The choice of a good cage for a rodent, first of all, depends on the one who exactly will live in it: guinea pig, hamster, rat, mouse, or, for example, gerbil. All these animals absolutely different, according to each of them special leaving and also optimal conditions of contents is required.
Guinea pig
For a guinea pig it is necessary to select rather big cage that it could move, play without effort in it or just have a rest. The most optimum sizes in this case – 60Х40 cm, with a height not less than 25 cm. If one cage contains two guinea pigs, then, respectively, and its sizes have to be increased twice. It should be taken into account that the improper cage can cause in a guinea pig excess weight due to the lack of the movement and also a stressful state.
As for production material, it is the best of all to give preference to metal or plastic cages, and here wooden – not the most suitable option. Guinea pigs very much like to gnaw wood, that is they cannot gnaw through for themselves a hole and to run away. Besides, you should not get multy-storey cages for a guinea pig. These rodents have very weak backbone therefore they should avoid various surfaces by which it is necessary to rise. The floor of a cage has to be the strongest and it is easy to be cleaned. And here a so-called mesh floor categorically is not suitable for guinea pigs as the rodent can seriously wound the pads.
Mice and rats
Cages for mice and rats have to have the following sizes: 30Х50 cm for rats twice less for mice. It is the best of all to give preference to the combined cage (metal lattice and a plastic pallet). It is rather easy to clean such cage, and, above all it will allow a rodent to show the abilities to mountaineering and to practice in addition. Rats or mice, in difference from guinea pigs, perfectly will approach two- or three-storyed cages. Regular physical activities are required for this animals to support themselves in a tone. That is why it is extremely desirable to equip their cage with various short flights of stairs, lodges, wheels, etc. Some fans of rats and mice support them in glass aquariums, but experts do not recommend such option – in a glass aquarium there is no high-quality ventilation.
Hamsters
Hamsters will suit cages from plastic or metal lattices. The last, by the way, are the most optimum choice as allow an animal to climb a lattice freely. But what would not be a cage for a hamster, it has to have the following size: 45Х45 cm and height are 15 cm. As well as mice or rats, hamsters like to turn in a wheel, to run on ladders, etc., that is why all these devices are required to be placed surely in a cage, otherwise the animal will begin to suffer because of lack of physical activities that as a result can lead to various diseases or even death of a pet.
Gerbils
In order that gerbils felt comfortable, they need a lot of free space, that is the size of a cage has to be about 50х70 cm (but not less). It is not recommended to support these animals in wooden or glass cages as they instantly will gnaw through them. And here a cage from a metal lattice with a high pallet, besides, from metal – the most reliable and suitable option. Gerbils and in the glass or combined multy-storey cages where, for example, one floor is made of glass will perfectly feel, and the second – from a metal lattice or a grid.