Habitat

Source from:www.hamsters.co.uk/caging.htm
Copyright © Lorraine Hill

CAGING AND EQUIPMENT

 

CAGING - SYRIAN HAMSTERS

There are a variety of hamster cages available from pet shops. The most common type of cage seen in pet shops has a plastic base and a rigid wire top. The wire top lifts off the base making it easy to take the hamster out of the cage, and easy to clean the cage. There are also various multi-level cages designed for hamsters consisting of a plastic base, rigid wire top with metal or plastic ladders leading up to a floor within the cage. Plastic base, rigid wire top cages are quite durable and relatively cheap and easily found in pet shops.

There are also various makes of cages which consist of compartments and tunnels. These can be quite expensive and difficult to clean. Also larger hamsters may find the tunnels a bit of a squeeze and the compartments do not offer much room for the Syrian Hamster to move around in.

Aquariums can also be used to house a hamster. These are draught proof and relatively cheap but glass aquariums can be awkward to clean. Plastic aquariums however are much easier to clean being lighter. Aquariums make ideal cages for pregnant hamsters, nursing mothers and baby hamsters. A water bottle can be fixed to the side of an aquarium by using adhesive Velcro pads or some water bottles are designed to be hung and these can be hung from the top of the aquarium. If the aquarium is shallow Water bottles can be fixed horizontally from the lid but it should remembered that these will want refilling regularly as they will not dispense water when half empty. Any aquarium should have a well ventilated lid to avoid the build up of condensation.

Cages made totally from metal are rarely seen these days and have a tendency to rust.

Home-made cages can be made from a combination of wood and wire mesh but hamsters do tend to gnaw the wood and so these types of cages may need repairing from time to time.

Home-made cages can also be made from plastic storage boxes with wire mesh tops and these are cheap to make, easy to clean and draught proof.

CAGING - DWARF HAMSTERS

Standard plastic base, rigid wire top cages designed for hamsters are often unsuitable for Dwarf Hamsters as they are able to squeeze through the bars if these are spaced too far apart. Similar cages designed for mice have the bars spaced closer together and so are more suitable for Dwarf Hamsters. The wire top lifts off the base making it easy to take the hamster out of the cage, and easy to clean the cage. There are also various multi-level cages designed for hamsters consisting of a plastic base, rigid wire top with metal or plastic ladders leading up to a floor within the cage. Plastic base, rigid wire top cages are quite durable and relatively cheap and easily found in pet shops. The multi-level cages with tubes leading from one level to another are suitable for Dwarf Hamsters and most Dwarf Hamsters once full grown are able to climb up through the tubes. This type of cage can be expensive and difficult to clean. Aquariums also make ideal cages for Dwarf Hamsters including breeding colonies. These are draught proof and relatively cheap but glass aquariums can be awkward to clean. Plastic aquariums however are much easier to clean being lighter. Aquariums make ideal cages for pregnant hamsters, nursing mothers and baby hamsters. A water bottle can be fixed to the side of an aquarium by using adhesive Velcro pads or some water bottles are designed to be hung and these can be hung from the top of the aquarium. If the aquarium is shallow Water bottles can be fixed horizontally from the lid but it should remembered that these will want refilling regularly as they will not dispense water when half empty. Any aquarium should have a well ventilated lid to avoid the build up of condensation.

Cages made totally from metal are rarely seen these days and have a tendency to rust.

Home-made cages can be made from a combination of wood and wire mesh but hamsters do tend to gnaw the wood and so these types of cages may need repairing from time to time.

Home-made cages can also be made from plastic storage boxes with wire mesh tops and these are cheap to make, easy to clean and draughtproof.

FLOOR COVERING

Woodshavings or paper-based shavings are best used to cover the floor of the cage. Fine sawdust can cause eye irritations and respiratory problems and so should be avoided. Woodshavings from hardwoods such as Aspen are best, as softwoods such as Cedar contain phenols which can cause severe irritations in hamsters. Although Pine is a softwood Pine shavings cause less problems than Cedar.

BEDDING

A hamster requires bedding material with which to build a 'nest'. Soft paper (such as toilet paper or paper towels) torn into strips is best used as this causes the hamster no harm if eaten and breaks easily. Hay can also be used but should not be mouldy or dusty. Straw should not be used as its sharp edges can injure a hamster.

Cotton wool or fluffy bedding material can cause harm to a hamster if eaten and will not break if the hamster gets caught in it and so is best avoided.

WATER BOTTLE A hamster requires constant access to water and this is best provided by means of a water bottle available from pet shops. FOOD DISH Food dishes are available which can be used to place the hamster's food in. However, the hamster will just as happily eat from the floor but using a dish does help to judge the amount of food being fed to and eaten by the hamster.

WHEELS Many of the 'standard' type hamster cages already have wheels fixed but it is also possible to buy a variety of stand alone wheels which can be placed in almost any cage. It is always best to have a solid wheel rather than one that is runged as the hamster can slip and gets its legs caught between the wheel rungs and injuring itself. Wheels provide an excellent way for a hamster to exercise but not all hamsters like to use them. ACCESSORIES Various other cage accessories can be placed in a hamster's cage to provide extra stimulation and there are a variety of hamster houses, climbing frames, see saws, tubes, etc sold in pet shops. A piece of apple wood can be wedged between the bars of the cage to provide a climbing frame and thick cardboard tubes can be used to make tunnels.

© Lorraine Hill
Updated December 1997

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