Is This Cage Safe?

Ctague97 · 03-14-2019, 02:44 PM

Hi all,

My partner has recently finished building this cage for our two hamsters, now, they've been okay in there since it was built, just wanting to double check by asking others how safe they think it is with the wood too.

Thank you,

souffle · 03-15-2019, 01:07 AM

It looks roomy enough however there can be issues with the chipboard because it gets soggy and smelly when wee'd on and also as you suspect can be chewed. See how they go on in it. Using a potty with sand in it would help if you can get them using it so they don't wee in corners.
I'm not sure if that is fluffy bedding I can see in the nests? If it is that needs removed right away as it can be very dangerous and can kill hamsters. Best to use ripped up cheap white loo roll for nesting in.

Welcome to HC

cypher · 03-15-2019, 01:22 AM

As souffle said the chipboard isn't really suitable & that looks like fluffly bedding to me too so that has to go.
The other issue is the depth of substrate, hard to tell just how deep it is but it really needs to be quite a bit deeper than it appears to be, that would easily be resolved by putting cardboard over the mesh to deepen the substrate area but I think the chipboard is probably more of an issue.
If you want to make a wooden cage the best option is melamine board which is both pee prof & as long as no edges are accessible won't be chewed.

alpacassei · 03-15-2019, 02:38 AM

It looks like the inside is melamine/coated?

To be completely honest, it looks a bit small if thats s 6.5inch wheel, i also wouldnt have the partition so they have more continuous space. The mesh also needs to be more securely attached so that the top hamster cant wiggle their way down to the bottom hamster or vice versa

The fluffy beddng needs removing asap since its highly dangerous (even the natural kinds!), and about 5 more inches minimum of substrate need adding. It looks like you have Syrians so their wheels will need upgrading to 28cm/12 inch wheels as well

Pebbles82 · 03-15-2019, 02:54 AM

I think the others have said it all. I can see you have made great effort to construct a cage but ideally each hamster would have a larger continuous floor area. It doesn’t look very deep. 45 to 50 cm deep is usually recommended with about 80 to 100cm length. Any additional areas can be good if one area is about 80 x 50. If it is melamine inside that should be ok. I am not sure where the door/entrance is

Ctague97 · 03-15-2019, 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Serendipity7000

I think the others have said it all. I can see you have made great effort to construct a cage but ideally each hamster would have a larger continuous floor area. It doesn’t look very deep. 45 to 50 cm deep is usually recommended with about 80 to 100cm length. Any additional areas can be good if one area is about 80 x 50. If it is melamine inside that should be ok. I am not sure where the door/entrance is

Thank you all for your comment, they are currently very young so that's why cage is on the smaller side, the idea of sand and potty will be used as we intend to add those asap too.

I will get into removing that fluffy bedding too, I don't want to risk their health. As they get older we intend on providing much more space with a bigger wheel too.

Again, thank you all