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Old 09-02-2020, 09:59 PM   #1
xiaojie1
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Join Date: Sep 2020
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Question please help!! need new cage

Hi! I have a dwarf hamster who's been with me since February. He's seemed very happy and content until recently, when he's stopped running on his wheel. He was a gift for my brother from his friends, and he came in a Kaytee cage that I now realize is way too small.

I need to get him a bigger cage, obviously, but I've been doing research all day and it's just stressing me out! There are so many choices and they're all SO expensive, and so many of them have issues here or there pointed out in the reviews that I just get anxious about finding the best one.

Does anyone have recommendations for cages that would be suitable but won't break the bank? I truly almost had a heart attack when I saw the $100 price tags on them, but if I have to fork it over I guess I have to consider it. I'd make a bin cage but I'm worried it won't be well-ventilated enough for the area I live in, which consistently hits 100+ degrees F over the summer.

I've looked through the cage recommendations forum but those are pretty dated and a lot of them aren't available anymore! I guess I'm holding out hope for some hidden gem that costs less than $80 and is a great cage that I somehow haven't found in my incessant Googling.

Please advise! I feel so bad for our hamster but I'm currently a law student so money is a little tight, too
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Old 09-02-2020, 11:35 PM   #2
cypher
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Default Re: please help!! need new cage

I take it you’re in the US?
The prevue is a good cage, basically the same as the Alaska cage we have here in the uk, it’s a good size but a bit high so care has to be taken setting it up, adding shelves to prevent the danger of falls.
The best cages are probably the savic mickey2 xl or the savic hamster heaven, both available from Amazon but quite a bit more expensive, I don’t know if you may be able to find any of those cages elsewhere at a better price though.
A bin cage would be another good option if you can find a large enough bin, with a mesh panel on the front & top ventilation would be fine but by the time you buy the bin, mesh, cable ties etc it can still work out quite expensive.
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Old 09-03-2020, 01:35 AM   #3
Salem13
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Default Re: please help!! need new cage

I definitely feel you on the expensive cages bit, I found my own by looking on Kijiji [like a Canada-only craigslist]. Perhaps you can look through places like facebook marketplace, craigslist, gumtree, etc if you haven't already. I personally have more luck looking for rabbit cages just because the larger ones tend to be about the right size. If you decide to do the bin cage route you can likely find a used bin in a good size as well which can cut costs down a lot. The best outcome is if you could find something like the Ikea Detolf being sold for a reasonable price. They can provide roughly 950 square inches and are great for a dwarf.
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Old 09-03-2020, 08:29 AM   #4
xiaojie1
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Default Re: please help!! need new cage

Awesome, thank you all! I think I'm going to buy a rabbit cage and lay some wire mesh on top so he can't escape. Hopefully this makes him happier!
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Old 09-03-2020, 08:58 AM   #5
Pebbles82
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Default Re: please help!! need new cage

Hi. There is a good cage for a dwarf hamster that's about $60. It's the equivalent of the Ferplast Duna Multy in the Uk. It's the Fop Tamburino. It doesn't have the height risks/issues of the Prevue cage. It needs the wood stuff taking out as they are huge items and meant for guinea pigs (and fill up the cage!). When you click on add to cart the price comes up. It's 75cm by 47 cm which is a good size for a dwarf hamster. No bar spacing to worry about and a nice open space to set up with a house, toys, enrichment etc.

https://www.abbaseed.com/CAGES/FOP_C...tamburino.html

Or you could make a bin cage. Meshing a cage needs to be done very carefully so there are no sharp edges and from the inside (or the hamster can get trapped under the mesh if it's on the outside.
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Old 09-03-2020, 10:56 AM   #6
xiaojie1
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Default Re: please help!! need new cage

Quote:
Originally Posted by Serendipity7000 View Post
Hi. There is a good cage for a dwarf hamster that's about $60. It's the equivalent of the Ferplast Duna Multy in the Uk. It's the Fop Tamburino. It doesn't have the height risks/issues of the Prevue cage. It needs the wood stuff taking out as they are huge items and meant for guinea pigs (and fill up the cage!). When you click on add to cart the price comes up. It's 75cm by 47 cm which is a good size for a dwarf hamster. No bar spacing to worry about and a nice open space to set up with a house, toys, enrichment etc.

https://www.abbaseed.com/CAGES/FOP_C...tamburino.html

Or you could make a bin cage. Meshing a cage needs to be done very carefully so there are no sharp edges and from the inside (or the hamster can get trapped under the mesh if it's on the outside.
Ooh, the tamburino looks interesting. Do you happen to know how the door/water bottle/etc. setup works? There is no additional info on the website and I can't find anything anywhere else—any other info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
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Old 09-03-2020, 04:22 PM   #7
Pebbles82
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Default Re: please help!! need new cage

It’s a nice cage and the only place I know you can get it. A former member Dr McK once linked all the ones available in the US and this was one of them.

I assume the top will open the same way as the duna multy and zoozones - just a clip at the front - fairly simple. Just like a cage door has a sort of fastener that clips to the bars. Water bottle - you would probably need a bottle stand (easy to make) or what a lot of people do in tanks is use industrial strength Velcro and stick the bottle to the inside with that.

There may actually be a hole for a bottle in the cage I’m not sure. The duna multys have a hole so the bottle is on the outside and the spout sticks through the hole.
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