Wire hamster cages are ideal for Syrian hamsters and also allow your pet to climb and keep fit.
A solid sided cage or an aquarium would be the most suitable choice of housing as they are small enough to squeeze through the bars of most
wire hamster cages.
Wire Hamster Cages — There are many pros to having a wire hamster cage.
If you have
a wire hamster cage, then you will need to make sure the bars are given a wipe once a week.
As mentioned above,
a wire hamster cage may not be escape proof for these little hamsters so an aquarium or other solid sided cage with a secure top is preferable and the larger the cage the better it is.
For instance,
a wire hamster cage with a plastic base is the most common and basic cage you can buy.
Most people recommend getting
a wire hamster cage that is at least 24 inches wide by 12 inches deep by about 10 inches tall (61 X 31 X 25 cm).
Your wire hamster cage should be at least 24 inches long by about 12 inches deep (61 by 30.5 cm).
The best building material for
a wire hamster cage is galvanized steel.
If you live in a hot climate you should consider adding modules or add ons that are made of wire cage material or consider opting for
a wire hamster cage.
Not exact matches
Wire cages generally work well for Syrians, but not as well for smaller
hamsters like Dwarfs.
When purchasing a multi-story
wire cage, ensure that there is not too much space between the stories in case your
hamster falls.
Dwarf
hamsters are best housed in a glass aquarium, as most
wire cages designed for
hamsters are not escape - proof due to the large spaces between the bars (don't buy a
cage with more than 1 cm of spaces between the bars).
Small but easy to clean; easy to interact with
hamster in
cage with
wire design but can stink up a room
Hamsters usually enjoy climbing on the
wires of their
cages so the
cage frame itself becomes a playground of sorts.
Wire frame: These
cages have long been very popular among
hamster owners.
Wire frame
hamster cages can come in single and multi levels.
Pet supply stores usually have many different kinds of
wire frame
hamster cages.
Cages: You will want to have a
wire mesh
cage rather than a cute plastic one because
hamsters have a tendency to chew their way out of places.
Housing:
Wire cages, aquariums and plastic habitats (Habitrails) may be used for a home for your
hamsters.
Wire cages have many advantages, but some
hamsters become almost obsessive about chewing the bars.
Quick Look:
Cage Width: 24-1/2»
Cage Depth: 14-1/2»
Cage Height: 11-3/4» Base Material: Durable plastic Bar Material: Coated metal
wire Included Accessories: Clip on food bowl, solid surface additional level, water bottle, large tube Cubic Feet: 2.4 Suitable Housing For: 1 Syrian
Hamster Average Price: $ 120 - $ 150 New Pros: Deep pan, lots of included accessories, large access door Cons: Not much additional floor space with included accessories, platform obscures a large portion of ground level
The space between the bars on a dwarf
hamster cage should be no more than 1/4 inch apart, a dimension that is really difficult to find on
wire cages that are large enough.
Quick Look:
Cage Width: 24»
Cage Depth: 12»
Cage Height: 14» Base Material: Heavy Duty Plastic Bar Material: Chew - proof coated
wire Included Accessories: Shelf with Food Bowl Hole, Food Bowl, Ramp, Hanging Rat - Shaped Bell Toy Cubic Feet: 2.5 Suitable Housing For: 1 Syrian
Hamster Average Price: $ 25 - $ 35 New Pros: Coated metal bars resist rust, deep plastic pan, sturdy plastic parts, folds down compact, easy to mount running wheel on bars Cons: Included accessories like food bowl not sized for
hamsters, jingly toy not useful for
hamsters
Quick Look:
Cage Width: 30»
Cage Depth: 18»
Cage Height: 24» Base Material: Heavy duty plastic Bar Material: Galvanized metal Included Accessories: None Cubic Feet: 7.5 Suitable Housing For: 1 Syrian
Hamster Average Price: $ 85 - $ 95 Depending on Options Pros: Extremely sturdy, large ground floor level, very secure, optional flip top lid provides lots of access points, deters some bar chewing
hamsters Cons:
Wire levels should be covered, can't attach a wheel to the wire directly, longer assembly
Wire levels should be covered, can't attach a wheel to the
wire directly, longer assembly
wire directly, longer assembly time
Quick Look:
Cage Width: 32-1/4»
Cage Depth: 20»
Cage Height: 16-1/2» Base Material: Durable plastic Bar Material: Coated metal
wire Included Accessories: Clip on food bowl, solid surface additional level, water bottle, large tube Cubic Feet: 6.1 Suitable Housing For: 1 Syrian
Hamster Average Price: $ 100 - $ 150 New Pros: Deep pan, well sized accessories, large open floor plan, large access door, can be elevated with stand (sold separately) Cons: Pan height is too high to attach wheel to
wire
Check the doors on any
cage to make sure they are secure, as
hamsters can become quite expert at opening doors (metal bolt clips, like those on the end of a dog leash, can be clipped on to «lock» doors for an extra level of security on
wire doors).
