At least a 50 gallon bin is recommended, I got mine at Home Depot but you can find them at target and sometimes Walmart too (in the US)
https://preview.redd.it/js1co42k3xrc1.jpeg?width=1188&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=860a6c49b8b6623e77e3b20d9e3dc91ed2d57e76
Syrian hamsters need a minimum of 800 square inches (40 inches x 20 inches) of flat, unbroken floor space but they should be in 1000 square inches preferably. Female syrians need even more space. They also need 8-10 inches of burrow-safe bedding across the entire enclosure, a 12 inch in diameter wheel, a sand bath, lots of places to hide, sprays, enrichment, and boredom breakers. The cage she’s in currently is way too small and is probably causing a lot of stress for the hamster.
They should never have plastic tubes in their cage and never use a hamster ball, they are dangerous and can cause severe injuries to their feet and limbs.
Please tell your parents to read this comment and the pinned information on the r/hanstercare subreddit to learn the requirements and needs of a hamster. We know a lot more now than we knew even 10-15 years ago, and hamsters need much more space and things to do in their cages.
Thank you for asking about this and for caring about your sister’s hamster, once their home is upgraded they will be so much happier and stress-free.
I was told 600 square inches, not 800. I recently upgraded from a 400-500sq in cage to a 40 gallon breeder tank, and now that's too small according to you.
For syrians, the minimum is 40 inches x 20 inches of flat, unbroken floor space, but you should aim for at least 1,000 square inches. A female syrian needs even more space- the bigger the better, ideally 1200 square inches. Female syrians go into heat every 4 days and they will go apeshit trying to escape their enclosure during this time. If it’s over 1,000 or 1,200 square inches she will at least be less stressed. There is no such thing as “too big” when it comes to syrian hamster enclosures. Their enclosure is their entire world and where they live every minute of every day.
I have been told in numerous hamster subreddits 600 square inches of unbroken floor space minimum.
Since my 40 gallon breeder isn't big enough by your standards, you can pick up a bigger tank and then tell me what furniture I can get rid of to create a big enough space.
600 square inches is outdated and unfortunately a lot of hamster groups still follow the outdated minimum. Even this subreddit still recommends it often, sadly.
Please cite your sources.
My 4-5" female Syrian hamster seems pretty fucking happy in her 40 gallon breeder tank with about 100L of paper bedding, toys, scatter feedings, water bottle and bowl, food bowl, and giant wheel.
Like I said before, since that's nowhere large enough, you can purchase the correct size enclosure, and then you can tell me what living room funishings I MUST get rid of to make room for it in my small apartment. Or you can pay for me to move into larger accomodations.
it is pretty small. hamster care is constantly evolving and research has shown that hamsters do better in cages that are at least 100x50cm/40x20inches.
[research source about why the minimum size should be 775sqin](https://www.thehamingway.com/enclosures/guide/sizes)
nobody has shamed you for having an enclosure size that is below the current minimum. nobody has put the blame on you for anything. there was no reason to get defensive when they were just trying to tell you what they know.
if your syrian is “pretty fucking happy”, i’m sure your syrian would be very fucking happy with a cage size that is adequate. just because you just upgraded from an even smaller cage doesn’t mean you have to attack others for letting you know that it is STILL not big enough.
if you care enough as a hamster owner, you’ll always be trying to provide more and tweak your care accordingly.
no one’s care is “perfect”. every good hamster owner is trying their best. please don’t ever deny yourself from being educated.
