Recommendations for a Syrian cage?

[Paige30451]

I’m looking to get a new cage for my Syrian hamster but am having trouble finding a suitable cage that I can afford at the moment. The ones I find all have 1” bar spaces. Does anyone have a cage they would recommend? I’m trying to find one around $50 or less, if at all possible.

[Pebbles82]

Hi there. I was about to recommend some but am guessing you're in the US with you mentioning dollars. If so there are very few cages of suitable size for a Syrian in the US (3 or 4 I'm aware of) and they're all expensive - over $100. What a lot of people do is either make a bin cage (a bit of diy involved) out of a large plastic bin. Or get a 40 gallon breeder tank from Petco when they have their dollar a gallon sales (so it costs $40). Another option, if you have the space, is the detolf. It makes a lovely Hamster habitat. It's an Ikea glass cabinet tipped on its side with the door left off. There is a little bit of diy involved in making a pair of lift off lids (strips of wood and some mesh a few corner brackets and a stapler needed). That costs about $60. It's a popular option - it can sit on top of kallax units and give storage underneath - although if you haven't got any kallax units that would add to the cost - or you can stand it on something else (a couple of $9 Lack coffee tables have been used by some people).

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Ha...iw=800&bih=440

For a bin cage, this bin is good and it's the right time of year to get one!

https://www.walmart.com/ip/IRIS-Holi...d-Red/48037027

Making a bin cage involves using a hot knife, or heated knife, to cut panels out of the plastic sides and lid and attaching mesh to the cut out panels with cable ties.

If the idea of the diy puts you off I saw a good option for the Christmas tree bin that used kitchen racks instead of the lid. Because of the size of it, this provided enough ventilation so no need to cut side panels. Although the kitchen grids may be expensive!

It's shown on the first and third photos on this link (with the grid top)

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=ir...iw=800&bih=440

A second hand four foot fish tank can be a cheap option as well - if there are any on ebay in your area. They can be pretty grimy but fine after a clean up.

[Pebbles82]

If you have your heart set on a barred cage though and can afford a bit more - then this one seems to be a new/recent option! It's the right size and the bar spacing is about 1cm (3/8 inch) which is fine.

https://www.amazon.com/Prevue-Pet-Pr...VT3CDSZ8E4KH8P

There's also the Hamster Heaven which is a very good cage if you take all the tubes and penthouse out (it comes with caps to block off the tubes) and just leave the solid shelf in - then there's room for a Syrian sized wheel, a proper house etc. But it is over $100. Personally I think the Prevue pets cage linked above looks like a good buy and no diy - big enough but not massive.

This is the Hamster Heaven

https://www.amazon.com/Lixit-Animal-...VT3CDSZ8E4KH8P

The other 2 cages I know - Marchioro Goran 82 and Marchioro Kevin - seem impossible to find. Petmountain used to be the cheapest place but both they and Amazon have no stock. They may have been discontinued.

The other one on Amazon is the Lixit Mickey 2XL - this is identical to the Hamster Heaven except it has narrow bar spacing (7mm) so suitable for any species of hamster and doesn't have all the tubes and plastic stuff (which is a good thing!) but it usually costs even more than the Hamster Heaven.

However if you're thinking of having hamsters for a long time, or different species in the future, it's a good investment as it's a cage that will last a long time and be suitable for any species. The Prevue cage is a better size for a Syrian though. A little on the tall side but if you fill the base with substrate it'll reduce any fall risks from the top - cushions them.

Actually the Lixit Mickey 2XL is cheaper than the Hamster Heaven at the moment! Out of the two I think it's the better cage due to the narrow bar spacing and no holes for tubes. The metal grid shelf needs to come out though and the tubes too (they are mouse sized - our syrian got stuck in them).

https://www.amazon.com/Lixit-Animal-...xit+mickey+2xl

I'd go for the Prevue cage - it has pretty good reviews, costs $68 dollars and no diy

[Paige30451]

I actually ordered the prevue cage this morning! I had originally planned on getting the ferplast cage (Black) but the prevue was only around $12 more so I went with that one. Now I just need to get some toys to fill the space up with and the silent runner since my love silent wheel is no longer silent

[Sasha04]

Glad you went with the Prevue! I have never owned it myself but heard great things about it.