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View Poll Results: Which cage?
Alaska 4 80.00%
Hamster Heaven 1 20.00%
Voters: 5. You may not vote on this poll

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Old 04-13-2019, 02:48 PM   #1
geraltartemis
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Question Alaska or Hamster Heaven?

Having done some research on cages, I want to upgrade my cage, which it looks like it's too small, to a larger one.

Which one out of the two would you recommend?

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Old 04-13-2019, 03:00 PM   #2
Pebbles82
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Default Re: Alaska or Hamster Heaven?

It depends what species it is for. If it's for a dwarf hamster, the Hamster Heaven is a better height - much less fall risks. However it really needs the tubes and penthouse removing and probably only one shelf leaving in, plus it needs a better house in it and will need a species appropriate size wheel. Personally I find it not quite big enough for a Syrian. It is ok for a Syrian but it isn't so easy to fit a Syrian sized wheel in without it taking up a fair bit of floor space - some will fit, some won't.

If it's for a Syrian Hamster, the Alaska is better - the extra height allows for any size of wheel and for a wheel to be bar mounted so that frees up more floor space. It also needs a better house and a species appropriate wheel. But to be honest, if it's for a Syrian that is the minimum size of cage you'd be wanting, and, in my opinion, the 100cm Barney cage would be better. Same height but has more floor area and is better value as it already comes with a good sized house for nesting, a good shelf, and a basic 8" wheel which is fine for a starter wheel.
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Old 04-13-2019, 03:18 PM   #3
geraltartemis
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Default Re: Alaska or Hamster Heaven?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Serendipity7000 View Post
It depends what species it is for.
Thanks so much for a detailed reply! I currently have a dwarf hamster, but I am thinking of maybe getting a syrian next. I see that both have their disadvantages and advantages when it comes to that.

Why would you recommend removing the tubes and penthouse?
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Old 04-14-2019, 01:19 AM   #4
Pebbles82
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Default Re: Alaska or Hamster Heaven?

Most people end up removing them out of necessity - hamsters tend to block up the tubes andpee in them and they end up a stinky mess. Dwarf hamsters would find it difficult using the tubes also. It works much better just as a standard cage without the external tubes and penthouse, and with a house at floor level, open underneath and sat on top of the substrate - that way they can have normal behaviours, bury hoards under their nest and tend to choose a corner of the cage as a toilet (syrians - dwarf hamsters may choose another area as a toilet). So it makes it easier to let them have normal behaviours, easier to keep the cage cleaning, by spot cleaning the pee area (or using a litter tray in the pee area is ideal) and causes them less stress because cleaning out the tubes upsets them if they've nested in them.

So they just don't work basically! It's better to have tubes and tunnels as floor toys - they are basically ground-dwelling creatures andonly really climb to get to something. Or short runs of tube attached to the bars, open at each end. Eg I had one "length"of tube attached to the roof of my cage leading between a house roof and a shelf or sputnik - so it was an access route rather than an enclosed system.

Also the plastic tubes can be too small for some syrians who could get stuck with full pouches.

If it's for either a syrian or a dwarf, then as you say, both would have pros and cons. The Hamster Heaven is a better height for a dwarf hamster. It would also be fine for a Syrian, but you may find it a bit cramped and feel the need to upgrade later.

The Alaska is a bit tall for a dwarf hamster and you'd probably end up having to spend more money on extra shelves etc to reduce fall risks. It's a better size for a Syrian, but again you may still feel the need to upgrade if you had a very active syrian.

They are difficult decisions money-wise etc. I started out with a cage the size of the Hamster Heaven and ended up upgrading to the 100cm Barney so ended up buying two cages! Three actually as my first cage was really much too small and unsuitable - and I wished I had gone straight for the 100cm one.

On the other hand it was good having a spare cage and I now have two hamsters and the older cage(Hamster Heaven equivalent) is used for our robo.

