Several Cages I need Tips on!

[Keflan]

I am looking towards getting a Chinese/Campbells hamster. I am researching some cages. I need some opinions on these cages, if anyone has ever had one.

Imac Yo-Yo Hamster Cage Plus > Hamster Cages > Hamsters > Small Animals > Main Section > UKPetSupplies (http://www.ukpetsupplies.com/product.php/5773/245/imac_yo_yo_hamster_cage_plus)

Habitrail Ovo Loft-e-Tower Combo Starter Pack > Hamster Cages > Hamsters > Small Animals > Main Section > UKPetSupplies (http://www.ukpetsupplies.com/product.php/6150/245/habitrail_ovo_loft_e_tower_combo_starter_pack) - This doesnt tell the size of the cage :/

Abode Hamster Home by Coopet | Pets at Home (http://www.petsathome.com/shop/abode-hamster-home-by-coopet-34619)

Thanks

[Lougarry]

Personally, I would consider all of these to be on the small size. A friend's Chinese has recently grown out of her Mini Duna. Chinese like other species do seem to appreciate some space. How about a ZZ1?

[Mona's Humans]

my chinese is in a £10 wilko's bin cage, its 70 x 50 i think, or around those lines, and she loves it!

[Kissa]

They're all just about big enough for a single dwarf, but to be perfectly honest if I was buying a cage of that size, I'd go for the mini duna for value for money, and having kept a dwarf in a mini duna, I'd always suggest buying a bigger cage anyway ;) The Imac Bingo (http://www.monsterpetsupplies.co.uk/p-15628-imac-bingo-guinea-pig-habitat.aspx) is another option to the ZZ1, if you're liking the style of the Imac Yoyo ;) Plus even though it's a "guinea pig" cage, I don't believe it needs meshing?

[Michelle89]

Iv got a habitrail ovo loft and it is a good cage its nice and long but not very wide would be ok for a dwarf but I also just made a bin cage for Sanibel but she was always hiding so I went out and got her a mini duna and she loves it she's always out playing with her toys day and night so I guess she prefers a more enclosed feeling. I think for the money the duna is brilliant but you can get the loft for like £29 on ebay so its not overly expensive the only thing I don't like about it is the fact its soo curvey its a nightmare to fit toys in because they can't sit to close to the walls if they are tall as the lid won't go on and the base isn't flat so it does make life a bit more difficult than the duna where its all nice and sqaured off lol x

[Bekki2308]

My chinese is in a wilkos bin that cost £10 , it measures 80 x40 cm and I spent £3 on the stuff to make it a good cage

http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/35904_10150947120052573_779327572_11561507_7065806 26_n.jpg
Chin is the middle bin.

Or a zoozone one :-) or a perfecto tank perhaps?

[Keflan]

I was thinking of a ZZ1. But I am limited for space at the moment as I will be keeping it at my girlfriends. Which is bigger tje ZZ1 or Imac Bingo?

[Gizmodo ^_^]

I was thinking of a ZZ1. But I am limited for space at the moment as I will be keeping it at my girlfriends. Which is bigger tje ZZ1 or Imac Bingo?

The ZZ1 is bigger, i own both cages, with the zoozone being used for one of my winter whites, and the bingo for my roborovski :)

[Keflan]

Do I need to Mesh anything or are they fine as it is now?

[Gizmodo ^_^]

Do I need to Mesh anything or are they fine as it is now?

The Zoo-zone needs meshing, only reason mine isn't meshed is due to there not being any high toys
The Bingo does not need to be meshed

This is the Imac Bingo
http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb138/RachK_album/DSCF2527.jpg

This is the Zoo-zone
http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb138/RachK_album/DSCF9936.jpg

[Keflan]

I am liking the Imac Bingo. Do you know where the cheapest place is to get one?

[Lougarry]

Monster Pet Supplies is the best I've seen so far, £37 inc delivery:
Imac Bingo Guinea Pig Habitat | Monster Pet Supplies - Imac Bingo Guinea Pig Habitat at 100% Guaranteed Low Prices in UK (http://www.monsterpetsupplies.co.uk/p-15628-imac-bingo-guinea-pig-habitat.aspx)

[Lougarry]

Scrub that! Pet supermarket are doing it for £34.30 and free delivery:
Imac Bingo - Pet Supplies & Pet Accessories | PET SUPERMARKET Online Pet Store (http://www.pet-supermarket.co.uk/products-Imac-Bingo_CA0848.htm)
I've never bought from either so not sure how reliable they are.

