If you’re planning to bring home a hamster, one of the major purchases you’ll have to make is a cage for your new four-legged friend. There are several hamster cages available out there, but several factors set good models apart from the rest.
“Hamsters need the most space you can possibly give them,” says Erin Ramsey, owner of Cheeks and Squeaks Hamsters, an ethical breeder of Syrian hamsters. “The bare minimum should be 600 square inches of unbroken room-this means that the second levels do not count towards this numend up beingr. Not only do studies show this to be true, but we see that, in homes, they thrive when in extra-large cages.” She also recommends looking for a cage that has bar spacing of 0.5-inch or less, can hold 4 "es of bedding, and is tall enough for a full-size hamster wheel.
The following are the best 8 hamster cages to house your adorable new pet.
Our Top Picks
Best Overall: Prevue Pet Products 528 Universal Small Animal Home
- Dimensions: 32.5 x 19 x 17.5 inches | Weight: 14 pounds | Wiring Spacing: 0.375 inch | What’s Included: Raised platform and ramp
What We Like
- Extremely spacious
- Tight 0.375-inch wire spacing
- Tall enough for a large wheel
- Easy to clean
What We Don't Like
- No accessories included
- At more than 600 square inches, this cage gives your hamster plenty of room to exercise and play.
Ramsey recommends the Prevue Pet Products 528 cage as one of the best hamster cages you can buy. The extra-large cage offers your furry friend roughly 617.5 square inches of space to play in the extra-deep tubby base, as well as a spacious raised platform and a wide plastic ramp. To do this, you’ll want to put your hamster in a safe place, such as a pet carrier or hamster ball.375-inch wire spacing that may prevent hamsters from escaping, and the plastic base is usually 6.25 inches deep, allowing you to offer a generous quantity of bedding.
This cage has two large entry doors-one on the top and one on the side-giving you easy access to your pet, and its 17.5-inch height gives you plenty of space to arrange accessories and toys. The snap-on mesh top is held securely in place by six clips, but it comes off easily to make cleaning a simple task.
The Prevue Pet Products 528 Universal Small Animal Home is really a highly recommended option for hamster owners, as it offers a deep and extremely spacious base where animals can burrow and explore. If you’re planning on getting multiple hamsters, consider the Midwest Deluxe Critter Nation, which is mounted on locking caster wheels and can be expanded with additional cages on top.
Best Budget: Ferplast Favola Hamster Cage
- While not quite as large as generally recommended, this affordable cage can be expanded via a play tube.
- Dimensions: 23.6 x 14.4 x 11.8 inches | Weight: 6.28 pounds | Wiring Spacing: 0.25-inch | What’s Included: Food dish, water bottle, hide away, 5.5-inch exercise wheel, connecting port for play tubes
What We Like
- Affordable price
- Includes essential accessories
- Comes with connection port to attach another cage
What We Don't Like
- Smaller than recommended
- Not only is the Ferplast Favola Hamster Cage an affordable option for new owners, but it also comes with a number of key accessories, including a food dish, water bottle, hide away, and exercise wheel. This cage features two levels-a 4.
- You’ll need to clean your hamster’s cage at least once a week, which involves changing its bedding. The wire spacing is 0.25-inch, and the two levels are connected by a solid plastic ramp.
With an area of roughly 340 square inches, this cage is smaller than Ramsey recommends, nonetheless it comes with a connection port that allows you to connect it to another enclosure via a play tube. The cage has a small door on the top to access your hamster, and when it’s time to clean the cage, you can undo the latch clips on each side to separate the base from the top.
Best Large: Aivituvin 3-Tier Hamster Cage
- The base level of this cage is an impressive 700+ square inches, and there are two additional play areas above.
