About to take the plunge: Pre-hamster checks please

[Pebbles82]

Cage: Have a look on Zooplus - the Alaska, Barney and Alexander cages are all ideal for a Syrian hamster - they can take about a week to arrive though. I also second the Savic Hamster Plaza (if you can make space for a 100cm cage - it's only 20cm longer than the Hamster Heaven). The Hamster Heaven is ok - but all the colourful plastic stuff and tubes usually end up being removed as they don't work well with Hamster habits and behaviour. The houses are too small, there's no room for a 28cm wheel without taking a shelf out. One shelf has a silly hump and if pee'd on it runs down and drips! I had that shelf and our hamster decided the little yellow inset food bowl was a toilet - because it was in a corner! I binned the shelf in the end. The tubes tend to get blocked up as they try and nest in them or pee in them. They are also an escape route and can be pushed out. Pets at Home actually sell the Savic Hamster Plaza now. Some cage links below:

Hamsters do love tubes and tunnels but it's better to have a plain cage and add the tubes and tunnels as single run floor toys.

Wheel: 28cm Trixie is a good basic wheel for a Syrian and not too expensive. The 12" silent runner is brilliant but not cheap - about £25.

Toilet - I've always found the trixie corner one ideal - you put it where the hamster chooses to pee - otherwise they won't use it. Hamsters are very clean really. Both our Syrians pee'd in the very back corner then sit in the front for a wash. And they cover it up with bedding if it starts to smell before you've emptied it.

Toys: Most hamster toys are too small for Syrians. Rat sized tubes and tunnels are best. A lot of the bark wood toys are bad quality or dangerous - check for nails. I like the large cork logs as floor toys - reptile stores sell them. Cardboard boxes like tissue boxes and egg boxes make good hides and some hamsters liketo rip them up or chew them. A coconut hut is a good toy. Will list some good safe toys below.

Food: Harry Hamster is ideal - has all the nutrients, vitamins and protein required. Supplementing protein a bit with occasional brazil nut half or walnut half or a bit of plain chicken is good in the first year. It's the only good quality one in the Uk and recommended by the National Hamster council. There are a couple of good ones available to buy from Germany but Harry Hamster is fine.

Cages

The Alaska and Savic Plaza both have large front opening doors - helps with interaction and taming. The Barney and Alexander are fine too though.

The Alaska needs a house -which adds to the cost a bit. The white plastic one is no good and the holes are too small for Syrians - it's easily removed.

Many many Syrians have been happy in the Alexander cage - it has plenty of space and a large extra level. It also comes with a good built in long house big enough for nesting, hoarding and fitting a toilet inside, plus two other houses. The one with the small window needs the window blocking off or a Syrian can get stuck. It has everything except a wheel and a few toys really.

Most people paint the wood with plastikote water based paint - it's pet safe. Our hamsters have never pee'd on the shelves but painting the inside of the house is a good idea. The houses are all nail-free.

The Barney also comes with a good sized house for a Syrian and a shelf.

The Savic Hamster plaza is the only 100cm cage with a front opening door. The roof is also free from doors for tying or hanging things from like tubes or sputniks. It's short on shelves though and needs a house. It's also quite tall for just one shelf, so adding a shelf is one option, or adding cardboard round the inside bars near the base to fit extra bedding in, as another option - then there's plenty of bedding for digging tunnels and it cushions any falls from a height.

Alaska Hamster Cage | Free P&P on orders £29+ at zooplus!

Barney Pet Cage | Great deals at zooplus!

Alexander Small Pet Cage | Available at zooplus!

http://www.petsathome.com/webapp/wcs...E&gclsrc=aw.ds

Plastikote for painting smooth wood:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Toilet:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hamster-cor...=Hamster+potty

Food bowls: These two are good

This one isn't cheap but it's really nice! Just the right size and quite low - easy to use

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This is a good one too

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mason-Cas...72.m2749.l2649

Toys: These are my favourites for a Syrian - tried and tested. They hyacinth tunnel is good - it's big enough, has holes on the side for fun and is soft and chewable.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This coconut hut has a door big enough for a Syrian - some have small entrance holes. Any holes/entrances need to be at least 6cm diameter.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Sputnik - these are great for Syrians, if hung next to a shelf so they can access it. Rat sized one. Amazon and Zooplus also sell them and you can choose your top and bottom colours if you get one from rat rations. Just search for rat sputnik.

http://www.petsathome.com/shop/en/pe...l-ferret-house

Rainbow Bridge - popular with all hamsters I think! No nails

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rosewood-Bo...rainbow+bridge

Cork tunnel floor toy - they tend to be a bit dusty and mucky but just give it a rinse and let it dry by a radiator and it's fine.

http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small_...tunnels/193470

Rat tube - this is a lovely big clear tube. Don't use the chains though - feet can get caught in them. It has tabs on that fit through the bars and you can use sisal string for tying tubes inside the bars or on the roof, or just have them as floor toys. Zooplus also sells this

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Savic-Giant...savic+rat+tube

These are good too - you can stick sunflower seeds in them so hamster has fun getting them out. Also on Amazon

http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small_...ig_toys/636186

Another good tunnel - it stretches and bends

http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small_...ig_toys/387442

This is the Ferplast Aladino Carrier mentioned - has room for a small house and plenty of bedding

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ferplast-Al...rplast+aladino

Or Zooplus sell this one which is fine too

http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small_...arriers/321345









Bedding: Fitch, fitch, fitch!

