I just think a playpen also provides so much more mental stimulation. What can a hamster do in a ball but run? A wheel would do the same job. They cannot feel different textures under their feet, climb onto objects, get a decent smell of all the difference scents outside their cage - I personally think that a playpen provides a whole lot more than a ball can, and you can set up a playpen for the same price (or less, if you're inventive) than a ball costs anyway.

Daisy is lovely . I have had hamsters for most of my life and I love them . Don't have one just now but the cage is ready and waiting

She's gorgeous, but this worries me -

I think krlyr has the right idea.

TBH, the staff at large pet shop chains usually know diddly squat about the animals they're selling, and 90% of cages marketed as ideal 'starter' homes for hamsters are just terrible. The RSPCA recommends a cage size 75cm by 40cm minimum, though experienced hamster owners will vouch that Syrians would be better in a larger cage, and a single dwarf could live happily in one a touch smaller.

The 'Cambridge' from PaH is a great cage, though their 'Hamster Heaven' is considerably larger and is sometimes in the sale for the same price. There are also a number of 'tank' style cages on the market for both hamster and guinea pigs that are great too.

Personally, I use 'bin cages', made from large (cheap!) clear plastic storage boxes with the lids cut out for a cover of mesh. Mine cost under a tenner to make, but is as large and comfortable as any £80 cage of the same size

Also please, please get the little girl a wheel! She's only young and hamsters run for *miles* at night when they're active. An 8 inch one would do her for the rest of her life as she shouldn't out grow it.

ETA: I'd also like to suggest http://www.hamstercentral.com/community/ as a fantastic and informative forum for hamster owners. It's my 'Dogsey' for hams

This is an interesting debate ^^

The cage I have all though small was labled suitable for syrian hamsters otherwise I would not have bought it.

I don't like wheals as they get chewed go rough at the edges and on the bits. I dislike metal ones with the holes in as it can hurt them if they get their feet stuck inside while running.

I can honestly say all though most hammie owners would probably scoff at my cage I believe Daisy is quite at home even without a wheal. She has tunnells and tubes which she gets about fine and spends most of her time exploring them.

Been considering getting a second cage to attatch to the current one. Its a propper cage but has has tubes so I can buy another one the same and attatch them together to make something bigger. She gets chews n treats and I scatter feed as I think using a bowl encourages hoarding which I want to reduce.

I'll say again, 90% of cages marketed as 'ideal' for hamsters are not. If it measures under the RSPCA standard of 75cm by 40cm then it is too small, and I would recommend taking it back under those standards and putting the £20 towards a more suitable cage.

You're right that mesh wheels with non-solid running bases are dangerous, but to deprive a hamster of it's natural need to run because she might chew the edges of it just doesn't make sense.

She looks cute, but sorry she needs a big cage, no question. 80cmx50cm is minimum for a syrian, especially a girly because they can grow quite big!
She also should really have a wheel, at least 8inches because they can run a very very long way and simply can't do that just in their cage.

I guess here is where I am lucky my previous girl hamsters have been quite chunky but Daisy is not very big at all.

I might have a shop around for somehting bigger I think she is perfectly happy in the size that she has. It looks small but its got quite a lot of room to it.

I get told lots of things about hamsters so its often difficult to judge what is actualy fact and what is opinion as all though I have studied animal care, read some hamster books, websites and bred hamsters in the past admmittedly its been about 10 years since my last hamster!

Personally I have never read anywhere that they must have a wheal in the cage because they like to run that one is new to me.

I think I will visit the factory shop at the weekend and buy a plastic office box as they have loads of varieties, I have some chicken mesh still and I could probably build a large day play area for her from that.

I am not sure how you have come to the conclusion that she is happy. The reality is that you don't know how the hamster feels. We can, however, assume given the nature of the species that they prefer as much space as possible to exhibit normal behaviors. Just as we can assume a dog will be happier with lots of exercise and stimulation, a bird will be happier in an aviary over a cage, a goldfish will be happier in a pond over a fishtank, etc.

Building a playpen is a great idea but it doesn't change the fact that she should have a cage big enough to accommodate an appropriately sized wheel (most cages marketed for Syrians have those tiny, awful, plastic wheels that a mouse could just about go around in, never mind a full grown Syrian!).

Many products are labelled as suitable for dogs - e.g. shock collars. A label from a company that stands to make money does not necessarily identify the best products.

If most hamster owners would scoff at your cage then do you not think it is perhaps unsuitable? Yes, Daisy may seem OK it in but many dogs may seem OK on Bakers dog food. Many dogs may seem OK with a shock collar, even stressed dogs may "seem" OK to an inexperienced owner.
If there is so much controversy on what it suitable then why not go for the biggest cage possible? As long as the hamster cannot fall long distances, e.g. in a large rat cage, you will do no harm with a cage that is "too big", whereas a cage that is too small will definately impact on the hamster's health and mental wellbeing.

Thats an easy question to answer you just know! The same way you know if any other pet is happy or sad.

She is fit healthy and happy, exercised with a ball and I let her out on my bed to explore. To be honest I find she much prefers to stay close to the cage the venture to far though I guess this is because hamster have very poor eyesight.

As I said I had never read any fact that states a hamster needs to have a wheal not even in an RSPCA book so I don't know if that is personal opinion of others or actuall fact. Though addmittedly as I have said I haven't kept hamsters for nearly 10 years everything is different today, cages are far better quality and much more divverse. Their is much more out there to cater for small pets today then there was 10 years ago.

I think I will probably look for an extra cage to attatch to her current and I could fit a wheal in there for her.