- Dimensions: 39 x 19.68 x 24.2 inches | Weight: 33 pounds | Wiring Spacing: 0.5-inch | What’s Included: Food bowl, chewing toy, 2 hideouts, 2 seesaws, 3 ramps
What We Like
- Extremely spacious
- Acrylic sides allow you to see inside
- Two doors for easy access
What We Don't Like
- Hamsters may chew the wood
- Heavy
Your hamster will feel like it’s living in the lap of luxury in the Aivituwin 3-Tier Hamster Cage. The main level of this cage offers more than 700 square inches of play space for your pet, and there are two additional levels where hamsters can explore, play, and nap in the included hideaways.
This cage is made from acrylic panels and fir wood that’s finished with grey paint, and it has wire mesh side walls where you can hang a water bottle and other accessories. The Savic Mickey 2XL Hamster cage is quite spacious, with 630 square inches of room in its plastic base, and its black wire mesh has 0. The cage can fit a hamster wheel up to 9 inches tall, and it comes with several accessories, including a food bowl and two seesaws.
Best with Wheels: MidWest Homes for Pets Deluxe Critter Nation
- This unique cage is mounted on locking caster wheels, and you will purchase an add-on for additional hamsters.
- Dimensions: 36 x 24 x 39 inches | Weight: 39 pounds | Wiring Spacing: 0.5-inch | What’s Included: Adjustable shelf, plastic ramp, ramp cover
What We Like
- Spacious design
- Mounted on locking caster wheels
- Lower shelf for storage
- Expandable system
What We Don't Like
- Expensive
If you want to be able to move your hamster’s home easily or expand it to accommodate additional animals, the Midwest Deluxe Critter Nation cage is a worthwhile splurge. This large cage is mounted on four locking caster wheels that let you shift it easily, and the brand sells add-on cages that can be stacked on top of the setup.
This cage offers more than 800 square inches of room for your pet, and it comes with an adjustable shelf and ramp, as well as a ramp cover to protect your hamster’s toes. A leak-proof pan and full-width double doors make the cage easy to clean, and there’s a built-in lower shelf where you can stash food and other supplies.
Best with Accessories: Savic Hamster Heaven Metro Cage
- Hamsters will love all the extra accessories that this cage includes, including tunnels and a "penthouse."
- Dimensions: 31.5 x 20 x 20 inches | Weight: 12.7 pounds | Wiring Spacing: 0.4-inch | What’s Included: Tunnels, exercise wheels, 2 houses, a toilet, water bottle, 2 feeding bowls and more
What We Like
- Includes a variety of accessories
- Fun, colorful design
- Has large carrying handles
What We Don't Like
- Complicated to assemble
Your hamster will never get bored in the Savic Hamster Heaven Metro Cage, which includes a wide range of fun accessories. This colorful cage offers around 630 square inches of space for your pet, and it has a deep plastic base that’s ideal for burrowing. Plus, the cage comes with tunnels, an exercise wheel, two hideaways, a water bottle, two feeding bowls, and more-everything new hamster owners need to get started.
The cage is topped with mesh wire where you can hang its accessories, and there’s even a clear tunnel that sits along with the cage, allowing hamsters to explore their surroundings. The base detaches from the wire portion for quick and easy cleaning, and you can find two handles on either side of the cage, enabling you to easily move it around as needed.
Best Glass: Aqueon Glass Aquarium Tank, 55 Gallon
- This simple glass aquarium tank would make a spacious home for your hamster.
- Dimensions: 48.75 x 21.25 x 14 inches | Weight: 76 pounds | Wiring Spacing: N/A | What’s Included: N/A
What We Like
- Simple and customizable
- Spacious interior
- Prevents chewing
What We Don't Like
- Heavy
- Lid sold separately
Instead of using a traditional bar cage, you can transform a glass aquarium tank into a suitable home for your hamster, and this 55-gallon tank from Aqueon offers around plenty of space for critters to play. Overall, it’s a fairly standard aquarium tank, featuring glass walls with a black frame and silicone-lined edges. However, keep in mind that you will need to buy a screen lid to ensure your hamster doesn’t make a great escape!
