Enclosure Size & Type

Despite their small size, hamsters require a relatively large living space. They are very active and curious animals, and their enclosure should be able to satisfy all their needs.

Hamsters are ground dwelling animals that spend most of their time burrowing, walking and foraging for food and nesting material. They are excellent burrowers, constructing and inhabiting caves and tunnels which they frequently expand and remodel. During night time they emerge from their dens and travel several miles in search for food and nesting material, as well as to mark their territory.

Hamsters generally have poor vision and a lack of height perception, which makes them horrible climbers. This does not mean they will not attempt to do so, especially when bored, but while many hamsters will figure out how to climb up a space, they hardly know how to get down without just letting go and falling to uncertainty.

Their enclosure should give them plenty of space to roam and dig, whilst avoiding too much vertical space. The cage should be able to hold at least 15 – 30 cm (6 – 12 in) of bedding depending on the species and have space for all the essential items like a wheel, at least one house (preferably a multi-chamber house), a sand bath, tunnels and hides as well as toys.

Table Of Content

Minimum Size

Why do hamsters need so much space?

What are these recommendations based on?

How do I tell if my hamster is unsatisfied with its enclosure?

Commercially available hamster enclosures

Minimum Size

We recommend the following minimum enclosure sizes:

Chinese Hamsters, Roborowski, Winter White, Campbell and Hybrid Dwarf Hamsters - 0.5 Square Meters or 775 Square Inches, for example 100 x 50 x 50 cm or 39.3 x 19.7 x 19.7 in. The enclosure should have a minimum width and heights of 40 cm or 15.7 in.

Syrian Hamsters – 0.6 Square Meters or 930 Square Inches, for example 120 x 50 x 50 cm or 47 x 19.7 x 19.7 in. The enclosure should have a minimum width and height of 50 cm or 19.7 in.

This refers to the unbroken floor space, platforms and multiple levels do not add to this. These recommendations are the minimum sizes for a permanent enclosure and are just sufficient enough to cover the bare essentials. Many hamsters require and thrive in larger spaces. As an owner one should strive to provide the best possible care, which is why we always recommend aiming for the largest enclosure you can fit.

Why do hamsters need so much space?

As already mentioned, hamsters are very active animals who in the wild inhabit large territories spanning several square meters. Depending on the species and age a hamster will travel up to 30 km or 18.6 miles per night in search of food, nesting material and to mark said territory.

Domestication of hamsters is still relatively new, Syrian hamsters have only been in human care since 1930. Therefore they still inhabit many of the same traits and needs as their wild counterparts.

What are these recommendations based on?

- Hamsterbacken recommend a size of at least 100 x 50 cm for dwarf hamster species and 120 x 50 cm for syrian hamsters

- DieBrain recommends a space of at least 1 Square Meter (for example 100 x 100 cm) and a height of at least 60 cm

- The german Tierärztliche Vereinigung für Tierschutz e.V. (Veterinary Association for Animal Welfare) released a care sheet recommending at least 100 x 50 x 50 cm for Syrian hamsters in 2014.

In 2005 K. Fischer released their study Behaviour of Golden Hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) Kept in Four Different Cage Size, suggesting a minimum of 10,000 Square Centimeters (1 Square Meter) of well furnished space. A hamsters overall well-being has been found to greatly improve in larger enclosure sizes.

The following behaviors have been observed and documented in the study:

- Hamsters housed in smaller enclosures were chewing on the bars of the cage more often and for longer periods compared to those housed in larger enclosures

- A connection between bar chewing and climbing was found, with some hamsters preferring to climb to specific areas to chew on the bars. Others switched between bar chewing and climbing

- Hamsters housed in small, cramped enclosures may grow excessively and develop health issues later on, as they don’t have enough room to burn off energy

- Hamsters with more space tend to explore their environment more thoroughly and make better use of the area than those in more confined spaces.

How do I tell if my hamster is unsatisfied with its enclosure?

Hamsters who are dissatisfied with their enclosure due to lack of space, enrichment or both will show signs of stress and possibly even aggression. They will often attempt to escape their enclosure, either by chewing, climbing or jumping. They might use their wheel excessively to burn off stress and energy.

Hamsters in barred cages or cages with accessible ventilation mesh will often chew on the bars. Contrary to popular belief this is not an act to wear down their teeth but a direct response to dissatisfaction with their enclosure and the stress that comes with it.

They might also be observed climbing on the bars and on the ceiling of the cage, often being unable to climb down safely and letting go. This again is not a natural behavior and can pose great dangers to their health when they fall off great heights or onto hard surfaces.

Hamsters in aquariums or tank like enclosures might be found scaling the walls or pacing back and forth alongside the walls of the enclosure. This is not a typical behavior and instead caused by stress and boredom. Similar behavior has been observed in zoo animals pacing back and forth alongside the walls of their enclosures, where it similarly has been linked to a dissatisfaction with their living space.