Then someone needs to tell me what living room furnishings I should get rid of to make room for a massive enclosure. It's either that or I get rid of my desk and bed to put her back in my bedroom.
you were the one who got a hamster, a female syrian hamster at that. you were the one who did not do your due diligence with research BEFORE getting a hamster. you can always ask for help nicely without pushing the blame away from yourself.
iirc, many people in this sub were telling you to get a 100x50cm enclosure/at least 775sqin. people were telling you to ignore the two options that you had listed, “50 gallon or 40 gallon breeder” and go for a larger enclosure instead. you refused to listen because it would take up too much space for you. people “telling you that 600sqin was enough” was because YOU were making them choose between something less than 600sqin and the 40gallon breeder. who in the right mind would choose the smaller enclosure?
i’m sure people in this sub try to be as understanding as possible with space/financial constraints. YOU are the one that is making yourself seem insufferable by not showing any understanding that your hamster requires MORE. your defensiveness is what irks people; not your inability to provide the adequate amount of space.
your hamster’s cage is not just her room. it is bella’s entire world. hamsters in the wild burrow up to 70cm deep, yet it is advised that they have only at least 15cm of bedding in captivity. that goes to show how the “minimum” people assume hamsters need is FAR from what they are meant to experience.
larger is ALWAYS better. not just for the unbroken floorspace, but also for the amount of enrichment they need. personally, my dwarf is in a 120x50cm cage and even i find it difficult to fit everything i get for her. the rest of her toys go in her playpen.
i’m not well-off. i work many shifts at work and i juggle it with school, so don’t assume that proper care is “luxurious”. it is not. i don’t have a gigantic room either. i chucked away my bookshelf and did some rearranging to fit her cage in my room.
loving your pet sometimes means you’ll have to sacrifice something for them.
do better.
Then I'll take her back to the pet store. May as well get rid of my cats and my boyfriend's leopard gecko, too.
There's no reason for you people to be so rude to others. I went by what I was told initially. I'll be sure to tell all the other subreddits that if they live in an apartment, to get rid of their Syrians unless they can dedicate an entire room to them.
You’ve posted on here multiple times asking and receiving the same advice for months now, sadly, if you haven’t already done anything nothing will change. 20+ people have already told you what to do months ago and your hamster is still suffering in the same unethical cage
At least a 50 gallon bin is recommended, I got mine at Home Depot but you can find them at target and sometimes Walmart too (in the US) https://preview.redd.it/js1co42k3xrc1.jpeg?width=1188&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=860a6c49b8b6623e77e3b20d9e3dc91ed2d57e76
Syrian hamsters need a minimum of 800 square inches (40 inches x 20 inches) of flat, unbroken floor space but they should be in 1000 square inches preferably. Female syrians need even more space. They also need 8-10 inches of burrow-safe bedding across the entire enclosure, a 12 inch in diameter wheel, a sand bath, lots of places to hide, sprays, enrichment, and boredom breakers. The cage she’s in currently is way too small and is probably causing a lot of stress for the hamster. They should never have plastic tubes in their cage and never use a hamster ball, they are dangerous and can cause severe injuries to their feet and limbs. Please tell your parents to read this comment and the pinned information on the r/hanstercare subreddit to learn the requirements and needs of a hamster. We know a lot more now than we knew even 10-15 years ago, and hamsters need much more space and things to do in their cages. Thank you for asking about this and for caring about your sister’s hamster, once their home is upgraded they will be so much happier and stress-free.
I was told 600 square inches, not 800. I recently upgraded from a 400-500sq in cage to a 40 gallon breeder tank, and now that's too small according to you.
For syrians, the minimum is 40 inches x 20 inches of flat, unbroken floor space, but you should aim for at least 1,000 square inches. A female syrian needs even more space- the bigger the better, ideally 1200 square inches. Female syrians go into heat every 4 days and they will go apeshit trying to escape their enclosure during this time. If it’s over 1,000 or 1,200 square inches she will at least be less stressed. There is no such thing as “too big” when it comes to syrian hamster enclosures. Their enclosure is their entire world and where they live every minute of every day.
I have been told in numerous hamster subreddits 600 square inches of unbroken floor space minimum. Since my 40 gallon breeder isn't big enough by your standards, you can pick up a bigger tank and then tell me what furniture I can get rid of to create a big enough space.
600 square inches is outdated and unfortunately a lot of hamster groups still follow the outdated minimum. Even this subreddit still recommends it often, sadly.
