Imac fantasy - bar spacing

[Pebbles82]

Hi there. That must have been so hard to reduce your pets, with your OH's asthma - but I know what it's like - I'm badly allergic to dogs - and most animals. I too am not allergic to hamsters - yay! Lovely little fluffballs too. Apologies for preaching to the converted. Yes I can understand a smaller environment without fall risks could be good for a robo who needs a lot of cover.

As to the bar spacing in the Imac Fantasy - this thread reckons it's too wide for Chinese and dwarf hamsters generally. It's from 2008 and the Imac Fantasy seemed quite popular back then - I think over time though it's been accepted it's a bit cramped for a Syrian - and tube size can be an issue for a Syrian.

Imac Fantasy - Cage Review

I can see how a Duna Multy could seem a bit empty when the Imac is set up to go, a bit like a Hamster Heaven, but I've seen some good dwarf set ups in them and cork tunnels are very good for cover and something to climb over.

Since 2008 the focus went onto minimum cage size and is now more onto "enrichment" being the important thing. Enrichment being depth of substrate - enough for digging and making burrows and tunnels, variety of textures, levels, variety of toys and hidey places.

I'm not keen on the Duna Fun for dwarf hammies - I think there are some fall risks and the odd gap between shelves and ladders. But I can quite understand why you like cages that come ready set up! I'm not great at thinking up set ups for an empty cage myself and hated it at first, but quite enjoy it now I've found things our hamster really likes! There's the cost as well of buying "extras" for a cage.

I think the key with an open space cage for robos is to give lots of cover toys on top of the substrate - cardboard boxes, tubes, tunnels, shelves and so on - if the substrate is deep enough (at least 15cm - ideally 20 to 30cm) they can keep undercover by tunneling. A subterranean house can be good too (part buried in the substrate - you can have a tube leading down to it) which mimics an underground burrow and is easier to clean out! Labyrinth houses also seem popular as they're dark inside and have different rooms for nesting, hoarding and so on. Someone on here made their own labyrinth house out of cardboard boxes, but the Trixie Leif house is popular and Rodipet make great labyrinth and other houses. A bit expensive though.

Personally I love the hyacinth tunnels. They can chew them safely (no sharp spikey bits) and the holes in the side seem very popular. Our Syrian isn't interested in toys generally - unless it's round and cosy! But he loves the hyacinth tunnels and weaving in and out of the holes, chewing it and sometimes just napping in it.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Small-Ani...acinth+tunnels

Having said all that, if you prefer the plastic items for cleaning, and really aren't into setting up cages (which I can understand!) and prefer something that comes with the items so the cage doesn't need much adding to (ie like the Hamster Heaven and Imac Fantasy) then it is a bit limited in cages with small enough bar spacing.

How do you feel about wood cages (and plastikoting). A few people have had this one - it has a large built in shelf which gives lots of cover. It comes flatpack and when you put it together you can swap round the door and front panel so the door is at the top - and the base can be filled quite deep with substrate, so cushions any falls and hard toys can go under the shelf. It might not even need plastikoting as it has a white melamine floor. Escape proof - a couple of shelves for cover and comes complete with houses and ramps

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01HHIV2YA?psc=1

Zooplus sell a smaller type one with a shelf under but it costs a bit more

Loft Wooden Cage | Free P&P on orders £29+ at zooplus!

A member on here makes fantastic ones as well - here's the website - she also sells them on Etsy. They come in a range of sizes and don't need plastikoting (already waterproofed with pet-safe coating).

Hamster Homes Shop - Homes & Accessories for Small Pets

[cypher]

Those hamster homes cages made by the member here are lovely but personally I wouldn't recommend those other wooden cages for a dwarf ham, some of those shelves are quite high & a lot of thought would have to be given to the potential for falls, I think the ladders are quite steep too, no problem for a young ham but the cages may have limited use for as a ham got older.

[Pebbles82]

Yes they are quite high, I agree. I think they only really work if you put about 30cm of substrate in The Hamster Homes cages are much better, but a lot more expensive too. I think on the others, if you swap the front door from the bottom to the top and fill the base with substrate up to the first shelf it might be workable.

[Crayolalaura]

I was just watching some recent hamster cage tour vids on YouTube last night and saw a couple that use IMAC cages for their dwarves so I think it must be fine
So long as there is plenty do in there and maybe you can add extra sides at the bottom that makes them higher so you can add more substrate to the bottom level

[squeakylittlepaws]

Just to update, we did in fact stick with the Duna Multy. Haven't made my mind up about it but thought would give it a whirl and see if I can be converted. Looking at people's set up, reading reviews - I relented and thought well its a faff to send it back let's try and see.

I have 2 hamsters who are getting on - my gorgeous Buddy, she's a white Russian dwarf - she's 2.5yrs old now.

Then we have Hamela a Syrian, again around 2.5yrs old.

Buddy is in an iMac, Hamela a hamster heaven metro - this sounds awful, don't mean it badly but when they pass on - we have 2 cages we could try, if I'm not convinced by the Duna but will give it a proper go.

Also got hubby to bring in the huge gerbil tank I had custom made. It's a meter long, 50cm wide, 90cm tall (if I remember rightly). It's a beast.

I don't know how to post pics - but if I can figure it out will post some pics xx

[Pebbles82]

Ooh the gerbil tank sounds good! I bet it's heavy though. I know what you mean about the look of the duna multy - because it comes with nothing in it! It wasn't till I saw them in the flesh set up that I thought they were really nice, especially for a dwarf hammy. Rach, a member on here who has (or had) quite a few hamsters used them for her dwarfs and they looked much nicer and bigger than I imagined when set up. She liked them because of previous injuries in barred cages (hope I quoted that right Rach!)