Looking for the best hamster cage for your little furball ? I was too, and I’ve changed 3 cages until I got to the one Teddy currently has.
You already know about the poorly made pet store cages, too small for even one Dwarf hamster, let alone a Syrian.
You’ll be very pleased to know that there’s many options for hamster cages out there, many of them big enough. I’ve looked around and found the best 5 hamster cages that you can order online.
And you’ll be able to see their pros, cons, and a comparison between all 5.
Let’s get to it !
Table of Contents
A short comparison of all 5 hamster cages
You’ll find here all 5 hamster cages compared side by side. I think it’s always going to be very helpful to see things compared side by side.
Once you’re done reading this table you’ll find each cage discussed in very much detail in the rest of this article.
For mobile users, you can navigate this table by swiping left or right on it.
1. The best cage for curious, exploring hamsters
This cage is big, large enough to fit either a Syrian, or 2 Dwarf hammies. The more Dwarves you have, the more space you need, even if they seem to be getting along just fine.
This cage has pretty much everything. It’s got tunnels, it’s got catwalks (close to the ground though), it’s got several huts, and comes with all the necessary accessories.
In terms of actual size it measures 31.5 x 20 x 20 inches. That’s 80 x 51 x 51 cm. Get a measuring tape and try to imagine that. It’s going to take up a lot of space wherever you put it.
This means your hamster is going to be a-okay, with room to spare. After all, no cage is too big for hammies and that’s where they’re going to live their entire lives.
There is the ground level, which is conveniently plastic and the sides are tall. So your hamster’s going to have a lot of room to dig around, if you decide to fill up the lower part with bedding.
You can find great hamster bedding here, and what to look out for. All picked out by someone who actually owns a hamster.
Back to the cage, if you decide to fill up the lower part, then your hamster’s going to dig around, but you’ll find lots of it on the floor. I did this with my Teddy and he’s not very impressed, since he likes to run rather than dig.
If your hammy is like mine, then you can simply add a bit of bedding on the floor and insert a large hamster wheel for him to get all his exercise.
The pros:
- Very large cage, lots of room for your hammy to run around in and dig around and do whatever a hamster does.
- Bars are very close together, and your hammy won’t be able to squeeze his way out of the cage.
- Lots of accessories, like the tunnels and the catwalks and the upper house. Adds variety to the hamster’s routine.
- Easy to carry from one place to another, since it’s got sturdy handles. Just make sure you’ve secured the latches on the sides tightly.
The cons:
- The hamster wheel it comes with is too small, and a bit flimsy. I recommend looking for a better one. The food bowl and water bottle are fine.
- Mind the tunnels, they can block up with bedding if you add some in the upper green house.
Overall, I think this cage is pretty much a villa. I see no problems that can’t be amended by a resourceful and creative hamster owner.
It’s a pricey item, but it’s going to last the hamster’s entire life. You’ll be avoiding lots of heartache, frustration and money poorly spent if you go with a big cage from the get-go, instead of switching up cages and wasting money.
You can check out the listing for this cage on Amazon here, and read the reviews as well.
2. Simple, safe, large cage for Syrian hamsters
Another large cage, but it’s a bit smaller than the one before. Produced by the same brand.
It’s much simpler, no external tubes or other overly fancy accessories. It does come with a wheel, upper level, lots of room to add bedding like before, and water and food bowls.
I think this is the simplest hamster cage you can find that’s also very large.
It measures 20 x 31.5 x 15 inches, which is 51 x 80 x 38 cm. Like the one before, it’s going to take up a lot of space in the house but you’re getting this for your little hammy, and this is where he’s going to stay all his life.
Now, I recommend this for Syrian hamsters because the bar spacing seems to be a little wider than the one before. It’s still pretty close, so I guess you could try it for a Dwarf pair.
Just make sure to look it over for any possible gaps the tiny things could escape through.
Another thing that needs mentioning is that the upper level (or half level) is made out of wire as well. So any kind of bedding you might add there will most probably end up on the ground floor.
