Historically, and mainly as a result of manufacturing limitations, the options that were available for you to choose from were limited when it came to small family pet cages.  They were either rectangular wire cages, or, well, frankly rectangular wire cages.  This obviously meant that choice was somewhat limited.  There are so many ways you can present a wire cage in an interesting way, indeed, some might say there is no way to present a rectangular wire cage in an interesting way.  However, at some point someone had the intelligent idea of using an old aquarium as a substitute hamster residence and because the idea is a good one, the idea caught on.  Thus the glass hamster cage became a reality.  Since that time a number of different manufacturers have started creating specially made hamster cages to capitalise on the demand for these more interesting environments.

Glass hamster cages are good choices for a home for you little pet.  They allow you to see into the hamster nest whilst the hamster is sleeping, they protect your hamster from drafts and generally provides a safe and secure home and perhaps importantly prevents your pet from having any chance of chewing through a door, or the plastic surround of a cage and never being seen again.

There are however drawbacks to glass hamster cages.  They are not particularly good for ventilation, the lack of can really be very harmful to hamsters and for this reason they should never be placed in an area where it is exposed to direct sunlight as this would create very unpleasant conditions.  They also suffer more than wire or plastic cages from condensation and as a result they require cleaning perhaps more often than alternative habitats. They are heavy and difficult to move.  And finally, a small point but it is sometimes difficult to attach a water bottle to the side walls.

All in all, as you will probably know, there is no right answer to the question of what is the best cage for your hamster.  A glass hamster cage that works well for one person may be totally unsuitable for another, but hopefully from this article you have gained a sense of what is good and bad about glass hamster cages.

Cost

It may well be that you have an old aquarium no longer in use somewhere in your home, in which case it is probably a really good idea to set up an aquarium hamster cage as a way of recycling the item.  But if you do not then you may well find that purchasing an aquarium specifically for the purpose of using it as a hamster cage is quite a lot more expensive than purchasing a wire hamster cage or a plastic hamster cage.

Cleaning

When considering what to use as a hamster cage it is important to think about cleaning your hamster cage once it is in use.  There is an argument that suggests that the glass walls and floor of an aquarium hamster cage makes cleaning quick and easy and that keeping them really clean is easier than other cages.  But you also have to consider that the only access into your aquarium hamster cage is from the top which may well make the practicalities of cleaning the cage quite awkward.  You should also give some consideration to its weight as the glass will be a lot heavier than alternative cages and mean that moving your aquarium hamster cage around is awkward and cumbersome.

Safety And Security

First, your hamster cage, aquarium or otherwise should be well ventilated.  Failure to provide adequate ventilation can harm your pet.  Clearly the only form of ventilation that you will be able to provide in your aquarium hamster cage is from the ceiling.  So if your aquarium has a cover you should remove it and attach a wire mesh as a ceiling instead.  This will provide good ventilation and also ensure that your hamster is not able to escape the cage.

Removing any top will also resolve another problem you may face with an aquarium hamster cage and that is condensation.  If you do cover the top you may well find condensation forming on the sides of the cage which will drip to the base and create an unpleasant environment for your hamster to live in.

Aquarium hamster cages do not suffer from draughts in the same way that wire hamster cages may well do but it is important that you do not place your aquarium hamster cage in direct sunlight as this will almost certainly be very unpleasant and even potentially fatal for your hamster.

Finally, you need to consider where inside your aquarium hamster cage you will locate a water bottle which is an essential item to provide your pet.  Clearly the bottle can’t easily be attached to the glass sides but you may well find that sticky backed velcro will solve this problem for you.

In summary, aquarium hamster cages can be a great alternative to wire or plastic hamster cages but you need to make sure that you consider all the above before finally deciding as by overlooking some of the above you might seriously harm your little pet.

Your Hamster Cage

You should purchase the largest hamster cage that you can afford.   The larger the better.  Ideally the sides of the cage should be wire mesh to ensure good ventilation.  Hamsters do tend to be quite territorial so when trying to answer your question “how to ensure my hamster lives longer” you should think hard before housing more than one hamster per cage as you run the risks of fights breaking out.  You should cover the base of your hamster cage with some wood shavings and provide some straw bedding.  Don’t place the cage in direct sunlight or in draughty location as these can both cause health issues.  Then provide your hamster with plenty of toys to play with and keep the cage clean.

Feeding Your Hamster

Always keep fresh water available in a bottle.  Give you hamster fresh food every day in a feeding bowl in a corner of the cage.  It may be worthwhile placing the bowl in an area that is easily accessible and therefore easy to clean.  You might also give your hamster fresh vegetables and occasionally some fruit and also supplement its diet with occasional vitamin supplement tablets.

Keep Your Hamster Healthy

You should provide a wooden gnaw to ensure that they are able to keep their tooth growth under control.  Generally speaking if you keep your hamster cage clean and your hamster well fed you can have a reasonable expectation that your hamster will live a clean and healthy life for several years.
And that’s it really.  Hamsters are really very easy animals to look after and can give you hours of fun if you do look after them.  So if you want to know “how to ensure my hamster lives longer” you should give you hamster a large cage, feed it a good diet, provide an active play area and keep its living environment clean you should have no problems.

Placing your hamster in cardboard or wooden boxes is not the best idea! Hamsters have teeth much stronger than human beings and can chew their way right through them. Picking a hamster cage is easy but you need to be careful as to which one is right for your pet!  The hamster cage can be made of plastic with a hamster wheel and toys too! If you to decide on a plastic cage for your hamster make sure the plastic is thick on the base and has metal bars all around! Get one with a lift up lid or a large opening which will help you when you clean the cage.

Many experts suggest using aquariums as hamster cages! Aquariums are spacious, easy to clean and can be accessed from the top. Keep in mind hamsters cannot sustain high temperatures so if using an aquarium as a hamster cage them make sure you replace the glass on the top with a wire mesh that is sturdy and tough. The size of the wire mesh should be around 1 by 1 centimeter.

Now that you decided on a hamster cage, it’s time to create the environment! Just keep in mind that no matter what home you decide to go with, the environment is what will make your hamster grow and live to its fullest! The floor of the hamster cage must consist of wooden shavings for comfort. Try to keep it within 2-3 inches thick and try to use wet wooden shavings! Eventually after playing for a while the hamster with chew up some of the wooden shavings so it’s a great idea to keep the shavings moist!

You can use cedars in you hamster cage as well but it is not recommended as they produce oils that may be harmful to your hamster. When cleaning the hamster cage take your hamster out first and keep it in a safe place like a hamster ball! Then clean and get rid of all the used dust and bedding and wipe it with a soft cloth. Cleaning your hamster cage once a week is an excellent idea!