Hamster houses: features, varieties, selection and installation

The most popular pet is the hamster because it is small, easy to care for and able to bring joy to children. Before you start this animal, you must carefully prepare the place for its habitat. A house for a hamster can be purchased both ready-made, and you can make it yourself with your own hands, the main thing is that it is comfortable and easy to clean.

Hamsters in the wild prefer to settle in small shelters (nests), choosing for this notches, minks and hollows. They provide the animals with the necessary thermoregulation, comfort and safety. As for domestic animals, the arrangement of their housing is entirely dependent on the care of the owners, who usually purchase a compact house for the hamster and supplement it with various accessories for "walking" and playing.

Since hamsters are rodents, it is advisable to choose wooden or plastic cages with an entrance and a removable lid as housing for them.

Besides, the house should be roomy, since the animals love to hide their food reserves. The main requirements for the operation of a hamster's housing include safety, therefore, the structure in which it is planned to contain the fluffy, must be stable and not have sharp corners at the edges.

Today the market is represented by a chic selection of hamster houses, and each species differs not only in design, but also in size and price. Most often, pet owners prefer classic cages with a plastic bottom and a lattice on top. In this case, you need to pay attention to the fact that so that the width between the rods does not exceed 0.5 mm for the Dzungarian hamster and 10 mm for the Syrian hamster. The height of the sides of the pallet and the dimensions of the structure also play a huge role. Basically, such cells are produced in sizes 50x30 cm and up to 100 cm in height.

They are also very popular plastic houses, having the form of several separate chambers, which are interconnected by tunnels. This design is ideal for a pet as it resembles a natural mink. The main disadvantage of such houses is the high price, and it is difficult to clean there.

Many owners also buy for pets showcases or aquariums. They have the following advantages: they make it easy to observe rodents and are out of reach of the cat. But glass structures also have disadvantages: the greenhouse effect (poor ventilation), high walls, glass gets dirty quickly and is difficult to clean. As for showcases, they are panoramic cells, are made to order, fit perfectly into any interior, but are expensive.

Good housing for hamsters is also dune... It is a transparent cage, complemented by a metal grill on top. It can be easily opened, removed and does not allow the animal to scatter the filler.

An important point when choosing a house for a pet is the size of the structure, which are determined depending on the size of the animal. So, for the Syrian species, it should be more than for the Dzungarian. At the same time, we must not forget that The hamster can grow up and the lack of space will negatively affect his health.

The cages can be larger, but they will take up a lot of space and create problems with cleaning. Small houses measuring 20x25 cm can be purchased for jigging young animals or in case of mating and quarantine.

Now on sale you can find a wide variety of models of houses for hamsters, differing from each other not only in size, but also in design and shape. The most popular are rectangular and square designs, decorated with bright roofs, balconies and windows. Two-story compositions with a staircase look interesting in the interior. In addition, the stores sell original ceramic models in the form of vegetables and fruits.

Since all hamsters love to build nests, wicker houses made of oval or round vines can also work well for them. A triangular hammock house is also considered an unusual solution. The choice of forms depends on the personal preferences of the pet owners.

One of the main criteria when choosing a particular model of a house for a rodent is the material from which it is made. Plastic structures are considered to be the most durable and reliable in operation, however, they have poor ventilation, and the hamster, trying the house "by the tooth", can swallow plastic, after which it will get sick. Therefore, experts recommend such houses do not tinker yourself from plastic bottles, but purchase ready-madeafter making sure of the quality of the material.

In addition, designs are made of other materials.

• Made of wood. It is a purely ecological material with which fuzzies are quite often found in the wild. A wooden house is the best choice for keeping a pet. Its surface is a little rough compared to plastic and this allows the animal to quickly climb onto the roof along the walls. The price for such structures can be different, depending on the size.
• From ceramics. The ceramic house went on sale quite recently, but it has proven itself very well.It is considered safe for health (non-toxic), retains heat well, but costs much more than plastic and wood models. In addition, ceramic structures can break if dropped from a height. They are available in various shapes, sizes and colors.
• From coconut. Such housing is made independently from coconut, having previously made a hole in it and draining the milk. Such houses are the cheapest, and everyone can make them.
• Made of cardboard. This house is a simple option for keeping a pet and is usually suitable for miniature hamsters. It takes two cardboard tubes to build the structure, which are left over from rolls of kitchen towels or toilet paper.
• Made of plywood. This model is referred to as self-made and it is easy to build it for those who have previously encountered the manufacture of birdhouses. Plywood houses are one of the simpler types of rodent housing.

Despite the fact that they are in many ways inferior to wooden and plastic houses, they are easy and quick to make with your own hands, saving your financial budget.

Before purchasing a house for a hamster, it is important to take into account many nuances, since this will determine the period of its operation, the convenience of cleaning and the comfort of the animal. One of the main criteria to pay attention to is access to ventilation, since poor air circulation negatively affects the health of the fluffy, and a humid environment will cause infectious diseases. In addition, the following indicators play a huge role:

• safety (doors and locks must be reliable, metal must be durable);
• availability of free space;
• ease of cleaning;
• the possibility of completing with various accessories.

To diversify the life of a pet and maintain its athletic form will help the correct arrangement of its home with a variety of accessories, which are most often chosen as a running wheel. Tunnels are considered an interesting addition to the house, but they must have good ventilation and be spacious. In order for the pet to develop coordination of movements, it will also need special hammocks. In addition, the following elements must be present in the design of the cage:

• a drinking bowl in the form of a ceramic saucer;
• container for feed;
• litter;
• mineral stones for grinding teeth.

At the same time, you can put toilet paper torn into pieces on the bottom of houses made of plywood and wood; it should be replaced with a new one every day during cleaning. In this case, you can also lay shreds of non-woolen fabric.

In order for a hamster's house to fit into the overall interior of a house or apartment in an original way, it must be unusual. There are many options for this. For example, housing for a pet, assembled from a children's designer, will turn out to be stylish, while all the details must be tightly fastened.

Accommodation made of glass jars will look no less attractive; their walls can be decorated with stylish ornaments that would match the design of the room.

Structures in the form of wooden caves also look very beautiful. For this, the base of the house is made of a cardboard rectangle, and the walls are pasted over with dry branches. If you wish, you can also build a small ladder.

In the video below, you can find other options for hamster houses, as well as tips for choosing.