[Merle]

Originally Posted by hamster thorn

I mean, I'd honestly disagree. They're just doing what they can for their pets, so yeah, if they really like the way their cage looks or something, they should feel proud. But it doesn't have to cost a lot. Sooo many people build things themselves, and it's not super expensive. I've done it, and I spent like 10 Euro on building a running platform, that I personally think looks really nice and is natural, all while being inexpensive. It also depends on prioritizing. Many hamsters don't enjoy things like sputniks because hamsters aren't climbing animals, can fall easily and prefer making nests close to ground - or in the ground Besides, they're plastic. Instead, you can order a cork tunnel from zooplus that are really big, natural, and will make the cage look 100 times better. Sure, they cost a bit more than a sputnik, but it's a lot more natural & really nice. Plus, for the fact that it takes up so much space, it replaces the need for two houses (and it's not thatt much more expensive). I know a girl who saved 3 Euro every week, and after a few months, bought a ton of new, natural items, like cork, grape vine etc. I guess what I'm trying to say is, it's the way you look at it and get inspired by it, rather than immediately look down on it. There are always cheep alternatives, you just need to look for them.

That being said, I do get where you come from

It's not the cage decorations and stuff I dislike here in Germany. I do DIY stuff all the time and am planning a diy cage right now. What bothers me is that we don't have any variety in substrates. We only have wood chippings or wooden cat litter pellets. No paper based substrates, no hemp bedding. Except online of course but for way more money than in other countries because I have to import it. I've had a few hamsters that seemed to be allergic to the wood based substrate, but I can't do anything about it except using pellets which are not really an amazing alternative.