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Old 02-25-2017, 05:58 AM   #1
jopop
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Default Top 5 buys?

What would you say are your top 5 buys for your hammies? Or more if there are more

I've got the exciting job of buying everything we are going to need in the next few weeks - would be good to know the things you value the most, or more to the point that your HAMSTERS value the most
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Old 02-25-2017, 06:15 AM   #2
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Default Re: Top 5 buys?

I'd have to say a large scoop,like the kind usually sold in garden sections or as pet food scoops!They work perfectly to clean cages out,and you can still use a smaller tool in the corners as needed,but for a general simple tool they're perfect and can be cheap.

Something you cannot go wrong with are Whimzees.They're all natural,have nothing bad(unlike a lot of other chews,for example certain dog biscuits that do contain unsafe preservatives once you understand label loopholes,or chews marketed to hamsters),and have the added bonus of coming in a variety of package sizes depending on how many pets you have that can use them including variety packs(though these may not be available everywhere).

This is kind of well known,but toilet roll/loo roll.Buy several packs,just make sure it is able to be dissolved in water.The cheap kind works very well,while others which are more durable and thicker/fluffier are not as safe.Make sure there is no dye or scent though,that is very important!Bambi,the lady of chaos,thinks that living without it would be torture

Clay/terracotta pots are also a great thing to have.As long as they're just the right size to fit your hamster,they're a perfect hiding place that can be chilled but even Syrian sized ones tend to be very cheap which is always nice.

Get some hamster-safe toy making materials.Some natural jute for example,combined with wood pieces and a ring shaped treat(I'd recommend the yellow/banana pieces from the Tiny Friends Farms Gerty guinea pig scrummies,they work really well for this!)or a few of them makes a great toy.You can make them several times over,potentially just getting fresh string and using the same wood pieces every time but just adding things on,so it is definitely budget friendly but also very easy to make as long as you're patient.

Flax seed(all natural)is a great extra,which seems to always be popular among hamsters.Prices will vary on it,but you usually get a pretty big bag and you only need a small pinch of it per serving.I feed it daily because of the main diet I feed,but if you're feeding Harry Hamster every 2-3 days would be just fine.

Puffed rice shouldn't be too expensive and would be a good treat,as long as you can get plain puffed rice.I've also seen puffed wheat,and both would be fine I haven't tried it myself but I do believe others have used it,plus Gerber baby puffs(a very popular treat,though expensive in the UK due to import costs)seem pretty similar.
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Old 02-25-2017, 06:17 AM   #3
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Default Re: Top 5 buys?

Following! i love buying new things for my hammy too the one thing my hamster loves is this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Superpet-Sm...s=hamster+toys
Also she loves her bendy bridge to chew on
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Old 02-25-2017, 06:21 AM   #4
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Default Re: Top 5 buys?

I'd have to say no on puzzle playgrounds They're not Syrian appropriate,they're flimsy and difficult to put together,and also very expensive!
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Old 02-25-2017, 06:51 AM   #5
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Default Re: Top 5 buys?

I have Chinese so my top five might not be such good choices for Syrians but here they are anyway:

Fuzzbutt 'Stack-a-Fuzz' Hammocks: Two-tier hamster hammock made with polar fleece lining, cotton outer for a super thick high quality product
Some people prefer not to put any fabrics in their hamster's cages but for a hamster that is not a chewer, these are a nice snuggly place to sit. My Chinese adore them and you'll often find all four of them sat up there of an evening - Jessie sleeps in hers.

Chew Cube: Happy Pet Solid Wood Super Size Chew Cube on Sale | Free UK Delivery
All of mine have loved these including a litter of pups so they're an essential item in our cages. They can also be used for water bottles in tanks. (Just make sure you throw the nesting material away before giving it to your hamster).

Rosewood Rainbow Bridge: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rosewood-Bo.../dp/B008L0TK48
This is quite a small toy so I'm not sure how a Syrian would get on with it but it's popular with my Chinese and was ideal for a litter of pups to play on too.

Rosewood Fruities Spinners: https://www.rosewoodpet.com/small-an...ruity-spinners
I love these, particularly for my busy girls that need occupying. It's easy to refill with treats for them and they seem to love gnawing them off. The yellow rings from the Gerty Guinea Pig Scrummies that Amity mentioned are a particular hit with my hams.

Pets at Home Woodlands Climbing Frame: http://www.petsathome.com/shop/en/pe...climbing-frame
I've got these in the playbins and whilst they're probably not great for all species of hamster and would be too narrow for a large Syrian, they're perfect for a Chinesey that loves to climb.
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Old 02-25-2017, 06:59 AM   #6
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Default Re: Top 5 buys?

Bendy bridges are good as they can be used as a tunnel, bridge, nest and wall between different substrates/areas.

Sputnik are often enjoyed and can be used on the cage roof with safe access next to the openings or on the floor of the cage.
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Old 02-25-2017, 07:01 AM   #7
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Default Re: Top 5 buys?

On your other thread I mentioned a few of the basics - suitable cage / wheel / bedding / food

My Syrian's other favourites are
- chews - there are two brands which are hamster safe but marketed for dogs. She prefers Greenies but gets through them so quickly it's no longer healthy, so she only gets one very occasionally and for a limited period of time now. The other is Whimzees - much harder and better at wearing down teeth. She likes them, and they do last a lot longer!

- bendy bridge - bit of a classic, but they can be chewed (if your hamster likes wood - many don't), walked under and climbed on Wicker Bridge for Small Pets at zooplus (other retailers are available!)

- sandbox - she loves to dig in it. You'd be wise to put it on a shelf (keeps other bedding out) and have high sides on the edges that are near the cage bars to avoid mess and wastage. Avoid anything labelled chinchilla dust; this is meant to be good Supreme Science Bathing Sand 1.5L on Sale | Free UK Delivery

- Trixie digging tower - we originally bought it thinking that she'd use it for digging in. Instead, she has moved in to sleep in it full time, but she clearly loves it. We had to slide the bottom out after she peed on it, and as she ignored the ladder that is now used elsewhere in her cage, but it was clearly a hit https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trixie-Larg.../dp/B000RZHQGE

- hazelnuts in shells - when offered one she'll carry it about in her mouth (too big for pouching) and carry it about like she has just won a prize. She then spends hours trying to get into it - we have several little shells covered in hamster toothmarks where she has eventually managed to get through the top and eek the nut out!
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Old 02-25-2017, 07:03 AM   #8
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Default Re: Top 5 buys?

Fitch would have to be my number one!
Coconuts, all my hams love those.
Bendy bridges are pretty indispensable really.
Silent runner wheel, hams love them & I love the fact that they are so quiet, well made & easy to clean.
Fuzzbutts has to be on my list too but that is more of a dwarf thing really.
Whimzees, apple wood & dandelion roots for healthy chews.
Chinchilla sand is another must have.

I could probably go on forever but those are the basics.
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Old 02-25-2017, 07:13 AM   #9
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Default Re: Top 5 buys?

@Fluffagrams & Cypher - the Fuzzbutts do look rather interesting, and Inky isn't much of a chewer. What size of stack-a-fuzz hammock would you recommend for a Syrian? She's 150g, so neither enormous nor tiny...
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Old 02-25-2017, 07:57 AM   #10
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Default Re: Top 5 buys?

The homer stack a fuzz might be big enough for a syrian, not having had a syrian it's hard for me to say but they are fairly large for a dwarf, the rat sized ones are pretty huge in comparison!
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