While the rectangular mesh makes these
cages very secure even for young syrian
hamsters, it also means the bar spacing is too small to accomadate a wheel being attached directly to the
wire, but this is a fairly minor issue to work around for an otherwise very well made
cage.
Quick Look:
Cage Width: 18»
Cage Depth: 11»
Cage Height: 24» Base Material: Heavy duty plastic Bar Material: Galvanized metal Included Accessories: None Cubic Feet: 2.75 Suitable Housing For: 1 Syrian
Hamster Average Price: $ 56 - $ 66 Depending on Options Pros: Extremely sturdy, small footprint, very secure, optional flip top lid provides lots of access points, deters some bar chewing
hamsters Cons:
Wire levels and middle floor should be covered, can't attach a wheel to the wire directly, longer assembly
Wire levels and middle floor should be covered, can't attach a wheel to the
wire directly, longer assembly
wire directly, longer assembly time
We recommend minimally covering the horizontal levels with a solid covering to make it more comfortable for your
hamster, but Martin's
Cages builds their cages with a smaller wire spacing than many brands which will make the ramps safer than most if left uncov
Cages builds their
cages with a smaller wire spacing than many brands which will make the ramps safer than most if left uncov
cages with a smaller
wire spacing than many brands which will make the ramps safer than most if left uncovered.
If you own more than one Syrian
hamster, don't place their
cages side by side, especially if they are
wire cages.
In addition, your
hamster may develop a habit of chewing the
wires of the
cage, but it is unlikely that they will be able to chew all the way through them.
They are relatively inexpensive, light, and have a plastic base with a
wire top attached that can be unclipped to easily get the
hamster out or to clean the
cage.
This makes most
wire cages a less suitable option for dwarf and Chinese
hamsters since it is difficult to find such a
cage that also provides a large enough living space for the
hamster.
Wire cages with ladders and multiple levels are also available, which can give your
hamster additional areas to explore.
Wire cages are the most common type of
hamster cage available.
If your
hamster escapes its
cage it may attempt to chew through various different household objects such as furniture or electrical
wires, and in doing so could easily injure itself or even suffer a fatal accident.
You'll find everything from
wire and plastic
cages like MidWest Guinea Habitat Guinea Pig Home and Habitrail OVO Dwarf
Hamster Habitat, to playpens and feeding accessories like Marshall Small Animal Playpen and Kaytee Hay - N - Food Bin with Quick Locks Small Animal Feeder.
While having multiple levels in a
wire or modular plastic
cage is beneficial, your
hamster will still need a sufficient amount of floor space, and there should be at least one large compartment for exercise in addition to a separate compartment for nesting.
The
wire bars in these
cages create a giant climbing frame for your
hamster, which can be fun and a good source of exercise for him / her.
With
wire cages,
hamsters can climb around the
wires until they find a space big enough to fit through.
So if you choose a
wire cage, for example, you will need to check that the gaps between the bars are too small for a dwarf
hamster to squeeze through.
Wire - top hamster cages are made up of a plastic bottom tray and a wire - based
Wire - top
hamster cages are made up of a plastic bottom tray and a
wire - based
wire - based top.
When buying a
wire - top
hamster cage, you should inspect the
cage for the appropriate gap size, any exposed
wire that may injure your
hamster, and whether it is securely attached to the bottom tray.
For the most part the cheapest
hamster cages comprise of a plastic bottom with a
wire canopy.
Syrian
hamsters truly flourish in a spacious enough
wire mesh
cage because they will have the freedom to move around as much as they want.
You might think it is a good idea for the
cage to have
wire floors so that pet droppings can fall through; however,
hamsters are uncomfortable walking on
wire surfaces.
Furthermore, if you intend to install a wheel, you may need to include an elevated surface that the
hamster can climb on because the deep pan forces the
wire part of the
cage to start higher.
If your
hamster should ever get stuck in between the bars of their
cage, a pair of
wire cutters can safely free your pet.
You can also use
hamster climbing tubes so your
hamster can get around its tall
wire cage.