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PoppyCorn
01-01-2007, 11:41 AM
Poppy is in a hamster starter cage and we'd like to get her a larger one. The one she's in now is called My First Hamster Home by Super Pet. It is 13.5" long, 11" wide, and 14.5" high. (For those of you in Europe, I'm sorry I don't have the metric conversions.) It has an upper level with her food dish.

I've been told that aquariums are a good choice and I've seen cage toppers that increase the amount of room. However, I would have to buy a stand and I'd like to avoid spending too much money. The stand Poppy's cage is on now allows for a cage 16" long and 13" wide. The height doesn't matter but I would think a taller cage would be better because it would give her more room. She doesn't have any tubes or tunnels in her current cage so maybe she gets bored? :?

Anyway, if anyone has any cage suggestions, we'd truly appreciate it! :D

pophammy
01-01-2007, 12:06 PM
I myself would recommend a tank type cage as opposed to a tall cage, as in a tall cage the hammy can fall over the edges of the different levels and injure itself. You could try looking on Ebay for a cage, but I have had a look and there isn't really anything suitable there! Lots of people here would recommend you make a bin cage. These are cheap to make and you can customise them however you want! Here is a link to an article on making them:

http://www.hamstercentral.com/user.php? ... ticle&a=18 (http://www.hamstercentral.com/user.php?action=viewArticle&a=18)

Hope this helps!

souffle
01-01-2007, 05:21 PM
It is a pity you can't get the excellent tank type cages in the USA that we get in the UK. They are ideal for hammies, roomy with no bars to chew and easy to clean. I too have looked around on USA sites but see nothing like them so maybe a bin or large aqaurium type would be your best bet. Hope you find something. http://www.hamstercentral.com/forum/vie ... php?t=1354 (http://www.hamstercentral.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1354)
There are pics of the type of cage I would suggest here if you can get it.

PoppyCorn
01-03-2007, 08:07 AM
Thanks pophammy and souffle! You guys are a great mother-daughter team!

I'm glad I checked here first before investing in a high-rise cage. I love the pictures of the ideal hamster homes! :D If I were a hamster, I'd have fun there!

I'll look around for something similar. Is there enough air flow in the bin with the enclosed top? Or is it better to have cage bars on top as in the one photo?

pophammy
01-03-2007, 10:04 AM
I think it is better to have bars on the top of a bin cage, as I believe they can become a bit stuffy if there isn't enough air getting in them. We have never made or kept ours in bin cages though, so you might be better off waiting for someone like Snuggleham to come along as she is a big fan of the bin cages! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Hana
01-03-2007, 01:12 PM
There is enough air in the bins with just holes in the lid and the sides because that is what I have done with mine but in the summer I am going to cut a hole in the top and put wire mesh in because I feel it will be too hot and stuffy in the summer with just holes.

PoppyCorn
01-06-2007, 07:14 PM
Okay. I bought a bin type cage today. :D I'd gone around to different pet stores and found one 20" long X 13" wide X 8" high. The wheel is large and extends above the 8" height. There is a plastic attachment that goes over the top of it. A cage type door is on top. It was a display model that had been sitting on a shelf for a long time. It was all dusty! They gave me 25% off the listed price and I went home and cleaned it up.

I took a photo of it and tried to replace the last picture on my profile with the new picture but it kept reverting to the old photo. I wanted to show you all what it looks like and get some opinions. Poppy hasn't seen it yet. She's still sleeping.

How should I introduce her to the new cage? Should I let her explore it first and then put her back in her original cage so it's not such an immediate shock?

souffle
01-07-2007, 06:18 AM
I would wait till evening when she is awake then put her old bedding and shavings in the new cage to transfer her scent to the new one. Once she is moved I would not move her back as that may cause more stress. I'm sure she will settle fine.

Did you delete the old picture before you tried to reload the new one? Delete then click update profile. Then go back in and try and upload the new one in the space.

PoppyCorn
01-07-2007, 07:41 AM
Thanks, souffle!

I tried what you suggested but it keeps reverting back to the old photo. Maybe I'm doing something wrong? :?

