Syrian Hamster Cage Size Rspca
Organizations such as the animal humane society and the british rspca no longer state any concrete numbers where it comes to hamster cage size.
Syrian hamster cage size rspca. A few years ago the rspca recommended at least 620 square inches for a syrian hamster and 430 square inches or more for a dwarf hamster. Most hamsters are kept in cages that are too small very much under the rspca s 80x50cm continuous floor space minimum. A multi level cage will allow your hamster to. Home cage for hamsters pdf 254kb.
Not sure on the actual rspca guidelines as they are difficult to find up to date ones up to date resources have no minimum but you can certainly go with the half square meter german size for dwarfs the out of date minimum was 70 x 40 apparently but for syrians it was only 80 x 50 which could be good for a dwarf as well if you can t find anything larger or make your own cage. However to keep your hamster active and happy try to get a bigger cage when it comes to hamster cages bigger is always better. Deciding on the best cage size for hamsters based on breed. Please be aware the rspca recommend the minimum size a permanent cage for a syrian hamster should be is 75cm x 40cm x 40cm.
Smaller cages are only suitable for temporary homes. Different organizations have different ideas. The hsus recommends 576 square inches regardless of the hamster breed. Among the most popular kept as pets are the syrian the russian dwarf campbell and the roborovski.
Shelters for hamsters pdf 235kb. Hamsters use their whiskers or vibrissae to aid detection of objects to. Hamsters belong to the family cricetidae and there are 24 different species. Aim for a minimum of 24 inches by 12 inches and at least 12 inches tall.
The national hamster council recommends a minimumof 1000cm2of useable floor space x 19cm high for syrian hamsters and 800cm2of useable floor space x 17cm high for dwarfs but that is not to say that you can t go bigger and many owners have chosen cages much larger than this to allow for the addition of more enrichment through the addition of a range of toys. Hamsters naturally build nests. Hamsters need a lot of room especially when they are active at night so buy as big a cage as possible ideally with a deep plastic base minimum 3 5cm and wire top. Pet hamsters prefer to occupy a cage with a solid floor covered by a suitable litter material.
Syrian hamsters need ample space to run and play and the actual floor space of the cage is important for this. The aspca recommends getting as large a cage as you can and mention a 10 gallon as the minimal size. Your hamster s cage should be safe from hazards like sharp metal or gaps they could get stuck in and secure as hamsters can easily escape from poorly constructed cages. Modular cages are marketed as permanent living dwellings yet they often can not even accommodate the right wheel size for a syrian and are so small that they can cause chronic stress.
Instead they opt for a general as large as you can recommendation. Why not view our full hamster factfile pdf 48kb.