Thread: New Home
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Old 08-12-2019, 08:17 AM  
10Minutes
Hamster Pup
 
Join Date: Jul 2019
Posts: 187
Default Re: New Home

That's a really lovely bin cage you have there. I think it's great enough for her basic needs if you have enough floor space (although I am no expert, by the looks of it, it should be fine).

I think it's really good enough for a basic bin cage, but if you wanted to do more, here are some of my suggestions (personal opinion and of course, others can feel free to correct me or add on):

1. I've heard that an upright wheel is better than the flying saucer wheel. Hopefully others can comment on this. If you do decide to get one, be sure to get one that is at least 6.5 inches.

2. You could mesh the other side for added ventilation. It's pretty good already, but I would personally prefer at least both the sides (length-wise of the bin) to be meshed, because it will give your hamster more air at "hamster-level".
The air from the top might not reach "hamster-level" that easily.

3. I love that there are a few hidey holes for her. Mine has a few too. Maybe you would like to add a small platform for her? She would be more comfortable running around if the space above her is more covered, and she can do a little climbing if she wants to. Do ensure that the platform is low enough and that there are no hard objects in the vicinity at ground level, so it doesn't matter if she falls off. My Robo insists on jumping off her low platform all the time, so I stuff hard objects like her pebble directly under the platform, to ensure there is no way she will be able to fall onto it. You gotta expect she will jump off it even if she doesn't have that habit, she may fall off accidentally one day so it will be good to take precautions.

Oh, and a platform gives her some place to run to if there is an "accident" on level one. There was once when I came home to find my naughty girl had somehow piled all substrate against the tip of her water bottle, causing the bottle to be tricked into thinking there was a drinking. The bottle had dripped bit by bit until that entire patch of substrate was soaked! Though thankfully there was still plenty of space around my bin cage that was not affected, and my hamster was happily snoozing away at another end.

4. While we are at it, maybe you could give her a sterilised pebble. I can't see any from the photos but I may have missed it. Mine uses her pebble to file her teeth and claws, and sometimes she curls around it to sleep if she feels a little hot but doesn't want to use the chilled hideouts I have prepared for her.

5. I personally like to keep two filled water bottles available to her in the cage at all times, just in case something goes wrong with one of them, because I am really paranoid about her not being able to get any water. My bottles are relatively small and I only fill them up to 40ml each per day so it's not that bad if it an accident happens and it leaks, because I will be at home every evening to check on it and I can provide new water on a daily basis.

6. Sand bath! I heard Robos love sand baths so you might want to give her one, but you have to be very careful about getting safe sand for her. Please do not buy bathing dust, and a lot of the hamster sands in the pet store are not suitable. My Robo's sand is in a commercialised "hamster bathroom", the biggest I could find (still very small but it's ok for me since she is a Robo and not a Syrian), not that ideal but hopefully others can suggest better bathroom substitutes. I only use it because it does prevent most of the sand from being kicked out when my Robo rolls around in it. My Robo loves her sand bath and uses it multiple times a day.

That being said, to emphasise again, I think what you have done is already very good and she will already be very happy with you, I'm just adding some suggestions for your consideration. I'm so glad to hear that your hamster perked up instantly. Mine also changed in temperament drastically for the better, especially after I upgraded her to a bin cage. There is definitely a noticeable effect when it comes to floor space and you can see how much happier your hamster is now.

Last edited by 10Minutes; 08-12-2019 at 08:26 AM.
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