I did find the cage and some reviews on the following site:
http://www.bibirmer.com/r~p-29645380~ai ... M7~i-1.htm (http://www.bibirmer.com/r~p-29645380~ai-4-0BV6M7~i-1.htm)

I put Poppy in the new cage for a short time last night. She likes the wheel. It's larger than the one she has in her old cage. She was also exploring underneath the platform behind the wheel. It's a good hiding place. When she was done running on the wheel (it took a long time!), I put her back in her old cage for the night.

Thanks for the suggestion about moving her old bedding there. I'll do that this morning when I clean her old cage. I'll move her there tonight.

One more thing, the water bottle looks like it's too low. It hangs from the top and the downward facing nozzle is approximately 3" from the floor. I tried replacing it with her old bottle (I thought I could squeeze a portion of it through the hole on top of the cage but the hole was too large to hold it). Do you have any suggestions? The link I provided doesn't show a very large picture of the cage so I don't know if you can tell by looking at it. Another option would be to add a small bowl for water. Or I could return the cage and look for something else...

Any suggestions will be appreciated. :D

SnuggleHam
01-07-2007, 07:49 AM
I see the cage picture in your profile Poppycorn, perhaps you just needed to refresh your computer to see it. It looks like you found yourself a Superpet Crittertrail cage. I just bought one for my dwarf Roborovskis. Here is a picture of mine.

http://www.hamstercentral.com/images/myhammies/crittertrail01.jpg

I had posted a thread about it here...http://www.hamstercentral.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1520 if you care to give it a read. :) The Superpet Crittertrail I found was also very dusty and had a part missing, they gave me 20% off :P

Superpet Crittertrail cages appear to be made for syrian hamsters, I assume this due to the large sized wheel, Ive never seen an actual box for the cage. But in my opinion this is to small for a grown syrian hamster. The tubes that you can buy as a way to extend the cage are often to small for grown syrian hamsters and I've heard stories of them getting stuck in the tubes :( The measurements equal the size of ten gallon tank as far as floor pace goes, give or take an inch.

It seems to me pet supplying companies never make their enclosures the proper size for caged animals. I would have only recommended a cage such as this to someone that has a dwarf hamster.

My syrian Gwen is kept in a 29-gallon tank. It measures 12 inches deep by 30 inches long. Plus I have added a second level. I would have recommended a bin cage. You can buy a good one for less then 15 bucks. All my bins are roughly 14 inched deep and 28 inches long. You may find that Poppy will grow out of her cage fairly fast. If you ever feel like the cage is to small, I would hope you will consider a bin cage, as they are in my own opinion the best way to house a syrian hamster. Unless you dont mind spending more money on a large tank.

PoppyCorn
01-07-2007, 08:46 AM
Thanks, Snuggleham!

It's weird about the photo. On my screen, I still see the old photo, even after a restart my computer and log on again. Strange, huh? :?

I'll return the cage today. At least I got it all cleaned up for them to put back on their dusty shelf! :lol: I was looking for a bin cage but I'm not handy with tools and don't want to try making one myself. Do you know where I can find a premade one? Is it possible to order one online?

SnuggleHam
01-07-2007, 09:24 AM
I'm not sure where you can find a pre-made bin cage. I knew someone that was offering to make them, you just had to send the materials and they would put it together. The woman wrote an article on how she liked to make them. :)

The article can be found here
http://www.petwebsite.com/article_read.asp?id=256&title=Make%20A%20Homemade%20Hamster%20Bin%20Type%2 0Cage

You may be able to contact her on the forums there.. it says in the article her user name is Afishcalledwanda. I'm not sure if she is still doing this for people.

Bin cages don't have to be made very elaborately, some people keep it simple. Here are some examples where people just altered the lid..

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c357/Lucy2905/IMG_3154.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v309/Kindlekat/edit-2.jpg

You must know someone handy enough and with the proper tools to get something similar to this done? A friend, a neighbour, a family members perhaps? My father in-law is the one who put all my bin cages together :lol:

I feel kind of bad for raining on your parade about the new cage you bought. But I really personally feel a Syrian requires more space. :oops: I hope you don't think of me as a cage nazi :? I guess I kind of am though lol! Maybe save the cage you have and adopt a dwarf hamster to put in it, you did get it a 25% off, and they make wonderful homes for dwarf hamsters.

