Escape-proof hamster cage suggestions needed!

[rhian]

While we're having a good go at Pets at Home, I thought I'd share a nasty experience I had at the Edinburgh one last weekend. I was in looking for a particular brand of hamster food (which they didn't have) and went over to look at their syrians. There were 3 little ones in one of their little aquarium style cages, and they were all completely manic and very distressed.



The worst was the white one, who I watched for more than five minutes biting and chewing at the glass front. There was a gap of almost a centimetre round the side of this sliding door, and he/she was getting his paw through it and scrabbling madly. Needless to say, its teeth weren't looking too good, as it seemed to be doing this constantly. Its cage mates were similarly working on other areas of the cage; one on the water bottle fixings and another in the opposite corner.



I watched for a while to see if it would stop, but it didn't, and after almost 10 minutes I went to get a member of staff and point out that the hamsters were really distressed and could easily hurt themselves by poking their arms round the sides of the cage. The guy told me not to worry, that they were all fine and were just playful and energetic! I couldn't believe it. I was so disgusted I don't think I can bring myself to buy even wood shavings there. It's horrible to think of people treating animals like that so badly.



Anyway, sorry to have such a moan, but it really upset me, far more than I thought it would. And I thought I was a tough cookie!

[furrynavel]

Hi Rhian,

Complain in writing to both the store in question and their head office. Even if they do nothing about it, at least they will know they are doing wrong mistreating their animals.

It will make you feel a lot better aswell, getting it off your chest. PAH are probably sick of hearing from me, but i do get a reply every time so at least (I think!) it is getting brought to their attention.

[babyboos]

Oh that is so distressing for me to hear - this is shocking lack of care really - the poor wee guys are obviously bored out their minds - they need stimulation and a wheel in each of those cages and to double them in size if they are going to keep more than one in each - they claim they aren't in there long enough to necessitate such things but that is just a lame excuse.