Dwarf hamsters in an aquarium?

Question

I'm getting 2 roborovski hamsters soon. I was told a big fish tank makes a really good cage. What kind of a lid would I need on it? Should I fill it up nearly to the top with sawdust or something else so they can dig? How would I clean it? I'd be scared about them escaping! Any help really appreciated, thanks.

Answer 1

i keep mine in a dwarf hamster cage form the pet shop,

becasse they cant have normal hamster cages because theyll escape through the bars.

they come with thier own lids.

you only need the sawdust to cover the floor like a carpet.

to clean it you take the hamsters out, and you can put them in another cage of you have one or in an excersize ball.

ask the pet shop where you get them from. x*x

Answer 2

Depends hpw big the fish tank is ! Mines quite deep so I would only put maybe half an inch of sawdust and they would not be able to escape but you could put a wooden lid on top if you are scared they will. Nothing worse then hearing a hampster living below the floorboards !

Answer 3

If you have pet cats, yes get a lid.  screening material like you have in windows makes a good lid.  You only need an inch or two of bedding...remember you have to clean it!  Hamsters will make their own piles to burrow into.  They also like those little houses they go into.  They are private creatures.  Put a wheel in there for them to run on.  They like exercise.  You will also need the water bottle in there for them.  And for real fun, get a hamster ball, it has an opening you put them in, then secure the opening and away they go.  This is important, when you clean their cage, remember where the hamsters put their food stash, they are very particular about having their stuff moved around.  They like it where they put it.  Enjoy your new hamsters!

Answer 4

A 20 gallon or larger aquarium makes a great hamster cage.  I have one in a 20 gallon, and I put about an inch or so of bedding and don't have a lid on it.  If it makes you more comfortable to have one, they're in the reptile section of the pet store.  Don't listen to other people who say to get a "small" hamster cage, because all hamsters really do need a lot of room, as much as you can provide, and floor space is always more important than height.  The cages in the stores, like crittertrails are much too small and those should have at least two connected to provide enough room.

Another option is to make a bin cage from a storage bin.  It's cheaper than a bin, and you can add in levels or make it however you want.  

To clean a tank, just put your hamsters in a ball or in a spare cage and use soap and water and then dry it.

Answer 5

Aquariums make horrible hamster cages.  They are make of glass that doesn't allow for enough air circulation and they overheat very quickly that way.  Use a cage designed for hamsters.  They are not expensive.  Please also use bedding designed for hamsters or say "hamster" on the packaging if you don't want to use paper towels, store bought lint or newspaper.  Some wood chips contain chemicals from certain pine trees that make them very sick.

Answer 6

I hate the idea of hamsters in tanks-why cant you get a right hamster cage-the hamster gets to climb and have diffenet levels for fun.

No you fill a  cage-you fill till the bottom is covered and mybe a bit more-you can have as much as you want but not like to the top or even half way max quater.

Ask a pet shop or vet for more info.

Answer 7

for dwarf hamsters, yes aquariums make good cages becase its harder for them to escape than, lets say, wire bars. you will want to get a wire lid (for good ventalation) that looks like a screen- they can squeeze through small places. then set something heavy on top so your hamster cant push it up. you will want bedding about 1/4 to 1/3 of the way up so they can burrow. when you clean it, put your hamster in a box or their ball and empty everything out of the cage. then spray it with a mixture of viniger and water and rinse it out. TIP- line the bottem of the cage with paper towel before refilling, preventing bedding from sticking to the bottom of the cage.

Answer 8

i think maybe a cage would be better.

Answer 9

There are small cages made for the dwarf hampsters, very cheap. You have to be careful because they are so small they can fit through the bars on regular cages. I agree, a tank is not good for them, they need air circulation. Keep the cage away from direct sunlight and drafts as well. Also, becareful of the bedding you get. Pet stores sell hampster bedding with pine or cedar - this will kill your dwarf hampster. Sadly, I learned from experience. It said it was made for hampsters so I thought it was safe. Becareful of the snak huts as well, they too have either pine or cedar. Both are very dangerous for hampsters! Good luck!

Answer 10

fish tank will be ok. most have lids anyway, but if yours doesnt, you coud use alkmost anything as long as it has air holes in the top!

you dont need to fill it to the top. yes they like to burow but you dont want them to drown in sawdust. take a look at the hamsters in the pet shop and see what their living conditions are like, that would give you an idea.

to clean it out... just put the hamsters in an alternative container and empty the bedding out.

if this is the first time you have owned a hamster, you should maybe get yourself a book which will give you all the info you need.

Answer 11

no no no, just like 2 inches of sawdust,, and not sawdust but store bought seeder.. you get a mesh top, all this stuff is availble at the pet store, infact you can buy a whole little kit for like 20 bucks.. they wont escap if you put the lid and something to hold  it down like a paper weight.. there not strong at all..

Answer 12

dont fill it to the top fill about half of it up thats plenty or by some sand they love that because they live in deserts its just more expensive