PoppyCorn
01-07-2007, 10:30 AM
Bin cages don't come premade...oh my! :cry: I don't know if there's anyone I know who can make one for me but I'll check into that. Maybe someone at the rescue organization where we got Poppy could help. I can also try contacting the lady who posted that article you linked to and see if she has any suggestions.

As much as poppystarr and I would love a dwarf hamster, I'm not ready for another hamster (poppystarr is ready though! :wink:). I'll go ahead and return the cage. I want what's best for Poppy so please don't feel bad about discouraging me from that cage. I joined this forum to find out information and you gave me exactly what I needed.

babyboos
01-08-2007, 04:45 PM
I would have a go myself
it doesn't need to be to fancy you hamster really will not care if it is a bit home-made looking
the air holes could be all squiggly and squint as long as they are there that is the main thing
hamster's cannot see very far they will never notice believe me
attach a piece of sticky tape over the area you are going to drill before cutting the holes - this will stop it ripping the plastic or cracking the bin.

racinghamster
01-09-2007, 02:45 AM
I like the bin cage in the second photo! All you have to do, is mark out the pieces of existing plastic you want to cut away, cut some wire mesh slightly larger than the hole you will be cutting out and then drill some small holes to fit the small nuts & bolts through the wire and plastic? Easy! :)

I would put a mesh front panel on too so the hammies could see out! Better ventilation aswell in the summer months. x

PoppyCorn
01-09-2007, 07:03 AM
Okay...you guys have convinced me that maybe I could try making a bin cage. I don't have all the tools but possibly I could borrow some. In the meantime, I'm still trying to find someone who could make one for Poppy.

Our experience returning the Superpet Crittertrail cage--after we returned it, the lanky teenager who worked there was showing us their hamster supplies. We needed to get Poppy a wheel for her playpen and some food dishes. Poppystarr noticed a much larger version of a hamster ball on a top shelf and remarked that Poppy would have more room to run in that. The teenager pointed to the ball and told her it would be too large for a hamster. When he pointed, he accidentally hit it and it fell on the other side of the shelf. Moments later, we heard a big CRAAAASH. It had broken a $30 aquarium castle on the other side of the shelf. I felt really bad. :(

Also, while we were there, a man came in and bought all the big rats and a handful of white mice to feed to his snakes. Poppystarr was very sad, saying the rats were just sleeping. I told the man it was sad. He looked embarrassed and said, "Well, it's the call of nature." Later, I learned that this man comes in every two weeks to buy rats and mice for his snakes. I know snakes have a right to eat too, but it's still sad. :cry:

With the aqurium ornament breaking and the man buying the rats and mice, maybe it wasn't the best day for us to return the cage!

souffle
01-09-2007, 08:22 AM
Ooops :oops: Perhaps best stick to another store in future :lol: Did they take the cage back anyway though?

PoppyCorn
01-10-2007, 08:37 PM
Yes, they did take the cage back. It's all clean now to sit on their shelf and get dusty again! :lol:

LilaHam
01-12-2007, 12:57 PM
I have a tank cage for my Syrian and she seems to enjoy it because there's lots of space

PoppyCorn
01-13-2007, 07:13 AM
Is a tank cage an aquarium? Souffle mentioned that the USA doesn't seem to have the excellent tank-type cages that you guys have in England. :cry:

I think I'll still try making a bin cage. The simpler ones don't look too intimidating. If that doesn't work, I'll probably get an aquarium instead.

souffle
01-13-2007, 09:03 AM
I call a tank cage the sort like a Gabber rex or duna type cage that has a deep plastic tray as the base and a clear plastic lid with a barred panel at the top. Aquariums are quite good but the glass ones can be quite heavy to clean. If you can manage that though and get a nice big one they can be excellent spacious homes. :lol:

PoppyCorn
02-12-2007, 10:22 AM
Geez...it's taken me a while to figure out what to do about a new cage. I bought a large, clear plastic bin and tried to cut out the lid. The plastic tore so I gave up. I found a guy at work who says he can make one for me if I provide the supplies.

