New hamster bin cage

[Nakuzo]

Following my previous thread called "minimum and ideal cage dimensions", the plastic bin has arrived and I converted it to a proper hamster cage. I also bought a new wheel, 16 cm (I have a winter white dwarf) and my hamster seems a lot happier.

For the record, the new cage is 60x40x30 cm and the old was 30x23x30

I will add the photos of how the cage is currently. Oscar is probably around the size of the small coconut.

One last question. What is missing from my cage and what should I improve? Please suggest anything you can since I am new hamster owner.

Also, how often should I clean the cage and change the bedding?

Thanks a lot in advance

[sarahbutterflies]

I would say you could add a sand bath and would recommend filling up more space in the middle. It’s a little bare but that’s okay because you can add more things! It may make your hamster feel a bit more secure. You could add a level and use industrial Velcro for your water bottle so it doesn’t take up floor space. You could also add more bedding if you’d like.

[Salem13]

What a fantastic start! I agree with Sarah about the sand bath- I use one of those cheap drawer organizer bins and fill it with childrens play sand.

If you have enough bedding I would also suggest making an area thats really deep. You can wall it off with some cardboard so that it doesnt just flatten out and put a ramp up to it. I personally just use a strip of cardboard with toothpicks glued along it for grips/rungs. Adding in some hides would also be a good idea, you can make some out of cardboard if you don't want to buy ones from a store. Another cheap option is terracotta pots! They make cute little caves and can help file down their nails, you can even use the clay trays for sand baths if you want! Another really fun option if you're feeling limited in space is to hang swings from the lid.

Possibly the easiest toy/chew is to just put in toilet paper tubes or bits of cardboard and tissues. If you're feeling crafty you can make an endless amount of toys! ErinsAnimals and Victoria Raechel on youtube both have some great tutorials on toys, hides, and boredom breakers!

[Ria P]

You made a very good start and no doubt Oscar will appreciate your efforts!
Yes, a sand bath is a must especially for a dwarf. As already said, more hidey places like tubes and a bendy bridge would be a good idea. You could create another level with a flat roofed house submerged into the substrate. There's one on each end of my dwarf's bin cage and also acts as a support for the sand bath/wheel on one side and the mushroom food bowl on the other. Millet sprays look nice and hamsters like to nibble them. A long, bendy ladder gives the hamster another area to run along. I've put the coconut and a small cork log underneath it.

[Engel]

Nice start

I'll attach a photo of my robos bin for inspiration.

[Ria P]

[QUOTE=Nakuzo;933134
Also, how often should I clean the cage and change the bedding?
[/QUOTE]

Hard to say because it depends on the amount of substrate used, the individual hamster and accessability of toileting spot but as a rule, as little as possible. Hamsters don't like their smell removed, hate their nest tampered with and they are very protective about their hoards. They are quite clean little creatures. When it starts to smell bad or the substrate starts to feel damp in places you have to spot clean by removing damp substrate and replace with fresh one. Don't clean just for the sake of it, wait until its needed and safe as much as possible of the nest and substrate to re-use. If you do have to do a full clean and substrate change then do just that and clean the wheel etc next day. My dwarves pee in their wheels so i have to wipe them with damp kitchen roll almost daily and wash them with a sponge weekly. You'll find out as you go and chances are that you need to clean a lot less than you first thought.

[Nakuzo]

Originally Posted by Engel

Nice start

I'll attach a photo of my robos bin for inspiration.

Really helpful thank you!

May I ask, what bedding did you use and is that sand below your robo's wheel?

[Engel]

Originally Posted by Nakuzo

Really helpful thank you!

May I ask, what bedding did you use and is that sand below your robo's wheel?

It's a mix of kaytee clean and cosy and carefresh with some dried herbs mixed in. Oh also use catoilet which is a cat litter but it's just 100% paper pellets like back 2 nature so safe for rodents too

Yes it's sand. I think it was the tiny farm friends sand. You can get it in pets at home for £3. It's actually a whole 1kg tub in there. It's a chinchilla bath so it's plenty big enough for a 2 inch long roborovski hamster lol originally it used a sandwich box though. He toilets on his wheel so any poop gets flung into the sand so I use a little sieve/ tea strainer to get any soiled bits.

To answer the question of how long to leave between clean outs. I haven't 'cleaned out' Niko for a month. Spot clean every 2-3 days and replace little bits as I need. Never do a full clean out.