Is my hamster cage okay? - Page 2

mangoandmimi · 07-22-2019, 09:49 AM

Don’t know if I’ve missed something what is the reason you cannot use the eco habitat for the next hamster?

Obviously with my views the Kerry isn’t going to be big enough either but some people apparently make it work. It is a risk getting a hamster to put in a limited sized cage with the very large possibility that it is going to need more space. You would need some kind of solution for that. Minimums are in place to be exceeded instead of becoming a goal if you understand, which is why I always suggest going larger. Regardless of whether or not they seem happy their personalities have almost been known to shut down in smaller spaces. But yes peoples views will differ.

Bella1827 · 07-22-2019, 09:55 AM

He seems to be very happy, he definitely likes the natural setup and the oat sprays and millet. Hopefully I’ll be able to add some sort of extension on for any future hamsters

Bella1827 · 07-22-2019, 10:04 AM

Because we don’t have the eco habitat anymore, my parents were getting irritated by the large size and they decided to get rid of it. And yeah I do agree with you that the minimum should be exceeded and everything which is something I’ve always done and tried to aim for at least 800 square inches. But it is really hard to have large cages and all when your parents aren’t animal
Lovers and aren’t too bothered about hamsters in the first place. I was never just aiming for the minimum, I wanted to go as large as possible but still want my parents approval, I mean I am only 15 and I just want what’s best for my animals

mangoandmimi · 07-22-2019, 10:16 AM

Oh I see, it is difficult when parents don’t fully understand. I guess the eco habitat is quite a bulky cage as it’s wider. Something the size of an Alexander is more compact so might be worth looking into. If he is happy and is getting on and you’re happy with keeping him in there that’s fine. But a new and young hamster is my main concern as you never quite know what their personality or requirements are going to be.

A dwarf would certainly be easier to cater for, I wonder if something like the maxi duna multy would be small enough? It is narrower and shorter so isn’t nearly as bulky. Otherwise even something like a hamster heaven would offer more room. I was also 15 and owning hamsters in my parents house - so know it is a bit tricky to reach a compromise with parents but maybe detailing the exact reasons why larger cages benefit hamsters might work. Or coming up with a storage solution so the cage isn’t taking up extra floor space. I’ve had a detolf across my chest of drawers before which was quite space saving and looked very nice which was a bonus.

Bella1827 · 07-22-2019, 10:35 AM

Yeah I have actually previously owned the hamster heaven cage and it was a really nice cage, I was also so close to buying the maxi Duna multy before making a bin cage. And I totally understand your concerns about a younger hamster that may need more space, I should be getting a job soon so when the time comes for a new hamster, I’ll probably just order a new cage online which I highly doubt my parents will mind since it’s my own money and everything etc. Do you recommend the maxi duna multy? I can possibly go quite long in length but just not as tall and wide. I really want an ikea detolf but I know there’s no way my parents would ever agree to that. But since my current hamster seems happy in this cage, and considering the fact he’s awake for like half an hour a night, I think it gonna be alright for him. Are these signs that he might not live much longer? Or is it just common with old age, I know they slow down and all but he really doesn’t play around or anything like he use to

mangoandmimi · 07-22-2019, 10:48 AM

Oh yeah if you plan on getting one yourself then go for it. You could keep an eye out on gumtree as the odd cage bargain does come up. I’ve not owned the maxi duna - the regular duna yes, and also the very similar zoozone 2 so I’d be happy enough to recommend the maxi for a dwarf (not a Syrian as it isn’t tall enough in my opinion).

If he is a year and a half I wouldn’t be putting anything down to old age just yet. Could it be the hot weather? Or that he’s just a naturally lazy hamster? I’ve been thinking he’s a Syrian all along despite seeing the pic, I’m clearly mistaken haha. If he has a foot of bedding he might well just be down in his burrow most the night, some hamsters are like that and you only see them every couple days. As long as when he is out, he is alert and content then I wouldn’t worry too much.

Bella1827 · 07-22-2019, 11:00 AM

Okay thank you so much. When the time does come, I’ll keep a lookout on gumtree for a larger cage. Also do you like the Alaska cage? I was considering buying it but decided not to as I heard the bar spacing in the corners is too large for dwarfs. I was also considering buying the iMac fantasy cage but I thankfully didn’t because it was too small and just didn’t look like a good cage but it’s confussing when large animal accounts on YouTube say this cage is okay to buy if you have at least 3 levels but then in the next video they say it has to be unbroken floorspace. I wouldn’t ever buy that cage but what is your opinion on it?

mangoandmimi · 07-22-2019, 11:22 AM

The imac fantasy is high on my list of unsuitable cages - each level is too small, there is barely room for 1-2 inches of bedding, no proper ventilation in the top level, the tubes are too small for Syrians, it was clearly designed to save space for the owners benefit etc etc. The floorspace does have to be unbroken you’re right. I will say be a bit careful with which people on online platforms you take hamster care info from as they are not all experts, and there is a lot of misinformation being spread even now. A large following does by no means validate the information someone is giving out!

I think the Alaska is alright. It is in my local pet shop and I wasn’t thrilled with it as the quality didn’t seem brilliant and yes some parts around the top have larger spacing. But you should be ok for a Russian. It would need ‘vertical’ enrichment in the form of levels and things to break the height up as it is relatively tall, and dwarfs can be rather clumsy. It is also easier said than done to make a tall cage safe. The best thing about it is its low price tag but tbh a decision on which hamster cage to purchase shouldn’t be made based on the price (within reason). To me it doesn’t make sense to think about a £30 price difference when a cage should be an investment. So I would recommend the Barney/Alexander or something like the maxi duna, over the Alaska as you get a lot more floor space.

Bella1827 · 07-22-2019, 11:37 AM

Which pet you tubers do you recommend? There isn’t that many British hamster youtubers, they’re mainly all based in America. And the Alexander cage looks like a wonderful hamster cage, especially with all the platform it comes with.

mangoandmimi · 07-22-2019, 11:56 AM

I don’t really watch much in the way of hamster Youtube but I always look for people with large and natural setups that I can get inspiration from. Erin’s Ark (UK) is good for most small animal care - but not so focussed on hamsters. Victoria Raechel’s actual hamster care videos especially on caging have also been very good this year, since she started promoting German standards. I occasionally watch ErinsAnimals but mainly for her DIY cage builds. Recently started watching sniff the hamster too. Rather limited suggestions but you get the idea!