Before I have him do this, are other brands besides Sterilite okay? (The directions in the link are for Sterilite bins). The lid doesn't have a lock, but it snaps into place and feels secure to me. Also, can I clean the bin with vinegar and water as I do with her current cage?

babyboos
02-12-2007, 03:41 PM
You should apply sellotape to the area you are going to cut before drilling a hole etc it stops the plastic shattering/tearing

The tub you describe sounds fine as a bincage - it certainly is not compulsory to use a Sterilite

PoppyCorn
02-12-2007, 08:43 PM
Thanks, babyboos! :D

I set up the bin with bedding, a hideaway house, igloo, food dishes, a large wheel and then put Poppy inside to see how she would react. From what I can tell from hamster body language, she loved it! Especially the new large wheel. :D Unfortunately, she had to go back into her cage because the bin isn't modified yet. Poppystarr joked that Poppy was going from a large house back into her small apartment!

I plan on picking up the bin modifying supplies this week. I'll give my coworker a print out of the article that was linked here. Do the cut out areas with the wire mesh on the sides of the bin need to be higher than where a hamster can reach to chew on? Are there any other tips or suggestions I can give him before he starts? Oh, I'll make sure to tell him about the sellotape too.

PoppyCorn
02-15-2007, 09:21 AM
I've been looking around at photos of different hamster bins and have noticed that most of them are not as elaborate as the one in the article explaining how to make them. They have holes drilled on the sides instead of the bar covered "windows" and cage door shown in the article.

I plan on having my coworker modify the lid with openings covered with wire mesh. As for the base, I'm not sure what I should have him do. I need to attach a water bottle, so I will have to decide how it will be attached.

Does anyone have any photos of their bin cages I can use as an example to give him? I want to make sure there's enough air flow, but I'm afraid if there are too many openings, Poppy might find a way to escape. Are drilled holes on the sides okay instead of "windows"? Also, can hamsters chew through bins?

Holly
02-15-2007, 10:06 AM
Well I've never made a bin cage as, sadly, I came to the conclusion that I didn't have either the tools or the expertise, but I did research them heavily and found the following (lots of pictures) that might be helpful:

http://www.petwebsite.com/article_read. ... ype%20Cage (http://www.petwebsite.com/article_read.asp?id=256&title=Make%20A%20Homemade%20Hamster%20Bin%20Type%2 0Cage)

http://www.hamsterific.com/HamsterUnive ... Cages.html (http://www.hamsterific.com/HamsterUniversity/HamsterCages.html)
(there's a very simple bin cage with "drilled holes" at the bottom of the above article - I believe the issue if whether or not they provide enough ventillation).

http://www.geocities.com/calhamassoc/FeatureBin.html

Hope they help :)

SnuggleHam
02-15-2007, 10:24 AM
I've been looking around at photos of different hamster bins and have noticed that most of them are not as elaborate as the one in the article explaining how to make them. They have holes drilled on the sides instead of the bar covered "windows" and cage door shown in the article.

I plan on having my coworker modify the lid with openings covered with wire mesh. As for the base, I'm not sure what I should have him do. I need to attach a water bottle, so I will have to decide how it will be attached.

Does anyone have any photos of their bin cages I can use as an example to give him? I want to make sure there's enough air flow, but I'm afraid if there are too many openings, Poppy might find a way to escape. Are drilled holes on the sides okay instead of "windows"? Also, can hamsters chew through bins?

Bin cages can be made pretty simply. Just modifying the lid with a ventilation hole covered in wire mesh if good enough. You don't need to do much more then that. Some people like to get a bit more fancy and creative, but its not necessary.

HC has two bin articles.. Mine..
http://www.hamstercentral.com/user.php?action=viewArticle&a=18

And one by hereticalhistorian..
http://www.hamstercentral.com/user.php?action=viewArticle&a=45 This one is made more simple, with the main source of ventilation being the lid.

Your hamster wont chew its way out if you make the bin properly, like mounting wire mesh from the inside not the outside. Also make sure there are no plastic folds in the design of the bin that go inward. So long as there are no places the hamster can get its teeth around it wont be able to chew its way out.

