Guides
Best small animal cages under $100
The question this band answers is not which cage is best. It is which animal you can house properly for the money.
Under $100 the enclosure to buy is the MidWest Guinea Habitat Plus, and the reason is specific: it is the only cage in this band whose floor clears the published figure for the species it is sold for. Humane World for Animals publishes 7.5 square feet for one guinea pig and the Habitat Plus passes it. The budget pick is the MidWest 48 in exercise pen, which is not a cage at all and is the best value in the band — eight panels of fence that make a rabbit run, a guinea pig floor-time pen or a playpen for anything, for less than most cages. The Aivituvin AIR19 is the pick if you need an indoor rabbit hutch at this price and can accept that it is a shelter rather than a full enclosure. The Kaytee CritterTrail One Level is here because it is the band's best-known product and it fails the hamster floor figure by a wide margin. Prices are live with an as-of date under each button.
Guinea pig cage minimum · minimum
7.5 sq ft (about 30in x 36in) bare minimum for one; 7.5 sq ft minimum for two, with at least 10.5 sq ft (30in x 50in) preferred
Most under-$100 roundups rank by features. That is the wrong axis, because at this price the binding constraint is not whether a cage has a stand or a tray — it is whether the floor is big enough for anything. So we ranked by species instead, and the result is a shorter and more useful list.
What $100 buys, by species
| Species | Published figure | Who publishes it | Can you meet it under $100? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guinea pig (one) | 7.5 sq ft | Humane World for Animals | Yes - the MidWest Guinea Habitat Plus |
| Guinea pigs (two) | 7.5 sq ft minimum, 10.5 preferred | Humane World for Animals | At the minimum only, with the same cage |
| Hamster | 100cm x 50cm (775 sq in) | PDSA | Not with a manufactured cage in this band |
| Rat (one to two) | 24in x 24in x 24in, multi-level | MSPCA | No |
| Mouse (one to three) | 12in x 12in x 20in | MSPCA | Yes, comfortably - see our mouse cage page |
| Rabbit | 3m x 2m x 1m including exercise | RSPCA and the RWAF | No, and nothing close |
| Chinchilla | 3ft x 2ft x 3ft | VCA Animal Hospitals | No |
| Ferret | 24in x 24in x 18in | VCA Animal Hospitals | No |
Each figure is the published number from the named body, recorded elsewhere on this site with its source. The final column is our assessment of this price band against those figures using the manufacturers' own published dimensions, and it is ours rather than anybody's endorsement.
Read down that last column and the band's real shape appears. Two species can be housed properly for under $100 and six cannot. If the animal you have in mind is in the second group, the useful move is not to buy the best cage in this band — it is to read the under-$200 band, where the answer changes for several of them.
| # | Product | Best for | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  MidWest Guinea Habitat Plus47 x 24 = 1,128 sq in, about 7.8 sq ft | A pair in a house with a cat, or two pigs that need separating | 8.4out of 10 | $85.99View on Amazon Price as of November 11, 2026. #ad Disclosure |
| 2 |  Aivituvin AIR19 Indoor Rabbit Hutch9.6 sq ft (1,382 sq in) as stated by the manufacturer | An indoor shelter beside a free-roam area | 6.8out of 10 | $89.99View on Amazon Price as of November 11, 2026. #ad Disclosure |
| 3 |  MidWest Homes for Pets 48 in Exercise Pen, 8 panels16 sq ft (2,304 sq in) enclosed as an octagon | Building a footprint that actually clears the published minimum | 8.7out of 10 | $86.99View on Amazon Price as of November 11, 2026. #ad Disclosure |
| 4 |  Kaytee CritterTrail One Level Habitat20 x 11.5 = 230 sq in | A short-term carrier or a hospital cage, not a home | 2.6out of 10 | $69.95View on Amazon Price as of November 11, 2026. #ad Disclosure |
Scores are our own assessment of published specifications against the thresholds set out in how we assess products. They are not test results and not customer ratings. Tap a row to read the full assessment.
