Which cage?
The cage is a hamsters home. This is where it will sleep, play and eat. So you'll want to make sure the hammy will like it. There are a few types of cages out there which I will rate according to my experiences with each:
Wire cage - This is the most common type of cage on the market and you can get them in a wide variety of sizes. It has a plastic base and the wire forms the cage. It is very easy to clean but unless you buy a starter pack which includes toys, you will have to provide forms of entertainment as the cage doesn't have built in tubes or anything, just a basic cage. Ones with two levels are the best, one level does'n't give the hamster must space to run about and any more levels then two could lead to an accident from a hammy jumping from the top. The hamster will chew on the wire, some say this can be good as it wears down the teeth but my hamster chewed to hard and cut himself so now he has a scar on his nose. There is hardly any smell as there is ventilation coming through the wires and adventurous hammy's will enjoy climbing the walls.
Rating = 9/10
Rotastak - This cage is quite popular as it provides tunnels and areas for the hamster to explore. It is round shaped which I consider a bad thing as the hamster like to keep food in corners and urinate in the opposite corner. As the cage is round the hamster can't tell where he stored his food and it is less private when he is going to the toilet. It also becomes smelly after a short time as it is quite enclosed with only a small ring around the top for ventilation.
Rating = 5/10
'Super Pet Critter Trail' cage - Provides lots of fun for your hamster as the design allows you to add tubes and tunnels to the intial plastic cage. Hammy's will thoughrely enjoy this - it is the most interesting and enjoyable cage. On the other hand, buying the add on tubes can be very expensive, sometimes as much as £3 for two small tubes. There are some bundles where you can get a few tubes and some other things like a skyhouse for a reduced price but it will still set you back quite a lot. You do a get a few tubes with the cage but no way near the amount shown on the box (pictured below) Also, the tubes are quite fiddly just to put together and as you can see, it takes up a lot of space. When it comes to hamster happiness, this would get 9/10. When it comes to expense and how practical, this gets 3/10
Rating = 6/10
Glass aqurium tank - An easy to clean, cheap cage that makes a good hamster home. You will have to provide toys but there are no wires for the hamster to injure itself on. You will have to fit a wire-mesh lid to the top for ventilation but otherwise this is a simple, but good cage.
Rating = 8/10
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