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Old 01-07-2018, 03:29 PM   #1
Swissgreys
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Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Züuich, Switzerland
Posts: 13
Default House size for a dwarf?

I am finally getting around to setting up my cage this week, and am super excited.

I still have one question though.
What is a good size house for a dwarf?
I will probably add at least 2 houses to the final cage set up, but am wondering if it is better to have a small house with a potty nearby, or a larger house which can also have a corner potty inside?

Or do I just offer both and see what happens?

I know all hammies are different, but would be interested to hear what others find work for them.
Thanks.
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Old 01-07-2018, 05:07 PM   #2
Pebbles82
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Default Re: House size for a dwarf?

Cypher might be the one to answer this as she's had many dwarf hamsters and various houses. I think they like labyrinth houses like the ones by Getzoo and Rodipet. But I have a Roborovski and he ignores all the houses I put in and nests under a shelf and burrows down. Larger dwarf hamsters do seem to prefer a house. I have a labyrinth house for a Syrian and it makes a good additional platform. The litter tray goes inside it. You can also stick wood dowel legs on the house so it sits on top of the substrate and they can burrow under it without it falling on them. Or have it on very little substrate with the substrate piled around it so it's like a subterranean house (you just channel out some substrate near the door area). They can get squashed if trying to tunnel under a larger house, so it's either virtually on the base with hardly any substrate, or legs and sat on top of the substrate - for safety. Another alternative is a shoe box house.

I think Cypher had this one for a dwarf hamster

https://www.getzoo.de/getzoo-wohnlabyrinth-xl-xena.html

I have the larger, Syrian version, of this one - the rooms are good. Our hamster nests in the front left and toilets in the middle back so the litter tray goes in there.

The terracotta dish is good (I use it as a food bowl) because you can lift it out and the hole underneath is big enough to take the potty out without having to take the whole roof off.

https://www.rodipet.de/shop/haeuser/...erracotta.html

I think they tend to use labyrinth houses if there is one in the cage, because it's dark inside and a bit like being under a shelf.

Rodipet actually sell wood legs to stick on the houses!

https://www.rodipet.de/shop/haeuser/...nci-serie.html
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Old 01-07-2018, 11:35 PM   #3
cypher
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Location: Wales UK
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Default Re: House size for a dwarf?

I have got that Getzoo labyrinth house & although not in use at the moment it is a good house, the rooms are a good size, I do fine with some of the Rodipet labyrinth houses there are just too many rooms & they're a bit on the small size, think they'd be better with just 2 or 3 rooms tbh.
This is my favourite house, the rooms are a good size & they tend to sleep in one & pee in the other so you can put a small litter tray with some chinchilla sand in one room.
https://www.rodipet.de/shop/haeuser/...us-dalani.html
This small house from Getzoo is ok too, just about big enough for a small dwarf ham.
https://www.getzoo.de/getzoo-dsungi.html

I do think one larger house tends to work better, you can always put other smaller hideouts in for them as well as the main house.
You may not want to be buying from Germany of course but hopefully that will give you an idea of a good size.

ETA I forgot to mention that if you use a wooden house it's a good idea to paint the inside with plastikote water based enamel then if it gets peed on or just generally dirty you can give it a wipe down no problem, untreated wood is impossible to clean.
About those legs for houses, with Russians I find they don't tend to burrow under their houses so I don't find the need for legs on the house I just put it on top of a few cm of substrate, Chinese hams on the other hand just have to burrow under everything so legs are a very good idea! You can just buy dowels & glue them on with a non toxic glue if you do want legs on your houses.
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Last edited by cypher; 01-07-2018 at 11:49 PM.
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Old 01-10-2018, 02:52 PM   #4
Swissgreys
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Default Re: House size for a dwarf?

Thanks very much Serendipity and Cypher.
I have ordered the Rodipet house you recommended, and also have a couple of others on hand, so I guess it will come down to what the hammie decides when he/she gets here!
But your advice was super helpful, and the cage is coming along nicely.
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