Best Chew-Proof: Tucker Murphy Pet Romelia Cage
- An 8-inch glass base prevents your hamster from chewing on the sides of this high-end enclosure.
- Dimensions: 36 x 18 x 22 inches | Weight: 44 pounds | Wiring Spacing: 0.39-inch | What’s Included: N/A
What We Like
- Helps prevent chewing
- Sleek modern design
- Dual front-opening doors
What We Don't Like
- Expensive
If you’re tired of your hamster chewing on their cage, you might want to consider upgrading to the Tucker Murphy Pet Romelia Cage. This cage has an attractive design that features 8 inches of glass at the bottom, preventing your furry friends from chewing on the sides and giving them plenty of room to burrow, and it’s topped with white wire mesh for ventilation.
This cage gives your pet more than 626 square inches of space, and it has dual front-opening doors that give you easy access for cleaning, feeding, and interacting with your hamster. The cage is quick and easy to assemble without any tools, also it even has a specially designed lock which will keep pets securely enclosed.
Best for Dwarf Hamsters: Savic Mickey 2XL Hamster Cage
- The 0.25-inch wire spacing on this cage will prevent smaller hamsters from squeezing out.
- Dimensions: 31.5 x 20 x 20 inches | Weight: 17.7 pounds | Wiring Spacing: 0.25-inch | What’s Included: Sputnik rat house, water bottle, exercise wheel, feeding bowl, wire platform, metro tunnels
What We Like
- Small wire spacing
- Lots of included accessories
- Handles for portability
What We Don't Like
- Wire ramp can pinch toe
Dwarf hamsters are smaller than Syrian hamsters, and they often benefit from cages with a smaller wire spacing. There’s a no-leak plastic tray in the bottom that you can access via a side door, and the top of the cage also flips open for easy access.25-inch spacing that will keep even the smallest animals contained.
The Mickey Cage comes with a number of accessories for your pet, including a rat house, water bottle, exercise wheel, feeding bowl, wire platform, and more. The top unclips from the plastic bottom when you need to clean, and there are two handles on either side of the cage that enable you to easily lift and move it.
What to Look for in a Hamster Cage
Size
Many widely available hamster cages are actually far too small for these active little creatures, so it’s important to look at the area of a cage before buying. “Hamster owners should look for a cage that is over 600 square inches and tall enough to fit the proper wheel and at least 4 in . of bedding,” says Ramsey. To figure out the area of a cage, multiple the distance by the width-this will give you the measurement in square inches.
Wire Spacing
Hamsters can squeeze through surprisingly small spaces, so you'll want to make sure the gaps in wire cages are small enough to contain them. Dwarf hamsters require gaps to be smaller than 0.25-inch, while Syrian hamsters can live in cages where the wire bars are around 0.5-inch apart. When in doubt, opt for a cage where the wires are closer together.
Material
“Hamsters are chewers by nature, so if you get an extra chewy hamster, you will want to provide a cage that isn't wood or plastic,” says Ramsey. You can also want to make sure you pick a cage with a removable liner or a plastic bottom to create your cage easier to clean thoroughly.
FAQ: How big should a hamster cage be?
Most hamster experts agree that the minimum area of a hamster cage should be 450 square inches, but Ramsey recommends searching for a cage that’s 600 square inches or larger on one level. Putting a hamster in a cage that’s too small can result in stress behaviors such as bar chewing or biting. Additionally, a large hamster cage will provide you with ample room to place accessories, toys, and deep bedding.
How do you clean a hamster cage?
65-inch plastic base that’s topped with a wire mesh level. The cage is topped with tight 0.
Start by taking everything out of the cage and disposing of the used bedding, then wash the enclosure with a cage cleaning solution or a mild soap and water. You’ll also want to wash all the cage accessories and let everything dry before putting new bedding in. Once this is done, you can return your hamster to its home.