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Intro:
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| You can find good cages, tanks, and equipment at garage sales and thrift stores. If you make a wire top for your tank, make sure the space between the wire links is small enough to prevent escapes. |
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Hamsters and gerbils basically share the same habitat needs, so you can buy the cage and equipment first, then choose which type of animal you want. Start with the cage, which comes in two types--wire or aquarium. Wire cages are the cheaper choice, but they have their drawbacks. The animals can kick their bedding material out of the cage, and if they're small enough, they can get caught between the wires or even escape. If you want to use a plastic tank or glass aquarium, find one that's at least ten gallons (38 liters), which is about one by two feet (30 by 60 centimeters). With anything smaller, the animals won't have enough room for their various needs. Note: If you use a plastic tank (or anything plastic, for that matter), be aware of the possibility that the animal might be able to chew through it. A glass aquaruium is probably the safest bet.
If you do buy a tank, make sure it has a secure, well-ventilated top. Some tanks are designed specifically for hamsters and gerbils, with tops and room for attachments, but if you buy a normal aquarium, you may have to build a wire top. The simplest way to do this is to find a piece of close-knit wire screen that's slightly larger than the top of the tank. Lay the piece across the top, bend the wire edges over the sides, then remove the piece and cover both sides of the bent wire edges with a thick, durable tape (like duct tape). Make sure no adhesive remains exposed and that it fits snugly--these little beasts are expert escape artists. You may want to keep a weight on the wire top just to be safe. |
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Choose your cage
