Hamsters are solitary animals and they need enough space for themselves. At normal conditions, hamsters don't allow another hamster to his room, unless for the dwarfs hamsters. This specie has great tendencies of becoming sociable yet this is still not true for all. The standard hamster cage is roughly around a square foot or so. But providing a much larger hamster cage would be greatly appreciated by your hammy. Hamsters are used to travelling miles in a single night. A hamster cage may not be able to give him this much space but it would be just okay for your pet. A thick layer of wood pulp shavings should not be absent in his cage flooring, along with other things like toys, tubes and papers. It is also good to create a specific place for him where he may sleep the day away. Hamsters are nocturnal animals and natural diggers. On their natural habitats, hamsters normally stay in elaborately constructed barrows, some of which may be as long as 30 feet. You may be startled to discover traces of such tunnels in the bedding of the hamster cage. They are apt as well to maneuvering through tunnels, small holes and everything that may become as escape routes so keep watch for such for hamsters are excellent escape artists. Majority of hamster cages has solid plastic bases and is equipped with metal bars at the upper layer. These cages may have ladders or wire ramps to provide access to upper level of the cage. Most animal experts advise the use of aquariums as hamster cages though. These provide ample visibility for the owner and can be cleaned off easily. But if you are to use an aquarium, make sure that the humidity inside it is tolerable by your hammy. They can't withstand high humidity so you may have to replace the lid with a wire mesh. The most ideal size of the wire mesh is 1 by 1-centimeter. Be sure to clip the wire lid securely and check for possible escape holes. They can easily squeeze through such gaps. Never place your hamster in wooden cages and cardboard boxes, unless you would want them to escape. They can simply chew their way out from such structures. High-end plastic materials may look pleasing along with featured chambers and tunnels but they are rather difficult to clean. If possible, buy the hamster cage that has lift-off lid or a large door opening. This can make cleaning faster and more comfortable. The floor of the hamster cage must be covered with sawdust or wood shavings, at least two inches of the material. This is primarily used for flooring but may also end at your pet's mouth as he builds tunnels and rearranges his food stash. When choosing wood bedding, prefer the absorbent ones. Most experts don't recommend the use of cedars as cage bedding. Cedar oils are too sharp for the respiratory system of the creature. Pine is advisable so long as the palest variety of the wood is used, to avoid strong pine oils. Aspen may be more preferable but for the time being, the hamster community is reconsidering aspen as it may have adverse effects on the creature's health. The difficulty of maintaining the hamster cages clean is greatly dependent on the type of the cage. However, the basic thing to think of in cleaning a hamster cage is to remove first the animal. Place him in an enclosed space, say a hamster ball. Then continue on to replacing and not removing some of the old materials. A thorough cleaning once in a week may suffice. |
