In the past three years we have owned three different Hamster cages. I have owned many more in the past but have to say that the Ferplast mini Duna hamster housing is by far the best in my opinion.

The last two hamster cages we owned were the Rotastak dreamland Hamster cage which was a nightmare altogether because you couldn't get to the hamster for socialisation or cleaning and if you did manage to get it out you had to dismantle the whole thing to clean it. The next one we owned was the Argos Hamster starter kit which was flimsy and cheap looking and easy to escape from due to poor design. When buying our most recent hamster cage I was determined to get something practical, something accessible and something that my children could see into.

I went to Pets at Home as it is the biggest pet store in my area and I hoped that they would have something suitable. My maximum budget was £40 as I felt sure that this would be enough to get something at least half decent.

As soon as I went to the hamster cage section of the store I saw the Ferplast Mini Duna and knew instantly that this was the cage I would be taking home. I didn't even bother looking at any other cages and as the Mini Duna came with wood shaving, bedding and a bag of food for the grand total of £25 I was even more certain.

Setting up the Ferplast hamster housing is so simple because it comes already assembled and there is no box or unnecessary packing to worry about. The only thing you have to do is attach the drinks bottle to the side with a couple of suction cups and put the spout through a hole in the side of the cage.

The whole thing is made of plastic with a small section of wire in the top that provides ventilation but can also open up to provide easy access for feeding or petting your hamster. The bottom piece is coloured and I have seen pink, dark blue and light blue versions so many colours are available. The top is clear for viewing and the shelf inside is textured for your hamster to walk on without slipping. You also get the water bottle that fixes to the side and a large food bowl as well as a cute little house. For entertainment there is a large wheel that is the same colour as the base and this is quite wide compared to some other wheels that I have owned. There is a slope that goes from the floor up onto the shelf so your hamster can get around more easily.

The cage is called the mini but it is 27 x 39 x 55cm which is huge compared to some hamster housing. On the Pets at Home website it suggests that this cage is for the Russian variety but I have a Syrian hamster that seems quite happy ion there and there is certainly more than enough space for him.

We have had the hamster cage a few weeks now and I will say that it is the best hamster cage I have ever owned. Firstly you can see your hamster easily and you can either just open the wire or remove it completely to gain access to your pet. This makes taming and socialization much easier and also helps when you are trying to get your hamster out. The whole thing can be taken apart and washed with soapy water including the shelf which comes away from the base. The sides are solid plastic so the hamster cannot flick wood shavings or pee out of the sides while it is burrowing. At the moment although our hamster does like to climb up and swing from the bars on the lid he hasn't managed to get out. I think this is partly down to the fact that the wire opening is in the lid and also because there are two separate slides that hold the thing closed that cannot be accessed by your hamster.

We have invested in some chews and my son wants to get his hamster a toy which will help to make the habitat more interesting but on the whole this is the only hamster cage we will every need.

I would definitely recommend the Ferplast mini Duna hamster housing.