Clear base for hamster heaven cage?

[Osboz]

I have a Syrian hamster in a hamster heaven (plus another smaller cage connected by tubes) but I'm wondering if it's possible to replace the base of the cage with a clear one. I have another hamster (dwarf) in a cage with a clear base and it's great to be able to see her digging about, so I'd love to be able to do the same with my Syrian.

Does anyone know if there's anything I could use, either a proper base or something that would serve the same purpose? I'm happy to do a bit of DIY if necessary.

I'm in the UK if it makes a difference.

[sushi_78]

Maybe a bin cage with the hamster heaven top fixed to the lid?

Like this

[Pebbles82]

I looked at this once when the base of my cage got broken. Mine was the savic mickey 2xl butcit’s the same cage apart from the bar spacing. There isn’t anything you can buy that is clear - it would need to be the right size. I looked into a) making something out of acrylic and be having a glass base made. Both were going to be ridiculously expensive. The acrylic option is the best one if you buy pieces cut to the right size and some kind of u channel to fit on top for the bars to sit in but my diy wasn’t good enough to work it out. If you make one do share! I think even the acrylic was going to cost as much as a new cage.

[LunaTheHamster1]

Yes, I've priced acrylic up before, quite expensive. My original idea was to put acrylic sheets on to the wired part of my savic plaza cage so I could add more bedding to the cage and be able to see my hamsters burrowing. Could that be a possibility for you? But as it was so expensive, I just decided to use cardboard and waterhyacinth mats, so I can add more bedding. Do let us know if you end up managing to make something.

[Osboz]

Thanks for all your replies.

There is a complication I didn't mention in my OP: This is actually my partner's hamster - we both care for him but he is most definitely hers. Personally, I love the DIY look if it's safe and practical, but the less "professional" it is, the more wary she'd be - she loves her hamsters very much!

For this reason I think she'd be a bit reluctant to have anything that is too "homemade" and I think bin cages would be out, unfortunately.

She might be OK with something acrylic if I can do a good job of making it. I agree that the trickiest part would be finding a way to attach the main cage section. Maybe I can make a wooden frame.

[Ria P]

I'd look for a fish tank then make a wooden framed lid to attach the wire top to. I've seen detolf cages with raised wire tops which is the same principle in reverse, if that makes sense. You can get glass tanks made to measure but i don't know the cost involved.

[Ria P]

Be warned. You may invest quite a bit of money and effort and then the hamster may well decide to burrow through the middle.
They are crafty little creatures who love to outwit us, lol.

[Pebbles82]

Another option I looked at was to buy the falco cage and cut a whole in the bars and put the hamster heaven door in the front bars. Ridiculously expensive and my diy isn’t good enough. I also looked at getting the ferplast karat cage which already has a glass base- but also ridiculously expensive. I’ll link them later. I nearly did the Perspex option. Just make the base a bit bigger than the bar width and use aquarium sealant non toxic to glue the Perspex corners and sides. Then a strip around the inside for the cage bars to sit on. The measuring would need to be careful though.

Personally I wouldn’t bother. Our Robo was in a glass tank and I still couldn’t see him or what he was doing.

[Pebbles82]

This is the falco cage. It’s not as big as the hamster heaven floorspace wise and they seem to have stopped making the 100cm version. It is no good as it is because only has top access and a long reach down. There are also set up issues and fall risks.

https://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small...SABEgKc8PD_BwE

[Pebbles82]

Ferplast karat. Ridiculous price and has bad access- only tiny doors

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ferplast-Ka...0288020&sr=8-1