Blue Cross & PDSA cage size info updated

Albert the Dwarf Hamster said:
There is so much info on the web and YouTube that it's hard to know what's right or wrong. That's one of the reasons I joined this forum to talk to other hamster owners.
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That's why there was a lot of thought went into the guidance on here. And why a lot of info in resources is only from verifiable sources. For many years in the hamster community, there has been a view - cages need to be bigger. There is absolutely no legislation in the Uk on cage size (and there should be) and even the RSPCA don't specify a minimum any more (their minimum cage size used to be 80cm x 50cm) - and this is what has led to people wanting change and wanting good official guidelines. The main issue is all the awful small cages that are sold, that are much smaller than the Hamster Heaven.

In Germany they have had a welfare minumum of 100cm x 50cm for quite a long time and a lot of hamster owners find that's the right size (or bigger). The animal welfare charities like the Blue Cross and PDSA are good guidelines and it's good to see they recommend the 100 x 50 for all species.

It has been understood, for some time - that the more space you can give the better, but the biggest change has been in terms of enrichment. Because a few years ago you'd get people getting a nice big detolf but with only 3" of bedding and hardly anything in it! So it isn't just about space, but about making it a nice enriched habitat - and having enough space to be able to achieve that.
 
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As a final thought tonight - I am actually in shock! It is something so many hamster owners have wanted for years - official recognition of recommended cage sizes in black and white! It's actually quite unbelievable. It has been years in the coming. I am really impressed - particularly with the Blue Cross piece, which is quite thorough.

Rainbow - I changed the title of the thread to include both charities.
 
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I feel the same Maz, it has been a long time coming & there are still flaws in the advice but it’s come so far now, to finally see cages that size recommended is amazing.
 
The Blue Cross cage recommendations are great. They mention Animal Architect cages. I once contacted them for a quote.
 
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Maz said:
As a final thought tonight - I am actually in shock! It is something so many hamster owners have wanted for years - official recognition of recommended cage sizes in black and white! It's actually quite unbelievable. It has been years in the coming. I am really impressed - particularly with the Blue Cross piece, which is quite thorough.

Rainbow - changed the title of the thread to include both charities.
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I agree it’s also amazing they are pointing out unsafe products. It is something a lot of us have said for a while. Hopefully others take note .
 
Welcome Thansters :) Well I've emailed Wood Green nicely linking Blue Cross and PDSA and asking nicely if they would consider upgrading their Hamster Welfare info accordingly! But at least they do currently have a minimum cage size of 80 x 50 - which they've had for a long time.
 
The adoption tanks in petsathome stores, aren't they Blue Cross?

I'm just wondering if the charity's new cage size recommendations would influence the adoption requirements.
 
That’s a good point, it could make a huge difference to peoples perceptions of keeping hamsters if they saw some getting proper space & care.
 
Beryl said:
The adoption tanks in petsathome stores, aren't they Blue Cross?

I'm just wondering if the charity's new cage size recommendations would influence the adoption requirements.
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I can't remember ever seeing any Blue Cross signs or logos anywhere when I've been into p@h.
 
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I remember when they used to be Blue Cross too. Maybe it has changed now.
 
Thansters said:
I agree it’s also amazing they are pointing out unsafe products. It is something a lot of us have said for a while. Hopefully others take note .
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Yes that's great too - the safety aspects as well as the cage sizes. The Blue Cross one is great mentioning hamster balls and wheels that come with cages being too small and needing replacing. And avoiding wood shavings, "sawdust" and fluffy bedding. And the pdsa one also mentions fluffy bedding, safe bedding, not using scented bedding and appropriate hamster size wheels.
 
So now I've got over the shock. Well it's amazing really! So much excellent up to date hamster welfare info in two care guides with big pet charities! Especially about bedding, hamster balls and WHEEL SIZES! People will actually know that the cage they're buying has a wheel that is too small and needs replacing. That is huge as so many people buy the Plaza for a Syrian and don't realise the wheel is too small.
 
The pdsa have now edited their guide a bit re the bedding depth and it now says approx 25cm :) It's a very good guide about hamster cages. Ok the 14 day full clean might be a bit excessive but at least they say replace half the bedding and people can do their own research on cleaning tips. It's more inline with the Blue Cross one now so there is more unanimity and consensus on care.

Also Supreme petfoods have updated their care guide (after I asked them to! And sent them the Blue Cross guide)

www.pdsa.org.uk

The ideal home for your hamster

Read our advice on how to create a hamster paradise that’ll give them the space they need to stay active and happy.
www.pdsa.org.uk www.pdsa.org.uk

supremepetfoods.com

Happy Hamsters – a guide for new owners

With their lively personalities and appealing looks, hamsters are a popular choice when it comes to small pets. Did you know that there are 0.6 million of these cute creatures in the UK, second only to rabbits and guinea pigs in the small pet popularity stakes.
supremepetfoods.com supremepetfoods.com
 
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I can see where the clean out every 14 days came from now on the PDSA guide - it's on the TVT care sheet. A lot of the PDSA guidance seems to be from the TVT care guide. I think the wording seems to have been adjusted slightly anyway as it's only talking about changing part of the substrate and cleaning the cage base etc. Although it still wouldn't need doing that often if the cage base is clean and dry and a litter tray is used.
 
The TVT guide also says 20cm of substrate. So the Blue Cross probably got their guidance from there as well.
 
Vethelpdirect have also updated their guide

vethelpdirect.com

How much space does a hamster actually need? - Vet Help Direct

Hamsters are wonderful “pocket pets” and remain a firm favourite among British pet owners. They have a reputation for being an inexpensive child’s pet, but hamsters are interesting and active animals whose needs deserve to be met to ensure they live a happy life. Although hamsters are an...
vethelpdirect.com vethelpdirect.com
 
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