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Salem13 · 09-14-2020, 12:24 PM

Totally agree! I think in total I maybe spent 100 Canadian for my own hamster. I don't really spend any extra money each month specifically on them either. I got my enclosure second hand for around $25, two big bags of paper bedding on sale for $20 together, use a little sauce dish for water and scatter feed, food was another $20, treats were about $5, and a wheel that was abut $25. I use a drawer organizer filled with play sand I use in my aquariums for a sand bath, all the hides and toys are made from cardboard and/or sisal that I construct or weave myself. Even the hamster themself was free though I chose to donate $20 to the rescue.

I think people often get very caught up in thinking that amount of money spent and visual appeal equals quality of care. My own set up honestly looks like a mess- theres tape on the exterior of the cage, scuff marks and scratches on the acrylic, a crack messily fixed with resin, and just cardboard things strewn about. One could look at it and think I'm not taking care of her as well as I should. My focus is not on making the cage pretty- it's on making it functional, safe, and enriching to the pet within it. Though I do admit I often look at it and compare it to those I see online. I have to remind myself that my hamsters current cage is actually more spacious than many I see and that it is laid out to her specific needs- she likely would not like being in the cages I think look great. Of course I would like to be able to see her more clearly and one day I even plan to build my own cage that is significantly prettier than this.

I generally keep this attitude with all my pets- my first fish as an adult for example was actually kept in a clear storage bin because it was cheaper than an aquarium but had the same functionality. I eventually found a free tank, then was gifted a bigger one, then eventually at a used store found an even bigger one. Did I need to upgrade? No, but I chose to because I was given the opportunity to. I think pets as a whole would be more accessible if more people shared this attitude and perhaps pets as a whole.

That all being said I am a lot more ok with someone putting off getting a hamster because they think they are more expensive to keep than I am with someone getting one and finding out too late they can't afford it. Even if the actual supplies and upkeep can be a lot cheaper than they believe the extra money can be saved for vet visits.

09-14-2020, 12:24 PM
Salem13 Hamster Pup Join Date: Dec 2019 Location: Canada Posts: 111	Re: Cage/Peer pressure on social media Totally agree! I think in total I maybe spent 100 Canadian for my own hamster. I don't really spend any extra money each month specifically on them either. I got my enclosure second hand for around $25, two big bags of paper bedding on sale for $20 together, use a little sauce dish for water and scatter feed, food was another $20, treats were about $5, and a wheel that was abut $25. I use a drawer organizer filled with play sand I use in my aquariums for a sand bath, all the hides and toys are made from cardboard and/or sisal that I construct or weave myself. Even the hamster themself was free though I chose to donate $20 to the rescue. I think people often get very caught up in thinking that amount of money spent and visual appeal equals quality of care. My own set up honestly looks like a mess- theres tape on the exterior of the cage, scuff marks and scratches on the acrylic, a crack messily fixed with resin, and just cardboard things strewn about. One could look at it and think I'm not taking care of her as well as I should. My focus is not on making the cage pretty- it's on making it functional, safe, and enriching to the pet within it. Though I do admit I often look at it and compare it to those I see online. I have to remind myself that my hamsters current cage is actually more spacious than many I see and that it is laid out to her specific needs- she likely would not like being in the cages I think look great. Of course I would like to be able to see her more clearly and one day I even plan to build my own cage that is significantly prettier than this. I generally keep this attitude with all my pets- my first fish as an adult for example was actually kept in a clear storage bin because it was cheaper than an aquarium but had the same functionality. I eventually found a free tank, then was gifted a bigger one, then eventually at a used store found an even bigger one. Did I need to upgrade? No, but I chose to because I was given the opportunity to. I think pets as a whole would be more accessible if more people shared this attitude and perhaps pets as a whole. That all being said I am a lot more ok with someone putting off getting a hamster because they think they are more expensive to keep than I am with someone getting one and finding out too late they can't afford it. Even if the actual supplies and upkeep can be a lot cheaper than they believe the extra money can be saved for vet visits.