Bin carriers?

[fluffymunchkins]

I know i've seen it before somewhere but i just can't find it :/

Anyway, seeing as i only have one hamster carrier and 3 hamsters to take to great alne, i thought it'd be a good idea to make some instead of buying more:mrgreen:
So i would use small straoge boxes with the lid meshed.

I asked my mum and shes fine with the idea so i'm hoping to go shopping and see what storage bins i can find!
I have some mesh left over from doing Treos cabinet cage and i'll hopefully borrow my grandads soldering iron:cool:

Any tips/ideas/suggestions? I'm thinking of decorating it somehow and i'd love it to have a handle, but thats a bit ambitious:mad:

[wofunny]

I was going to make one too, mine will probably be the size of a bunny carrier! :oops: Spoilt smudge... You could maybe put stickers on? Or with fabric paint you could put there names on? good luck! I'm gonna post a pic if I make one :D x

[souffle]

We go to the pound shop and buy the ..well £1 ones. You don't really need to mesh the lids as these are only for travel. We use a drill and put plenty holes in the lid. For travel we prefer the opaque ones like red or blue so the ham feels secure though the lids are see through. You could attach a water bottle and drill a hole for this but we just use a nice chunk of cucumber for fluid. The boxes are around 14in cubed I think and they do very well for us :0

[wofunny]

thanks for that souffle, im just about to look for some suitable boxes :P

[fluffymunchkins]

Thankyou :D I'll be sure to check my poundshops and maybe I will just drill holes!
The coloured boxes will look nice too :)

[lisab]

i had an accident whilst trying to drill a huge crack. i use a soldering iron instead now. :-)

[fluffymunchkins]

Went out shopping today and got the bins :)
They cost a little under £3 cause i wanted the big ones :mad:
They are 14.5 litre and measure approx 22x32cm
I made sure they were opaque ones like souffle suggested and they have a useful double flap opening lid (if you know what i mean)
Haven't decided who will go in the bins or ferplast aladino carrier yet though :/

I also got some wilkinsons own brand hamster food to add to my own homemade mix for variety and bulk, anyone know if its any good?
Its just a cheap food to help save some money.

I found some adorable chew toys in the pet shop too, which i'll show you later ;)

[wofunny]

Good good :) glad you got what you needed x

[fluffymunchkins]

Photos :mrgreen: cause you know i love posting them;)

The two bins, wooden car chew and crocodile chew!

[wofunny]

They look great! :D the croc is cool

[annie81]

i like the crocodile as well :-)

[princess-rhi89]

Maisie has the little postman pat van lol, thats what shes planning to use to come and whisk porridge off into the sunset in :)
I went out today to get a small bin too, Ive got her a 10Litre one and already started to make my carrier. I've cut a square out in the lid to attach some mesh for vetilation and put some small holes around the edge of the lid and around the top of the bin. Ive also made a hole to attach the water bottle for her. :) will put up some pics when Im done :)

[fluffymunchkins]

that'll be great to see :)
I may have a go at drilling later tonight, the lid is quite soft so i'm hoping i'll be ok!

Do you think it'll be ok to just have them in this all teh time while i'm at the show? Or should i still take the cages?
I think i'll take whoever is in the carriers cage, since its smaller!
Possible Peggy since she doesn't like being somewhere different to her cage for too long, plus shes used to being in it after vet visits:) but the others aren't fussed and enjoy an adventure.

[princess-rhi89]

Yea Maisie enjoys an adventure too, Im gonna make up a makeshift cardboard house for shelter in there too so she can have a snooze and she always sleeps in her house never on an open nest. I used a soldering iron to melt mine, got a headache now though from the fumes hehe.
If your gonna drill through the lid rest it on a piece of thick wood if possible as this will absord the vibrations and the plastic will be less likely to crack/split then :) tips from my OH friend hes a retired carpenter so an expert with this sort of thing, and used to breed hamsters so is always handy if I need some advice :)

[fluffymunchkins]

thankyou, i will do!
If all else fails i'll have to get my grandad on it, hes like the most handy guy i know :D

[princess-rhi89]

Thats what grandads are for they are always full of wisdom and knowledge, my OH's friend is like a grandad to us he's 70 and is really good to us. He cut some perspex for me to attach to the end of Maisie's cage where she gnaws, only problem now is shes gnawing the door instead lol, dont think I will ever win, may need to get a red light in my room so she cant see Im awake lol xx

[wofunny]

Rhi yours sounds really good :D x. 

