What does my pet need?
Pick your pet to see the minimum enclosure, tank or cage each vet and welfare source gives, and the heat and light it needs.
What pet do you have?
Which bird?
Which bird?
What it needs
Which small pet?
Which small pet?
What it needs
Which fish or shrimp?
Which fish or shrimp?
What it needs
Which one?
Which one?
What it needs
Which reptile?
Which reptile?
What it needs
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Common questions
Which minimum should I go by when the sources disagree?
Meet every minimum listed. For snakes, that means the longer length and the larger width and height.
Is a bigger enclosure always better?
RSPCA says a leopard gecko's vivarium should be as large as possible, and RVC says the same of a tortoise's floor area.
Why is there no size for a White's tree frog?
None of the vet and welfare care sheets we read gives one. RVC gives its temperatures and a low output UVB lamp.
Where we get our information from
Sizes and care come from animal welfare charities and veterinary schools, food safety from the ASPCA and Pet Poison Helpline, and gear sizes from makers’ own charts. Checked against published data from Royal Veterinary College, RSPCA, VCA Animal Hospitals, RSPCA Australia and MSD Veterinary Manual (plus 15 more).
See all 86 sources
- RSPCA, Leopard gecko care
- RSPCA, How to care for your bearded dragon
- RSPCA, Caring for your crested gecko
- RSPCA, How to care for a royal python
- RSPCA, How to care for a corn snake
- RSPCA, How to care for a terrapin (pond terrapins and sliders)
- Royal Veterinary College (Beaumont Sainsbury Animal Hospital), Leopard gecko care, reviewed December 2024 (PDF)
- Royal Veterinary College, Bearded dragon care, reviewed December 2024 (PDF)
- Royal Veterinary College, Crested gecko care, reviewed December 2024 (PDF)
- Royal Veterinary College, Royal python care, reviewed December 2024 (PDF)
- Royal Veterinary College, Corn snake care, reviewed December 2024 (PDF)
- Royal Veterinary College, Hognose snake care and advice, reviewed December 2022 (PDF)
- Royal Veterinary College, Mediterranean tortoise care (Hermann's, Horsfield's, spur-thighed), reviewed December 2024 (PDF)
- Royal Veterinary College, Terrapin care (red-eared terrapin), reviewed December 2024 (PDF)
- Royal Veterinary College, Axolotl care sheet, 2024 (PDF)
- Royal Veterinary College, White's tree frog care sheet, reviewed December 2024 (PDF)
- Royal Veterinary College, Tarantula care, reviewed December 2024 (PDF)
- VCA Animal Hospitals, Leopard geckos: care
- VCA Animal Hospitals, Bearded dragons: housing
- VCA Animal Hospitals, Aquatic turtles: housing
- NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, Code of Practice for the Private Keeping of Reptiles (PDF)
- RSPCA Australia knowledgebase, How should I care for my bearded dragon?
- British Chelonia Group, Caresheet for Mediterranean tortoises
- The Unusual Pet Vets (vet clinic, Australia), Axolotl care sheet (PDF)
- The Unusual Pet Vets (vet clinic, Australia), Australian land hermit crab care sheet, Coenobita variabilis (PDF)
- Yarmouth Veterinary Center (vet clinic, US), Pacman frog care sheet
- RSPCA, Ornamental fish: Environment (“Choosing an aquarium”)
- OATA (Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association), How to care for bettas, September 2022 (PDF)
- OATA, How to care for guppies and mollies, September 2022 (PDF)
- OATA, How to care for American cichlids (includes angelfish), September 2022 (PDF)
- OATA, How to care for fancy goldfish, January 2023 (PDF)
- OATA, How to care for goldfish in aquaria, January 2023 (PDF)
- OATA, How to care for freshwater shrimp and snails, September 2022 (PDF)
- RSPCA Australia knowledgebase, How should I care for my Siamese fighting fish?
- RSPCA Australia knowledgebase, How should I care for my goldfish?
