Bin cage

[Golden_Syrian_Hammmies]

I'm planning on making a bin cage and was wondering what size of bolts, nuts and washers would I need just so I know what to ask for? It is a Samla bin from Ikea.

[POLAR WHITES]

Just a thought you could use cable ties instead if you wanted

[Golden_Syrian_Hammmies]

Yeah I had thought about cable ties as they definitely would be easier. I read though that hams can be tempted to chew them so thought maybe that wouldn't be escape proof.

[POLAR WHITES]

I've never had a hamster chew through them to escape but they could. I think you add quite a few it would take them a long time to chew each one until able to get out. At which point you will probably of noticed them being chewed and as they are easy to add new ones he won't be able to escape

[Golden_Syrian_Hammmies]

Yes I actually realized I am getting the 6mm galvanized mesh which deters chewing of the wire because the squares are small. I ordered 100 of the small clear cable ties for something else so thinking it might work and they are much cheaper and easier to fit than screws etc. Thanks for you help :)

[Nancy's Hamsters]

Just a FYI Hamsters with clever minds learn very quickly how to loosen and remove the nuts, and escape. Only cable ties mine have found fun to chew off was ties which were medium thickness, they totally ignored the smaller thickness cables. I use two cable ties to hold the water bottles to the side of the bin. to make the cable able to be released again and again, I simply twist the open cable so the end of the secured cable won't lock but instead slide up and down the cable. Only one very naughty Tort girl has found she can chew that cable and cause her bottle to fall out of the bin. For that girl I use a bit of flexable gauge wire to hold the bottle securely to the outside of the bin.

[Golden_Syrian_Hammmies]

Thanks for that info Nancy :grin: even what we think is secure cheeky little hams will have a go at escape. Yeah they are pretty small ties, I think they are 3mm or something like that maybe but are strong enough. I'm realizing I would need to drill a small hole though as the drill bit I intended to use is bigger and then there would be a gap between the cable tie and the hole and little teeth could be tempted to chew that bigger.