if he instantly lost his fear of me and runs to the cage bars to see what's going on, and he lets me reach in and touch him. Tomorrow will be a little more extensive with his play tub filled with toys.

So far, it seems he's not too interested in chewing. The items I put in there are still in good shape and were only moved to his top bed area (the so called "petting zone"). He also loves peas and carrots, refused the small apple slice I put in his bowl and loves crickets (I had to try one).

So far so good