[princess-rhi89]

Thanks Mark I will post a pic once its complete, need to get to wilkinson for some mesh for maisies playpen, so will cut a bit off for my carrier, I will post a pic 2moz of how far I am so you can follow the progress lol, might give FM some ideas too :)

[wofunny]

I think I will start on mine tomorrow if I feel a bit better :) x

[princess-rhi89]

aww still not well sweety? Get Well Soon xx

[wofunny]

Thanks :) I'm so nearly better, I've missed a whole week of school it's really annoying me :/ x

[princess-rhi89]

aww most people would have been happy to miss that much school :p I was the same mind I loved learning it was just the other kids didnt like me so wasnt the best experience

[wofunny]

Atleast it's all over now :) xx

[princess-rhi89]

Yea :D Ive always had my hammies there for me though so I wasnt alone :D and now I have met wonderful people on here like yourself to keep me occupied everyday lol

[wofunny]

Ok I'm off to the pound shop today! Hopefully they will have a good selection of boxes ;)

[fluffymunchkins]

Okies people, got the first bin carrier done this morning and i'm very proud indeed :D
Treo tested it out for me and seems quite pleased too (well not so pleased i got him out of bed mind :roll:)

I managed to find a small water bottle that would fit inside, might need to go buy another for the second bin!
There are lots of holes in the lid and around the top of the bin too, i used cable ties to hold the water bottle in place.

Question - can they have a water bottle instead of cucumber for showing? or do i have to remove it and put cucumber in?

I'm still undecided on whos going in what, but i think i'll defnitley put peggy in one of the bins cause shes the most active.
porridge being obviously bigger and Treo being very lazy, do you think Treo should go in the Ferplast Aladino carrier (medium/guinea pig sized)?

[wofunny]

That looks great Mel! I'm just about to start mine :/ wish me luck...

[fluffymunchkins]

good luck!
Did you find some boxes at the pound shop then?

[wofunny]

Yep it's about the same size as yours :) and I got him 2 corn on the cobs :mad:

[fluffymunchkins]

gutted, should have looke din a pound shop first ;)
But for some reason my town doesn't have one??? i didn't think that was possible!

[wofunny]

OK, just finished! post pics in a bit. it looks messy but who cares?

[wofunny]

here are the pics :D it took me ages and it was very fiddly but im happy with the reasult!

I cut a rectangle in the top of the lid. then i got the top of a Pet Shop brought lid which is meant for a fish carrier :mad: i had to glue it on with a hot glue gun. then i drilled holes on the sides for extra ventilation. when all that was done i put duct tape on the top as the lid was see-through.

[wofunny]

One more for luck :mad:

[fluffymunchkins]

thats really good wofunny :D
I wish mine had a handle!
Smudge looks like he likes it anyway x

[BrainGirl]

that'll be great to see :)
I may have a go at drilling later tonight, the lid is quite soft so i'm hoping i'll be ok!

Do you think it'll be ok to just have them in this all teh time while i'm at the show? Or should i still take the cages?
I think i'll take whoever is in the carriers cage, since its smaller!
Possible Peggy since she doesn't like being somewhere different to her cage for too long, plus shes used to being in it after vet visits:) but the others aren't fussed and enjoy an adventure.

Try putting the lid on top of a small block of wood and drilling through into the wood. At least that way the plastic will be supported and you're less likely to get a crack in it!

Never mind! I just saw that you successfully drilled your holes! Good job btw;)

[fluffymunchkins]

yh, thats exactly what i did :D
I also drilled a tiny hole first and then drilled a bigger hole, making it less likely to crack.

