View Single Post
Old 03-09-2019, 02:40 AM  
Pebbles82
Hamster Antics
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 23,533
Default

The Falco is a great cage- but difficult to set up to avoid fall risks- the new platform sounds good. If it goes 3/4 of the way across the cage, then I would suggest the solution is another shelf above the plastic one that overlaps the plastic one - so no gap to fall through Hemp mat shouldn't be necessary unless it's quite a drop to the plastic shelf. Although they can be nice and also help it feel like a new shelf - even if cleaned up well, plastic can absorb a few smells.

So you can have it set up with a normal level of substrate as long as there are overlapping platforms and no gap to fall between the shelves - and not too big a drop to the lower shelf

If you need another shelf, Ranchhouse cages on ebay make them in all shapes and sizes and they come with fittings to screw into the bars. So you could get one just under 45cm (ie the width of the cage) By the depth you need to well overlap the plastic shelf - they come in 20cm, 25cm deep etc - or they will make a custom size for you.

You'll probably still need a good depth of substrate or there would be a very long ramp upto the first shelf. I would have a play around with the set up before bringing your hamster home.

If you do have deeper substrate then it'sbest to only have lightweight items on top of the substrate - in case the hamster digs under them,so he doesn't get something heavy fall on him. You could put heavier items on the shelves, or put legs on heavy items on the substrate Or a cardboard shoe box makes a good house and that is light. Cut the base out and a hole near one end of one of the long sides and keep the lid as a lift-off roof so you can check inside without having to remove the house - the flat roof also makes another level to climb onto.

These are the shelves:

This is the 20cm deep shelf - you can choose 18" wide (about 45cm) but that may be bit tight if the bars are under 45cm internally. At the bottom of the drop down list you can choose anything between 14" and 17" wide. It's probably best to have it very slightly under the actual width to make sure it fits. And if there's a little gap at one edge you could cover it with something. Eg if you have hemp mat on the shelf that would cover the gap.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/25cm-Deep...n_g_kxy4jpELSg

There is also a 30cm deep shelf here - varying "widths" (ie cage width) again

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/30cm-Deep...BYkKImuxp9tjwQ

If you need a secure ramp between the two shelves, these are good! I have them in my cages. They are bendy stick bridges, but they screw to the side of the bars so can't be knocked over or fall down and you can bend them steeper or shallower.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BRIDGE-HO...sAAOSw5VFWHRqJ

Again they come complete with the screw fittings for the cage.

Probably the best thing is to measure the inner width of the bars as it's probably under 45cm -I would think you would need the 30cm deep shelf to overlap the 3/4 of the cage existing shelf, so probably the easiest option is to get two overlapping shelves (a custom size would take longer to arrive probably).

So you could get the 16" wide one (40.64cm) x 30 cm deep - leaving a gap of a few cm. And have another smaller shelf fixed on top to cover the gap (if that makes sense) which would give a slight step at the edge of the shelf.

So this shelf (16" x 12" -40.64 x 30cm)

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/30cm-Deep...BYkKImuxp9tjwQ

Plus this narrow one- also 30cm deep and 9.5cm wide.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/30cm-x-9-...AAAOSwXKtb4xcx

But if you email them they can tell you how long it would take for a custom made shelf. I would get the two overlapping ones personally, to adjust the fit and have a quick delivery time

Buying shelves adds to the cost a bit unfortunately.

So there are two options for the set up in this cage, for safety. One is to have the additional shelf overlapping, as above. The other is to just use the one existing plastic shelf, but to do that you would need to fill the base of the tank with substrate and just use the top bars as a main cage with the glass tank as a deep cage base - so there isn't a long drop from the top of the cage to the substrate.

I think it would make the cage much more interesting to have the extra shelf Then you hve the substrate leveland two other levels.


Take it you're in the Uk then The Ferplast Aladino is an ideal pet carrier, but if you're ordering anything from Zooplus (eg Hemp mat - the Hugro ones are good), they sell a similar one that's cheaper (although may not be cheaper if you have Zooplus postage to pay). I really like the Aladino as it has a wider base at the bottom but either is fine.

This is the one on Zooplus but it's out of stock. The Aladino is linked above. The used Falco was a great find!

https://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small...arriers/321345

The danger with just the one shelf, even with very deep substrate is there needs to be a ramp and it could be quite a drop from the top of the cage onto a hard ramp.

You don't need to spend much on toys though - cardboard shoe box and tissue boxes and egg boxes make good hidey places, and pringles tubes make good tunnels

Last edited by souffle; 03-09-2019 at 06:51 AM.
Pebbles82 is offline   Reply With Quote