There are of course various bits of equipment that Hamsters need, but the most important are the basics. Before buying a hamster you will need to ensure that you have a hamster cage, a water bottle, some hamster food, floor covering, and somewhere for your hamster to nest. This particular hub focuses on some of the best Hamster Cages on the market, all of which exceed the standard size and thus help to ensure that you Hamster enjoys a good standard of living.

I have been keeping hamsters since I was very young, they are my favourite animal, so I thought that I would pass on some of the advice that I myself have been given over the years. One you have the absolute essentials listed above, you should provide your hamster with some entertaining and exercise - for which you may find this hub useful. Before buying a hamster, or indeed if you have a hamster and you are not sure how to care for it, read my hub 'How To Care For A Hamster' which should tell you everything that you need you know.

I thought that I would start with my choice from the cheaper hamster cages on the market, particularly considering the financial constraints imposed on many in the current economic climate. For those on a budget, this multi-purpose pet home is a great size for a single hamster. Built over three floors, this cage (well its half tank) is big enough for your new friend and allows him to seperate his food collecting from his sleeping quarters. The tanks comes with a water bottle, a food dish, and a nesting place for your pet; meaning that you just need to add a floor covering and some nesting material for his den before buying your hamster. Please note the absense of an exercise wheel, which you will need to add in order for your Hamster to maintain his physical health, this will cost you under $10. Having had this cage in my hands, I can assure you that it is a sturdy product which should last at least as long as your Hamster, in fact if you click on the product to the right it will take you to the products Amazon page where you can see some excellent reviews.

If you want your Hamster to be hip, then you need to pimp his crib. The Habitrail allows you to do just that, offering an almost endless list of add-ons, extensions, and rooms which if assembled completely would probably be bigger than your own house. A good place to start is with this Habitrail OVO Suite Hamster Habitat which is suitable on it's own as a standalone home. It comes complete with a food dish, water bottle, and a good exercise wheel. The design attempts to mimick the burrowing habits of hamsters, effectively giving a closer feel to their natural habitat. With an extension or two, this product will without a doubt give your hamster the best quality of life and will look the best in your home. All you need to add is a floor covering and nesting material, whilst if you do choose to extend your Habitrial, take a look at my hub 'Best Habitrail Accessories'.

Here is my recommendation for the best Hamster Cage, at least the best easy hamster cage... whilst the Habitrail featured above is potentially the best habitat. As you can see, it doesn't come too cheap, but if you can afford it then I can recommend this as a complete product. Mr Hamster would be living on a cool 5 stories (viewing trips can be arranged) and the house comes complete with it's own work out wheel and an entrance to the cages own elevator. The Dining area (both food and drink) is located on floor two, whereas level 3 is his chill out zone, and Level 5 is a play area which doubles up as his transportation should you ever wish to take him out for a ride (or to give his house a clean). The house does need to be assembled when bought, but is a very high quality product and should never need to be replaced. I actually consider this to be the best complete product, and not necessarily the best posible home for your Hamster, considering that the Habitrail products can be linked together to effectively make your home as large as possible. If you want the best easy product, then buy this. If you want to consider home improvements and extensions, then you need to go for the 'cool' Habitrail.