Best hamster hides and houses

What is the best house for a hamster?

A roomy, multi-chamber hide with no floor. The RSPCA says a hamster's nest box should be big enough for a larder, a sleeping area and room to move, dark inside, and without a floor so you can lift it to check on your hamster. Woodgreen suggests a multi-chamber hide buried under the bedding so your hamster can sleep, hide and store food in it. PDSA lists multi-chambered, hamster-safe wooden hides alongside cardboard boxes and ceramic pots.

Why chambers? The RSPCA's list, a larder, a bed and room to move, is three jobs, and a house with two or three rooms gives each its own space. The MSD Veterinary Manual adds that the nest box should be sturdy, made of thick cardboard or wood.

Put nesting material outside the house, not inside. PDSA says to let your hamster carry it in and build its own nest.

How many hides does a hamster need?

At least three, says the Bunny Jackpot Foundation rescue, spread around the cage. One is the main house and the others are places to dash into while exploring. Hamsters are prey animals, and the RSPCA notes they retreat to their burrow when afraid, so open floor with nowhere to hide makes them nervous. In a cage bigger than 100 × 50 cm (40 × 20 in), add more.

Hamster house sizes and entrance holes

The main rule is that your hamster fits easily through the door and can turn round inside every room. Here is what the Bunny Jackpot Foundation gives, with what that means when you shop.

The Bunny Jackpot Foundation does not give a Chinese figure, so we have put Chinese hamsters between the two, based on their size. Room sizes are our own guide from these entrance sizes, not a charity figure. Measure the entrance yourself if a listing does not give it.

Wooden, ceramic, coconut or plastic hamster house?

All of these can be good. Woodgreen lists plastic, ceramic and wooden houses, and the Bunny Jackpot Foundation names ceramic, coconut, wicker and wood. Each has trade-offs.

Hamster cages with tubes, castles and dollhouse cages

Cages built as castles, dollhouses or three-tier towers with tubes look fun, but they are usually too small to live in. PDSA prefers single-level cages because hamsters have poor eyesight and can fall, and the National Hamster Council warns some plastic tunnels cause poor ventilation and are too narrow for adult Syrians.

The safe way to get the look is the other way round: buy a big single-level cage, then add a castle or dollhouse-style hide and a few tubes inside it. The Bunny Jackpot Foundation recommends rectangular PawHut wooden enclosures, which are single-floor; tall PawHut three-tier cages are a different design and do not give the floor a hamster needs. Our guide to the best hamster cages covers what size to buy.

Best hamster hides and houses: our picks

We don't make pieces for hamsters yet, so these are from other shops we'd look at. Check the size of each against your hamster before you buy.

How to set up a hamster hide

1. Pick the spot. The RSPCA suggests the nest box sits near food and nesting material but away from the water, so it does not flood.
2. Bed it in. Woodgreen suggests burying a multi-chamber hide under the bedding. Leave the doors clear so your hamster can get in and out.
3. Support anything heavy. The Bunny Jackpot Foundation says heavy hides need platforms or legs, unless they sit on the floor with bedding piled over them, so nothing sinks onto your hamster.
4. Leave nesting outside. PDSA says to put unscented paper or soft hay outside the hide for your hamster to carry in.
5. Add two or more extra hides. Spread them around the cage, including one near the wheel and one near the sand bath.

Free and DIY hamster houses

Cardboard boxes make excellent hides and cost nothing. Woodgreen suggests shoe boxes and cereal boxes, and the National Hamster Council suggests tissue boxes and toilet roll tubes as tunnels. Use plain card without a glossy finish or tape, cut two or three holes of the right size, and replace them when they get soiled or chewed through.

• Plain cardboard boxes with holes cut in two sides
• Toilet roll and kitchen roll tubes as tunnels
• Egg boxes and clay flower pots, which the National Hamster Council lists as Roborovski favourites; check pots have smooth edges
• A clean cork log or tube, which the Hamster Society Singapore lists as enrichment

Our page on hamster enrichment has more ideas, and our guide to the best hamster toys covers wheels, chews and dig boxes.

Best bedding to go with a hamster house

A hide works best in deep bedding that holds a tunnel. PDSA asks for at least 25 cm (10 in), and lists paper-based bedding, aspen, hemp mixed with paper, unscented toilet paper and soft hay as safe. Avoid cotton wool and fluffy bedding, which the RSPCA warns can tangle round legs. Our guide to safe hamster bedding covers each type, our cage setup guide shows where hides go, and our complete hamster care guide covers everything else.