Get or Avoid?

[Cotton]

Sandy, I'm reading this thread, feeling excitement for you as you prepare for your first hamster! They are lovely pets.

[Pebbles82]

Yes you'll need to fiddle about with the cage a bit to get things right It used to drive me crazy as I'm so cack-handed but I quite enjoy it now I've worked out things. I tend to prefer having the water bottle over a shelf attached to the bars, with something under it on the shelf (eg like that granite tile or a terracotta plant base) but just the shelf is fine if it's wipe clean. Mainly to prevent water dripping in the substrate and going soggy and funny. But to do that it needs to be a smallish bottle.

As long as you have a house, wheel, shelf, food and water accessible and a few tunnels and toys at floor level and on the shelf it'll be fine. Ramps used to be a problem for me - fitting them in with other things and worrying about them falling on a ramp. But they're fine really too - although I tend to use the cork logs instead or the bendy bridges that screw to the bars (so they can't fall over).

[SandyT]

Thank you Cypher. I got the cork tunnel from ZooPlus. I've removed the tile and the hanging tube. I've added a ledge, placed the water bottles roughly where they'll be and added a ramp to the top of the house. Do you think I should add more ledges? I do have 1 or 2 of those hook on bendy bridges but not sure where I should add that. Sorry for being so rubbish!
Thank you Cotton. I'm excited and nervous!
I was going to put the water bottle over the granite but I was concerned about fall risks onto it, so I've taken it out. Perhaps if we get warm weather this year, I could put it on top of her house and tuck it under the shelf or something.
Thank you again all.

[SandyT]

Oops, I forgot to add the pics!!

[cypher]

That looks much safer, you might find your ham doesn't tend to climb much anyway & you could be able to put the granite back after a while, they do often climb when they're new & exploring everything so best to wait & see with most hams.
I don't think you really need to put any more ledges in, it should be ok as it is now.

[mangoandmimi]

Looks wonderful I really like the ledges I’m sure you’ll be able to fit the granite in somewhere at some point, they are good to have in the cage.

[SandyT]

Yay! Thank you Cypher and Mango. Now I just need a little ham.

[buttercuplols]

Woohoo! So exciting!

[cypher]

You really do need a little ham now! Fingers crossed it won't be long.

[Pebbles82]

It looks great I would still have the granite slate under the water bottle -it looks like you have 2 waster bottles - is that right? Maybe have the slate under the one over the house - on top of the hemp mat - I have it on top of the house in our robo’s cage. I don’t think it would be a problem there - the height above isn’t that much and it’s not as if they are sharp - plus the bottle would probably break a fall. V unlikely to be an issue. And the slate really helps catch any drips as well as sharpening their nails. Otherwise the hemp mat gets soggy

Your future hammy will be very happy with that set up.