Fun Area Leon Small Pet Home

[harryheart]

We used this cage to keep our Syrian, Mifty, in. She absoloutely loved the space and loved the levels; it often kept her occupied. What I want to know is:

Is this cage (picture to come) a good one in general and are the ladders and space between levels a danger to the hamster? And secondly, if we were to get Robo's, would they be suitable for this cage?

Cheers

http://www.hamstercentral.com/gallery/data/570/Mifty_s_new_cage_4.jpg

[Charley101]

The levels/ladders aren't a danger unless they aren't secure. Also, like I said in my PM, keeping pairs or more in a cage with levels is risky due to territorial issues.

[harryheart]

The levels/ladders aren't a danger unless they aren't secure. Also, like I said in my PM, keeping pairs or more in a cage with levels is risky due to territorial issues.

Cheers for the info there. The ladders are very much secure, so it's useful to know that the hamsters can't hurt themselves and that the ladders don't pose a danger.

[Charley101]

That's okay. The distance between the shelves doesn't look too high either so i'm sure it will be fine :)

[harryheart]

That's okay. The distance between the shelves doesn't look too high either so i'm sure it will be fine :)

Okay, that's useful to note. That was one thing I was particularly worried about.

[Questions]

Im sure everything will be fine. Maybe if the robo or robo's keep falling lower them, You dont want anyone getting hurt!

[harryheart]

Im sure everything will be fine. Maybe if the robo or robo's keep falling lower them, You dont want anyone getting hurt!

True. It is feasable to move the levels down so that's always possible to do.

[Erin Loves Dwarf Hamsters]

I would strongly advise avoiding full levels with a pair of robos, they make terrific pairs/groups but it won't take much to set them off and it can be a difficult task to regain the piece again! For a single adult robo I think it would make a fab home as long as you plasticoat the wood if you haven't already and fill the bottom as high as you can with substrate as they love to dig and because the levels don't have walls it obviously means you can't put substrate there.

I would keep the levels where they are because if the robo does take a fancying to bar climbing it means it can't climb too high and so shouldn't hurt itself :) As for the ramps, you could buy lolly pop sticks and make banisters down the side of them if you were really worried and a banister around the holes in each level, robos are quite bouncy though and are usually fine dropping/or jumping small heights if they did decide to give it a go.

Overall it does look like it would be lovely for a lone robo, depending on the size of the bar spacing it may be better suited to a robo over 4 months old. :)

[Kissa]

Erin: It has 7mm bar spacing ;)

Harryheart: I also really would not recommend Robos plural in that cage. My Robo Darla will be moving into a modified one next month, but levels are really not advised for multiple hams due to the potential, almost inevitable territorial issues :) For multiple hams, a large, low cage of at least 70cm by 40cm with no levels and multiple water bottles/wheels/toys/food bowls etc is usually the best way of keeping them together.

[Erin Loves Dwarf Hamsters]

Thanks Kissa, you could probably get away with a young robo in there then :)

[harryheart]

Thanks for the advice there guys. I like the ideas about putting in a banister on ladders and around the holes as it does add that extra security which I do think would be much better for safety. I shall enquire about a makeshift one layer one then as there is a pair that's waiting and I wouldn't wish to seperate them. Thanks for the help guys.

[Ren]

I'm wondering if this cage would be counted as 67+67+67 because of the three full levels and if it would be better than getting my hamster a Ferplast Multy Duna 71 x 46 x 31.

[TraceyH]

Dunno Ren but, I've just adopted a chinese hamster and wonder if this would be suitable for her.

[harryheart]

I'm wondering if this cage would be counted as 67+67+67 because of the three full levels and if it would be better than getting my hamster a Ferplast Multy Duna 71 x 46 x 31.

Personally I do like the fact it has all three levels, it makes a lot more space than it seems because it's almost like a multi story building in respects of a lot of space in one area.

Dunno Ren but, I've just adopted a chinese hamster and wonder if this would be suitable for her.

The bar spacing is ok, one wouldn't get through, but you may want to proof the ladders as someone suggested in an earlier post so that there can't be a dangerous fall, or just make sure the levels aren't too far apart etc. and with a deep level of substrate it should sort it out.

