Big digging box

[jsp]

Hi,

I would like to give my Hamster something like a fish tank full of soil to dig underground tunnels in and have it connected to his cage by a pipe so he can come and go. I wondered if anyone had experimented with this sort of thing?

I would like the walls to be transparent so I can see the tunnels and have several smaller boxes linked probably, so I can take them into the garden to change the soil. I'm thinking about acrylic as it is lighter and less likely to shatter.

I'd be glad to hear about any one else's experiences of this kind of thing.

Thanks!

[jsp]

I was wondering about maybe four of these stacked, two below and two above, with interconnecting holes.

https://www.feedem.co.uk/aquatic-c25...a-large-p10610

[Ria P]

You can connect plastic tanks (not sure if they'd crack) or plastic bins with Ferplast tubes by cutting holes for the tubes but they need to be a tight fit. I use a Dremel tool with a cutting disc and a file attachment to do the job. I've connected bin cages that way and use a tube stopper when i want to disconnect a cage.

I wouldn't use soil though because soil has chemicals, fertilizers etc added and look for a hamster safe alternative instead.

[jsp]

Thanks, I'll have a go.

Is there a known hamster-safe alternative that would be solid enough for him to dig safe tunnels in?

Thanks!

[katkin_21]

Organic topsoil should be hamster safe as long as it is 100% soil with no perlite or anything added. I've been doing a bit of research about doing some sort of bioactive enclosure for my hamster(there's a fb group with people that do mammals bioactives) and they all use topsoil but you have to be careful as dry soil doesn't hold burrows well. Coconut coir/eco earth is another option that is that easy to get but can be very dusty when dry.

[AmityvilleHams]

Coconut fiber is the safe soil alternative. Actual soil, including organic, is NOT safe and should never be used under any circumstances.

It's also worth mentioning that coconut fiber should only be given in a small amount and should be kept not quite bone dry but not truly wet either.

A bioactive enclosure, especially with soil(which has been established completely unsafe), for a hamster would be a very bad idea and ultimately just should not even be attempted. Properly removing food waste before it goes bad, spot cleaning urine, and practicing appropriate cleaning is far better and much safer.

[jsp]

I just realised that the hamster really quite enjoys digging under a big towel. That seems like a much safer alternative.

[AmityvilleHams]

Digging under a towel would be fine outside the cage with supervision only, but just remember never to put any sort of fabric items in a hamster cage as they can and will end up getting chewed and potentially ingested which isn't safe!

[cypher]

If you really want to make a digging box that your ham will enjoy & is totally safe then I would just stick to substrate, they're quite happy to dig in that, provided it was frozen first & any sharp bits taken out you could incorporate some hay to help hold burrows & just for a bit of variety.