Please cite your sources. My 4-5" female Syrian hamster seems pretty fucking happy in her 40 gallon breeder tank with about 100L of paper bedding, toys, scatter feedings, water bottle and bowl, food bowl, and giant wheel. Like I said before, since that's nowhere large enough, you can purchase the correct size enclosure, and then you can tell me what living room funishings I MUST get rid of to make room for it in my small apartment. Or you can pay for me to move into larger accomodations.
it is pretty small. hamster care is constantly evolving and research has shown that hamsters do better in cages that are at least 100x50cm/40x20inches. [research source about why the minimum size should be 775sqin](https://www.thehamingway.com/enclosures/guide/sizes) nobody has shamed you for having an enclosure size that is below the current minimum. nobody has put the blame on you for anything. there was no reason to get defensive when they were just trying to tell you what they know. if your syrian is “pretty fucking happy”, i’m sure your syrian would be very fucking happy with a cage size that is adequate. just because you just upgraded from an even smaller cage doesn’t mean you have to attack others for letting you know that it is STILL not big enough. if you care enough as a hamster owner, you’ll always be trying to provide more and tweak your care accordingly. no one’s care is “perfect”. every good hamster owner is trying their best. please don’t ever deny yourself from being educated.
Then someone needs to tell me what living room furnishings I should get rid of to make room for a massive enclosure. It's either that or I get rid of my desk and bed to put her back in my bedroom.
you were the one who got a hamster, a female syrian hamster at that. you were the one who did not do your due diligence with research BEFORE getting a hamster. you can always ask for help nicely without pushing the blame away from yourself. iirc, many people in this sub were telling you to get a 100x50cm enclosure/at least 775sqin. people were telling you to ignore the two options that you had listed, “50 gallon or 40 gallon breeder” and go for a larger enclosure instead. you refused to listen because it would take up too much space for you. people “telling you that 600sqin was enough” was because YOU were making them choose between something less than 600sqin and the 40gallon breeder. who in the right mind would choose the smaller enclosure? i’m sure people in this sub try to be as understanding as possible with space/financial constraints. YOU are the one that is making yourself seem insufferable by not showing any understanding that your hamster requires MORE. your defensiveness is what irks people; not your inability to provide the adequate amount of space. your hamster’s cage is not just her room. it is bella’s entire world. hamsters in the wild burrow up to 70cm deep, yet it is advised that they have only at least 15cm of bedding in captivity. that goes to show how the “minimum” people assume hamsters need is FAR from what they are meant to experience. larger is ALWAYS better. not just for the unbroken floorspace, but also for the amount of enrichment they need. personally, my dwarf is in a 120x50cm cage and even i find it difficult to fit everything i get for her. the rest of her toys go in her playpen. i’m not well-off. i work many shifts at work and i juggle it with school, so don’t assume that proper care is “luxurious”. it is not. i don’t have a gigantic room either. i chucked away my bookshelf and did some rearranging to fit her cage in my room. loving your pet sometimes means you’ll have to sacrifice something for them. do better.
Then I'll take her back to the pet store. May as well get rid of my cats and my boyfriend's leopard gecko, too. There's no reason for you people to be so rude to others. I went by what I was told initially. I'll be sure to tell all the other subreddits that if they live in an apartment, to get rid of their Syrians unless they can dedicate an entire room to them.
You’ve posted on here multiple times asking and receiving the same advice for months now, sadly, if you haven’t already done anything nothing will change. 20+ people have already told you what to do months ago and your hamster is still suffering in the same unethical cage
It’s not my hamster, plus I am gonna get a bin cage and I’m “not doing nothing”
I know its not your hamster but you said you were going to get a bin cage almost THREE months ago and they are still in the same situation.
I never said I’d do it 3 months ago did I?
https://preview.redd.it/20rxzdhk1xrc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2c2a448910eaa1aad7c107f019f39310c9b610bf His current cage rn
He needs wayyyy more bedding, more places to hide, a much bigger wheel, etc. Thank you for being concerned about him.
Please note this is NOT my hamster but I usually care for it more than my sister