Let's see your cages! (From May 2015)

[Pebbles82]

I think it's more like my cage was over cluttered lol! Yes it can be a bit of a fiddle hanging the wheel from the top. Cable ties are very cheap to buy if you wanted to try it. I found if you put the stand through a few bars forward from the edge it doesn't catch on the cage base and doesn't bang at all.

The new layout looks nice Sputniks are sometimes good next to a shelf so they can get into them easily. I put Charlie's veg in his small sputnik so he uses it. Maybe just be a bit careful with the chains on the hanging toy. Hammies can get feet caught in them and end up hanging by a leg - but if they're over the hammock it should be ok.

[Pebbles82]

Didn't think it was boring at all It's very nice. It's just some of us tend to go into analytical mode about cage set ups and access and so on lol. What matters is if your hammy is happy and safe and I'm sure he is. Great that your Dad got some cable ties.

[Golden_Syrian_Hammmies]

Tbh though with hams we all know the more they have in a cage to occupy them the better! That was the old setup before the one I posted first. I had to change his cage because he was peeing inside his wooden house (I know you had this problem with Charlie also) and had to change his bed more often resulting in more peeing and marking his territory. So I removed the wooden house and he is In a large grass near with loads of toilet paper and is very cosy I must say which is far better and can breath. He has also stopped peeing inside his best which is great I know with hams the less you clean them out the better and to do spot checks and remove some old but not all substrate and add new.

So Armed with cable ties and a desire to redesign yet again haha because I won't be able to sleep until I am happy with it (hopefully for the last time!! Apart from changing toys around etc) and 1 bag and a half of chipsi and half a bag of carefresh later....

[AmityvilleHams]

It looks a lot better I love the idea of the different levels for shelves!I think you could probably fit a bit more substrate in one area if you blocked it off from the wheel with some bendable bridges and that would be a really good idea or you could just block off the wheel completely and make the whole cage except for the area with the wheel have deeper substrate.

[Golden_Syrian_Hammmies]

I basically used up every last bit of substrate I had left (I like to mix chipsi with carefresh) which I now realize though seems a lot it is better as I can just replace some of the old in time and add a bit more new. Will definitely watch Erin's video though. I didn't have a suitable tube to hang up for the Sputnik and with the Alaska being pretty tall I was at a loss for a bit on what way to incorporate it in. Ended up as you can see making a stairway up to it and then the hammock provides safety underneath it even though the substrate is now really deep! The wheel is brilliant and was easy to do. Yay for cable ties! Feels really secure and will be interesting to see how it goes when Fudge is going flat out on it. I don't mind a little bit of noise it's rather comforting hearing him during the night I've come to get used to having him in my room. Just hope the cable ties keep the wheel from banging of the wire :/ I don't think I could tolerate that. Put the rainbow bridge below the wheel as a step up and down. Just goes to show the difference a few changes can make. Thanks for your inspiration and help serendipity and cypher too. I was conscious my substrate was never deep enough and know how much many of you on here would generally use. I did intend on making it deeper but don't know why I never did maybe thought it be too expensive but actually it's not as it will last an awful lot longer. Chipsi is inexpensive but the carefresh is that little bit dearer but you don't need to use just as much of it. Our hammies are just spoilt

[AmityvilleHams]

I don't think anyone here really spoils them as much as we just provide good care for them for the most part If you're only meeting their needs,it isn't spoiling!People constantly say that people with decent cages and good setups are spoiling their hams but usually those people just don't know much about hamster care and the benefits of things like deep substrate and a large cage and all that.

[Golden_Syrian_Hammmies]

Thanks amityvillehams I'm pretty chuffed myself! Fudge went straight to his best after a quick nosey round...I think he was like what the flip has she done now to my cage! But I know he'll love it. I actually don't have anymore substrate left ! I will have to get more anyway for future so I might add a deeper corner and close it in with the bendy bridges as I think the rest of the cage isn't to bad depth wise. I know Erin's video will probably tell me but how often would you guys do a complete clean?

[AmityvilleHams]

For a complete clean with disinfection and all I would only do that every 3-6 months for a UK minimum cage.Square meter cages are definitely good here because they can go up to a year I think without a full clean,but in general it's best to leave disinfection and all that to every 3-6 months or really as needed when things get really bad or someone gets sick or you get any strange bug issues and things like that.

[Golden_Syrian_Hammmies]

Originally Posted by AmityvilleHams

I don't think anyone here really spoils them as much as we just provide good care for them for the most part If you're only meeting their needs,it isn't spoiling!People constantly say that people with decent cages and good setups are spoiling their hams but usually those people just don't know much about hamster care and the benefits of things like deep substrate and a large cage and all that.

Yes I totally agree. I say spoiling our Hams but I am well aware it is only giving them the best at the end of the day. They deserve to have as large a cage as possible etc. with plenty to do.

[cypher]

That does look better, worth the effort & even some sleep loss lol! I'm the same once I start fiddling, can't stop till it's right