Are You Looking For The Best Hamster Playpen For Your Tiny Friend? Then Look No Further! We Have Put Together Some Great Hamster Playpens For You To Choose From.
In this article we will look at what a hamster playpen is, why you might want to buy one and what the top choices are when it comes to great places for your pet to play.
Because keeping a hamster happy and healthy might not be as straight forward as you think.
Even the largest Syrian hamster will likely only weigh in around one-quarter to one-third of a single pound.
These adorable furry handfuls certainly don’t look like they need much space to live in! But exotic animal veterinarians are now emphasizing that living and thriving are two totally separate goals.
After all, you don’t want your hammie to just live as contentedly as possible. Scurrying around in the same small space, day in and day out, for her whole life.
Even though hamsters, like most wild animals, do crave a certain level of consistency from day to day, there is still room for fun and excitement as well!
This is where finding the best hamster playpen for your hamsters is so important.
What is a hamster playpen?
A hamster playpen is basically any structure that is sufficiently secure to allow your hammie room to run, play, exercise and have fun without escaping.
Here, you want to consider several safety aspects, as hamsters are known to be expert escape artists!
Bar spacing
When it comes to bar spacing, aim for less than one-half inch for Syrian hamsters. This will need to be less than one-quarter inch for dwarf or hybrid hamsters.
Bar orientation
If the hamster playpen you select has bars, then vertical bars are ideal because they are much more challenging to climb.
Flooring
Choosing a hamster playpen with mat or other flooring serves two purposes. It protects your floors from pet stains and it prevents your hamster from digging her way out of the hamster playpen!
Roofing
If your hamster playpen has short walls that are not climb-proof, the only secure way to use that playpen is by installing some type of roof to keep your hamster safely inside.
Toxicity
Hamsters can be avid chewers, and you don’t want to find out after the fact that the hamster playpen material is toxic to hamsters!
Why do hamsters need playpens?
Playtime is a critical component of hamster wellness on multiple levels.
Wild hamsters spend much of their life digging and tunneling. Whether to expand their living quarters, find or store food, nest or rest.
So these tiny furry ones stay very active and busy naturally!
In captivity, the minimum recommended habitat floor space is one square foot per dwarf hamster and two square feet per Syrian hamster.
However, this recommended floor space does not include a separate area for running, playing and exercising.
This is where hamster playpens enter the picture.
While there is no single recommended size for Syrian hamster playpens or dwarf hamster playpens, you can aim to double or triple what your hamsters have in their daily living quarters.
This will give your hammie room to stretch his legs, play, run, explore and have some fun variety in life.
Dwarf hamster playpen
These dwarf hamster playpen options will offer plenty of room for your tiny hammie to run and play safely!
Penn-Plax Indoor/Outdoor Playpen Gym
This 8-panel indoor hamster pen is a suitable choice for containing dwarf hamsters while they play. But owners say it will only work well if you use some type of cover to keep them from climbing over the top!
Hamsters enjoy using this hamster exercise pen a lot.
Living World Critter Play Time
With one-quarter inch bar spacing, this is one of the few hamster playpen options that is truly suitable to use as a dwarf hamster playpen.
The kit includes 10 panels, each of which are 13.5 inches long and 9 inches high. You also have the option to connect two pens together for more play space.
Syrian hamster playpen
These fun Syrian hamster playpen options are roomy enough so that you can be a part of your hammie’s playtime as well!
You & Me Run & Play Space Small Animal Playpen
This neat small animal playpen comes with 8 panels and an enclosed floor mat. It arrives already set up so all you have to do is take it out of the box and start using it!
Because the bar spacing is five-eighths of an inch, this pen is only recommended for adult full-size Syrian hamsters.
Kuuqa Kids Ball Pit Ball Tent Toddler Ball Pit
This neat multi-purpose smooth-sided play area is made from waterproof polyester with fiberglass stability poles.
As a Syrian hamster playpen with mat option, you can contain even a large Syrian hamster since the 14.5-inch side panels have no footholds!
Best of all, since the material is waterproof, your flooring will be completely protected during hammie’s playtime.