Nesting: Torn up strips of plain white toilet paper - a heap in the cage so they can pouch it and take it to build a nest with.

If you do get a cage from Zooplus delivery is free and anything else you order at the same time has free delivery - you can get the Trixie wheel there and some of the toys.

Main thing is - don't clean anything for the first two weeks

[Pebbles82]

This is the 12" silent runner wheel. It has ball bearings and is silent and light and spins well. Also has a safe sturdy stand. If you're feeling flush after buying a cage! You can also get bar mounting plates (another £5). I have mine bar mounted high up in the Barney cage so it's stable and plenty of floorspace.

Silent Runner 12 Inch

A good basic starter option though are: Alaska cage, 28cm trixie wheel, potty and a house. But by the time you've bought a house it can end up costing the same as the Barney cage which already comes with a good house.

[MattHunt]

Hello

Thank you so much for taking the time to write that all up. very helpful indeed.

I will let you know how we do.

Best

Matt

[Pebbles82]

You're welcome. If you like the Hamster Heaven it's fine and has a nice big front door, but might be best to take the tubes and penthouse out (it comes with caps to cap off the tube holes) and one of the shelves to make space for a wheel.

I had a similar version of that cage but came empty and it's a nice cage but I ended up upgrading to the Barney cage for a bit more space.

Pets at home also sell the Savic Sky - it's the same cage as the Hamster Heaven but with less plastic extras. Again best to remove and cap off the tubes (some of the tubes are a bit narrow for Syrians too and larger syrians can get stuck). Only has one shelf so space for a wheel.

http://www.petsathome.com/shop/en/pe...ge-7128439p--1

Where to get a hamster: Try looking in local smaller pet shops. And ask where they get their hamsters. Our last Syrian came from a local pet shop and they had a breeder they used. He grew really big! And got stuck in some tubes.

[MattHunt]

Hello,

On Sunday we took Samuel to the pet shop and have reserved a grown-up male who has been held by Samuel and they both got on. I ordered the 'barney' cage from zooplus and we have a wheel, potty, a few toys and the world's supply of bedding and substrate. Oh and some food and an extra bottle.

Cage is being collected tonight and Hamster, who is going to be called 'Pongo' will be here on or before Saturday.

[BorisPasha]

Aww glad you found your ham, will look forward to seeing some pics of Pongo when he's settled

[MattHunt]

Afternoon,

I've not managed to resize pictures yet but Pongo and his cage were all sorted out on Sat 23rd. Pongo is generally very amiable and will snuffle around Samuel's duvet at night and with suitable precautions taken, get to explore the floor too. He has decided to use his toilet as a food consumption and storage facility but loves his wheel which runs much more quietly now it is mounted on the cage bars.

Pongo lives in Samuel's room, and usually goes back to bed by 2pm. He reappears early in the morning for a treat before retiring for the day. He is getting small amounts of apple or carrot or strawberry once a day. We did try Harry Hamster food but he was selectively feeding from it.

Samuel's little sister insists on calling Pongo a cat!

[BorisPasha]

Good to hear Pongo is settling in

[Pebbles82]

Lovely to hear about Pongo (great name!). I'm sure he'll love his cage and wheel. I would stick with the Harry Hamster - it might look like they're selectively feeding but they do well on it. They mostly pouch and hoard the food and snack on it while in bed later He should still get all the nutrients. You can supplement as well though. Most people give a small bit of fresh veg each day (and that becomes their raison d'etre, the bit of veg) and I give half a walnut or pecan nut or half a brazil nut two or three times a week as another extra (protein etc). Occasional fruit is ok with a syrian but not too much. Veg can be broccoli, carrot, cucumber, baby corn, green beans, peas. There are a lot more - but those are the ones I rotate as we tend to have them in the fridge - in fact I am accused of buying veg just for the hamster (which is true - nobody else likes cucumber and baby corn!).

If you're worried he's selectively feeding a lot (which is unusual with Harry Hamster - they usually takemost of it but not the log things sometimes, which aren't that important) then you could add a couple of science selective biscuits to it each day (it's an all in one food with all the nutrients), but generally a muesli type is better as it gives them more variety and fun foraging for the favourite bits.

Looking forward to seeing photos of Pongo.