Types of Enclosures

There are many different types of enclosures to choose from, some may be more suitable than others. This list offers some popular choices but is in no way complete. Depending on your location, budget and other factors some options might be more optimal than others.

Barred Cage

The most common type of cage and what many people will think of when it comes to an enclosure for their hamster.

When choosing a barred cage make sure the space between the bars is no greater than 12 mm for adult Syrian hamsters and 10 mm for all other hamster species.

Barred cages are relatively accessible, they are lightweight and offer excellent ventilation. They can be rather affordable options when opting to purchase a new commercially available cage. Barred cages offering side ventilation are often also stack-able, giving the option to house several individual animals without taking up a lot of floor space.

On the contrary, there are also many disadvantages to barred cages. By default many offer rather shallow bases that are not able to hold the recommended amount of bedding to allow a hamster to burrow in. So often it is necessary for owners to add a sort of barrier made from cardboard, plexi- or acryl glass or similar to prevent bedding from spilling out.

The bars also pose a threat if the hamsters starts climbing on them. Falling from great heights should be avoided as it can cause injury, fractures or even death.

Many barred cages are also simply too small, so it is necessary to check the size to align with the recommended minimum.

Aquarium / Tank

While initially made as an enclosure to house fish and aquatic creatures, aquariums can make great habitats for our furry friends.

Tanks tend to come at a higher price point when purchased new, but there are ways to get them at a significant discount. Leaky aquariums can be obtained both new through pet stores as well as second hand and often come at a discount or even for free (when acquired second hand). They are not seen fit for purpose anymore as leaky aquariums cannot house fish but are still perfectly suitable for rodents such as hamsters.

One of the downsides of tanks is weight. Tanks are made with thick glass to be able to withstand the pressure of large amounts of water which makes them incredibly heavy. This should be kept in mind both when transporting as well as when placing the tank.

Additionally, tanks often do not come with a suitable lid, so it is on the owners to purchase or DIY a lid that allows for proper ventilation. We do not recommend housing a hamster in any cage without a proper lid. Hamsters are escape artists and can be quite clever about climbing or even jumping out of their cage.

Terrariums

Terrariums are enclosures typically made from wood or glass and serve as housing for various types of reptiles and exotic animals. They come with front opening doors which either rely on a sliding mechanism or hinges.

Terrariums come in a variety of sizes and can serve as a great enclosure for a hamster. Many prefer terrariums over tanks due to the front opening doors which make it easier to interact with your furry friend without startling them. Some might be more suitable than others, or require some adjustments made by the owner.

When choosing a terrarium it is important to watch out for proper ventilation with either a fully meshed lid or large cut out and meshed spaces in the sides and / or back. Wooden terrariums can be easily modified with some tools to add extra ventilation if necessary. They will also be a lot lighter than those made from full glass.

One downside of wooden cages is that they need to be sealed with pet safe wood sealant in order to make them safe against urine and mites. Another issue is that hamsters could chew through the wood and escape, so we recommend housing your hamster in a glass enclosure if you know they are particularly keen on gnawing.

Glass terrariums have similar disadvantages to tanks, that being weight and easy to break material.

Terrariums with side ventilation are stack-able, making it possible to house several individual animals without taking up too much floor space.

DIY enclosure

DIY enclosures come in many shapes and sizes. They can be great for those with the necessary tools and skills to build a custom habitat. There are plenty of tutorials for DIY enclosures available online. It is also possible to modify an existing piece of furniture, like cabinets, closets or shelves.

When DIY-ing an enclosure it is important to chose materials that are safe to use with hamsters. Safe woods to use are aspen, birch, poplar and spruce. Cabinets and closets are often made with laminated chipboard, uncoated wood should be sealed with pet safe wood sealant to make them safe against urine and mites.

To seal the edges you can use aquarium silicone, refrain from using regular silicone as it contains ingredients not safe for animals! No screws or nails should be exposed.

One popular choice used to be crafting hamster enclosures out of large storage bins. Sadly finding bins large enough to provide the recommended minimum floor space is very hard, as they taper towards the bottom. In some countries using Christmas tree bins is very popular and while they might reach the recommended floor space, they make up for that with a lack of height.

There have also been many reported cases of hamsters being able to chew out of those plastic containers.

We cannot recommend bin cages as permanent enclosures for these reasons.

Commercially available hamster enclosures

In recent years there has been a bigger push for more suitable commercially available enclosures specifically for hamsters and similar small rodents. Companies noticed this and there are now many more options available with cages both offering significant floor space as well as being designed to accommodate the hamsters needs for deep bedding to burrow in.

Many such enclosures can be found in pet stores as well as marketplaces online.

Niteangel Vista

Skyline Marrakesh 120

MewooFun 100 x 50 x 50 cm

Pawhut 115 x 57 x 55 cm

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