Aloha!

[squee]

Okay, so I'm not Hawaiian but it would be totally awesome if I was, right? :P

Anyways, I don't have a hamster, won't be getting one until the end of this month but I am very patiently waiting...NOT!!! But I am trying to read up on as much information as I possibly can. So I came here. Welcome me, already.





Squee (oh yes, squee shall be my hamster's name, as well. lolz)

[carefresh]

Hello squee ! Welcome to the forum ! You will definately learn alot of information here, i certainly have ! So welcome and i hope you have fun talking to all of us ! (i dont have a hamster yet either, and i am also patiently waiting !)

[hammydude]

Hiya squee :D :P :D Happy to know that you are researching hams before you get one. Are you getting a syrain hamster or do you not know yet?

[SnuggleHam]

Hello Squee, welcome to the forum! Its always so exciting when getting a new pet! I hope that you have been doing your research!! do you have any other pets at the monent? and do you know what kind of hamster you plan on getting when you are finally ready for one?

[squee]

I am going to get a Syrian hamster. Hopefully a Long-haired hamster with orange and cream-ish markings (not sure of the correct term, but I do have a picture of it somewhere). I'm not sure whether I will get a male or a female. I have decided to call my hamster Squee but it sounds much better as a girl's name. I've heard that females go into heat though, and smell a bit. My mother would skin me alive if she smelled it. :P



I also have a Bichon Frise (dog). She is female and 5 yrs. old. :) She is evil. Very evil. But cute.





~Squee~

[SnuggleHam]

Can they really smell that bad? I don't think that female Syrians would really make a big stench. Just got to keep things clean is all.



A Bichon Frise huh... It seems like everyone has one of these, either that or a Boston Terrier these days :P

[Coco1]

Welcome squee. Glad you picked this forum (It's WAY cooler!)

You and Carefresh should get along well then, both desperately waiting for their hammies! :D

[squee]

Forgot to add that I am having a hard time deciding on a cage. I would like to get a Habitrail and add on tubes and such but I would also like to have tub cage. Should I connect them in some way?

[SnuggleHam]

Bin cages are great!! if you want you could attach the cages together with the special adapter from Habitrail which will allow you to run tubes into the bin cage. I say the more room for the hamster the better, so if you have the space to use a bin cage and attach on other accessories I'd say go for it!

[squee]

Only setback is the cost. I only have two places in my city where I can buy Habitrail, Wal-mart (limited supply) and my pet store (not sure of what they have.) I am thinking I will buy the tub and set it up. Save up some more money and buy the main part of Habitrail and the maze. Then I can ask for add-ons for my birthday, etc.

[SnuggleHam]

Honestly I think that Habitrail is over-rated, you probably just want one because they look fun for both you and your hamster, but the truth is that bin cages can be much larger and therefore have more room. The supplies needed in order to put a bin cage together are much less then buying a cage like a Habitrail. Furthermore you aren't limited to how you want your cage to be with a bin, you can add levels, tubes whatever and wherever you want.



But it's up to you.. I thing Syrians especially should have more room than most commercial cages offer.

[Coco1]

I have to agree with Candace. The tubs do have way more room. My friend has a Habitrail and their hamster is pretty large, so it can be a tight squeeze for him going through those tubes. Plus the bin cages are WAY easier to clean! Again, I've heard that the Habitrails can look cool but they can be a pain to clean as you have to take apart all the tubes etc. (Just going from what I've heard, I've never owned one).



I put my Nibbles in his new home last week, a larger aquarium. Like the bin cages (which by the way are much cheaper and lighter!) they're nice and big and have a good walking space, plus you can still build a second level as mentioned and add those tubes too! I think you'll have the best of both worlds! I think if you do get the bin cage you'll show others that you're thinking of the hamster first! A lot of people are now converting to them :-)

[SnuggleHam]

convert... you can't fight the urge to convert!!

[Coco1]

LOL Candace!

I forget now ... how many bins do you have again? Is it two with a couple of tanks also? :D

[squee]

I am going to be getting a tub but I will also buy bits and pieces of Habitrail for my hamster to play in like the maze and such.

[carefresh]

Thats a good idea, because now you get a bit of both !

[babyboos]

That is probably the best idea. I have used the Habitrail range personally - I remember begging my parents for months to get a Habitrail for my Christmas - we are going back a fair few years here! :oops:



(They had just come out if that gives you any clues)



I remember it quite vividly as one of my 3 month old Syrians actually died in the box bed thing you see coming out of the main unit and I blame it entirely on the huge amount of condensation that used to build up in there. The bedding was always sodden. I had the maze, the food bar, all sorts of out houses and tubes. Every birthday and Christmas for a while I used to get bits and pieces from their range. The wheel was good certainly being enclosed, though a little small for the huge hamsters we seem to have nowadays.



I still have it all in the attic though it is slightly chewed in places as I housed a pair of gerbils in it for a while. Looking at the maze now it seems so lame :( The ranges have changed only slightly over the years and i know a lot of people who get hamsters from me go home to house them in Habitrail units. I warn them to keep an eye on them as they develop and to upgrade if necessary to larger enclosures, wheels etc.