I think the Hamster Heaven may be the best option for a dwarf hamster. If you do get a Syrian in future, it may be fine, depending on the personality of the hamster - and if you wanted to upgrade, Hamster Heaven's sell well so you'd get some money back for it to put towards a bigger cage.

So I'd get the Hamster Heaven But I would remove the tubes and penthouse and possibly the shelf with the holes in and just keep the solid shelf. That would also give you more useable floor space for a house, toys, wheel etc - and you could fit both a wheel and a flying saucer in. It would be best to add a house at floor level that is open underneath to encourage normal nesting behaviours and then you're unlikely to have to upset them by having to clean out the nest. They tend to keep the nest quite clean when it's on top of the substrate and it gets more air to it.

Just a cardboard tissue box is fine with the base cut out, or a child's shoe box eg. The Hamster Heaven is a more solidly built cage.
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Old 04-14-2019, 01:24 AM   #5
Pebbles82
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Default Re: Alaska or Hamster Heaven?

Assume you know the Hamster Heaven is cheaper from Zooplus and free delivery. Anything else you buy from there at the same time is also free delivery if you buy a cage. Be careful with hamster toys though - a lot of them are rubbish or fall apart or have nails - so don't waste money - you can check on here if something is worth buying Cardboard toilet roll tubes etc are fine, but there are some nice little additional hideouts available etc.

https://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small...r_cages/197362
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Old 04-14-2019, 04:47 AM   #6
Jin
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Default Re: Alaska or Hamster Heaven?

My Syrian hamster is currently in a hamster heaven. However, I've just bought the barney today on zooplus.

The hamster heaven plastic shelves etc look great (which is why I originally bought it) but I've ve since discovered they are far less than ideal. They don't represent a hamsters natural habitat and I ended up taking it all out. When the external tubes were fitted my hamster would basically live in them and never came out. She peed in the tubes and even slept in them. She currently sleeps in the plastic penthouse but she pees in there too and I'm forever having to clean it out. I've just added a large shoe box on top of substrate in the corner of her cage with some of her old nesting material in the hope that she abandons her nest in the penthouse because I've since learnt that borrowing down is far better for them and she was much more sociable before I added the penthouse to the top of her cage (wish I never had). I've also had to move stuff around so many times in order to be able to fit everything in as Syrians need much bigger houses, wheels and toys. To save yourself time and money in the long run and your hammy less stress, get the barney hamster cage which is the same price as the heaven but much more useful in terms of space. I wish I'd done my research first and got the barney in the first place. I've wasted so much money and probably stressed my hster outmoving stuff around and of course now I'm going to have to move her again because the penthouse is crap and the cage is too small.

Last edited by Jin; 04-14-2019 at 05:08 AM.
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Old 04-14-2019, 06:55 AM   #7
Pebbles82
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Default Re: Alaska or Hamster Heaven?

That is a point - the Barney is cheaper than the HH and is good for a Syrian. For a dwarf hamster though it would need setting up very carefull to avoid fall risks due to the height and may even need a full level. The HH would be good for a dwarf hamster though.
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Old 04-14-2019, 09:46 AM   #8
alpacassei
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Default Re: Alaska or Hamster Heaven?

I’d go with the Barney, Alexander, or Savic Plaza for a Syrian. This recent thread shows the size difference between 80cm and 100cm cages well Is it worth upgrading?
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Old 04-14-2019, 11:41 AM   #9
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Default Re: Alaska or Hamster Heaven?

Agreeing with the consensus here, if you can go bigger always go bigger and the barney is an excellent value cage. I have the hamster heaven and it's fine for my dwarf but if I had the choice again I would go for the Barney. And I won't put a Syrian in it again either, I personally don't think 80x50 is enough space for a larger ham with larger toys and wheels etc
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Old 04-14-2019, 12:10 PM   #10
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Default Re: Alaska or Hamster Heaven?

I would say the Alaska one because I have a cage like that for my hamster and it's pretty good. The cage that I have is not identical, but is similar - one opening on the front, one opening at the top, a platform, etc. When I saw that picture I was like, "Hey, that looks like my cage!"
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