Hamster Cages: The Best Hamster Cage For Syrian And Dwarf Hamsters

Hamster cages are available made from a variety of materials and in a range of sizes and configurations. Wire, wood, and plastic each have their benefits. And depending on the space, maybe a multi-tiered cage may be the best hamster cage for you.

Regardless of the specifics, your hamster will be happier and healthier with space to explore, some sort of exercise equipment and a design that prevents escapes!

And guess what!? There are some really cool hamster cages to choose from! With so many options, how do you know which cage or habitat is the best choice for your hamster?

Let’s look at some of our top picks.

Our Top Ten Hamster Cages

So here are some very cool hamster cages. You can check out more details below.

• Ferplast Interactive Hamster Cage
• Habitrail OVO Studio Dwarf Hamster Cage
• IRIS 2-Tier Hamster Cage
• Kaytee Tank Topper
• Aqua Culture 10 Gal. Aquarium Tank
• Pico Pink and Purple Wire Hamster Cage
• Kaytee CritterTrail 2-Level Habitat
• Ferplast Favola Cage
• Lixit Animal Care Savic Hamster Heaven Metro Cage
• AmazonBasics 4-Story Cage

Important Features for Hamster Cages

If you’ve spent any time in a pet store, then you know that there are a lot of cages for hamsters out there. So what is really important to look for in your little pal’s new home?

Before you let the sheer number of choices overwhelm you, there are a few things to keep in mind.

• What kind of hamster do you have? Is it going to be handled a lot or left to entertain itself in a more complex home?
• How much space do the specific hamster (s) you plan to keep need?
• Is space in your home limited — where you might be more interested in a multi-tier cage?
• Are you prepared to spend a lot of time cleaning your hamster’s cage?
• How much will aesthetics matter in the location you plan to keep it?
• Is this a child’s pet?

What are some basic considerations for a hamster’s cage?

A clean space with lots of fresh nesting material is important for all hamsters.

Your cage should be made of a solid material like glass, plastic, or wire. It should not have any sharp edges or be made of materials that your hamster can chew its way out of. Wooden cages can be nice looking, but are vulnerable to destruction by chewing and must be made of a hamster safe (non-toxic) wood.

Though the size of a cage for other animals may be great for your hamster, you will want to be sure that all openings are small enough to prevent escape.

The style of a cage can also drastically affect how easy it is to clean.

Considerations for different breeds

Due to their unique traits, different breeds do have slightly different needs for their home.

A Robovorski hamster is highly active and harder to handle. It might do very well in a Rotostack hamster cage. Rotostack hamster cages have colorful tubes. These allow you to observe your hamster having fun without risking an escape.

The best cage for a Syrian hamster, on the other hand, needs to be spacious. It could be a glass tank or a wire cage with lots of space and toys.

Syrian Hamsters

Syrian hamsters, also known as teddy bear hamsters or golden hamsters, are the largest of the popular pet hamster breeds.

They can grow up to seven inches long. That is pretty big for a hamster! So they need a cage that will allow them plenty of room to run around.

Their large size also means you don’t need to worry quite as much about them squeezing through the sides of a wire cage.

Forty-gallon glass or plastic tanks are a good size for Syrian hamsters.

These set-ups can take up a lot of space. If surface space is tight, you could consider a multi-level wire cage.

Dwarf Hamster Cages

Dwarf hamsters are smaller than their Syrian relatives. There are several different types of dwarf hamster.

For our purposes, we will focus on the Cambell’s Russian dwarf, dwarf winter white Russian hamsters, and the Roborovski dwarf hamster.

These hamster breeds need dwarf-specific cages that suit their needs. Not all dwarf hamsters are alike.

There are a few facts about dwarf hamsters that will influence your cage choice.

Cambell’s Russian Dwarf Hamsters

Cambell’s Russian dwarf hamsters are more highly strung than friendly Syrians. This means interactions between dwarf hamsters and children should be supervised.

They are also more nocturnal than other breeds, and their tiny size means they can easily slip through wire bars during the night.

These hamsters need solid cages without bars or gaps where they can escape.

This gives your dwarf hamster plenty of room while also giving you lots of viewing space.

This will help you feel connected to your hamster without stressing her out with excessive handling.

This hamster breed has lots of energy. You will need to provide a wheel and plenty of room for your hamster to run, burrow, and explore.