Water bottles are easy enough to attach. Water bottles can be easily mounted on the inside of the bin by tightening a pipe clamp around the top of the water bottle and attaching bendable wire and hanging it around the side. Most bin lids will close with this piece coming out of it.

http://www.hamstercentral.com/images/articles/18-image4.jpg

Or there are these options!
http://www.hamstercentral.com/images/articles/waterbottle01.jpg

If your worried about there not having enough ventilation, drilling holes in the sides I think would work. I would keep them near the top of the bin. But I suggest keeping it simple for now and just make the lid have an opening. If later you find its to warm or smelly in the bin you can always modify later ;)

Hana
02-15-2007, 10:32 AM
This is my bin:
http://www.hamstercentral.com/forum/vie ... php?t=1501 (http://www.hamstercentral.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1501)

Thanks everyone for the replies on that post, I'm sorry I forgot to say thank you! :oops:

PoppyCorn
02-15-2007, 12:30 PM
Hana, what a nice bin you made for your little Snowy! Do you find that the air holes provide adequate ventilation? BTW, Snowy is a cuuuuutttttie pie!

Holly and Snuggleham, thanks for sharing your bin-making research. And what a great article, Snuggleham! I found your directions informative and easy to understand. I especially like how you show the different methods for mounting water bottles.

Now I'm starting to get a grasp on what I should do. Thanks, guys! :D

SnuggleHam
02-15-2007, 12:33 PM
Holly and Snuggleham, thanks for sharing your bin-making research. And what a great article, Snuggleham! I found your directions informative and easy to understand. I especially like how you show the different methods for mounting water bottles.

Now I'm starting to get a grasp on what I should do. Thanks, guys! :D

No problem PoppyCorn, glad to help! I will do whatever I can to help someone out with making a bin, I LOVE bins lol :oops: If you have any more questions please ask :)

Hana
02-15-2007, 02:06 PM
Aww thanks poppycorn! :oops: Yeh the ventilation is fine, with holes in the lid and sides. But I found he was getting a bit fat in his bin (He doesn't run in his wheel or ball) so I changed him back to the Imac Fantasy cage, so at least he gets the exercise of going up and down the 2 levels.

Butterbean
02-20-2007, 12:40 PM
I love bin cages, I made a huge one for Butterbean and it's cheap and so easy to do.

PoppyCorn
02-20-2007, 08:08 PM
Do you have any photos you could share of Butterbean's bin cage?

PoppyCorn
03-27-2007, 08:02 AM
Poppy's new bin cage is done! :D It looks great!

The guy who made it suggested I wash it out before I put Poppy in it. Does anyone have any suggestions how I should clean it? Would just plain water work or should I use soap?

Hana
03-27-2007, 09:16 AM
yay! make sure you show us some pics!! I would use warm water and a little bit of soap but make sure it is properly washed out :)

PoppyCorn
03-27-2007, 09:40 AM
Thanks for the advice, Hana! I'm anxious for Poppy to try out her new bin. Once I wash it out and put her in it, I'll be sure to share pictures.

The timing for her new bin worked out because she was sick with an upper respiratory infection and mites (I posted another thread about this). I would have been afraid to move her into a new home during her illness because it could have caused additional stress. She took her last dose of Baytril this morning and will be going back to the vet for a recheck on Saturday.

So how's cute little Snowy doing?

Hana
03-27-2007, 09:52 AM
Glad poppy has recovered well! Thats good news, also good timing! :D

I'm afraid Snowy died on friday (there is a post about it in the memorial section) I don't know how he died though, he was only 8 months old, too young :cry: anyway sorry going a bit off topic!

PoppyCorn
03-27-2007, 10:26 AM
So sorry. :cry:
Snowy was a lucky little hamster to have had such a good mom.
May he rest in peace.

Hana
03-27-2007, 01:00 PM
Thanks Poppycorn he will be missed :(

PoppyCorn
03-27-2007, 06:15 PM
Poppystarr and I were just looking at Snowy's photos in the link you posted. He was so adorable and precious. I couldn't find the memorial section though. Is it under another heading?

UPDATE: Souffle showed me where it was. Sorry again for your loss.

Hana
03-28-2007, 09:29 AM
Glad you found it, he was a very special hamster and was taken to soon.