- University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, “Bettas Need More Than Bowls” (pet health column, 2019)
- RSPCA, Hamsters: environment, company and diet
- RSPCA, Gerbils: environment, company and diet
- RSPCA, Guinea pigs: environment, diet and company
- RSPCA, Chinchillas: environment, diet and company
- RSPCA, Rabbits: environment, diet and company
- RSPCA, Pet birds (environment, company and diet pages)
- Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund (RWAF), Space recommendations
- PDSA (UK vet charity), Hamsters as pets
- Woodgreen Pets Charity, Caring for hamsters; What to feed your hamster
- Woodgreen Pets Charity, How to house your gerbils
- Woodgreen Pets Charity, Guinea pigs: housing, day-to-day guide, and poisonous food and plants
- Woodgreen Pets Charity, Caring for rabbits
- Scottish SPCA, Keeping gerbils as pets
- Scottish SPCA, Caring for your ferrets
- Scottish SPCA, Caring for your rabbits
- RSPCA Australia knowledgebase, How should I house my bird?
- RSPCA Australia knowledgebase, What kind of enclosure does my bird need?
- RSPCA Australia knowledgebase, How should I care for my ferrets?; What should I feed my ferrets?
- RSPCA Australia knowledgebase, Where should I keep my guinea pigs?; What should I feed my guinea pigs?
- Royal Veterinary College (Beaumont Sainsbury Animal Hospital), Hamster care, December 2022 (PDF)
- Royal Veterinary College, Gerbil care, December 2022 (PDF)
- Royal Veterinary College, Guinea pig care; Guinea pig feeding guidelines, December 2022 (PDFs)
- Royal Veterinary College, Chinchilla care, December 2022 (PDF)
- Royal Veterinary College, Ferret care, December 2022 (PDF)
- Royal Veterinary College, African pygmy hedgehog care, December 2022 (PDF)
- Royal Veterinary College, Sugar glider care, December 2021 (PDF)
- Royal Veterinary College Exotics Service, Budgerigar care (factsheet, reviewed December 2024, PDF)
- Royal Veterinary College Exotics Service, Canary care (factsheet, reviewed December 2024, PDF)
- Royal Veterinary College Exotics Service, Cockatiel care (factsheet, reviewed December 2024, PDF)
- Merck Veterinary Manual, Table: Minimum cage and bar spacing recommendations (birds)
- Merck Veterinary Manual (bird owners), Providing a home for a bird
- MSD Veterinary Manual (Merck, pet-owner edition), Providing a home for a hamster
- MSD Veterinary Manual (Merck, pet-owner edition), Providing a home for a gerbil
- MSD Veterinary Manual (Merck, pet-owner edition), Providing a home for a guinea pig
- MSD Veterinary Manual (Merck, pet-owner edition), Providing a home for a ferret
- MSD Veterinary Manual (Merck, pet-owner edition), Providing a home for a rabbit
- MSD Veterinary Manual (Merck, pet-owner edition), Providing a home for a sugar glider
- MSD Veterinary Manual (Merck, veterinary professional edition), Management of four-toed (African pygmy) hedgehogs
- VCA Animal Hospitals, Housing rodents
- VCA Animal Hospitals, Chinchillas: housing
- VCA Animal Hospitals, Ferrets: housing
- VCA Animal Hospitals, Hedgehogs: housing; Feeding hedgehogs
- VCA Animal Hospitals, Sugar gliders: owning; Feeding sugar gliders
- VCA Animal Hospitals, Cockatiels: general information; Feeding cockatiels
- VCA Animal Hospitals, Finches: general; Feeding finches
- VCA Animal Hospitals, Housing small birds
- Aliso Beach Animal Clinic (vet clinic, California), Hermit Crab Care Guide, medically reviewed by Bryan Hayter, DVM (last reviewed October 2026)
- Zubair Khalid, DVM, MS, PhD (a vet's personal website), Hermit Crab Tank Setup: Substrate, Temperature, and Humidity Essentials (owner-supplied text, October 25, 2026)
- The Bio Dude (reptile and invertebrate supply shop), Regal Jumping Spider Caresheet, by Richard Stewart of Tarantula Collective (April 7, 2026)
- Habitat-OS (reptile husbandry software), African Dwarf Frogs Care Sheet, August 19, 2026 (PDF handed out at NARBC shows; owner-supplied)
General care guidance from animal welfare charities, vets and makers' published sizes. It isn't veterinary advice: if your pet seems unwell or has eaten something it shouldn't, call your vet.