The pros:
- Very large cage, rather on the wide side than tall. Hamsters prefer low cages anyway, so this is a plus.
- Deep lower part, good for filling with bedding so the hammy can dig if he likes. Or to add a large wheel for him to run in.
- Wires very close together, very hard to escape.
- Very breathable, since 80% of it is wire and allows for much airflow.
- Easy to transport, as this one has handles as well.
The cons:
- Almost all the accessories it comes with are too small or not meant to be plastic. The water bottle is alright, as is the food bowl.
- The upper floor would need a fleece lining to keep the hammy warm, or some other such modification
Overall I think this cage proves that if you’re patient and take some time to look around, you can find good quality hamster cages. Finding a large one that’s got the proper bar spacing is a bit of a task, since most are meant for rabbits or guinea pigs.
A great cage to use for your hamster, without all the extra accessories. Many hamster toys can be DYIed, and they seem to absolutely love cardboard tubes.
This cage is a bit cheaper than the one with the tubes before, but still on the more expensive end.
You can check the listing on Amazon for this cage, and read the reviews as well.
3. All-around great cage both for Syrian and Dwarf hamsters
One of the best cages both for Syrians and for Dwarf hammies, this cage looks much simpler than the ones before.
However the upper level is adjustable, and the ramp leading up to it is very well made, and the plastic seems very sturdy.
This cage, too, has a deep bottom portion which can be filled with lots of bedding if you wish. This also means you can add a large wheel in there for your hammy to run around in.
In terms of size, this cage is 32.5 x 19 x 17.5 inches, which is 82.5 x 48 x 44.5 cm. So, just a tad bit smaller than the ones we looked at before.
However this cage is much cheaper than the first two, being more of a mid-range one.
Still large, and very well thought out. The wire spacing is very small, which again is a plus.
It’s also got 2 main entrances. One from above, and one from the side. Both are very large/wide, which means you can comfortably fit both hands into the cage.
This is makes taming the hamster much easier, since you can easily teach him to stay in both hands.
The pros
- Very tight wire spacing, practically no way for the hammy to escape.
- Roomy, lots of space for the hamster to run around in and for many toys to be placed.
- Deep bottom, can fit a large wheel or lots of bedding.
- The upper level is adjustable, which I think will help in furnishing the cage
- Breathable, allows much air flow.
The cons
- Comes with no accessories aside from the upper level and ramp, you will need to provide food bowl and water bottle.
I barely found any cons for this cage, since it’s so well thought out. I know I mentioned the lack of accessories as a con, but in some cases they’re mostly useless anyway.
It;s probably better that it comes just by itself.
Overall I think this is a great cage, both in terms of size, safety for the hamster, and budget as well. It can’t connect to tunnels, so you’re going to need to entertain your hammy with toys placed inside.
Still, it’s such a great compromise between size and budget that I have hardly a thing to reproach.
You can check the listing on Amazon here, and read the reviews as well.
4. A great option for lots of substrate, or a digging hamster
If your hamster’s a digger, then he’s going to need lots of bedding/substrate to dig through. More on that here.
This particular cage fits very well for such a hamster. Yes, it has a deep bottom like the other cages. But, it’s also transparent, which means you can also see the little guy when he starts meandering about.
Another thing that makes this cage the best one possible for digging hams is the fact that its upper level manages to keep in any stray bits of bedding that may fly out when the hamster is digging.
There are two main exits/entrances onto the upper level. One very large, in the middle, complete with a raised ledge. And another, smaller one to which you can also connect a nice ladder for your hammy to use.
In terms of size, the whole cage is 23.6 x 14.4 x 11.8 inches. That’s 60 x 36.5 x 30 cm, so this makes it the smallest cage, so far.
It’s still a large cage, and you can also fit a large wheel if you don’t want to fill the lower part with bedding.
