Extreme Tank Makeover!!

[HollyHamster]

So, I am currently looking across the room at Holly's tank and it looks sort of, well, bland, empty, and uninteresting. I need help in making it over to be better than before. Here is what we have to work with.

http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s83/oceanblue28/100_0631_zps77ef53df.jpg

I want shelving of some sort, but don't know how to go about doing it. Any ideas?

[kyrilliondaemon]

Maybe a platform on legs? We use the trixie ones in our syrian hutches but I've seen people make their own from wooden shelves in hardware stores sometimes.

[barryg69]

i would use perspex held in place with aquarium grade silicone

[HammieandMerlin]

You can make little tables from items at craft stores like Michaels, if you go into their "wood crafts" area, where the birdhouses and stuff are there are loads of DIY tank opportunities! Since you have that wicked background I think you have a solid opportunity to go with a like, natural look if you were interested. Best place for things like that are the reptile sections at places like petsmart, or your awesome petco. Fish decor also has some really neat stuff. Best thing about reptile stuff is that a lot of it can work for syrians or dwarfs, as you can get different sizes :3 I hope some of that helps c:

[HollyHamster]

I found a large corner shelf for the shower stall on Amazon. It has suction cups for hanging on smooth surfaces like tile or glass and will hang nicely in the tank. The only thing I do worry about is if it pops off the wall while Holly is on it. I'll have to think of some way to reinforce it. I also bought a small wooden ladder type thing for it so Holly has a way up.

[Ilovehamsters]

Pretty 3d stickers on the outside?

[DrKMcK]

All this talk about changing tanks is making me itchy to do a total makeover for Patches. I love the background you have for Holly. I've got to think about this. I have tons of stuff around since the boys passed away. Everyone's ideas are so great. I'd be really interested in what you come up with for Holly. :-)

[Kissa]

Does Holly like digging? I'd suggest putting the wheel/food/water on a shelf or something so you can have a deeper layer for digging around in. For the shelf you can get wooden corner shelves and dowel from hardware stores and stick them together with wood glue.

Other ideas: You can get bits of cork and driftwood/bogwood from reptile sections at pet shops that look awesome and natural too, if you like the natural look :)

[petal10]

It looks like there is a lot of height in the tank that could be used, so as others have suggested, shelves may be the way forward. Also, how about those hanging bridges you can get, hung from the lid?

[HollyHamster]

I just got done modifying the bird ladder I bought. Its rungs were what I needed but the space in between them was a bit much for Holly to navigate. Hamsters aren't nimble climbers by any means.

So, I took some popsicle sticks and placed them on the ladder in a way that they offer support in between the rungs, while the rungs still function as a means to help Holly propel herself up. In laymens terms, I glued popsicle sticks to one side of the ladder, making a rather nice ramp. The glue on the modified ladder/ramp is still drying so I have yet to see if that will work for my dear little fluffball. I am more than anxious to see if she can use it.

To coax her up to the second level, I've placed several pieces of dried papaya up there. That and her boundless curiosity should be motivation enough. If all goes well, I might add further additions to the second level. I am heavily contemplating adding a suspension bridge, but I don't know where I would find one. Ebay, perhaps?

EDIT: Added a good deal of bedding to the tank too, so its much deeper.

[arikata]

Ebay have some fab bridges :)

You need a theme!!x

[StaceyFray]

Hi im new in this site :) you can try creating shelfs like if it were floors and some stairs with popsicle sticks

[rmarkham]

I made a shelf for a 20G high tank! I took thin strips of balsa wood and used velcro tape to attach them to the sides of the tank. These act as a sort of ledge for the mail second level to rest on.

I then took a large flat slab of balsa wood and placed it on the ledges to complete the level. The flat piece of wood rests on the ledge without any glue so it's very easy when it's cage cleaning day.
I'm terrible at explaining things...so here are a few pictures.
http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff431/rmarkham6/DSC04382_zpsa5f03818.jpg
http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff431/rmarkham6/DSC04395_zps60335f27.jpg
http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff431/rmarkham6/DSC04396_zpse5894efd.jpg