[StarlightSerenity]

I think it's a great cage for those who don't have the space for one that's 80cm x 50cm. I do think a cage with a larger footprint is better than one with levels though but it does make a great alternative :)

[harryheart]

I think it's a great cage for those who don't have the space for one that's 80cm x 50cm. I do think a cage with a larger footprint is better than one with levels though but it does make a great alternative :)

Yea that is true, although you sort of get the same space because of the different levels. Obviously each level is more cramped, but they have a lot of enrichment in climbing and moving from level to level. At the end of the day though I guess it depends on the hamster as well.

[Ren]

I decided to stick to the Duna bur because of chewing and climbing risks. Thanks for the help!

[pinkneon]

Wow! Can I be your hamster please??? I'd love to live in a big space like that! :p

[Whitehologram]

I have this cage and Daisy loves it.

I did pimp it out for her but still even as a basic cage it was great and good enough.....I only did it because I had the extra cage and didn't want to sell it.

I recommend adding slats to the ladders too....My Daisy slid down the ladder one morning and I noticed how unsure she was of walking down them.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/269369_4233048992476_385887279_n.jpg
I used wooden sticks (not tooth picks but bigger...ones you'd use for a BBQ). Two for each little indent in the ladder. I found that helped a lot and she's much safer on the ladders now.

If you wanted you could add plastic around the bottom to make it deeper so you can have more subscrate or maybe wooden walls to increase the depth?

I'm planning on eventually building a base from wood to make it nice and deep for Daisy. Probably next month.

[harryheart]

I love what you've done so far with the cage and what you're planning to do! They sound like brilliant ideas to imrpove and add new additions to the cage, especially concerning substrate. And the hammies do get a nice bit of space, and especially with your addon with the above picture they get so much more! Brilliant idea.

[HorseyMandz]

Am in love with this cage! Min is looking over my shoulder as I type and she looks like she's in agreement xD

[harryheart]

Am in love with this cage! Min is looking over my shoulder as I type and she looks like she's in agreement xD

It's definitely worth the money! Just one air of caution is as Whitehologram stated as well, some hamsters are a bit cautious about the ladders, and secondly with all the wood around they may have a tendancy to chew the wooden floors too, but that shouldn't be too much of a problem as it's possible (and oddly I found it quite easy) to curb that habbit.

[Ren]

I would love to see more pics of this with a 30 cm wheel in it!

[Whitehologram]

I would love to see more pics of this with a 30 cm wheel in it!
Mine has a 27cm wheel in it now but I have a 12" silent spinner on the way so we'll see soon what it looks like with a 30cm :)

[Ren]

Wonderful. I was thinking about using a saucer, have you heard anything about those? I've looked on youtube but it kind of seems like they run weird on them.

[Whitehologram]

Wonderful. I was thinking about using a saucer, have you heard anything about those? I've looked on youtube but it kind of seems like they run weird on them.
Personally I dont like the look of them but I know a lot of people do like them for cages that don't have the height needed for a bigger wheel...but then they take up a lot of floor space.

But who knows, maybe I'll end up getting one of those too. I seem to have a hard time not buying hammy stuff.

[pete_w]

I've just picked one of these up off ebay for £12 odd :D - Was advertised as having 1 cracked corner, but by the time it arrived all 4 corners were cracked lol - Still with a bit of waterproof good quality gaffer tape later its looking good :)

Just need to plastikote the shelving etc. now and should be good to go.

My 2 Chinese girls are the only 2 hamsters i have still in smallish cages (Mini Duna) so one of them will most likely get this and also picked up a Duna Fun "Conversion Kit" from

Small Pet Clearance : DUNA FUN CONVERSION KIT - Turn a Mini Duna into a Duna Fun! : www.EquineCanineFeline.com the place to buy all your Pet Products, Horse Products and Pet Supplies online (http://www.equinecaninefeline.com/catalog/duna-conversion-turn-mini-duna-into-duna-p-15234.html)

for £12.99 + p&p

which the other one can have her cage upgraded to. There seem to be some kits left atm if anyone else is looking to do the same.

[Rosebud]

I've just picked one of these up off ebay for £12 odd :D - Was advertised as having 1 cracked corner, but by the time it arrived all 4 corners were cracked lol - Still with a bit of waterproof good quality gaffer tape later its looking good :)

Just need to plastikote the shelving etc. now and should be good to go.

