Minimum Cage Size For Syrian Hamster Rspca

The hsus recommends 576 square inches regardless of the hamster breed.

Minimum cage size for syrian hamster rspca. Shelters for hamsters pdf 235kb. 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 use their whiskers or vibrissae to aid detection of objects to. Smaller cages are only suitable for temporary homes.

However the rspca have now removed it from their literature. I think it s worth mentioning that there are actually two guidelines within the uk and they are the minimum cage size which is the absolute minimum a hamster should be kept in under any circumstance and there s the ideal minimum which is the one most frequently quoted. Hamsters belong to the family cricetidae and there are 24 different species. Furthermore it s essential to note that most of the plastic cages won t work for syrians.

This was 70x40 for dwarf hamsters or 80x50 for syrian hamsters. Hss hamster society singapore recommends a minimum of 4000 cm 2 620 in 2 for syrian hamsters and a minimum of 2800 cm 2 434 in 2 for dwarf hamsters. There are different recommendations for the appropriate cage size for hamsters. Why not view our full hamster factfile pdf 48kb.

Suitable places to hide. Different organizations have different ideas. Therefore the following general measurements mentioned above would be perfect for a syrian hamster. Pet hamsters prefer to occupy a cage with a solid floor covered by a suitable litter material.

Their cage to be clean and they need dry bedding and nesting material. Syrian hamsters need ample space to run and play and the actual floor space of the cage is important for this. Please be aware the rspca recommend the minimum size a permanent cage for a syrian hamster should be is 75cm x 40cm x 40cm. 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.

Aim for a minimum of 24 inches by 12 inches and at least 12 inches tall. Most hamsters are kept in cages that are too small very much under the rspca s 80x50cm continuous floor space minimum. Hamsters naturally build nests. 24 inches long by 12 inches wide or bigger for an aquarium and a minimum of 2 square feet for a wire 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. Home cage for hamsters pdf 254kb. Cage cleaning for hamsters pdf 228kb.