Cages?

[DM4]

I am thinking about a hamster. i have been looking into cages. before you click of i want to know whether or not you can easily use smallish side doors on cages to properly handle a hamster. I can't use the top entrance because of the location i could keep it. I would really like to know this as it influnces which cage i buy. There are smaller cages (still UK 80x50cm legal) but i would rather go for the larger size its just you can't have a large side point to reach inside and i want to know if this will be an issue when trying to scoicalise with him
small cage but side door https://www.amazon.co.uk/Savic-Hams...&ie=UTF8&qid=1543788640&sr=1-1&keywords=Savic
large cage but smaller side door: Alexander Small Pet Cage

please help me

*Edited by moderator*

 

[Seven7]

Welcome.

You mentioned hamster, and I currently have 6 hamsters, and they all live in separate cages. Hamsters will fight to death so housing them together never worked. Even when they are brothers, they can't live in the same cage, and there will be a lot of blood from fights.
I have had total of 8 hamsters at one time, and 9 cages for them. I have extra cages for when I clean their cages.

Side doors will work if they are big enough to fit wheels the hamster runs on. Mine usually pee on their wheels when they run, so I wash their wheels often. Wheels are one of the biggest item that will need to come out through the side door, so the side door has to be big enough to fit wheels. Alternatively, you can take the cage apart whenever you need to clean the wheels.

I suppose it depends on what you are willing to put up with.

 

[DMS260820]

Does it depend on which hamster weva they can have more than one or not? Robo dwarfs can live together i think

 

[Swissgreys]

Robos can live together if they are litter mates that have been together their entire lives.
But the fall out rate is very high, so even with a matched pair you should always be prepared to split.
Sadly once they decide they don't like each other they will fight viciously, and often one or both will not survive, so many take the view that is isn't worth the risk.

 

[Incredipigs]

I had a group of 6 male robos (siblings and dad) they got along really well for over a year and then one day they all turned on each other, I had less than 24 hours to find 4 spare cages (I already had one)
I would definitely recommend getting only one hamster!

 

[dannif_piggies]

Depending on what breed hamster you are getting, depends on their housing requirements. For a Syrian, the "smaller" one is too small, and the larger one is just the minimum cage dimensions for permanent Syrian housing. Please do your individual research about the type of hamster you will get. Initially taming a hamster is about just being outside the cage, talking to them, allowing them to smell you through the bars etc. As long as you can get your hands into the cage when your hamster is ready to have your hands in the cage, then I would've thought this won't be a problem. Handling can be a very slow process, there's lots of advice on YouTube on how to approach and take your hamster into trusting you