My 2 Chinese girls are the only 2 hamsters i have still in smallish cages (Mini Duna) so one of them will most likely get this and also picked up a Duna Fun "Conversion Kit" from

Small Pet Clearance : DUNA FUN CONVERSION KIT - Turn a Mini Duna into a Duna Fun! : www.EquineCanineFeline.com the place to buy all your Pet Products, Horse Products and Pet Supplies online (http://www.equinecaninefeline.com/catalog/duna-conversion-turn-mini-duna-into-duna-p-15234.html)

for £12.99 + p&p

which the other one can have her cage upgraded to. There seem to be some kits left atm if anyone else is looking to do the same.

My leon arrived today. I won't unpack it until tomorrow after work but i'm wondering if it was easy to put together and i can't quite work out from looking how the shelves are put in :-k I'm plasti-koting at the weekend. Yours will probably be done before mine. I've also got some bamboo bbq sticks comng to reinforce the ladders!

[pete_w]

The cage comes with a bag of metal "pins" you put the pins in their holes on one side of the shelf and then put it into the cage (resting it on the bars at the level you want it. You then (though the bars on the other side) insert the pins on the other side of the shelf.

[Whitehologram]

My leon arrived today. I won't unpack it until tomorrow after work but i'm wondering if it was easy to put together and i can't quite work out from looking how the shelves are put in :-k I'm plasti-koting at the weekend. Yours will probably be done before mine. I've also got some bamboo bbq sticks comng to reinforce the ladders!
Along the edges of the shelves there are 3 holes (on each side) and you have little metal pins. You have to tap them in once you have the shelves in the right spot.

It's best if you have some pliers for if you need to pull them out if need to change the height of the shelf for whatever reason.

[Rosebud]

Thanks, it will make for an interesting weekend i think :-) i really want to open the package but i'll struggle to put it back in the box so i'd best just be patient. Until tomorrow.

[Whitehologram]

Thanks, it will make for an interesting weekend i think :-) i really want to open the package but i'll struggle to put it back in the box so i'd best just be patient. Until tomorrow.
I recommend painting the shelves with some plastikote or other child/pet-safe paint if you can. It'll be easier if you do it before you put it together and the wood is protected from pee and other messes.

[Rosebud]

Yep, i have that here. I imagine that will take a day on its own

[Whitehologram]

Yep, i have that here. I imagine that will take a day on its own
Might be a good idea to open it tonight to get that done then ;)

[Rosebud]

Too late now and last day at work tomorrow before my hols ... Perhaps i'll finish a bit earlier :D

[Rosebud]

My leon is out of the box and i'm quite impressed. It was very well packaged and everything is intact. Tomorrow i'll check the shelves fit then out comes the plasti-kote!

It came with two wooden tube things with very small holes in. Too small for a syrian. I was wondering if the smaller one could be used to stuff some sort of food in. Ahy ideas what bearing in mind that the hammie can't get in so must be able to drag it out

[Whitehologram]

My leon is out of the box and i'm quite impressed. It was very well packaged and everything is intact. Tomorrow i'll check the shelves fit then out comes the plasti-kote!

It came with two wooden tube things with very small holes in. Too small for a syrian. I was wondering if the smaller one could be used to stuff some sort of food in. Ahy ideas what bearing in mind that the hammie can't get in so must be able to drag it out
Oh yeah, I forgot about those. They are useless. Good for nothing.

[Ren]

I think you should remove it. :O I've heard bad stories about too small logs (them getting stuck and having to cut the thing in half, a poked out eye, etc). It's just better to take it out in my opinion.

[Rosebud]

I wasn't going to put them in. I hate to see waste and wondered if they could be used for something else .... The seesaw will be wellused i think

[Kissa]

It came with two wooden tube things with very small holes in. Too small for a syrian. I was wondering if the smaller one could be used to stuff some sort of food in. Ahy ideas what bearing in mind that the hammie can't get in so must be able to drag it out

Luckily they're perfect Robo size ;)

The guinea pig has one of those that we sometimes stuff with grass and veg, though, so it should also work for a Syrian :)

[Whitehologram]

Luckily they're perfect Robo size ;)

The guinea pig has one of those that we sometimes stuff with grass and veg, though, so it should also work for a Syrian :)
That could work....I admit I'm a bit too lazy to stuff one though. We have a wire food ball that I frequently fill with greenery from the garden and she has a coconut shell for fruit.

