Question
How much space does a hamster need in its cage? My friend's always tries to get out, and I think he might be a bit cramped.
Answer
A lot of people keep hamsters in 10-gallon tanks, but the href="http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/hamsters/tips/hamster_housing.html">Humane Society writes:
Size: Minimum 24 inches long and 12 inches wide; 10-gallon aquariums are too small. Consider not only size but shape—a long aquarium is better than a tall aquarium with unused height.
So you might want to consider a larger 20-gallon tank if you can manage it. Hamsters are very active and like to run around a lot, and they like to have different areas for different things: one place for food storage, another for sleeping, and so on. They're really quite happy with more space!
But I don't think that's why your friend's hamster is always trying to get out. To be honest, that's just normal hamster behavior! I've had over a hundred pet hamsters, and I can tell you that most of them were very happy and had more than enough space, but they'd all try to escape anyway. In fact, hamsters are well known for this behavior: they're often referred to as "escape artists"!
Just make sure they can't get anywhere they can hurt themselves. Make sure any Habitrail lids (or other openable sections) are securely fastened. Hamsters chew everything in sight, and they can eventually gnaw away the tab that holds a skyhouse shut and pop it open. Or they can chew an opening large enough to squeeze through--they can squish themselves through surprisingly small spaces! So make sure you regularly inspect your hamster's living environment and keep it secure, whether it's large or small.
Answered By - user43