The four, and what each is honestly for
| Product | Continuous floor | Bar spacing | Wall height and lid | Material |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MidWest Guinea Habitat Plus | 47 x 24 = 1,128 sq in, about 7.8 sq ft | Wire mesh top; side panels are solid-framed mesh | 14 in sides with a removable wire mesh top | Wire frame with a washable PVC-lined canvas bottom |
| Aivituvin AIR19 Indoor Rabbit Hutch | 9.6 sq ft (1,382 sq in) as stated by the manufacturerbelow our threshold | Wire mesh; gauge and aperture not published | Deep pull-out trays under both levels | Fir timber frame with wire mesh panels and pull-out trays |
| MidWest Homes for Pets 48 in Exercise Pen, 8 panels | 16 sq ft (2,304 sq in) enclosed as an octagonclears our threshold | Mesh aperture listed as 1.5 x 6 in | Add-on panels sold separately; pens clip together into one footprint | Heavy-gauge wire with an e-coat finish |
| Kaytee CritterTrail One Level Habitat | 20 x 11.5 = 230 sq inbelow our threshold | 6mm (manufacturer-listed) | Listed by the manufacturer for gerbils or mice | Plastic base and shell with wire panels |
Dimensions as published by each manufacturer or its retailer, read 27 September 2026 and linked in each assessment below. A tick marks a product that clears our own floor-area threshold; a cross marks one that does not. Where a manufacturer does not publish a figure, the cell says so rather than estimating it.
- One or two guinea pigs: the MidWest Guinea Habitat Plus. The only cage in this band that clears a published figure for its own species. Two pigs clear the bare minimum rather than the preferred figure — guinea pig cage size for 2 has both numbers.
- A rabbit's exercise space, or guinea pig floor time: the MidWest 48 in exercise pen. Eight panels, no roof, and it folds. The best money in the band if you already have a shelter.
- An indoor rabbit shelter: the Aivituvin AIR19. A hutch is the sleeping half of a rabbit setup and the published figure includes exercise, so a hutch alone never meets it. Pair it with the pen above.
- Mice: almost anything here, because the published mouse figure is small. Best mouse cages is the page to read; a cage this cheap can genuinely be enough for mice as long as the bar spacing is 6mm.
- Hamsters: nothing in this band, as a manufactured cage. Best hamster cages under $100 says the same thing at more length, and the bin cage guide is the cheap route that does work.
Our pick · A pair in a house with a cat, or two pigs that need separating
MidWest Guinea Habitat Plus
7.8 sq ft clears the bare minimum for a pair and misses the preferred figure, but it is the only cage here that ships with both a lid and a divider.
- Dimensions
- 47 x 24 x 14 in; manufacturer states 8 sq ft of living space
- Continuous floor
- 47 x 24 = 1,128 sq in, about 7.8 sq ft
- Bar spacing
- Wire mesh top; side panels are solid-framed mesh
- Material
- Wire frame with a washable PVC-lined canvas bottom
- Wall height and lid
- 14 in sides with a removable wire mesh top
What it gets right
- Removable wire mesh top, so it is safe in a room with another pet
- Divider panel with lock-in-place ramps separates two animals when needed
- 14 in sides clear the 12 in minimum
- PVC-lined canvas bottom is solid, washable and kinder to feet than wire
What it gets wrong
- 7.8 sq ft is under the 10.5 sq ft preferred figure for two
- Canvas bottom absorbs urine at the seams over time
- Expanding it means buying another whole unit, not another grid
Who should buy something else
Not the choice if floor area is your only criterion. A Kavee 4x2 gives 2.8 sq ft more for a similar spend, provided you do not need the lid.
Specifications read from MidWest product listing on 27 September 2026. Floor-area arithmetic is ours and is shown above so you can redo it.
- Area vs threshold7
- Wall height10
- Flooring safety9
- Expandability6
- Security from other pets10
Price as of November 11, 2026. #ad Disclosure
Number 2 · An indoor shelter beside a free-roam area
Aivituvin AIR19 Indoor Rabbit Hutch
A well-organized indoor shelter at 9.6 sq ft, which is 15 percent of the published minimum and therefore a bedroom rather than a home.
- Dimensions
- Manufacturer states 9.6 sq ft of inner space
- Continuous floor
- 9.6 sq ft (1,382 sq in) as stated by the manufacturer
- Bar spacing
- Wire mesh; gauge and aperture not published
- Material
- Fir timber frame with wire mesh panels and pull-out trays
- Cleaning
- Deep pull-out trays under both levels
What it gets right
- Pull-out trays make daily cleaning quick, which matters indoors
- 9.6 sq ft is generous for a shelter section
- Timber looks acceptable in a living room, which is why people actually use it
What it gets wrong
- 9.6 sq ft is nowhere near a complete enclosure
- Indoor timber stains from urine faster than outdoor timber weathers
- Mesh aperture not published
Who should buy something else
Not for a rabbit that will be shut in it. This only works if the door stays open onto a room or a pen for most of the day.