I'd love it if Daisy would eat carrots but she hates them.

[Whitehologram]

My leon is out of the box and i'm quite impressed. It was very well packaged and everything is intact. Tomorrow i'll check the shelves fit then out comes the plasti-kote!

It came with two wooden tube things with very small holes in. Too small for a syrian. I was wondering if the smaller one could be used to stuff some sort of food in. Ahy ideas what bearing in mind that the hammie can't get in so must be able to drag it out
You could make carrot sticks (chop them skinny) and add dandelion leaves. That might be fun.

What colour are you doing the levels?

[Rosebud]

You could make carrot sticks (chop them skinny) and add dandelion leaves. That might be fun.

What colour are you doing the levels?

I got clear fast drying enamel plasti-kote. I've been buying wooden asessories/ toys etc (probably spent too much money) and though i'd keep it all natural. The pet loo is plastic but i mignt try and find something natural looking to hide the loo under!

[Ren]

That could work....I admit I'm a bit too lazy to stuff one though. We have a wire food ball that I frequently fill with greenery from the garden and she has a coconut shell for fruit.

I'd love it if Daisy would eat carrots but she hates them.

Deckard seems to hate carrots too! I was so surprised. I gave him several hazel nuts yesterday and he's either hidden them or eaten them. Trying to give him a variety of vegetables and nuts so that he grows properly (he was one of the smaller ones in his litter of 8 siblings, though it was originally 13 [the mamma got a bit stressed over her first litter so the breeder actually took a few of the babies to another hamster that had a litter and she accepted them as her own and Deckard's mamma stopped kulling her litter]). He's digging through his bowl just now. He takes out all he likes and leaves the tiny round seeds that come from the breeder's mix (I'm giving him half and half right now). I think he has already gained a few grams! I need to weigh him tonight. Wow I got way off topic.

[Whitehologram]

I got clear fast drying enamel plasti-kote. I've been buying wooden asessories/ toys etc (probably spent too much money) and though i'd keep it all natural. The pet loo is plastic but i mignt try and find something natural looking to hide the loo under!

I like the natural look too.

I use a coconut shell for Daisy as her loo. Ours broke open really well over a weekend...but you could saw it open. Cut off about 1/3 from the top and dig out the flesh (The little bit where you'd drill to the the milk out is a bit thin on our one but with layers of wood glue and paper it sealed up nicely. Ours broke the wrong side up but it didn't matter) and then add some hammy loo stuff into it, about 1/3 full. I bury Daisy's loo in the subscrate a bit and it stays upright quite well.

It's good because you can clean it and it'll fit in nicely with your natural look.

Deckard seems to hate carrots too! I was so surprised. I gave him several hazel nuts yesterday and he's either hidden them or eaten them. Trying to give him a variety of vegetables and nuts so that he grows properly (he was one of the smaller ones in his litter of 8 siblings, though it was originally 13 [the mamma got a bit stressed over her first litter so the breeder actually took a few of the babies to another hamster that had a litter and she accepted them as her own and Deckard's mamma stopped kulling her litter]). He's digging through his bowl just now. He takes out all he likes and leaves the tiny round seeds that come from the breeder's mix (I'm giving him half and half right now). I think he has already gained a few grams! I need to weigh him tonight. Wow I got way off topic.

I haven't weighed Daisy yet...it never occurred to me that I'd need to. Yeah, Daisy hates all forms of carrot...not dried, fresh, or cooked.

[Whitehologram]

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ixCD2C6kCc4/T_fjVmndEpI/AAAAAAAAGIQ/gqeNFgfZ3k8/s408/2012+-+1
The coconut shell loo.

[Rosebud]

That's a good idea. I'll try that when it comes to replacing the loo or getting another one. I bought some of the hamster mix seeds from ebay to grow my own wild greenery. That would be good for the wood tunnel thing. I haven't weighed Bramley yet. I thought i'd weight a few days. I'm also going to start mixing in Silver's mix in a few days too as it looks much more apetizing. I gave Bramley a small bonio last night. He's hidden it near his nest he's made overnight :-) he's fast asleep but i woke him up when i made the bed and heard him having a little munch. I think he's going to love the Leon. He seems eager to get out of my borrowed cage!