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Old 03-19-2017, 08:29 AM   #1
Aimeehammy
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Default Vivarium suitable?

Is this cage suitable for a hamster or is the ventilation not good enough? https://www.aosom.co.uk/pet-supplies...FY0V0wod2NAJhw

I was thinking of turning it upside down so the bigger vents are on top so bedding wont cover them
If not, does anyone know any good suitable 5/6 foot vivariums?

Last edited by Aimeehammy; 03-19-2017 at 08:42 AM.
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Old 03-19-2017, 08:51 AM   #2
cypher
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Default Re: Vivarium suitable?

Vivariums can make great cages but many don't have anything like enough ventilation & the one you linked looks like one of those, ideally you would need mesh panels at each end & a mesh lid.
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Old 03-19-2017, 09:08 AM   #3
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Default Re: Vivarium suitable?

In terms of dimensions it would be wonderful for any species,as long as it is set up properly(accounting for walls it'd be a tiny bit under 10 square feet or 1 square meter).You'd need to modify the bottom though to keep substrate from falling out or tiny seeds from going everywhere,but that's a minor issue and could be done in cheap ways or more costly ways depending on what you want.

There is the issue of ventilation,but I think it could potentially work just fine.That depends on the individual hamster though along with the ventilation a room has(this makes a massive impact on odor regardless of the type of enclosure).

In regards to price it is fair enough,especially with the size in mind(wire cages with half the floor space can cost a tiny bit less!).The only negative is that it isn't 100% modification free,but that's no different to any other option unless you were to make a DIY cage.
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Old 03-19-2017, 09:19 AM   #4
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Default Re: Vivarium suitable?

With that particular one I wouldn't be happy using it as it looks like it is bare chipwood or mdf of some kind and that can give off a lot of formaldehyde. Hammies are sensitive to chemicals and scents. The ones that are melamine coated mdf or chipboard are safer.

Swell reptiles sells vivariums that are good. Some are quite cheap, but to get the kind of size you are looking at they're not cheap. This is about the biggest one they do I think. It's not 5 feet but it is quite deep and quite tall so has a good floor area and a good height for deep substrate. You'd need to put a piece of plexiglass inside the doors up to substrate height so it doesn't fall out when you open the doors. And you'd probably need to either replace the top with mesh or cut large vent holes in either end and mesh them. It's 115cm by 60cm deep by 50cm high (just under 4 foot by 2 foot deep).

https://www.reptiles.swelluk.com/viv...ge-deep-beech/

It might be a lot cheaper and easier to get a detolf! (Ikea detolf glass cabinet tipped on it's back and make a lid out of wood and mesh). Almost 5'6" long, but only about 43cm deep and 36cm tall max.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Ha...iw=911&bih=405
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Old 03-19-2017, 09:41 AM   #5
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Default Re: Vivarium suitable?

The Detolf is a very big amount smaller.The material is supposed to be formaldehyde free in that vivarium so I don't see it as an issue,especially when the Detolf is going to cost more for less space and would be extremely narrow The other vivarium mentioned is seriously overpriced too,being much smaller but nearly twice as expensive!
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Old 03-19-2017, 10:44 AM   #6
Aimeehammy
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Default Re: Vivarium suitable?

Thankyou all, i did look into the detolf but felt depth wise wasnt big enough hence looking into vivariums, the cage i have atm is 100cm with platforms so dont want to spend a large amount on a 4 foot vivarium. Ive found tanks are too expensive for the size i want if any of you have any other ideas that would be great!!
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Old 03-19-2017, 11:03 AM   #7
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Default Re: Vivarium suitable?

I'd just go with the vivarium you linked then!It's definitely a good upgrade,even if it won't be quite a full square meter(still much better than a Detolf or your current cage!).

Tanks do get expensive,and they're difficult to move.I can't blame you at all for not wanting one,they're definitely not for everyone and they have many different drawbacks that make them fairly impractical anyways!

As for other ideas there aren't many things I can think of.If you wanted to mesh a guinea pig cage there is a 100 cm x 100 cm one,but the dimensions make it at least somewhat impractical for some people.That would possibly cost more than the vivarium though,and you'd be limited with substrate depth.There's the double Detolf(impractical and very expensive compared to this vivarium,but an excellent 2,000 square inches while doubling the depth!),or there would also be a Lack but instead of using two units for the cage you'd use four and you'd end up with a slightly over a square meter cage.That in mind,the vivarium would be easiest to modify and it would probably be a few square inches short of a square meter at most anyways
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Old 03-19-2017, 11:53 AM   #8
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Default Re: Vivarium suitable?

I'd agree with Serendipity about the bare chipboard being another problem with that one, I haven't looked at many viv's so can't really suggest a better alternative though.
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Old 03-19-2017, 04:24 PM   #9
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Default Re: Vivarium suitable?

Hi!!

I have a custom made terrarium and I'm thrilled with it (you can see it here Blacky's Thread - The Black Spanish Syrian Hamster), so, I like your vivarium, but I think that it may need some arrangements to have a good ventilation.

Maybe you won't need to block the lower front part, because If the steel grid is smaller enough maybe it can hold the substrate, but anyway I think that you should drill the top and make gazillions of holes or make a lid (from scratch or by making a big hole in the wood and meshing it).

I read on the website that the wood is formaldehyde-free and OSB-3 laminated plate (whatever that means), so I suppose that the wood won't be a problem (geckos are very delicate animals too), but I agree that melamine It's better, and maybe I didn't get it right but I also read that you have to assemble it. So, If you have to assemble it, and you have to modify the top (or think about something to allow the air flow), maybe it would be better (and cheaper) for you to buy melamine planks, several glass panels and two rails and do it yourself from scratch.

If you're not a DIY type, I would suggest to look for people that could do it for you in your area. I thought that it was going to be super expensive, but mine only cost 120 € and I chose everything (length, width, materials...). Wood/melamine should be cheaper, so I think it's worth to take a look.
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Old 03-20-2017, 08:18 AM   #10
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Default Re: Vivarium suitable?

Ah well spotted Amity! It does say formaldehyde free. It's hard to tell from a picture but it does still look like bare chipboard although mentions "laminate plate", so maybe it is laminated on the inside? Maybe you could ring them and ask. I think otherwise I'd still be a bit iffy about chipboard and the chemicals.

Junglepets make custom built tanks. They make specific ones for hamsters which come with a wood and mesh lid, but none of those are particularly large.

They will make one any size you want but something the size of that vivarium would probably cost about £150.

The biggest hamster one is 4 foot but it's only 15" deep which is worse than the detolf

I think I was quoted about £125 for 100cm x 50cm x 50cm tall a year or so ago.

Small Animal housing

Custom aquaria also make custom tanks like Hamsterita's. They would again make any size you want, with a platform if required, and a deep base with front opening doors above and a mesh lid. But £150 to £200 ish probably.

You could just get a tall kitchen larger unit carcass and tip it on its back and make a mesh lid It is mdf but enclosed in melamine. It would come flatpack so you could maybe replace one panel with perspex.

IT Kitchens White Standard Larder End Panel A | Departments | DIY at B&Q

There is also the Living World Green Eco Habitat - the large one has excellent floorspace - it's just under 4 foot wide but is also 78cm deep so a huge floor area. Also £150 though.

Living World Green Eco Habitat | Free P&P on orders £29+ at zooplus!
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