Anyone got any views?

[Keflan]

Ahh I will get it from there then. What do people use the hay rack for? Or do they just scrape it and not use it?

[Gizmodo ^_^]

Scrub that! Pet supermarket are doing it for £34.30 and free delivery:
Imac Bingo - Pet Supplies & Pet Accessories | PET SUPERMARKET Online Pet Store (http://www.pet-supermarket.co.uk/products-Imac-Bingo_CA0848.htm)
I've never bought from either so not sure how reliable they are.

Anyone got any views?


They are who i ordered my Bingo from, i had fast delivery and no problems :D

[Lougarry]

I just ditched the hay rack with the ZZ2.

[Keflan]

I just checked the measurements and unfortunately I have no space to put the Bingo.

How long do you think a Chinese/Campbells can stay in a Mini Duna for? Until I make some space for the Imac Bingo.

[kyrilliondaemon]

Why not wait to get the hamster until you've got space for a good cage? Surely thats better for the hamster?

A mini duna may be fine for life but I personally think its pretty lousy to get a smaller cage than is ideal because you want the hamster more than you want it to have the better cage you wanted to give it.

[Mona's Humans]

I agree with Sam, you already don't have room to get a better sized cage for the guinea pigs, so if you can't fit in a decent sized cage for a dwarf, maybe hold off on the dwarf. I mean if you are planning on having it in a Duna for life then okay - i'm not saying thats bad, but i would have thought the first priority should be finding extra space for and upgrading your piggies, before adding more pets you don't really have the space for..... sorry

[Keflan]

I bought another cage for the GPs. They are in seperate cages but see each other when out to play. But still fight.

[kyrilliondaemon]

Does that mean you have both living alone? If so my priority would be finding a better living situation for them before buying another pet.

I'd also rearrange as much as needed before buying the chinese but thats just me - my hams have taken over the room we all spend most of our time in lol

[Keflan]

Whats wrong with them living alone?

[kyrilliondaemon]

I'm no expert but I'm like 99% sure that guinea pigs are like rats and should never, ever live alone. Thats just from what I've heard/read though, they're one of the species we don't want to own so I've not done the research much.

Yup, I saw you being told it here (http://www.hamstercentral.com/community/miscellaneous-chat/22237-any-guinea-pig-owners-here-advice-please-6.html)

[Keflan]

But my friend back in school had one alone and it was very active and lasted him for about 4 years.

Plus if they are going to fight then I am not going to risk keeping them together. They fight in the cage and out of the cage.

[kyrilliondaemon]

Your friend may well have done so but they're social animals to the extent where many would view keeping them alone as cruel - especially when you know better.

If you're not prepared to try and reunite them I'd probably focus on finding new, different friends for them. As was advised in the thread I linked you to.

[Bekki2308]

Whats wrong with them living alone?

Please visit theguineapigforum.co.uk for further information as I am far from an expert but the following is advice I have learned from there.

Guinea pigs should be kept in pairs, just because one pairing fell out does not mean each guinea pig has to live in solitude, they can be taken to a rescue to pick a new friend. I havent read your post well but given the two are fighting id guess they are males , males can live with males happily but if you buy them as babies and just buy any random two its likely they will fall out during their teenage phase, by going to a rescue your boys can pick their own friends and will likely be friends for life form that point onwards (just think of sharing a room with a sibling, you are forced to live together, forced to share things, fight over the light being on , fight over beds etc etc .. but if you choose to share a room with somebody you like e.g. OH you get along fine even in teh same space).

If your fighting pigs have drawn blood do not put them back together, do not even try it as its likley to end in death of one of the piggies.

I have a pair of boars in a Ferplast 140 which is a great cage btw (5ft x 2ft), and a trio of girls in a 6ft x 2ft homemade pen that cost £11 to make. Cages that are too small and not having two/three of everything can cause fights.

[Keflan]

We got 2 males from the same litter.

[Bekki2308]

We got 2 males from the same litter.

so? that is no guarantee they will get along. Go over to theguineapigforum.co.uk explain your situation , cage sizing, space, where you live etc and they will offer you awesome advice and tell you where the nearest rescue that does piggy dating is, some will even try to rebond your males (but this rarely works). It depends what level of falling out your boars are at.

