cage size

Question
i have a 5 inch teddy bear hamster and I'm going to buy it a new cage. do you know what size cage i should buy?

Answer
Dear Paul,
thank you for your question.
For a Syran hamster, the minimum size in my opinion is 40x20x20 inches long, wide and high. That much floorspace is important because they need to be able to really run. Connected cages are just not the same, apart from that plastic tubes can be gnawed, which can hurt or even kill the hamster when it swallows the pieces. The tubes are also always a bit damp, which can cause a respiratory infection.

A tank that is no higher than wide (to ensure good ventilation) with a wire mesh lid makes a good hamster home, but you can also build one yourself, for example from OSB panels. You just need to varnish the wood with non-toxic acryllic paint to make it pee-safe. Here are pictures of good hamster homes (measurements in centimeter):
http://www.diebrain.de/hi-ge-julia.html
http://www.diebrain.de/hi-ge-sams.html
http://www.diebrain.de/pix/hi/Alexandrabroich.jpg
http://www.diebrain.de/hi-ge-moony.html

I hope I was of some help to you
Jennifer