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Old 03-08-2017, 11:20 AM   #11
Trioxin
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Join Date: Sep 2012
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Default Re: Bin Cage for a Syrian

I'll ask my Dad to pick up some boxes from the fishing store he goes to regularly, can't help but try.

I'm trying to get her out roughly 8pm since she starts stirring around that time, and I think if I cover up her view of me while I'm still awake she realises it's not time to be out, early doors I think yet still but I like being prepared.

Noted, I'll mess around with it more when it's up tonight. I think I probably will be able to keep the Alaska if I get her into a routine and don't reward her for chewing the bars but we will see.

My bad, it's mainly for my benefit since I haven't got the best memory but I'll remove them now
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Old 03-08-2017, 01:13 PM   #12
Pebbles82
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Default Re: Bin Cage for a Syrian

I think your cage looks good and not too much at all, and yes it looks like a 12" Flying Saucer. I think I would take the hanging ladder out. I had one of those and decided it was dangerous. Rat sized sputniks are good if you hang them next to the shelf.

So - I also think more substrate would make a difference. Sort of fill the base. It doesn't have to work out more expensive as when it's deep you can just spot clean mainly, especially if she uses a litter tray. The bottom half tends to stay dry and you can do big cage cleans much less often.

Fitch is very popular on here - it's sold in bulk (paper substrate similar to Carefresh but less dusty) and that works out cheap, plus Hams seem to really like it.

So I think I would:

Take out the hanging ladder
Add a lot more substrate - fill the base - which might then mean moving the shelf up a bit higher and less open space above it.
Add a rat sputnik to hang next to the shelf and put some paper bedding in it. Our hamster used to love dozing in his sputnik but only if it had bedding in it.

That should make it feel less open from above in the Sputnik area.

It could be an idea to add a couple of small extra shelves as well. Corners can feel a bit open and they like to sit under something.

I had a couple of these lava ledges that just screw in. I used to put one in a corner over the shelf and our Hamster liked to sit under it.

I think though, if you had the Trixie wheel as well - maybe back left corner, and left the flying saucer where it is, that would also block off some of the open space and she may love having a wheel as well as a flying saucer.

Lava ledge

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kaytee-Was-...rds=lava+ledge

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nobby-Sputn...ds=rat+sputnik

I found our hammy wasn't interesting in toys basically - unless they had food stuck to them or unless they were round and he could curl up in them. Like the sputnik or like a round coconut hut I had.

The only thing is if you still end up moving her it's a bit of a waste spending money on a sputnik and lava ledge that you couldn't use in a tank style cage (well you could use the Sputnik upside down on the floor then I guess).

More substrate and a wheel might do it so maybe try that first

I noticed you said you adopted her. How old is she?
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Old 03-08-2017, 01:27 PM   #13
Trioxin
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Default Re: Bin Cage for a Syrian

Noted! She's due playtime soon so while she's out I'll do some messing around. I'm due a trip to the pet store on Saturday and I'm sure I've seen some lava ledges and sputnik's so I can probably pick something up then.

I was told she's roughly five or six months I believe~
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Old 03-08-2017, 02:57 PM   #14
Trioxin
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Default Re: Bin Cage for a Syrian

Someone took a very long time to wake up properly today haha.

She's just had some time out in her 'playpen' which is just, half sand, half shavings and a few of her toys so she can be somewhere new, and she's just in her ball for a short while, just while I finish up.





Added more to the bottom of the cage and I noticed in her pen she like to burrow into the cottage house so I've made it like a hobbit hole. Removed the hanging toys, moved the ledge up and added some toilet rolls, figured she can shred herself more bedding lol.

All I can do for today but we'll see how she is and see if the covering method works again tonight once she's back in.
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Old 03-08-2017, 10:46 PM   #15
cypher
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Default Re: Bin Cage for a Syrian

That definitely looks better for her, I'm sure she'll enjoy all the extra substrate!
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Old 03-09-2017, 02:30 AM   #16
Pebbles82
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Default Re: Bin Cage for a Syrian

That back left corner looks just the place for a wheel Looks much better. She might be a bit peeved at changes happening but I'm sure she'll adjust soon. I usually tear the toilet paper into strips and put a big mound of it in somewhere in the cage. They like pouching the strips and taking them to the nest. But if she likes pulling it off the actual toilet roll that sounds good too Or maybe do a bit of both? I tear each sheet lengthways into about 5 or 6 strips, and do that with maybe 6 or 8 sheets, then put the mound somewhere in the cage and watch it gradually go down.

If you've got a shoebox, some kind of hide under the shelf might go down well as well. You can make a shoebox into a kind of house. Nice that she is burrowing down.

I think I would still take the runged ladder out - it does look quite safe where it is but they have problems walking on them and it can't be very nice falling through the gaps each time lol. Or instead of removing it, some people stick a piece of wood on the back so it's a solid ladder with rungs. Bendy bridges are always good.
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Old 03-17-2017, 05:50 PM   #17
Trioxin
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Default Re: Bin Cage for a Syrian

Hi everyone! Sorry for not replying sooner - been a weird couple of weeks.

Things with Clover have been up and down. Had a couple of days where she was obsessively chewing but I do think it was partly my fault it actually continued, I was trying to do some work and she was chewing so much I kept going to the cage and either blowing on her gently to make her double take or pleading with her to stop, haha. I am pretty certain it's attention seeking now, if I turn off the light and get into bed and stay quiet she instantly gives up, whereas if I'm awake and at the computer she's a little more stubborn. Slowly teaching her she won't get her own way if she chews, lol.

But we've also had a quiet few nights - almost weirdly so the past couple of days to the point I did worry a little about her. So tonight I removed the top part of her cage and got her out in her play pen for a short while and had a roll around in her correctly sized ball and she seemed fine, had a check of her bedding and had a quick check over her just incase she may be unwell but nope! Just a lazy day I guess, lol.

Anyway, here's her set up now - may see some cameo's from Clo, didn't check the photos.





Old gift box has now become a makeshift home and hidey hole. She still seems weirdly adamant on just sleeping in the corners, though, she refuses to take cover half the time to sleep. I've tried two different hamster homes, stuffing the wooden bridge with bedding and this is my next attempt to give her a more secure place to sleep. I'm hoping she'll learn to use it because I think the odd quiet we had these past few days was her getting spooked while she was trying to sleep cause no matter how far she burrowed you could still see her. Picked up a new wheel for her while I was getting some more whimzee's and a lifetime supply of substrate for her, and she seems to like them both. Loud as all hell but I'd come to terms the day I got her with having to wear ear plugs, lol.

All in all she seems a little bit more settled and she just seems to think if she chews I'll let her out or fuss her, I think with a bit more time she'll have learnt.
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