How to Choose the Perfect Hamster Enclosure
Finding the perfect hamster cage can be a tricky matter! Here are some things to consider:
Where will you put the cage? It is recommended that you find a quiet place in your home away from electronics or plumbing or other animals. A good suggestion might be in your bedroom, where you can close the door and keep away any cats or dogs, small children or noisy TV/kitchen sounds. If your hamster is in your bedroom you’ll want to make sure you get your hamster a silent style wheel.
How much space do you have? Hamsters will need a lot of space, probably a lot more than you think! Many people keep their hamsters on a dresser or an Ikea shelving unit. You’ll want to measure the space ahead of time to ensure that you purchase an enclosure that fits the space.
Are you handy and down for some DIY? Many hamster owners create their own cages from plastic bins or Ikea furniture. This requires some power tools like a drill. If you are not up for a project, I suggest you go with either an aquarium, a ready-to-assemble cage (like the Prevue 528 (https://amzn.to/3qgZorI ), or the Niteangel Bigger World (https://amzn.to/3zGjS14 )).
How Much Space Does a Hamster Need?
In the US, the minimum hamsters need is 600 square inches of unbroken floor space- this means it doesn’t count if you put two cages of smaller sizes connected. It must be one, large, space.
You can calculate the floor space by multiplying the interior base width by the interior length- do not go based on the manufacturer’s measurements as these will be based on the top width on the exterior of the bin.
From personal experience, hamsters are much happier when they are in larger spaces. For this reason, I do not recommend going with an option less than a 200 qt bin cage / 40 gallon breeder. If you would like to read further on this, I suggest checking out the California Hamster Association’s Cage Page!
How Secure Does My Cage Need to Be?
Some hamsters are surprisingly good escape artists, particularly Syrian hamsters! Make sure you have a lid that is secure and not made of a material your hamster can chew through. I suggest avoiding having any hides or items that allow your hamster to access the side-top of their cage where they may be able to push their way out.
Bin Cages:
Bin cages are truly the most amount of space you can get for the least amount of money. It does require some DIY and some tools. If you don’t feel comfortable with DIY projects maybe best to pick one of the other options below.
For instructions on how to make a bin cage (and more information!) I have a page totally dedicated for them, click here.
Pros of bin cages: light weight, easy to move around, durable, inexpensive
Cons of bin cages: takes some DIY work & additional materials, a bit less pretty to look at. Click here to see exactly how to make one and a list of needed supplies.
200 Qt/50 Gallon Sterilite Bin:
This is a great bin that provides around 650 sq inches and is 17” high, allowing for a lot of room for burrowing! You can purchase them from Walmart here or from Home Depot here.
Christmas Tree Bin:
The Christmas tree bin can be difficult to find outside of the holiday season. During off times you can find it at the Container Store here. You can find it at popular locations like Target & Walmart come late November. This bin is long but not very tall (only about 14” high with the lid on). It provides a great amount of floor space (in the 900 sq inch zone) but may be a difficult bin for someone with a Syrian hamster as it is not very tall (it might be a stretch to get a 12” wheel in it, but I think it can be done).
Cage Style Hamster Enclosures
I personally feel (and many hamster owners agree) that a solid-walled enclosure is generally a better option for most hamsters. Solid walled enclosures (like a bin cage or aquarium) offer more burrowing depth an often are available in larger sizes than any typical cage. However, depending on your situation, a cage might be exactly what you’re looking for!
Here are some pros of cage style hamster enclosures:
good ventilation
can be stacked if you have limited space and multiple hamsters
easy to affix water bottles and wheels to the sides above the bedding
no DIY required, just assemble the cage and you’re ready to go!
If you need to travel with your hamster (for instance, if you are moving) a cage is a great option as it allows good ventilation and you can secure items (like the wheel!) to the sides of the cage easily during travel.
….and some cons to consider:
the cages available in the US only offer at the most, 650 square inches, which is about the minimum amount of space your hamster will need
some hamsters exhibit compulsive bar biting and are not good candidates for a cage - they will damage their teeth and face with this behavior
some hamsters will climb the barred walls and can fall and injure themselves- it’s important to make sure there are not too many high drops onto hard surfaces as hamsters are quiet clumsy and delicate creatures.