A cage with a petting area is a good idea, as this breed is sweet and enjoys human interaction.

Roborovski Hamsters

Robovorski hamsters are the smallest hamster breed, growing to only two and a half inches long.

They are also the fastest.

Robovorski hamsters are hard to hold on to.

This means that handling your Robovorski hamster is a challenge, but their petite stature is so cute that it makes up for it.

These little hamsters love to exercise, so space and a wheel are a must.

They also live the longest of the hamster breeds, and can even live in groups if socialized from a young age.

Wire barred cages are not a good fit for these tiny hamsters.

Cages with lots of toys and tubes can help you feel like you are interacting with your hamster without the risk of a hamster escape.

Chinese Hamsters

Chinese hamsters are larger than Robovorski hamsters. They prefer to be handled infrequently.

Your Chinese hamster will be happiest in a large glass tank with lots of toys and deep bedding to dig in.

Chinese hamsters can become aggressive if they are bored. So make sure you supply your pet with stimulating toys to avoid nipping.

Best Hamster Cage Size

The minimum size should be 12 by 24 inches. They should be at least 6 inches tall for the dwarfs and 12 inches tall for the larger breeds.

Bigger cages are generally better, as they allow for deeper bedding and more room for your hamster to move around.

Once you have figured out the style of cage you want, it is time to consider its size.

Most pets like to have lots of space to explore and play, and hamsters are no exception. The larger the home, the more room your hamster will have to exercise and explore. Finding the right cages can be tricky.

Large wire cages, like the kinds made for guinea pigs and rabbits, are the right size, but the gaps in the wires are big enough for hamsters to squeeze through and escape.

A large wire cage designed specifically for hamsters, a glass tank, or a plastic habitat is your best choice for hamster housing.

Of course, these big cages take up space. If you are short of space you might go for a multi-tier wire or plastic cage.

Best Large Hamster Cages

Remember that different breeds of hamsters need different cages.

Syrian hamsters, being larger should definitely have a more spacious cage, but all hamsters can benefit from the extra space to explore and exercise.

Ferplast Interactive Hamster Cage

This Ferplast interactive hamster cage is a good size for Syrian hamsters, and the cage can also be attached to another cage through connection portals for even more space.

A hamster cage with tubes is fun for hamsters, but large hamsters like Syrian hamsters might be able to break free of these cages.

Some Syrian hamsters like to chew on connecting tubes, allowing them to escape.

If you decide to go with a hamster cage with tubes, keep an eye on your Syrian hamster to make sure he does not nibble on the plastic connectors.

AmazonBasics 4-Level Cage

This AmazonBasics 4-level Cage is full of space for all your hamster’s toys. The ramps offer exercise and room to roam.

Best Plastic Hamster Cages

Plastic hamster cages usually look like glass tanks. Some are brightly colored, and most come apart for easy cleaning.

Plastic hamster cages come in the widest variety of styles.

You can find built-in wheels and ramps, multiple levels, and even travel-sized plastic hamster cages in this category.

Habitat cages

Habitat hamster cages are usually made of plastic.

These are designed to give you and your hamster entertainment.

Many are composed of multiple, stackable levels, and most have connecting tubes that you can use to create additional play areas.

This isn’t suitable for Syrian hamsters as although they have plenty of climbing space, the overall floor space isn’t huge.

You can buy add-ons for some of these cages to keep your pet entertained with new territory, but the downside of all this real-estate is that habitat options are more difficult to clean.

All of those connecting tubes need to be scrubbed, which is more time consuming than cleaning a tank or wire cage.

Habitrail OVO Studio Dwarf Hamster Cage

This hamster cage with tubes — both clear and brightly colored — will provide many hours of entertainment for you and your hamster. You can also add to and change the configuration of the tunnels to keep things interesting.

Habitrail OVO Adventure Pack

We think that the Habitrail range is ideal for these tiny pets – they make some really cool hamster cages above are some more add-ons that you can buy with the Adventure Pack. This can be a fun choice for both the hamster and your kids.

Again, this isn’t ideal for a Syrian but as long as you have plenty of connecting parts a Chinese or Russian hamster should enjoy this play palace.

The hamster cage with tubes also allows a bit more distance between pets and small children during unsupervised play time, while still being a source of fun and connection.