PoppyCorn
04-03-2007, 08:17 AM
Poppy's bin cage is done. It has been her new home since last Friday night. She seems unsure how to occupy her time since she used to bite on her cage bars but now there are no cage bars to bite on. Instead, she's been running on her wheel a lot. Maybe that's good because she seems sort of fat (fatter than she was in those earlier pictures). She weighs 147 grams. Is that okay?

Hopefully she'll get accustomed to her new bin cage soon.

souffle
04-03-2007, 11:45 AM
I am sure she will soon settle in Poppycorn and will be better off for now bar chewing. Weights vary quite a bit but I would say Poppy is a good average weight for a syrian :lol:

sai12
04-03-2007, 10:32 PM
Random, and probably unwanted comment, but I love bin cages too. So easy to clean! You can pick it up so easily and put it in the tub. Much better than when I had a glass tank.

Though I need to get myself something to hang the water bottle with. Mine is up with tape right now (no worries he can't reach it).

Holly
04-04-2007, 01:52 AM
She seems unsure how to occupy her time since she used to bite on her cage bars but now there are no cage bars to bite on.

Mocha was exactly the same when I moved him into the Gabber Rex. He seemed a bit forlorn for a day or two but soon seemed to settle in - especially when he discoverd he could chew on the spout of the water bottle :?

I just made sure he had plenty of "good" chew options.

PoppyCorn
04-04-2007, 05:41 AM
I am sure she will soon settle in Poppycorn and will be better off for now bar chewing. Weights vary quite a bit but I would say Poppy is a good average weight for a syrian :lol:
Glad to know she's average in weight for a syrian. To a male syrian, she probably has a cute figure. :wink:

Random, and probably unwanted comment, but I love bin cages too. So easy to clean! You can pick it up so easily and put it in the tub. Much better than when I had a glass tank.
Not an unwanted comment at all. I haven't cleaned her bin yet so I appreciate the tip.

Though I need to get myself something to hang the water bottle with. Mine is up with tape right now (no worries he can't reach it).
I found a water bottle with a mounting attachment that can be screwed into the bin to hold it on the outside. The nozzle protrudes into the bin through a hole. When I get my pictures, you can see what I mean. As I write this, Poppy started drinking as if she knew I was writing about her water bottle. :lol:

Mocha was exactly the same when I moved him into the Gabber Rex. He seemed a bit forlorn for a day or two but soon seemed to settle in - especially when he discoverd he could chew on the spout of the water bottle

I just made sure he had plenty of "good" chew options.
Good idea about providing other "good" chew options. Poppy always had pieces of wood and toilet paper rolls to chew on but she prefered her cage bars. :roll: Now she has no choice but to chew on the hamster-friendly items in her bin! :D

PoppyCorn
04-07-2007, 05:31 PM
Here are a few photos of Poppy's new bin cage:

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t136/BorisDolores/Poppy/P3240036-1.jpg
I cut up a shoe box and put it over her igloo for privacy. It also makes another level. The bin barely fits on the stand we had her old cage on but it seems stable enough.


http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t136/BorisDolores/Poppy/P3240039.jpg
Here is a view from the top. As she's getting used to her new home, she's been spending a lot of time on her wheel as if she doesn't know what else to do.


http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t136/BorisDolores/Poppy/P3260044.jpg
Here is how her water bottle is attached. It has a rubber ducky in it to remind you when the water level is low.

Any comments, guys?

sai12
04-07-2007, 10:50 PM
That looks really nice!! You've done a wonderful job on that! :)

PoppyCorn
04-09-2007, 08:33 AM
Thanks, sai12. :D

I wish I could claim credit for making it myself...but I can't. I paid my coworker to modify the bin for me. I agree he did a great job!

sai12
04-09-2007, 12:04 PM
Either way it is still really great! :D

Hana
04-10-2007, 08:18 AM
Great bin! I love the little duck in the water!! :lol:

babyboos
04-11-2007, 03:36 PM
what a great job!

lovely bin cage

Holly
04-12-2007, 01:26 AM
It looks wonderful, I'm sure Poppy will be very happy in there 8)

PoppyCorn
04-12-2007, 08:13 AM
Thanks, guys! :D

I'm sure my coworker will be happy to know that his work has been complimented by members of Hamster Central!

Poppy is getting used to her bin and seems to realize this is her new home. She definitely has more room now. Cleaning is so easy too!