Cage Review - Alexander

[pinkneon]

Well, this is my first ever review, so pleaase let me know if I've forgotten anything!

Name of cage : Alexander
Size : 101 x 52.5 x 51 cm (L x W x H)
Bar spacing : 1 cm
Suitable for : Syrian hamsters
Price : £69.90 on Zooplus, however with a few other items I got plus a new customer discount I only paid £65!

LIKES :

This cage is HUGE!! The box it came in was massive (we almost fainted lol). There is an enormous amount of space for a syrian hamster to play, climb and run about. It looks lovely once it's all put together. The shelves go all the way round the cage and can be positioned anywhere to make room for beds, toys, wheels etc. You can also take one shelf out so there is only 1. It comes with 3 houses, however I''ve put 2 aside for playtime as we don't need that many! So far we've had NO bar chewing!! There is more than enough room for climbing!! The base is very deep so good for digging. One of the beds is HUGE and is the width of the bottom of the cage. It is big enough for sleeping, hoarding food, hiding and everything else your hamster wants to do! I also love how she has enough room to stand up on both levels. Has a HUGE door on top, and 2 smaller ones on the side.

I would reccomend this cage to everyone, and I think it's worth the money I paid for it!

DISLIKES :

The gap in the middle of the shelves is quite big, which would not be good for jumping - I've had to put a hammock in the middle to stop Belle hurting herself. The ramp up to the shelves is quite slippy - Belle keeps sliding down it, rather than walking down. There are no clear instructions on how to assemble it, so a lot of patience is required. Also, the houses are quite hard to slot together! Is quite heavy, especially once it's all assmembled.

Here is the cage all assembled - before I'd finished putting all her toys in

http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/426036_10151902723915347_1794177139_n.jpg

One of the beds

http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/487946_10151903783015347_1629296144_n.jpg

[Kissa]

Just to say, it's got 7mm bar spacing, not 1cm ;)

[sully]

Looks lovely!!!!!!

[pinkneon]

Thought the bar spacing looked quite small but the website said 1cm ...

[sully]

Better smaller spacing than bigger! :)

[kyrilliondaemon]

Just incase anyone wants a longer review, this (http://mischiefhams.weebly.com/alexander-cage-review.html) is one I wrote ages ago and put up on the hams website :)

Oh and we've found it lighter than a ZZ2, definetly more managable - I can move the Alexanders alone (when full) if I really have to, but could never manage a ZZ2 alone.

The drop from the shelves isn't that dangerous either :) Our Skip enjoyed diving off his reguarly for a while and it never did any harm with a bit of substrate under there.

[Gizmodo ^_^]

The alexander is such a fantastic cage, a true hamster paradise :D

[Lynternette]

Sam's review is spot on. Especially the lack of a larger opening front door. I'm not very tall so find it difficult using the top door. I hated it when I first had it.
The wooden accessories were very pale wood. I just didn't like them. I took them out and put a rustic look in. Now, I love it. I've split it into a space for food, sleeping and a play part. It easily accommodates a 12" wheel or flying saucer or even both. Its paradise if you have a burrowing hamster. I'm just waiting for another one to be delivered and will change that one in the same way. You do need a big space for it.

[AJ Hamster]

I want this cage!!!!
Think i'll get one when i/my sis move out so there's room - only just got enough room for the sky metro - looks much more spacious - put toys everywhere

[Tam909]

I just got the alexander cage, i am putting it together right now literally! just curious how many little pin things did you guys get? i only have 2 but im sure it needs more than that? it comes will a little bit of instructions but they dont look the same as the wood? haha also will i need plasti-kote on the houses or will the shelves do? thanks x :)

[evel_lin]

The pin things are for the wooden ladder, the long bit with the ridges cut into it. I'd plastikote the houses too :)

[Tam909]

haha i've worked it out thanks :) x okay, ill do the shelves first incase i run out, i dont think i will but at least i can take the houses out even when i have my baby :) x

[Becky10]

Quick question, does the cage have a wheel? I am thinking of getting two new hamsters (to live together - I am aware only some breeds/genders can) and was seriously considering the Alexander or Barney cage. But my Syrian now spends loads of time on his wheel and I don't have time to get the hamsters out everyday. Maybe I could get a free standing one? What do people suggest?

[evel_lin]

It doesn't come with a wheel but you can get free standing ones. It just has the houses and shelves

[Becky10]

It doesn't come with a wheel but you can get free standing ones. It just has the houses and shelves
Ok cheers. I'm in such a dilemma because now I'm also worrying that the Alexander cage may be just too big for my place. Maybe Barney will be better. Hmm.

[Knotty]

Hi- thought I would add my thoughts on this cage.

We have three of these cages, they are the perfect cage for a Syrian hamster. They come with wooden shelves (however only two of ours have them as one was second hand!)

They really are massive- their height and their floor space are great- there is so much space for toys, wheels, hammocks, bridges, additional platforms and houses. A great thing about this cage is the narrow bar spacing. I'm not sure exactly the space between the bars- but it's small enough that you can keep dwarf hamsters (possibly even a Chinese) in this cage. The small bar spacing does also deter (but not completely prevent) bar chewing.

I haven't had to do anything to the wooden shelves or the housing- as our hamsters do not wee on them very much! If you have a hamster who likes to wee on wood then you may have to coat them with a hamster friendly coating.

Access is great for this cage- with two small doors on the front cage- and there is a huge top door. Both are secure and easy to open and close.

[Pebbles82]

Please could someone tell me the size of the flat top widthways - ie how wide is the cage at the top before it starts sloping down at each side. Thanks!

[katmick]

Hi Serendipity,the width of the cage before it starts sloping downwards is 37cm (14.5 inches) and witdh of actual cage after it slopes is 54 cm (21 inches).

Alexander is a fabulous cage,I absolutely love it! Best of all my Hetty is so happy in there,she completely stopped bar biting and is really content! The cage is huge. She has her large 30 cm ( 12 inch ) wheel in it with no problems and still tons of space. What I like about it is that it is large but not extremely tall yet has plenty of height which is safe with large wide wooden platforms ( shelves ) .

[katmick]

It also gives really good deep base for burrowing as well as bars are horizontal,so your hammie can climb up happily :)

I like that sloped top prevents monkey barring on top, so it is a very safe cage as well.

[Pebbles82]

Thank you! That helps - so the flat top is wide enough for a 30cm wheel to go up near the top if it was on a platform - that's good news.