Barney cage for a syrian hamster?

[cindy18]

I think a bin cage is good. They are large and inexpensive. They can be cut into to put tubes in. You can also drill many holes into the lid if you have other animals.

[astrid]

Originally Posted by Serendipity7000

The Barney is a great option if you're considering upgrading. Those cages on Hamster homes are amazing - I was tempted myself by the 120 by 60 I would go for the perspex front myself - a lovely view of your hammy and no mesh to chew at the front.

The other thing about starting off in the Barney is you'll find out whether your hamster is a big chewer or not. If you end up with a hamster that chews his or her way out of a Barney or bar chews a lot it may help decide whether a wood cage is suitable or not. I don't think you will have a chewing issue in the Barney though unless you clean out too much, which can stress them.

You probably already know this but best not to do any clean outs or change things in the cage for the first two weeks - after that spot cleaning mostly and "big" cleans infrequently is a good option. Plus a litter tray so the cage stays clean mostly.

Yeah, I'm also more drawn to perspex due to hamster visibility and a chance to provide deeper substrate without it spilling everywhere

And I've read about the cleaning (and the time needed for the hamster to settle in once in a new home. I just hope he/she won't become too smelly.

[astrid]

Originally Posted by cypher

lol! it's easy to get carried away
The barney will make a lovely home for your ham, hamster homes do make some lovely things so that will be great too if you decide to upgrade at some point.

Thanks! And yes, I see the danger - I haven't got one hamster yet but I am already thinking about fitting in both cages in my room

[Pebbles82]

It shouldn't get smelly. If it does start to get a bit whiffy you can just "spot clean" a handful of wet substrate out and replace it with a new handful and mix it in a bit - so it still smells familiar - maybe after a week. If you use a litter tray and put it where your hamster chooses to pee, they will most likely use it - and then you only need to empty the litter tray and replace it. I do that every five days or so. So maybe wait a few days to a week to see where your hammy chooses to pee (it's often a corner of the cage near the house) and then spot clean that area, put the litter tray there with chinchilla sand in and add a tiny bit of the smelly substrate on top so he knows it's still his pee corner.

Our Syrians tend to pee in the very back corner of the litter tray and sit in the front bit to have a wash.

I have one of these - a good size for a Syrian, not too big, not too small, easy for them to get in and out of because it's open, and fits in a corner.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hamster-cor...=hamster+potty

[The pet place 14]

My current Syrian lives in a hamster heaven with a small plastic pets at home cage attracted with tubes. The Barney cage is bigger than this and my hamster is relatively happy I get her out for plenty of time every night. I am planning to get another hamster and have just ordered the Barney cage from zoo plus and I am just waiting for that to come aro get another hamster and in my opinion it offers ample space fpr a hamster

[astrid]

Originally Posted by Serendipity7000

It shouldn't get smelly. If it does start to get a bit whiffy you can just "spot clean" a handful of wet substrate out and replace it with a new handful and mix it in a bit - so it still smells familiar - maybe after a week. If you use a litter tray and put it where your hamster chooses to pee, they will most likely use it - and then you only need to empty the litter tray and replace it. I do that every five days or so. So maybe wait a few days to a week to see where your hammy chooses to pee (it's often a corner of the cage near the house) and then spot clean that area, put the litter tray there with chinchilla sand in and add a tiny bit of the smelly substrate on top so he knows it's still his pee corner.

Our Syrians tend to pee in the very back corner of the litter tray and sit in the front bit to have a wash.

I have one of these - a good size for a Syrian, not too big, not too small, easy for them to get in and out of because it's open, and fits in a corner.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hamster-cor...=hamster+potty

Thank you, that's what I'll do