Is this cage okay?

[10hamster]

Hi, I'm a new hamster owner and I just got a campbell dwarf hamster yesterday, I had the cage set up and everything before I got it but it was climbing the mesh yesterday and idk if its cause of stress of settling in or because I made a mistake /: so I need help from a more experienced hamster owner

It's a 110 quart bin I got from target and did the whole diy cage shabang, wheel size is I believe 6.5 inches.

[mangoandmimi]

The size is probably ok for now but it doesn't look that big really. You will also likely find the 6.5" spinner too small as the hamster grows, so they generally need wheels at least 8-9 inches. Enrichment wise you can do a lot more, I understand it's a low bin but if possible then think about add more bedding in, as much as possible even if it means covering part of the mesh. Maybe more tunnels (toilet paper roll tubes even), cork tunnels, more bendy bridges or a shelf if it'll fit? A shoebox might go down well as those sorts of things add more cover too. Have a look here for more inspiration. But what you're seeing now the stress behaviour is completely normal. You'll probably notice the hamster's stressed for a week or two during settling in time - so give him plenty of space and take things slowly.

[alpacassei]

Its hard to tell without actual measurements but the size looks okay? Not sure what the equivalent in inches is but 70x40cm is the absolute minimum I’d recommend for a Russian dwarf

As Mangoandmimi said, the wheel might need upgrading in the future as Russian dwarfs can vary a lot in size and 6.5” may be too small once your hammie’s an adult.

The climbing is most likely a combination of stress from change in environment and just him exploring. Adding more hides and toys will help him feel safer. Bendy bridges, cork, safe natural wood chews, willow balls, tunnels, cardboard boxes, and sandbaths are all favourites of my hammies.

[Pebbles82]

It looks good to me A new hamster will try and climb to get out - they can be a bit stressed and unsettled at first. So you need to allow them settling in time. Maybe if you just make sure there is nothing hard to land on near the mesh if she falls and climbs.

2 or 3 days left alone to feel at home and scent mark.
Then don't clean anything or move things around etc for the first 2 weeks. You can spot clean a pee area (if you can find it! They pee so little so if it doesn't smell for the first two weeks, don't worry about it - you have plenty of substrate in there).

It's ok to add the odd new thing but not to remove anything or move things around or that will stress her (during the first couple of weeks and ideally leave everything in the same place for quite some time).

My only suggestion is you might want to add some more floor toys - hidey places and tubes/tunnels - a cardboard tissue box or egg box makes a good hidey place or toilet roll or kitchen roll inner tubes.

If there is a lot of open space they can feel a bit exposed. Also put out a big pile of nesting material - torn up strips of plain white toilet paper - so she can build a big cosy nest and feel secure = she might do it in the hosue or just make a corner nest or something. If you don't have a sand bath, then that will keep her happy too. So you'd need a dish with some chinhchilla bathing sand in it (sand not "dust").

[Pebbles82]

Little things can stress them if something isn't quite right. Is the water bottle over the food dish? OR is that just a dish to catch drips? If it's over the food dish I would move the food dish slightly so she doesnt have to sit in it to reach the water bottle! Also it could get damp in the food if the bottle drips.

A larger tunnel may go down well too.

[Cotton]

Welcome! I like your bin cage. It looks well done. What are the white strips that you used to tie the wire grid to the plastic?