Unique Idea For Cage, Question...

[carefresh]

I haven't been on here for ages ! Feels good to be back. I have been really busy lately, so i had to put my desire for a hamster on hold. But its back ! And this time i'm definately getting one ! Hurrah !



I am crazy about building extravagant enclosures for my pets, so of course, i wont be skinmping out on my hamster cage. The enclosure will be conpletely made out of plexi glass, with sliding doors at the front. There will be a dark nesting room as well of course.



http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y79/carefresh/cageexteriorfront.jpg



Now, my question is, i always like to make my animals environments natural looking. SO iwas wondering if i could actually plant my hamsters cage ! It would basically have a dirt base, then have a short ground cover plant, and a few other small plants for esthetic reasons. Of course i would find out whether they would be toxic if he ate them, though i'm not too sure how i would find this out. Would this be a healthy and safe idea ? If not, i will throw it down the drain, though i must admit it would be awesome. He would definately still have fluffy bedding inside his nesting box though.



Thank you so much for your help,



~ carefresh

[babyboos]

Syrian hamsters live in grain fields normally in quite arid conditions which would be hard to replicate - you would be better to use a nice deep mix of wooden and paper based (such as CareFRESH) cat litter. Fluffy bedding is a big no-no - shredded unscented, unbleached toilet tissue is by far the best nesting material you can offer.

[Emma]

I think for hygiene reasons, you need to clean out thoroughly at least once a week, so it would be much more sensible to use a litter you can remove easily. The hamster won't mind if it's natural looking or not, only whether it fulfills his needs! Which are space, hygiene, safety, entertainment, and basic needs like somewhere to nest, sleep and drink.



You need to sort some ventilation out as well, if it's made completely out of plexi glass there seems potential for it to get hot and humid inside. Especially if you're growing plants in there, it'd be like a terrarium. Good ventilation is essential to avoid a build up of ammonia from the hamster's urine, which will give a strong smell and irritate the hamster's eyes and throat.

[carefresh]

Sorry...double post... :oops:

[carefresh]

Hmmm...i always heard/read that Syrian hamsters lived in desert and rocky areas ? But i am sure that u know ALOT more about hamsters than me, so, whatever.



I was a bit worried about hygiene resons, but i was sort of thinking about how pet reptiles who live in planted environments, and they do jsut fine. So what would be required to keep the environment hygienic ?



Sorry, i didn't mean fluffy bedding, i meant something like careFRESH mixed with TP. I also didn't mean to say dirt, i was more of linking along the lines of sand ?



Ventelation wise, yes i realised that he would need ventilation. I was considreing either putting wire mesh on the ceiling, or just around the top edges.



Another question, would a hamster eat the plants?



Even if this doesn't work out to be safe or hygenic for a hamster, i do still find the idea quite interesting. So please say your comments...



Thank you for all your help...



~ carefresh

[Skwee]

Agreed, this is an interesting issue, like... do hamsters do better in more 'natural' conditions and is running in the wheel a stereotypic behaviour or do they enjoy it etc.



But like someone pointed out... its hard nigh on impossible to replicate their habitat!



Also with the hygiene... reptiles don't pee like hamsters do so with them you don't get the whole 'ammonia' problem (which smells really bad and will make the hamster ill.



You are probably better off maknig a plexiglass tank kind of thing and putting loads of shavings in so that the hamster can burrow or something...



Natural is good in some cases... but not this.



Better off focusing on the whole 'environment enrichment' and studying which toys, food, beddings etc effect your hamster and which ones they use most.



Not sure.. i'm rambling now lol

[nooboo]

one problem is our pet hamsters are far in a way removed from the wild type... at least in syrians, they are highly inbreed, and are not suited to wild living at all anymore.



a big sand areas may be a good thing, i would worry about all the floor as it, as though they like sand baths and use it as a toilet, it would maybe be sore on ther feet if they could rarly get off it? not too sure on that.



could put a few nice well cleaned (and maybe ovened to sterilise ) stones in the cage to add to it.



its very hard to simulate wild living. not much is known on how hamsters really survived in the wild, exactly what they ate' and most their homes were simply dug up, not examined closly to see what they did where. most cages a hamster is fine in, nice bit of bedding ,some good soft nesting, a sand bowl in, food a tunnle, something to chew and a place with the nesting to hide in... throw in a wheel and you have a happy hamster.



thats my opinion anyway

[carefresh]

Thanks for all of your views guys,



Good point about the sand hurting their feet if they can't get off of it enough, so i was thinking about kind of building a structure of platforms and stuff in the air, for enrichment, as well as being able to get of the sand. He will aslo be able to sleep off of the sand as well in his nesting box. Would thios solve the problem ?



As for the amonia issue, i'm guessing that sand would not react like cat litter, and u would be able to jsut see "clumped" spots where he peed ? So what if i potty trained him ? Would he be able to be potty trained enough so that he barely if ever peed on the sand ?



And i actually completly forgot about tunnels, how could i ? lol Well, i guess i could actually make some fake rocks, and put tunnels going through them, with loads of openings and stuff.



I honestly will go to almsot any extent to make this as natural, workable, and safe as possible. This is turning into quite an interesting, yet complicated, idea.



Thanks for all your help,



~ carefresh

[carefresh]

I've decided that i am probably going to scratch this idea for now because a)its going to be really expensive b)going to take ALOT of time and c) there is WAY too much stuff that could go wrong



Thanks for all your help guys,



~ carefresh