Specifications read from Aivituvin product listing on 27 September 2026. Floor-area arithmetic is ours and is shown above so you can redo it.
- Footprint vs threshold3
- Indoor practicality9
- Weather performance5
- Material durability6
- Cleaning9
Price as of November 11, 2026. #ad Disclosure
Number 3 · Building a footprint that actually clears the published minimum
MidWest Homes for Pets 48 in Exercise Pen, 8 panels
The cheapest honest route to the 64.5 sq ft minimum, because four of these pens joined together get you there and a single hutch never will.
- Dimensions
- Eight panels, each 24 in wide by 48 in high; 16 sq ft enclosed
- Continuous floor
- 16 sq ft (2,304 sq in) enclosed as an octagon
- Bar spacing
- Mesh aperture listed as 1.5 x 6 in
- Material
- Heavy-gauge wire with an e-coat finish
- Expandability
- Add-on panels sold separately; pens clip together into one footprint
What it gets right
- 16 sq ft per pen, and add-on panels let you build one large block rather than several small ones
- 48 in height clears the 3ft 3in RWAF asks for
- Folds flat, so it can be moved or stored
- Ground anchors are included, which most pens leave out
What it gets wrong
- 1.5 x 6 in mesh apertures are wide enough for a small or young rabbit to push through; line the lower section
- No roof, so it is not predator-proof outdoors on its own
- Wire floor is the ground, which means digging out unless you lay mesh underneath
Who should buy something else
Not an outdoor enclosure by itself. Without a roof and a dug-in mesh skirt it is an exercise area, not secure housing, and a fox will treat it as a bowl.
Specifications read from MidWest product listing on 27 September 2026. Floor-area arithmetic is ours and is shown above so you can redo it.
- Footprint vs threshold10
- Predator resistance4
- Height9
- Material durability8
- Flexibility10
Price as of November 11, 2026. #ad Disclosure
Number 4 · A short-term carrier or a hospital cage, not a home
Kaytee CritterTrail One Level Habitat
230 sq in is under a third of the published minimum, and the manufacturer's own listing names gerbils and mice rather than hamsters.
- Dimensions
- 20 x 11.5 x 11 in
- Continuous floor
- 20 x 11.5 = 230 sq in
- Bar spacing
- 6mm (manufacturer-listed)
- Material
- Plastic base and shell with wire panels
- Stated suitability
- Listed by the manufacturer for gerbils or mice
What it gets right
- 6mm bar spacing is genuinely safe for the smallest animals
- Light, cheap and easy to disinfect
What it gets wrong
- 230 sq in is 70 percent short of the 775 sq in minimum
- No meaningful substrate depth
- The supplied wheel is far too small for any hamster
Who should buy something else
Not housing for a hamster of any species. If you already own one, it is useful as a temporary carrier while you clean the real enclosure, and nothing more.
Specifications read from Kaytee product listing on 27 September 2026. Floor-area arithmetic is ours and is shown above so you can redo it.
- Floor area vs threshold1
- Bedding depth1
- Bar spacing safety9
- Material durability5
- Cleaning access8
Price as of November 11, 2026. #ad Disclosure
The two cheap routes that beat everything here
A C&C cage built from storage grids and corrugated plastic gives a guinea pig pair more floor than anything in this band for a similar outlay, which is why our C&C guide exists and why C&C against store cages reaches the conclusion it does. A converted storage bin does the same job for a hamster.
Neither is on this page as a product because neither is sold as one. Both are the honest answer to the under-$100 question for the species a manufactured cage in this band cannot house, and a roundup that left them out to keep the list tidy would be the less useful page.
Prices
Every figure comes from the price layer, which reads each listing and stamps the date underneath. On a price-band page that matters more than usual: a cage that has drifted over $100 since publication will show its real current price with its real date rather than the number we hoped for, and if a listing stops showing an offer the button asks you to check instead of quoting us.
Questions people ask
What is the best small animal cage under $100?
Can you get a decent hamster cage for under $100?
Which small pets can you house properly for under $100?
Is an exercise pen a cage?
Sources
- Humane World for Animals - Guinea pig housing — The 7.5 sq ft minimum and 10.5 sq ft preferred figures that decide this band's only clean pass. Read 10 November 2026.
- PDSA - Housing for hamsters — The 100cm x 50cm hamster floor figure nothing in this band reaches.
- MSPCA - Caring for your pet rat — The 24in x 24in x 24in multi-level rat figure used in the species table.
- VCA Animal Hospitals - Chinchillas: Housing — The 3ft x 2ft x 3ft chinchilla figure used in the species table.