[alpacassei]

Ikve never meshed a full cage or used the substrates you’re loooking at but hopefully someone can comment soon with advice about that. I use Kaytee Clean and Cozy though, which can be expensive but usuall yonline there are good deals for the larger sized bags and with a large cage you wont be doing clean outs often amyway, just spot cleaning small areas as needed.

The food you’ve chosen is good, I’ve found not all Syrians like insects though but mine love freeze dried chicken (sold as cat treats) which is also a good protein source. Dried herb and flower mixes are also more likely to be eaten than hay, though hay can still be used in the cages for a more natural environment. As well as millet and oat sprays, I recommend buying sorghum/dari and flax sprays as my hammies love both and it gives more variety.

The wooden trixie wheel is silent but the plastic one is quite noisy tbh.

I use childrens play sand for my hamsters but as long as its properly cleaned and seived through beach sand should be okay.

For both the sand and soil areas, just regularly check them and remove soiled parts as needed.