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The pros
- Large enough cage, can fit a Syrian or two Dwarf hammies well enough.
- The transparent lower half lets you see the hamster at all times.
- Very well thought out digging space, if you choose to use it.
- Sturdy upper level.
- Can easily connect to other cages or tubes, since it has an opening. Can be closed if desired.
- Breathable, lots of air flow.
The cons
- Wheel is too small and flimsy, so I recommend getting a large one, especially is you own Syrian
- The hut is plastic, which is not alright in the long run. I recommend looking for a wooden one.
Overall I think this cage is a great one if your hamster loves to dig, or if you just want to be able to see your hamster at all times. Or, as much as you possibly can.
The opening for tubes is a nice touch, I have to admit. It comes with a cap that can block it if you wish. But if you want to connect it to anything else, then you’re going to need to buy the tubes separately. Unless you already have them.
All in all, a great hammy cage. Similar in price to the simple cage we talked about before, slightly cheaper.
You can check the listing on Amazon here, and read the reviews as well.
5. The best aquarium for escape-artist hamsters
Ah, now we come to the ultimate hamster cage. If he’s a notorious escape artist and has somehow learned to open latches and wire doors by himself, then this will keep him in.
There is nothing for the hamster to climb, no bars for him to hang from, and he can’t possibly jump that high.
It’s pretty much escape-proof, no matter what kind of hamster you have.
It’s a 20 gallon/75.7 liter tank, so it’s got lots of space for your hammy. For measurements, it’s 24 × 12 × 16, which is 71 x 30.5 x 40.6 cm.
About as big as the first two cages we were looking at in the beginning. If you secure the top with a wire mesh (easy to find in a crafts store) then you’re going to have the best hamster cage out there.
This is a much heavier item than anything else we’ve discussed so far, so you’ve been warned. It’s also made entirely of glass, so shipping could be an issue if ti’s not properly packed.
The pros
- Transparent, can see you hamster at any time.
- Escape-proof, there is nothing to squeeze through or use to climb out.
- Wire mesh can be easily fitted on top to further proof it.
The cons
- Heavy, not easy to maneuver. Cleaning will take more time
- Less airflow than a wire cage. Still alright, but there is a difference
- Fragile, being made of glass
Overall I think this aquarium is a great way to contain a hamster with wanderlust. Finding and securing the wire mesh is easy enough, so that won’t really be a problem.
As long as you don’t fill up the tank with too much bedding, the hamster won’t be able to jump high enough to reach the edge anyway.
You can find the listing on Amazon here, and read the reviews as well.
Bonus: try to find a glass cabinet as a cage for your hamster
As a bonus, I’m going to recommend you find a very large, tall and thin glass cabinet. Many companies offer this kind of item, so I won’t be directing you one way or another.
Just make sure that if you do look for such a cabinet, its sides are well sealed, and there is no way your hamster could escape.
You’re meant to lay the cabinet on its side, with the glass door facing up. This means its height will become its length. Remove the glass panes that make up the shelves, and you’ve got yourself a very large, very long hamster cage.
It’s the kind of item you have to go to a furniture shop to inspect thoroughly and bring home yourself (or arrange for transport), but it’s worth the time.
Your hamster’s going to have a ridiculously large home, and he will be thankful.
This is a very heavy item, and very large, so make sure you have enough space in your home to fit one of these in a room. Wherever you decide to place it, that’s where it’s going to stay since it’s not exactly easy to move around.
I have no link for you, but if you look up the Detolf cabinet from Ikea, you should have a good idea about what you’re looking for.
A word from Teddy
I hope you found some great options in this article. I know us hammies are so very small, but we need a lot of space to run around in and play.
Especially if there’s more than one of us, like with Dwarf hamsters.
Us hammies are a very energetic bunch, so we cover a lot of space in a short amount of time. Providing us with lots of ground space is going to make us much happier than a multi-level cage.
If you want to know more about us hamsters, and how to keep us safe and happy, you can check the related articles below.