I post over there under the same username, it is a very friendly forum with loads of great members :-)

ill take a wild guess that it was pets at home/some other useless pet store they are from and they told you they would be best friends for ever living in a 100cm cage because they were litter mates? Boars are unpredictable and need bigger cages but I love them to bits and will never be without a pair!

[Mona's Humans]

Keflan, i've said before Guinea pigs should only live alone in severe circumstances, they should not live alone just because one pairing fight. Its cruel, and as for your friend having one that 'lasted' 4 years - piggies can live upwards of 8 years, so that's not a fabulous argument! please find them a mate each, and get them decent sized cages to try and avoid fighting issue. Alternatively you could try and re-bond them.

Either way, if your not going to put them back together, please stop introducing them and separating them at play times as its stressful for them!

I will add that i find the guinea pig forum a completely different experience, but would recommend Guinea Lynx for all the info you need :)

[Lougarry]

A C&C cage would be a great idea for the piggies, as it can be made in all sorts of shapes/configurations to fit the available space if it's tight. You can get the Grids and clips on eBay, e.g.
C&C GUINEA PIG HEDGEHOG LARGE INDOOR RUN PLAY PEN CAGE METAL GRID CUBE NEW UK | eBay (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/C-C-GUINEA-PIG-HEDGEHOG-LARGE-INDOOR-RUN-PLAY-PEN-CAGE-METAL-GRID-CUBE-NEW-UK-/360394794681?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Small_Animals&hash=item53e93426b9#ht_6413wt_922)
I so wish you could get them with smaller squares as they'd be great for hamster playpens.

[Bekki2308]

I so wish you could get them with smaller squares as they'd be great for hamster playpens.

You can get them where the grids are not mesh and are solid plastic http://i01.i.aliimg.com/photo/v0/343307155/Storage_Plastic_PP_Cube_For_Shoes.jpg like this but with grids 14" like the metal ones on ebay :-) just couldnt be bothered trying to steal the image off ebay so I used this off google :-) I am going to use the 14" solid plastic ones as a play pen ... ill post some pics over here when I do it ... I bought the grids to add hay lofts to my guinea pigs cages :-)

Keflan you can make cheaper cages than C&C by just using correx that is thick if your budget is really tight
http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/577689_10151005365032573_779327572_11621324_163447 5512_n.jpg
This is 6ft x 2ft and cost £11 + delivery for the correx , its a great size for two pigs!http://www.protection.co.uk/products/proplex-5mm-recycled-plastic-sheeting/

[Lougarry]

Thanks, Bekki, would love to see pics when it's done :)

[Charley101]

Sort of jumping into the thread but I personally hate the adobe. I have seen it in p@h and it is just horrible!

[Keflan]

Money isnt much of a problem at the mo its just space. Only other place I can put them would be outside and I dont think outside would be good for some GPs, with the cold and wind at the moment.

I got the 2 from the local pet store, but my girlfriend bought the cage. She said she done the research and people were saying the Ferplast 100 is good decent cage on several sites so she bought that one.

About giving them both a bath, would it be best to put them both in the bathtub and wash them both together in shallow water of course or seperately?

[Charley101]

I used to wash my guineas in the sink as it was easier

[Bekki2308]

Money isnt much of a problem at the mo its just space. Only other place I can put them would be outside and I dont think outside would be good for some GPs, with the cold and wind at the moment.

I got the 2 from the local pet store, but my girlfriend bought the cage. She said she done the research and people were saying the Ferplast 100 is good decent cage on several sites so she bought that one.

About giving them both a bath, would it be best to put them both in the bathtub and wash them both together in shallow water of course or seperately?

For two boars a 100 is stupidly small, where on earth recommended that? A 120 is barely big enough and a 140 is perfectly fine. C&C is great too and you can build them to fit your space, you could do a two level cage to give them more room. Big sheds make awesome guinea pig homes and you can insulate and ventilate them and plumb proper heating in...

For bathing I wash mine seperately ... I have on storage bin of water, one with piggy in and I just use a jug at a time of water ... means if piggy jumps they are on the floor anyway and I do this in the bathroom so any spills can be caught. I have the other boar in the room at the time. I tried bathign in my sink ... one nearly jumped out and that fall is massive so I use storage boxes on teh floor now :-)

[mangoandmimi]

Our pigs are outdoors in a (fox and shepherd proof) c+c cage. it's not huge but they spend a lot of the day outside anyway. i can't really see how the boys would fit into anything smaller!
They're washed in the sink, separately, they hate it so i couldn't possibly do them together!