Review of the Zooplus Alaska hamster cage

[Member ID2]

The Alaska hamster cage used to be available from Zooplus but like many other cages it disappeared from their website.

However, it is still available second hand in the small ads and market places online.

Dimensions: Height 44cm
Depth 49cm
Width 84cm

Floorspace: 631 sqin / 4.074 sqcm

Bar spacing: 0.9cm

Base: 15.5cm

Zooplus describes it as suitable for Syrian and dwarf species.
It comes as a flatpack for home assembly and includes a plastic shelf with a plastic hide and plastic access ladder.

Pros:
The Alaska is an inexpensive, practical cage with a large front and top door and a deep base.
The height easily accommodates a Syrian's 28cm/30cm wheel and allows for platforms and shelves to be added.

I have several Alaska cages myself with Syrian hamsters happily living in them.

Cons:
The plastic hut is too small for a Syrian hamster but the shelf is easily removed if not wanted.

The Alaska's design has gaps which i think a small dwarf hamster would be able to squeeze through. Personally, i don't class the Alaska as suitable for dwarf hamsters but people may disagree. Here's a photo.



The individual panels are hooked together so one should check that they haven't come apart while moving the cage, attaching shelves ect.



One of my Syrians managed to squeeze himself out the sides of the closed top door when he was little and extremely lively and adventurous. The doors can wear out a bit in older cages because the Alaska is not the strongest of designs. So please be aware when looking at second hand cages. Do check the doors.
Still, i would happily recommend this cage for a Syrian hamster.

 

[Maz]

That's a great review. I agree the extra gaps at the side would be risky for a dwarf but fine for a Syrian. I had a cage with a gap on the top door once and used to have to clip the door down with a peg!

 

[Riven]

I quite liked the alaska with it's easy assembly and how you could flat pack it when not in use. The one thing that I'd add to the cons is that I needed to use pliers to bend the hooks more to prevent it from pulling apart so easily.