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Old 11-09-2018, 10:04 AM   #1
pebblethehamster
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Default ikea detolf

hey!!
currently my hamster is in the savic ruddy 2 rat cage, but i think i’m going to upgrade her to the detolf. she gets restless if i haven’t held her in a couple of days, meaning she must get bored easily.

firstly, is it an actually good cage? i see everyone raving about it, but the ventilation is only at the top. maybe i’m just overthinking it as she’s in a barred cage at the moment and there’s no question about it.

secondly, my parents aren’t the biggest fan of it. they don’t really understand why hamsters need to be in a big cage, so they don’t understand why she needs the detolf. they think that my cage (the minimum in the uk) is already so big, they say she’s living like a queen. the cage i have now is also way overpriced, they don’t want to have to spend more money on her than they already did when i found out my small cage was not okay.

i’m not sure how to ask them for it. i think i’m going to ask for it as my christmas present but i don’t think they will want to get it for me. a while ago i brought it up and they shut me down so fast, saying she’s perfectly fine the way she is. as i said, they think she’s living like a queen.

hope you can help!
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Old 11-09-2018, 10:40 AM   #2
mangoandmimi
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Default Re: ikea detolf

Yes it is a good cage, the reason people tend to like detolfs is because you get quite a bit of space for a relatively low price. Although to be honest the detolf price has gone up about £15 over the years so it’s not that cheap anymore.

Ventilation is the least of your worries, it’s so long that there’s more than enough air flow. The bigger issues are that you cannot move it while it’s full, it’s not the most sturdy either, but most importantly it’s that it’s got a low height. So not brilliant for Syrians unless you can make a raised roof - in that case it would be a brilliant cage. If you don’t, 12” wheels don’t fit and 11” ones can sometimes squeeze in. You can attempt to separate the area around the wheel with lower bedding but it isn’t that practical, especially if your hamster burrows around the divider. I only have an 8 inch wheel and still would prefer more height to it!

Negatives aside it does look lovely and I do like it, but the height is something you have to think carefully about if you want a Syrian in there. Quite a few people have put an 11” wheel in there and it’s looked fine so it is doable. One thing - I would really not recommend putting sand straight in the bottom of a detolf where the wheel is, like you see in photos - it can seep out and even if it doesn’t, cleaning it is an absolute nightmare. It can get in the corner connecting pieces and as I’ve discovered the hard way, the detolf needs taking apart to get all the sand back out. Not at all worth it!

I do understand why you’re wanting to upgrade, the Ruffy is often too small for Syrians. The Barney is only £50 and is a significant upgrade if you still want a barred cage, although it is still smaller than a detolf. No height problems though so it’s something to think about. I still think the Barney is on the small side for a lot of female Syrians though tbh, they really can get very restless even with a cage upgrade I’m afraid.
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Old 11-09-2018, 11:12 AM   #3
rebeccastrophe
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Default Re: ikea detolf

I don't know how possible this is for you (age/location wise) but could you ask for money for Christmas and buy the Detolf yourself?

The other option would be for you to collect some articles and studies about why hamsters need a lot of space and share them with your parents. Explain to them how important it is for you to be a responsible pet owner and that you would prefer the Detolf to any other presents.
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Old 11-09-2018, 12:25 PM   #4
WelshHammi
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Default Re: ikea detolf

I have a Syrian boy boris in a detolf and he loves it. He is more of a runner on foot than wheel! So the length for detolf is great for him! I added loads of tubes and hides soche loces nothing more when I hide his food everywhere and he goes on the hunt. I bought my detolf second hand cost me £20 and I had a kallax unit so fits nice on top of that. Really pleased with mine as few of my Syrians needed that space
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Old 11-09-2018, 01:59 PM   #5
pebblethehamster
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Default Re: ikea detolf

thank you so much for the help!!
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Old 11-09-2018, 08:36 PM   #6
Sasha04
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Default Re: ikea detolf

I agree with everyone! The Detolf is an amazing cage! T has lots of room to burrow and run!
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Old 11-11-2018, 05:29 AM   #7
Ruth Edwards
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Default Re: ikea detolf

if you put it on top of the Kallax unit it makes for really good storage
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Old 11-11-2018, 08:16 AM   #8
Sasha04
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Default Re: ikea detolf

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruth Edwards View Post
if you put it on top of the Kallax unit it makes for really good storage
Yes, the KALLAX has lots of storage and is great. You can find a cheap one on Craigslist or off cheap deal websites. I found my KALLAX off of Craigslist for $15.
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Old 11-11-2018, 08:43 AM   #9
alpacassei
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Default Re: ikea detolf

The Detolf is an amazing cage for Syrians, I wish I had space for one!

I also have the Savic Ruffy, I’m using it for a Robo currently but I did briefly use it for my Syrian and had the same issues as you with my hammie becoming restless and bored easily.
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Old 11-11-2018, 11:27 PM   #10
larry ben kenobi
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Default Re: ikea detolf

Another detolf fan here!

If you plan on moving houses soon, they are quite heavy once assembled. Also seconding the point about the sand as I made that mistake once. Now it is in a fishbowl lol.

That said, the detolf on top of a kallax looks quite nice in a room compared to other pet furniture. That was a selling point when I was convincing my partner. The kallax is also a great place to hide your hamster stuff away in bins and keep everything tidy. I second the suggestion you look into a secondhand kallax as it is an extremely common piece of furniture.

I don't know how easy your parents are to convince of things -- mine are also not really chill about my hamster and I don't even live there anymore lol. So you have my sympathy on that front.
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