Hides and houses
Shelves and ledges
Foraging and toys
Cage accessories
Kits and bundles
Fairy forest
Spooky mischief
Sweetie stash
Game mode
Forest floor
Castles and cathedrals
Are hamster cage pipes and tubes a good idea?
Wide floor tunnels are great. The classic system of colourful clip-together pipes is not. PetMD says CritterTrail-style cages are not recommended for hamsters because they are too small, and that their connecting tubes have many joints that trap bacteria from soiling along the trails. Those systems also make hamsters climb steep, slippery tubes instead of running and digging on the floor.
What hamsters really want is a burrow. The RSPCA says hamsters need bedding deep enough to dig in and a dark nest, ideally entered through an angled tube to keep the light out. Woodgreen lists plastic, wooden or card tunnels and tubes among the basics for a hamster home. So the goal is tunnels that work with deep bedding, not a plastic maze on top of a small cage.
We share our home with a dwarf hamster, and we'd always choose a big enclosure with deep bedding and a few good tunnels over a tube system.
What size hamster tubes do I need?
Bigger than most cage pipes. No welfare body we found sets an exact tunnel width, so we use the closest guide there is: PetMD's advice for hide entrances, which is about 5 cm (2 in) for dwarf hamsters and 7.5 cm (3 in) for Syrians. A tunnel is somewhere a hamster has to fit its whole body and turn, so we treat those as minimums.
| Hamster | Minimum tunnel width | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Syrian | 7.5 cm (3 in) | Go wider for big females; check the narrowest point, not the ends |
| Chinese | 5 to 7.5 cm (2 to 3 in) | Long, slim bodies; match the tunnel to your hamster |
| Campbell's and winter white dwarf | 5 cm (2 in) | Toilet roll tubes are about the smallest that works |
| Roborovski | 5 cm (2 in) | Tiny and fast; they love long runs |
Hamster tubes for sale are often sized for dwarfs. Before you buy any tube for a Syrian, check the inside width at its narrowest point, including joints, bends and connectors. If your hamster has to squeeze its shoulders through, it is too small and can get stuck.
The rest of the enclosure matters just as much. Woodgreen's minimum is 100 × 50 cm (40 × 20 in) of floor for every hamster, at least 50 cm (20 in) high for Syrians and Chinese and at least 40 cm (16 in) for dwarfs. Our guide to hamster cage size explains why.
What are the best hamster tunnels made from?
Natural materials suit most hamsters best, because they can chew them and they hold up in bedding. Plastic has its place too.
| Material | Good | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Cork bark or cork log | Light, chewable, natural look; PetMD suggests half burying one | Brush clean dry; replace when soiled or chewed thin |
| Untreated wood | Sturdy, chewable | No paint, varnish, nails or glue; PetMD warns against soft woods |
| Cardboard | Free, safe, ideal for burrows | Replace when wet, soiled or shredded |
| Terracotta or ceramic pipe | Cool, heavy, can't be chewed; PetMD lists terracotta tubes | Place on the base, under the bedding, so it can't shift onto a hamster |
| Woven hay, willow or grass | Edible, nice to forage through | Doesn't last; sized for small pets only |
| Wide plastic tubes | Washable, last for years | Narrow joints, sharp chewed edges, poor airflow in long runs |
PetMD also lists bamboo root and birch tubes as hiding spots. Whichever you use, avoid anything with sharp edges, loose threads or a sticky coating.
How do I set up a hamster underground tunnel?
Bury it. A tunnel half sunk in deep bedding is how you help a hamster start its own burrow system. Woodgreen recommends at least 15 cm (6 in) of bedding across most of the enclosure and a deeper area of 25 to 30 cm (10 to 12 in) for digging. PetMD says at least 25 cm (10 in) is ideal for large hamsters and 15 to 20 cm (6 to 8 in) for dwarfs.
- Place heavy things first. Woodgreen says to put large or heavy items in before the bedding, so they can't shift and hurt your hamster.
- Lay the tunnel on the base. Put a cork log, cardboard tube or terracotta pipe on the floor of the deep end, angled slightly downwards.
- Connect it to a hide. Run the tunnel into a multi-chamber hide or a cardboard box, which becomes the nest.
- Fill around it. Pour paper bedding over and around the tunnel, leaving one end open on the surface.
- Help it hold shape. PetMD says some beddings don't hold tunnels well, and that layering soft hay between bedding and pressing it down helps.
- Leave it alone. Let your hamster dig its own extensions. Spot-clean only the toilet corner, so the burrow survives cleaning day.
Our hamster cage setup guide shows a full layout, and our hamster bedding guide covers which beddings hold burrows best.
Why is my hamster blocking its tunnels?
Because it's making a proper burrow. Wild hamsters pack the entrances to their burrows with soil and bedding to keep the den dark, warm and safe. A hamster stuffing bedding or food into a tunnel is usually a settled, happy hamster. Leave the plug in place unless it is soiled or the food stash has gone off.