IRIS 2-Tier Hamster Cage

Iris makes a simple and yet interesting plastic cage. It comes in a few sizes and multiple colors too! All of your basic elements including multiple levels and a wheel are built-in. Definitely some cool hamster cages!

Best Glass Hamster Cages

We like glass tanks.

They are easier to clean, virtually escape-proof, and quieter than wire cages.

Glass hamster cages come in a variety of sizes. The smallest you should consider for your hamster is 10 or 20 gallons, larger sizes, like 40, 55, 60, 80, or even larger are available.

A downside may be that they do take up more space and tend to be more expensive.

They look great though once they are set up! The big ones will give a hamster masses of space to climb and play!

Check out our review of hamster tanks for more information and bear in mind that glass hamster cages are heavier than wire or plastic options.

Kaytee Tank Topper

Get the benefits of a glass tank and a multi-level cage with this tank topper from Kaytee.

It fits on any 10-gallon glass tank and adds ramps, shelves, a water bottle, and even a cute little hideout.

Aqua Culture 10 Gal. Aquarium Tank

Check out this 10-gallon glass tank. It may be simple, but if you are interested in designing your own cool hamster cages, complete with critter toys, mazes and so on, this would be a great blank canvas with which to start! You can even add on a topper such as the one above. But do remember to check the delivery prices before you buy – glass tanks are heavy!

Best Wire Hamster Cages

Wire cages typically have a solid plastic bottom and wire sides. But the gaps in the wire do mean that your hamster can get up to mischief.

Hamsters can kick bedding out of the wires, pull things through the wires, and in some cases, escape.

Bored hamsters may also chew on the wire bars, which can damage their teeth and keep you up at night.

Wire cages are not suitable for small breeds, like Chinese hamsters and Roborovski hamsters, because they can fit through gaps in the cage.

Pico Pink and Purple Wire Cage

The Pico XL is an extra colorful take on the wire cage.The pink and purple would delight a girl who loves all things pink. It also comes in other color combinations, including blue and green.

The wire gives your hamster something to climb on, making the cage so much more interesting for her as well.

Ferplast Favola Cage

If you are looking for something that won’t look out of place in a grown up’s room, check out one of these smart Ferplast Favola hamster cages here on Amazon.

This cage also has the added advantage of a clear bottom so that you can observe your furry friend as he burrows.

Best Modular Hamster Cages

Modular cages contain components that you can rearrange. In many cases you can purchase additional pieces to add on to the home.

A benefit of a modular cage is that you have the ability to mix up the environment.

A downside is that all the little tubes will take a bit more work to keep clean

Kaytee CritterTrail 2-Level Habitat

We love the brightly colored Kaytee CritterTrail. This two-layer hamster habitat gives your hamster lots of room to run around, climb, and play, all in brightly colored plastic that is fun for kids of all ages.

Wire topped cages with deep bottoms provide your pet with lots of space to nest and burrow without kicking the shavings through the bars, and the wire top expands their living and play space.

Lixit Animal Care Savic Hamster Heaven Metro Cage

The Lixit Hamster Heaven is extra-large, modular, and easy to assemble. The bright colors are sure to please amplify your fun.

Best Hamster Cages

Ask a hamster enthusiast which is the world’s best hamster breed, and you’ll get lots of different answers.

The same goes for the world’s best hamster cage.

With so many different options to choose from, which one is the best hamster cage for you will depend to some extent on you, your home, and your pet.

Ease of Cleaning

If your top priority is ease of cleaning, the best hamster cage will be made of glass. Glass tanks are probably the most secure and easiest to clean cages available.

They come in a variety of sizes to suit your hamster’s needs, and are sold in pet stores around the world.

While glass tanks can get expensive, with the right care your glass tank should last you for many years.

Most Fun

As for the most fun home, cages with lots of connecting tubes and fun add-on habitats take the prize.

Kaytee, Habitrail, and Rotastak cages all come in fun colors and shapes, which can make them a good choice for children. Just watch Teddy Bear Hamsters with those connectors!

Now that you’ve seen some of the options, maybe one of our top 10 picks at the top of this article will stand out more.

What kind of home have you chosen for your hamster, and what do you think is the best hamster home you have ever seen?

Share your thoughts in the comments below.