What is the Best Cage for a Dwarf Hamster?

Your dwarf hamster needs a place where it can be healthy, stretch its legs, feel secure and participate in enriching activities. A good cage that contributes to your pet’s wellbeing is worth the investment because it’s where your hammy will spend most of its time. 

In this article, we’ll discuss what qualities make the best cages for dwarf hamsters. Then, we’ll compare six different cages that are good options for your pet.

Best Cage for Dwarf Hamster

Types of Hamster Cages

There are three choices for housing your hamster.

  • Glass aquariums with mesh lids
  • Modular cages with tubes and hideouts (typically made of plastic)
  • Wire cages, typically with a plastic basin for the floor

All of these options have certain advantages for your hamster. But overall, we recommend wire cages with plastic bases.

What to Look for in a Dwarf Hamster’s Cage

Not all hamster cages are equal. Hamsters need enough space to roam; structure and components that are durable and that prevent injury and escape; and a sanitary and well-ventilated home.

Appropriate Size

Floor space is very important. Sometimes, your hamster won’t have any room to run because accessories take up too much of the available floor space.

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Look for a minimum cage space of 24” L x 12” W x 12” H. If you can find a bigger cage, that’s even better. You don’t want your hamster to be cramped!

Many accessories, like tubes and wheels, are too small or are unsafe. If cages come with accessories, it’s a good idea to make sure they can be switched out in case you want to customize your hamster’s home with better options.

Safety

Hamsters are smart and can learn over time how to escape from their cage. All cage doors must be secure.

If you purchase a wire cage, the space between each cage bar shouldn’t be more than ¼ inch apart for dwarf hamsters. That’s a more difficult detail to find in cages. Some of the cages we recommend below have ⅜-inch or 5/16-inch bar spacing, which is a little wider than recommended.

Some hamsters chew on cage wires. Try giving them plenty of chew toys to alleviate that problem. If that doesn’t work, consider housing your hammy in a cage with solid sides.

Easy to Clean

Wire cages with plastic trays are the easiest type of cage to clean. This is an important consideration, because frequent cage cleaning comes with the territory of owning a hamster.

Ventilation

Your hamster needs constant fresh-air circulation. Wire cages are by far the best option for this.

Durability of materials

Avoid flimsy plastics and cardboard. Strong wire and sturdy plastics are durable, as are glass aquariums.

Six Cages for Dwarf Hamsters

Let’s take a look at six cages for dwarf hamsters and the pros and cons of each.

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Favola Hamster Cage

  • Dimensions: 23.6” L x 14.4” W x 11.8” H
  • Wire spacing: ¼ inch
  • Weight: 6.28 pounds
  • Doors: One door on top of cage
  • Multi-level: Yes
  • Manufacturer’s warranty: Yes; 1 year

The Favola hamster cage features a creative two-level design that keeps a lot of floor space available for your hamster to roam.

Pros:

  • Two floors for added exploration
  • Easy to clean
  • Narrow wire spacing

Cons:

  • Included accessories aren’t quality construction

MidWest Homes for Pets Critterville Brisby Large Hamster Cage

  • Dimensions: 23.6” L x 14.4” W x 11.8” H
  • Wire spacing: ¼ inch
  • Weight: 10 pounds
  • Doors: One
  • Multi-level: Yes

Similar to the Favola hamster cage, this Brisby cage offers a similar layout with a larger hamster wheel.

Pros:

  • Narrow wire spacing
  • Top and bottom disconnect for easy cleaning

Cons:

  • Amazon reviews report a squeaky wheel

Prevue Pet Products 528 Universal Small Animal Home

  • Dimensions: 32.5” L x 19” W x 17.5” H
  • Wire spacing: ⅜ inch
  • Weight: 14 pounds
  • Doors: Two, with wire-latch locks
  • Multi-level: Yes

This wire cage is a great easy-to-clean option and is widely considered to be one of the best hamster cages of 2020. It features two large doors so you can reach your pet no matter where it is in the cage.

Pros:

  • Spacious
  • Sturdy construction
  • Replacement parts available

Cons

  • Main door only has one safety clip
  • Wire spacing is a little wider than suggested guidelines

Savic Mickey 2 XL Spacious Mouse and Dwarf Hamster Cage

  • Dimensions: 31.5” L x 20” W x 20” H
  • Wire spacing: narrow
  • Doors: Two
  • Multi-level: Yes

The Savic Mickey 2 features a large second-floor platform and a cute hamster hammock, an enriching accessory that doesn’t take away from available floor space.

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Pros:

  • Spacious
  • Sturdy construction

Cons:

  • Expensive

Habitrail Small Animal Cage

  • Dimensions: 16” L x 10” W x 9.5” H
  • Wire spacing: narrow
  • Weight: 4.2 pounds
  • Doors: One
  • Multi-level: No

This cage is designed with good air circulation in mind. It is compatible with other Habitrail products so you can customize your hammy’s home.

Pros:

  • Affordable
  • Expandable

Cons:

  • Smaller than suggested cage size

5 Floor Large Twin Tower Habitat

  • Dimensions: 21.25” L x 14” W x 23.5” H
  • Wire spacing: ⅜ inch
  • Doors: Three, one in front and one on each side
  • Multi-level: Yes

This vertically-stacked home will keep your hamster exploring new things for a long time. It is constructed with sturdy and durable materials and provides many enriching activities.

Pros:

  • Five levels keep things interesting
  • Three doors, one in front and one on each side, allow owners to retrieve their hamster wherever it is
  • Easy to clean

Cons:

  • Not all platforms are walled-in, so hamsters may fall from a relatively high point.
  • Limited horizontal floor space
  • Parts are a choking hazard for children under 3

The Best Cage for Your Hamster

Now that you’ve learned about hamster cages, it’s time to make the best decision you can for your dwarf hamster. You’ll find a great new home for your furry friend. Just make sure you keep health, safety and enrichment in mind!