Roborovski hamsters are quite small and can only be housed in cages with 1/4” bar spacing. Currently the only appropriate cage available with that spacing is the Kaytee SUPER Habitat (Link to Amazon: https://amzn.to/35DZ0d9 ).
Hamsters can get their legs caught in the bars and seriously injure themselves. Hamster Info Ireland suggests covering all bars to prevent this kind of injury for your hamster.
Prevue 528:
The Prevue 528 is one of the few, appropriately sized hamster cages on the market.
If you aren’t into DIY and just want a cage you can buy and start using right away, this might be a good choice for you!
The bar spacing on this cage is 3/8”, with some larger gaps in the corner. I would not recommend using this cage with Roborovski hamsters as they can squeeze through very small spaces.
Pros: ready to assemble, no additional tools or DIY required. Comes in neutral color. Large enough for a Syrian hamster. Good ventilation. Lightweight and easy to move. Tall height ensures a 12” wheel can fit in this enclosure.
Cons: Limited burrowing depth due to 6” pan depth. Not appropriate for Roborovski hamsters. Technically more expensive than some other options, but when you include the cost of making a lid, it’s a pretty good deal.
Further Reading: Interview_with_the_Hampire has some great setups for her Syrian hamster using the Prevue 528 ! Also including a video from Munchie’s Place for Homeless Pets all about the Prevue 528
Kaytee SUPER Habitat
If you have a Roborovski hamster (or a very small or young dwarf hamster) the Kaytee SUPER Habitat might be a better choice for you. This is because it is the only cage option I’m aware of that comes with 1/4” bar spacing, the spacing size one needs to keep Robos from slipping through the cracks!
The SUPER Habitat, while larger than the other Kaytee hamster offerings, is still only 450 square inches (depending on how you measure, they advertise it as 540 sq inches) Regardless of how you measure, it sits at the bottom end of acceptable cage size, and for this reason, I would not recommend it for long term use. I think it could be a great travel cage or shorter term living situation.
That being said, my robo, Steven, lived in a SUPER Habitat for about 4 months when I first got him, and to be honest, I think he was happy in it! The 6” pan depth allowed for a good amount of burrow space, and the blue cage gave him a lot of privacy from my peering eyes. The major reason I wanted to move him out of the cage is that I was limited in how big of a wheel I could fit in there. He was flipping on his 9” Silent Runner so I wanted to give him a bigger wheel, but it wouldn’t fit. So, he became a bin cage hamster!
Pros: ready to assemble, no additional tools or DIY required. 1/4” bar spacing that is suitable for Roborovski hamsters. Good ventilation. Lightweight and easy to move. Tinted top and bottom make nervous hamsters feel safe. Works well with Kaytee Silent Spinners (10”) and 9” Silent Runners
Cons: Limited burrowing depth due to 6” pan depth. Only comes in one color (blue). Largest wheel it can fit is the 10” Kaytee silent spinner or 9” silent runner. Approx 500 sq inches is at the bottom end of acceptable space for a hamster (I suggest 650” or more).
Further Reading:
Aquarium Style Enclosures
Aquarium style enclosures are probably my favorite type of enclosure. Not only do you get a great, crystal clear view of your adorable hamster, burrowing and exploring, they also get more room for burrowing and creative set ups!
75 Gallon Tank or 40 Gallon Breeder
To me, an aquarium is about the best enclosure you can get your hamster, especially if it’s the 75 gallon tank! Tanks are beautiful, spacious, deep enough for 10-12” of bedding/burrowing room and great for photos!
You may be thinking… I skipped the 55 gallon! Nope, this was on purpose. The 55 gallon tank is very long, narrow and tall. This gives your hamster only 680 sq inches of room, which in my opinion isn’t worth it for such a large tank. If you want to go big, go big with the 75 gallon tank - this will give your hamster approx 930 square inches of living space!
About twice a year, PetCo has an incredible sale selling their aquariums for $1/gallon! A 40 gallon breeder is a good size for a hamster (approx 650 sq inches), a 75 gallon is even better (about 900 sq inches).
