What Are The Best Hamster Cages For My Hamster?

Your hamster will be ultra comfy 💕

Hamster Cages

Looking for a hamster cage? We’ve got you covered.

The best hamster cage should have 800 square inches or more of continuous floor space that is not broken up into levels, should be able to hold 6 to 8 inches of bedding for the hamster to burrow in (or two-thirds of the habitat’s floor space), and be tall enough depending on the type of hamster (and thus, hamster wheel size) you have.

“If you’re bringing a dwarf, Chinese or Roborovski hamster home, their hamster wheel should be at least 8 inches in diameter,” Molly Flynn, a rescue expert with Magic Happens Rabbit Rescue (and home to many successful hamster adoptions!), told The Dodo. “And as Syrian hamsters are the largest of the species, their habitat wheel should be 12 inches in diameter.”

We spoke with Flynn for some insight on hamster cages and everything you need to have to be the best hamster parent ever.

What to look for in a hamster cage

Although hamsters are some of the smallest household pets, they actually need a decent amount of space to live their best life (the general opinion among hamster enthusiasts is the bigger the cage, the better — space permitting).

Cost should also be considered, as hamster cages come at a variety of price points. Some cages come with important hamster accessories built in (more info on that below) that you’d need to buy anyway, so keep that in mind when shopping!

And lastly, you’ll want to consider the types of materials that hamster cages are made out of and what kind of ventilation they offer.

The most common materials hamster cages are made of are wire, glass and plastic.

Wire provides great ventilation, but hamsters might be tempted to chew on the bars (which can be noisy) and will sometimes kick their bedding outside the cage. Glass or plastic cages aren’t as well ventilated and can be harder to clean but let you see your hamster perfectly (and prevent chewing on the cage!). Glass also maintains the correct heat gradient more safely and easily, which is important for hamsters so they don’t begin hibernating. Glass cages tend to be more costly compared to plastic cages.

The 7 best hamster cages to buy

Best overall hamster cage: Niteangel Hamster Cage

The natural, stylish design of the Niteangel Bigger World hamster cage not only looks great, but is a space your hamster will thrive in. One reviewer on Amazon wrote, “Not only is this well ventilated, sturdy, and high quality, it’s 930 square inches of floorspace — well above the minimum.” And they’re right. This hamster cage fits the bill in terms of space, and even though the sides are made of plastic (specifically, PVC board), the top cover offers great ventilation. Create a lush and entertaining hamster habitat with many of the brand’s accessories: a water bottle, sand bath box, suspension bridge and super-silent hamster wheel. 

Best value: Ferplast Laura Hamster Cage 

Billed as the “perfect hamster starter home,” your hamster will have a blast running through the connective tunnels in this wire cage! With top and front door access making cleanup and feeding easy, this hamster cage comes with all the play tubes your hamster could possibly want (plus some accessories like a hamster hideout and an exercise wheel), all at an affordable price.

Best accessories: Savic Hamster Heaven Metro

Not only do we appreciate the vibrant colors of this wire hamster cage, we love everything that comes with it! This hamster hideout comes with tunnels, an exercise wheel, two houses, a litter box, water bottle, two feeding bowls and more. There’s plenty of room to play in this cage, and if you end up wanting to move your cage to another place in your home, the two handles on either side make for easy transportation.

Best glass: OiiBO Glass Terrarium 

Glass terrariums offer the best viewing opportunities when it comes to seeing what your hamster is up to, and this particular glass terrarium works great for hamsters because of its waterproof base (making cleanup a breeze) and easy assembly, and the mesh screen roof offers optimal ventilation. Reviewers also love the modern look glass provides, the added security of the sturdy plastic frame that protects the glass, as well as the amount of space inside to fit everything your hamster needs.

Best for burrowing and digging: Duna Space Gerbil and Hamster Cage 

This plastic and wire hamster cage is specially designed to promote the burrowing and digging that hamsters love. With plenty of space to dig around in the bottom portion, your hamster can then go to the “top floor” for eating, sleeping and more playing. This cage comes with all the accessories you’ll need, including a hamster hideout, play tubes, ramp, food bowl, water bottle and exercise wheel. Kudos to its clever design, as the wire portion and middle plastic section can be disconnected from each other for easy cleaning. 

Best travel: Kaytee CritterTrail Off to School 

First of all, this travel hamster cage shaped like a school bus is pretty darn adorable. While not designed to be a permanent home for a hamster, it works perfectly as a way to transport hamsters easily when traveling or as a place to put your hamster when you’re cleaning his cage. It includes a dashboard food dish and rooftop water bottle and can be connected to any other CritterTrail hamster products.

Best built-in wheel: Ferplast Coney Island Themed Modular Hamster Cage

This Coney Island-themed hamster cage comes with a super cool built-in (and big at 11.75 inches!) exercise wheel, so your hamster will get tons of exercise. It also comes with a food dish, water bottle and hiding spot, with ports available for additional play tubes that you can buy separately. We also like that the wire portion of the cage can disconnect from the base for maintenance and cleaning (just make sure to put your little guy somewhere safe while the top is off!).

What to put in your hamster’s cage

What’s inside your hamster cage matters, too. Hamsters are busy little creatures who need to be entertained when not sleeping, cuddling with you and looking adorable.

“There should be a variety of chews and hides (cork logs/rounds, hay hides, willow tunnels, twig bridges, wood hides, etc.),” Flynn said. “Additionally, sand baths are a great option for any species of hamster, as it helps them keep their coat clean and most enjoy digging in them! If the sand bath is large enough and you're lucky, they'll also use it as a sort of litter box. When they do this, it helps make cleanup quick and easy.”

Shallow, 2-to-3-inch-tall plastic bins can be a great option for a sand bath, or 8 by 11 inch plastic paper trays. It’s extra nice when the sand bath is big enough to place the wheel in as it provides a nice, flat surface for the wheel to sit on.

When it comes to staying hydrated, a hamster’s water source should be easy for him to find.

“The water bottle should be able to be easily accessed and not too low to the ground or too high that they can't reach,” Flynn said. “For plastic bins/glass [terrariums] that don't have anything to 'hook' the water bottle onto, Velcro is a great option! Just attach one side to the back of the bottle and one side on the habitat itself. Small ceramic or glass bowls work well for water as a secondary bowl option.”

As for feeding, ceramic food dishes are best. “Avoid plastic dishes, as your hamster may try to chew and ingest pieces of it if they’re feeling bored,” Flynn advised.

Whatever your preferences are, there’s a hamster habitat that will fit your hamster’s needs. When shopping, just keep in mind what’s most important: space, entertainment options to promote exercise and stimulation, and easy access to food and water.

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