Tried Peggy in it while i cleaned her cage this afternoon and she actually really liked it!
Its even big enough to fit her silent spinner in, so i'll take that along with me and put it in after shes shown.

[princess-rhi89]

aww i feel like im lagging behind now, been out all day today at a classic car show with my OH, so will pop to wilkos 2moz and get my carrier finished. So pics should be up by tomorrow night :) xx

[suga]

If you were showing in the show class - not sure of correct title you would put cucumber in. If its pet class then I'm sure its not a requirement as most pet owners wouldn't know about the "show" requirements. I don't think. ?

[suga]

Meant to say - they are both really good!

[fluffymunchkins]

thankyou suga, i think i will put cucumber for peggy anyway since she doesn't drink from water bottles :roll:

[suga]

Good idea. You could always take a small dish for her if not and change to the dish when you get there.

[Hope]

Wow!! You guys have been busy!!

They look fantastic Mel and Mark. Looks like youre all set to go off on your hamster show adventure!! :-)

[wofunny]

Thank you :D

Rhi, how's yours going?

[souffle]

I would just take the carrier FM and leave the cages. I have judged pets lots of times and it is a much pleasanter experience for the judge when they can get the hammy out of the carrier easily for looking over and these bins are perfect. Chasing a sleepy hammy around a cage or out a tube or small house can be very frustrating and make it look rather 'untame' They are also more protected from the noise and bussle of the show. Just be sure to add food, a source of fluid, some bedding and a small toy.

[fluffymunchkins]

thankyou, will be putting bedding, nest, food, water bottle or cucumber, dog biscuit and a toy of some kind.

[princess-rhi89]

Mines finally done :) I will post some pics later when I get home where my camera is lol. Im very pleased with it :)
although I did manage to melt my hand with molten plastic which was not nice but Maisies worth every bit of pain lol :(

[fluffymunchkins]

can't wait to see it!
Hope you hand is ok though x

[wofunny]

Ohhh neither can I! I hope you didn't hert the plastic Rhi :P jokes hope your hand is ok :) x

[princess-rhi89]

Ive got a blister but nothing serious, Ill survive :D cant wait to get home to take some pics now, should have them on by about 9:30 hope you can wait lol :p

[wofunny]

Lol I will make sure I'm on this thread at 9:30pm :) lol

[princess-rhi89]

Well as promised here is my finished carrier, I hope you like it :)
http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad31/princess-rhi89/DSCI1046.jpghttp://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad31/princess-rhi89/DSCI1047.jpghttp://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad31/princess-rhi89/DSCI1048.jpghttp://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad31/princess-rhi89/DSCI1049.jpghttp://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad31/princess-rhi89/DSCI1050.jpghttp://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad31/princess-rhi89/DSCI1051.jpghttp://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad31/princess-rhi89/DSCI1052.jpghttp://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad31/princess-rhi89/DSCI1053.jpghttp://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad31/princess-rhi89/DSCI1054.jpghttp://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad31/princess-rhi89/DSCI1055.jpg

Rhi .x.

[fluffymunchkins]

ooooh thats so nice and neat too!
I have totally been outshined :)

[wofunny]

WOW! Rhi that is amazing! It looks professional, wanna swap ;) lol

Maisie looks like she loves it :) xxx

[princess-rhi89]

I had to take the little green house out she kept tipping it over with her nose lol

[annie81]

thats amazing rhi!

[princess-rhi89]

Maybe I should start selling them lol, I really enjoyed making it, apart from the melted hand and headaches from melting plastic, but I solved that now, I will make them in the garden so no fumes and wear gloves lol :D

[annie81]

i would buy one ;-)

[wofunny]

Same ^^^ this could be instead of your knitted J-Cloth ;) xx

[princess-rhi89]

or as well as lol, the knitted Jcloth could be your hammies travelling coat to keep him warm on the move :D xx