Criteria for choosing Cages

In the previous post, I included information with pictures of cages that you can get for your hamster(s). In this post, I discuss on the guidelines in choosing a cage in general, regardless of the type of cage.

1. Shape of cage
   
   Whatever shape you get, please do not choose a round/circle cage. Hamsters always try to "dig their way out" of the cage at the corners of the cage. A round cage will disorientate them and confuse them. Hence, do not get a round cage
   
2. Ventilation
   
   Always buy cages that have as much opening as possible. Imagine yourself living in a four-walled, humid, hot, stuffy room. If you think that's bad, that probably is bad for the hamster. However, you need to be careful about the opening in places where the hamster can reach. They are great escapists.
   
3. Size of cage
   
   Assuming you are keeping only one hamster, having a big cage allows you to put more toys in and a larger playing ground for hamsters. It also allows you to clean the cage relatively less frequently as hamsters usually urinate at the same spot when they inhabit long enough in the cage. Obviously, the more hamsters you have, the larger should the cage be. This will prevent some fighting and also for hygiene purpose.
   
4. Hazards
   
   Ensure that no sharp objects are in the cage or in the reach of hamsters. Check for cracks in cages from time to time, especially when you are using a plastic or glass cage. Also check the cage before you purchase it.
   
5. Bedding
   
   For a metallic cage, the surrounding of the cage might get dirty due to the hamster kicking out the bedding material when its digging. You can counter this problem by either not using a metallic cage, or use other kinds of bedding (which makes the surrounding less dirty) such as cat litter.