Do you have a natural themed cage?

Evievimes · 07-11-2015, 11:20 AM

Please post pictures if you do!
I'm remodelling my hamster's cage and I'm looking for some inspiration - and hopefully we can inspire other hamster owners who want to build a natural hamster cage too!

Also, if anyone could answer, is it okay to have soil in a Syrian cage? I know it works well for Winter Whites because their natural habitat is woodland / dessert but I think it looks so nice in natural themed cages.

Thanks everyone!

Evie and Oscar >'.'<

cypher · 07-12-2015, 12:21 AM

Natural themed cages always seem like a lovely idea but some things aren't quite so simple as they sound! I wouldn't put soil in any hamster cage, it can cause problems with damp & condensation, may contain bugs or bacteria that could be harmful & you would also have to be sure it didn't have anything like fertiliser in it.
Far better to stick with a natural looking substrate & an area with chinchilla sand for burrowing or digging.

Evievimes · 07-12-2015, 03:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cypher

Natural themed cages always seem like a lovely idea but some things aren't quite so simple as they sound! I wouldn't put soil in any hamster cage, it can cause problems with damp & condensation, may contain bugs or bacteria that could be harmful & you would also have to be sure it didn't have anything like fertiliser in it.
Far better to stick with a natural looking substrate & an area with chinchilla sand for burrowing or digging.

Thanks! I always wondered about the soil. Lots of hamster owners use it but I could always envision it being messy and, like you said, with bacteria etc.

RubyDG · 07-12-2015, 03:46 AM

I use children's playsand for my hamster's sandbath, which is rather big. I buy the Argos playsand which is £2.99 for 15kg, so it's cheap and plentiful. All I do is stick it in the oven for 30min on high to completely dry it out and sterilise it. I find this a good alternative to the chinchilla sand as my Syrian loves his sandbath and this way I can give him a really large deep one, I also use it for his litter tray. What some people then do is use the sterilised playsand for a natural style cage instead of soil as you were suggesting.

Here's a link for a thread where someone has use playsand for a natural style cage: Obi's natural set up is complete!. You can see the sand nicely in the first picture.

ZippyRIP · 07-16-2015, 08:38 AM

Hi Evie and Ruby. I love the natural home pictured in that other thread!!!

Here's some pics of mine.

HH9.jpg

HH10.jpg

HH11.jpg

RubyDG · 07-16-2015, 08:44 AM

That looks great!

I've not seen that particular cage before, is it a shop bought one or DIY?

Shannonmcn · 07-16-2015, 08:48 AM

That looks great Zippy!

Jen250 · 07-16-2015, 09:09 AM

I love that cage, Zippy.

ZippyRIP · 07-16-2015, 09:14 AM

Awwww thanks guys!

I designed and made it myself. I've made 3 versions now and am trying to turn it into a small business so other hamster and animal lovers can share it with me. It's hard going though as am only just starting out but I like making things.
x

RubyDG · 07-16-2015, 11:10 AM

Very nicely done, it looks like a really well made cage! What are the dimensions? (sorry, this is just me being nosey

)