Review: Riviera Varazze Mouse/Hamster Cage

[freyashamsters]

As you (hopefully) will have concluded from the title, this post is reviewing the Riviera Varazze Mouse/Hamster Cage.

I was actually quite disappointed with this cage. Firstly it took THE LONGEST TIME (and by that I mean 3+ hours) because we were a clip short and the platforms were too flimsy to hold even the supplied food bowl, let alone my (medium-large) Syrian hamster. But that wasn't even the start. Oh no. Not at all.

After a few weeks I became exasperated with removing and attaching the platforms during the cleaning process. Due to my sheer frustration and the stunned look on my hamster's face after her weight had collapsed the platform, I caved in and removed them altogether.

For a few months, everything was fine and dandy. But there's one thing I didn't mention - Willow (my hamster) is a BIG CHEWER. A VERY BIG CHEWER. You see, I bought this cage mainly for the reason that it was stated to be 'robust' and 'hamster-proof'. Haha. I'll see pigs fly before that thing has any durability.

The plastic on the base of this cage was glossy and attractive. It was also flimsy and thin. I could bend it dramatically while applying minimal force (the joys of attaching the ever-annoying cage clips). Within 2 mere months of being in this cage, willow began to chew the base of the cage. This concerned me as, while raising the possibility of escaping, Willow could also cut herself on the jagged edges of the holes she'd made (something we noticed in her weekly health check). After we had barricaded it with books, she chewed another one. Now, before you start saying I should have provided more stimulation, I did. Not only did she have countless toys, she had 7 (yes, 7) wooden chew toys. Soon after, she chewed another hole. Barricaded it and carried on. Eventually, the damage has become so extreme that we had to remove her from the cage and place her in a temporary, smaller one until we can get our hands on some wood, mesh and an IKEA Detolf.

Overall, I wouldn't bother wasting £50 on this cage. My overall rating for it is 2/5, only given that extra 'star' for its above-minimum cage size (70x40cm).

[Pebbles82]

Yes I had read somewhere that the platforms were a bit flimsy. It definitely doesn't sound like a cage for a chewer of a hamster. And it does sound like she needs to be in a tank. A detolf does have some areas that can be chewed - the internal bars and the end pieces which are wood (or wood type). I think someone had to mesh the inside pieces of the wood ends to prevent chewing, and some people have had to take the bars out and basically silicone seal the detolf into a tank without the bars. Just a thought, that if you are planning to move her, a second hand fish tank might be a better option, if you can find one on ebay. A four foot one went for £30 in my area recently and people have found them cheaper I believe.

A bigger cage might stop her chewing - but some hamsters are just chewers! Is your hamster a Syrian or dwarf? If a Syrian it could just be your ham felt cramped in it as it's on the small side although within the minimum. So maybe just a chewer!

[racinghamster]

That`s a shame you bought this cage which does seem reasonably priced for what it is, but then you could have got a Barney cage or even a Zoozone 2 for a similar price online and possibly had a better home for your hamster. I`m a big Perspex tank-style cage fan myself. Used one for years and it`s housed four different dwarf species.

The Varraze cages would make good mouse cages due to their narrow bars and inner ability to be spaced with shelving, hammocks and such. But the inside layout would need consideration.