While a 75 gallon tank might seem large for a hamster, they easily use up the space! One of my dwarf hamsters, Shirley, lives in a 75 gallon tank and she still needs out of cage time- bigger is always better and you’ll be surprised how much space a hamster will happily take up!
Pros: Tanks are lovely to look at and the correct size tank provides your hamster with a good amount of living space. Lots of burrowing room!
Cons: Heavy to move (140 lbs without anything inside!). Can be more expensive.
To Purchase: while you can purchase these online, you must pick up in person. Click here to see the 75 gallon tank, and here for the 40 gallon breeder. You may also need a lid for your tank (lids are a necessity for Syrian hamsters or if you have other animals or small children in your household)
75 Gallon tank lid: https://amzn.to/338BnrP
40 Gallon Breeder Lid here.
Further Reading: YouTuber HoppingHammy did a comparison video of Hamster Tank sizes that I think is great and super helpful! Including this for you below!. Also including a video of my own 75 gallon tank set up for Shirley the Campbell’s dwarf.
Niteangel Bigger World or Vista
My personal favorite, I own two!
If you are looking for a cage that is ready to go and an appropriate size for a hamster, the Niteangel Bigger World or Vista is the way to go. It sometimes can be hard to get, but it always comes back in stock. The size M is about 780 square inches (a bit larger than a 40 gallon breeder or 50 gallon bin), size large is approx. 940 sq inches (about the same size as a 75 gallon tank).
I currently have a hybrid dwarf in a size L Vista, and a robo in a size M Vista. Size S is too small in my opinion (it’s smaller than a 50 Gallon Bin Cage).
For a Syrian hamster I would recommend a size L, particularly for a female Syrian.
Pros: Packs down box in case you need to move (great for apartment dwellers!). Looks lovely but isn’t as heavy as a glass tank. Spacious with lots of burrowing room. Comes in a few color options. Love the oblique/angled opening- makes interacting with your hamster easy, easy to do spot cleans with out hunching over, gorgeous to look at!
Cons: Assembly required, sometimes hard to get.
To Purchase: Click here to purchase from the Niteangel website, or from Amazon by clicking on the image below :)
Ikea Detolf
Many people use Detolf’s as cages and they work quite well. It does take some DIY work (you will need to create a lid and seal the edges) but the Detolf does provide 900+ square inches of living area for your hamster! I have not personally tried using Detolfs, but they are very popular in the hamster world.
I have heard, anecdotally, of hamsters escaping this cage and of one robo sadly getting stuck while trying to wiggle between the glass and the bar support. For this reason I don’t suggest using this cage with Roborovski hamsters. Due to the limited height 14” I think it is best for dwarf hamsters, although you could create a domed lid to create more vertical space to accomodate a Syrian hamster.
Henry’s Happy Homes on Etsy now sells lids for the Detolf - they look lovely & have great reviews!
Pros: Great amount of space for the money, nice looking
Cons: Some hamsters seem to be able to escape this, glass is fragile and you shouldn’t move this cage once you have set it up, creating a lid does take some work. The Detolf will need to be placed upon a surface with little to no overhang as the glass will break if there is too much overhang.
To Purchase: You can purchase it from Ikea here It is highly recommended that you also purchase the Ikea Kallax Cabinet to go under it as the glass will break if it hangs off the edge of a regularly sized dresser. This cabinet also makes a great place to store all of your hamster things! :)
Further Reading: Check out HamsterScape’s Detolf setups & cool domed Lid, TheHamsterTails also does great Detolf setups, you can check out her Instagram page or her YouTube Channel,
Additional Instagrammers using Detolfs: Chai_TheHamster
DIY & Ikea Hacks
Ikea Linnmon Hack
If you haven’t figured it out already, people LOVE to use Ikea furniture for hamsters! I have increasingly seen the Ikea Linnmon hack done to create a cage that is a bit deeper and wider than the Detolf. It does a bit more handy work and might not be a project just anyone is up for. Including some vidoes I felt might be helpful if you’re down for the challenge!
Pros: Gives a great space that’s both wide and deep, good for Syrian hamsters.
Cons: Requires a bit more DIY work than the Detolf or Bin Cage.
Further Reading: Check out Interview_With_The_Hampire’s Website to see what tools she used. Benji and Baloo on Instagram also have a fab looking Linnmon