Hamster playpen with mat
Give yourself the gift of less pet clean-up duties with these convenient hamster playpen with mat options!
Kaytee CritterTrail Playpen with Mat
This fun and versatile, colorful hamster playpen with mat comes highly rated by hamster owners. The playpen itself features 12 panels that can be connected in different patterns.
The mat simply sits underneath the panels to protect your floor. Best of all, this playpen can be connected to any CritterTrail habitat to extend floor space for playtime.
Marshall Pet Products Small Animal Playpen
These two products are designed to fit together to make an all-inclusive hamster playpen with mat (you can purchase two of the covers to make a floor and ceiling if you wish, which will make it virtually escape-proof).
You get 9+ square feet of play space and owners say the playpen is easy to assemble, fold down and store, lightweight to carry and secure.
Hamster playpen with roof
By choosing a hamster playpen with roof system, you ensure your tiny furball won’t start climbing and exploring only to suddenly discover she has climbed right over the top of her playpen!
MidWest Homes for Pets Guinea Pig Habitat Plus
This habitat, while designed to be a home system for guinea pigs, can also make for an excellent hamster playpen with mat for energetic hamsters.
The bottom mat is washable. If you are looking for a hamster playpen with roof system, this will serve your needs very well. You can set up the panels to make different shapes for playtime variety. The manufacturer offers a one-year warranty.
Prevue Pet Products Playpen Cover/Mat
These two products are designed to fit together to make a complete hamster playpen with mat system. The mat comes in three colors (blue, green, red) and the playpen features eight multi-color panels that can be set up in different shapes for playtime fun.
Also, if you purchase a second mat, this can be attached to make a roof for a fully enclosed hamster playpen with roof system.
Plastic hamster playpen
A plastic hamster playpen is a great choice because it is virtually climb-proof. Plus, both of these classy playpens are transparent so you can watch your hammie at play – fun!
Tespo Portable Large Plastic Yard Fence for Small Animals
With 28+ square feet of play area, this fully enclosed plastic hamster playpen will keep your hamsters safe inside as they play.
You can also cut the size down for a single hamster by connecting fewer panels together (they connect without any need for tools). And because the plastic panels are solid plastic, there is no way your hammie can escape!
KOUSI Small Animal Playpen Indoor Yard Fence
This plastic hamster playpen with mat has transparent plastic sides, which means even the most talented furry escape artist will be unable to climb out!
Your hamsters will have plenty of enclosed play space with a removable, washable mat underneath to protect your flooring. You can rearrange the panels into new fun combinations and best of all, since they are clear, you can watch your hammie as he plays!
Diy hamster playpen
It is easier to make a diy hamster playpen than most first-time hamster owners expect.
When learning how to make a hamster playpen, the first thing you need to do is review the safety points in the earlier section “What is a hamster playpen?” here.
Next, begin to assemble appropriate materials to make a hamster playpen. With the many videos and tutorials available online, you can learn how to make a playpen for hamsters out of corrugated plastic or cardboard, vinyl, mesh and other similar materials.
Or you can make a hamster playpen out of an existing structure such as a plastic tub, old bathtub, thick cardboard box, large glass aquarium or other similar item. Your homemade hamster playpen should include sufficiently high walls with few if any handholds so your hammie won’t be able to escape!
Best Hamster Playpens
When it comes to buying the best hamster playpen, there are loads of great options.
We hope you have found this hamster playpen article helpful and informative!
Why not let us know in the comments section which hamster playpen you went for.
Resources and Further Reading
- Pilny, A., “Small Exotic Companion Mammal Wellness Management and Environmental Enrichment,” Veterinary Clinics: Exotic Animal Practice, 2015.
- Donnelly, BVSc, DVP, DACLAM, DABVP(ECM), T., “Hamsters,” Merck Veterinary Manual, 2016.
- Reebs, S.G., et al, “Effect of cage enrichment on the daily use of running wheels by Syrian hamsters,” Chronobiology International, 2003
- Tayman, D.V.M., D., “Beating boredom, part 2: How to entertain small mammals, reptiles and amphibians,” The Baltimore Sun, 2016.
