Habitrail OVO, Closer to a Hamster's Natural Environment

Summarizes the results of a research study conducted in 2009 at Reaseheath College, Cheshire. Habitrail OVO Suite was compared to a traditional rectangular wire hamster cage.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• Habitrail
• OVO
• OVO suite
• hamster cage
• Habitrail OVO
• ovo
• Hagen
• Rolf C Hagen
• Rolf C. Hagen Inc.
• hamster
• hamsters
• hamster habitat
• ideal hamster habitat
• hamster housing
• best hamster cage
• plastic hamster cage
• wire hamster cage

[rolfchageninc]

Habitrail was created to replicate the hamster’s natural habitat and provide areas where the pet could explore as it would in nature. In the wild hamsters live alone making homes underground, they have one small living area and many passage-ways. The small living space provides a sense of security, which is part of their natural behavior in the wild. Our team focused on having small tunnels and living habitats to increase the feeling of security and natural behavior.

[1998emmal]

I think habitrails are WAY too small for ANY type of hamster. I have a sapphire winter white dwarf hamster and he lives in a 20 gallon fish tank which he LOVES! He likes the open space where he can run and climb. I think a habitrail cage is not a good decision because even though it may "replicate" a hamster"s more "natural" living environment it does not provide them with room to roam and explore (which they still have to do in the wild). And being out in the open in their own cage is NOT bad.

[TheFeldhamster]

Dito what buyurun said. Just replicating the burrow is not enough. Owners should also replicate the rest of the habitat = a large but NOT OPEN space. Check out "german style" hamster cages for ideas.

[buyurun]

Habitrails might be better than VERY small traditional cages. However, they are themselves extremely small! They might kind of represent the hamster's natural "house", but in fact they have to replace his house AND the nature outside it. Hamsters are nocturnal, they would run several miles exploring and collecting food for HOURS, but while we sleep we cannot let them roam. They cannot run or explore in a habitrail. So I think, a really large bin or 55 gallon tank would be a much better option.