How do I make DIY hamster tunnels?
Cheaply and safely, with a few rules. Woodgreen suggests cardboard boxes such as shoe and cereal boxes as hamster toys, and plain card tubes work well.
- Toilet roll tubes for dwarfs only; kitchen roll and posting tubes for bigger hamsters
- Small boxes joined in a row, with holes at least the width your hamster needs
- An unglazed terracotta plant pot on its side, half buried
- Paper bags, tissue boxes and egg boxes for short-lived fun
- No glue, paint or tape on any surface a hamster can reach
- No plastic windows, staples or glossy, coated card
- Replace cardboard as soon as it is soiled, wet or shredded
Plastic drinks bottles are often suggested for DIY hamster tubes, but cut plastic edges are sharp, and the plastic can be chewed into shards. We'd stick to cardboard, cork and terracotta, which are safe to chew.
Hamster tunnels for sale: picks we'd look at
We don't make pieces for hamsters yet, so these are from other shops we'd look at. Measure your hamster against the inside width before you buy.
Trixie Cork Tunnel
A natural cork tunnel in size M, about 10 to 14 cm (4 to 5.5 in) across and up to 40 cm (16 in) long, with a larger L. Reviewers use it for hamsters. Each one is a natural piece, so the shape varies; some are two curved halves rather than a straight tube. Stock comes and goes, so check availability.
Trixie Willow Tunnel
A woven natural willow tunnel. The 10 × 25 cm (4 × 10 in) size is listed for hamsters, mice and other small pets; the 20 cm (8 in) size is for rabbits and guinea pigs. Good to chew and forage in, though it won't last forever. The small size was sold out when we looked.
Oxbow Timothy CLUB Tunnel
A woven tunnel made from timothy hay, about 23 × 23 × 15 cm (9 × 9.25 × 6 in), listed for hamsters, gerbils, mice and rats among others. Hamsters can nibble and burrow in it, so treat it as a toy that gets used up rather than a permanent tunnel.
For hides to put at the end of a tunnel, see our guide to the best hamster hides, and for wheels, chews and more, our best hamster toys.
How do I keep hamster tunnels clean?
Gently, so you don't wreck the burrow. Hamsters usually pick one toilet corner, so spot-clean that every day or two and leave the rest. Brush cork and wood clean dry and replace them if they get heavily soiled, rather than soaking them. Wash plastic and terracotta in warm soapy water, rinse well and dry fully. Replace cardboard whenever it's dirty. Our hamster cage cleaning guide has the full routine.
Tunnels are one part of a happy hamster's day. For more ideas, see our hamster enrichment guide, and for everything else, our complete hamster care guide.
Hamster tunnels: common questions
Are hamster tubes bad for hamsters?
Not in themselves, but the classic clip-together cage pipes often are. PetMD says CritterTrail-style cages are too small for hamsters and that their connecting tubes have many joints that trap bacteria from soiling. Narrow tubes can also be a tight squeeze for a Syrian. Wide, easy-to-clean tunnels on the floor of a big enclosure are the better choice.
What size tube does a Syrian hamster need?
At least 7.5 cm (3 in) across, wider for a big female. No welfare body sets an exact figure for tunnels, so we use PetMD's advice for hide entrances: about 3 in for Syrians and 2 in for dwarfs. A tube that is a squeeze for your hamster's shoulders is too small, even if it fits.
Why does my hamster block its tunnels?
Because that's what hamsters do in the wild: they pack bedding, food and soil into burrow entrances to keep the den dark, warm and safe. A hamster plugging a tunnel with bedding is usually a contented hamster making itself at home. Leave the plug alone unless it is soiled, and only spot-clean around it.
Can I make DIY hamster tunnels?
Yes. Plain cardboard toilet roll tubes (for dwarfs only), kitchen roll tubes and posting tubes, small cardboard boxes linked together, and unglazed terracotta pots on their side all work. Remove tape, staples and plastic windows, use no glue the hamster can reach, and replace cardboard when it is chewed or soiled.
Do hamsters like tunnels?
Yes. Wild hamsters live in burrows with several chambers joined by tunnels, and pet hamsters keep that urge to dig and travel under cover. PetMD suggests half burying a cork log or other tunnel in the bedding as the start of a burrow, and Woodgreen lists tunnels and tubes among the basics for a hamster home.
Are cork tunnels safe for hamsters?
Yes, natural cork bark is a popular, safe tunnel and hide that hamsters can chew. It is light, grips well and looks natural in deep bedding. Brush it clean dry rather than soaking it, and replace it when it gets heavily soiled or chewed thin. Check the inside width fits your hamster before you buy.
How many tunnels does a hamster need?
There is no fixed number, but more cover is better. PetMD says to fill a hamster's enclosure so it feels semi-crowded, which helps them feel safe crossing open ground. Two or three tunnels and hides spread across the floor, plus burrows the hamster digs itself, give plenty of choice.
