Not one for introductions--

[Biyu]

I'm more the sort to just jump right in and I think it's pretty clear elsewhere however ATM after deciding another place was let's say had a stick stuck too far (omitting the rest) I feel a little out of place here

That place said that my Walmart cage was way too small so on there suggestion I went out of my way to find a bin that's over there minimum and is around my goal its 465 or so square inches and I'm trying to make a couple things for it (slide ladder another level --a small den that needs work yet) but as its not ready yet she is staying in her Walmart cage for the time being till I get that all sorted (the bin is a target x-mas looked largest they had they also have a 15 buck one ATM clear with purple clips this is clear body green top and red clips I saved 3 bucks I don't care about the colours that much)

That place also claims my fiesta food is just so udderly terrible and yet won't say how I can make it better

They also seem under the notion that its certainly impossible for a cat and a hamster to get along even to play and that (the kicker here is the cat runs AWAY from the hamster!) no they seem to expect a smell free sanitary room for the hamster with a locking door that the cat can't open (only 2 rooms in this house do that there both ones that get more heat and ac then the rest and I don't think *thats* good for the hamster) yesterday? The day before? I had the hamster in the bin I plan on putting her in once its finally done and her and the cat were playing with eachouther thru the plastic! As the lid isn't meshed and I wanted to watch anyway I had the lid kinda off if the cat wanted she could have very easily jumped in but she *didnt* which I think shows just how smart she is!

So I as I've said lol have an approx 7 month old Syrian (she looked the same age as ones born in July her and her syblings were taken in the day before we got her and she is much like my kitty in personality aka calm and kinda "whatever" at times she was named "critt(er)" by my mom who initially wanted her but sence has decided she is a "stupid rodent" and that the Walmart cage is all she needs the fiesta she got cause it was "cheap" (funny story ill share later)

We also have 2 cats in the house my little angel (who I trust and don't mind around the hamster) and my moms fat cat that's so mean but she typically hides under the bed

So the funny story? We were running low on both food and bedding one day so I sent mom to get them both which I thought wouldn't be too hard for her well she comes home with this cage in a box and a traumatised little guy in a paper crate a very pretty blue parakeet called skip --we got to tame him he only has one leg I don't quite know what happened to the outher it swelled and that and they ended up cutting it off he was just given the name that morning I guess so in taming him he jumped out of the cage on to the floor where I picked him up and let him chill on my elbow for a bit I think that was a bit turning point with him --he much prefers hands to fingers and will generally jump right on our hands when he is on the floor he is very much a "live and let live" type personality just last night he was on the floor I grabbed around back (hard to explain think harness) and he couldn't have cared less --after getting him and having him for a bit mom decided to get another keet for whatever reason that one bit me before we even paid for her then 3 more times that night well I absolutely hate moms logic "name after someone you hate" I don't see good things with it so I never call her by that name (if anyone wants to know Michelle I prefer the one a friend suggested Vanessa seems to suit her tons more) when me an her ill use my name when its not well often "the new bird" or "skips buddy" or whatever just to avoid using the name mom gave her 90% of the time it dosent matter

I am also a gardener and I want a semi-natural looking cage for the hamster complete with a few plants (she like rips stevia and goji leaves out of my hand!) tho it seems like ivy will kill cats there's not much knowledge at all out there with hamsters and plants however I'm under the strange notion (even tho I've seen it proved wrong many times) that a hamster would be smart enough to avoid what makes it not feel well? I know some mushrooms a single bite to a human can kill yes I also know that I tasted pennyroyal one year and decided I didn't like it only later to find out it can be toxic

I also happened to grow up around dogs (some like to eat grass even tho they puke it up later) so I have a concept of all the related stuff there lol and some reason I've tended to prefer hand signs while training dogs actually the border collie mix we have (at another place but I can still smell like him) is really good with most of his stuff *even* the "yes you can jump on me" and the "stay down" ones that I used 0 treats when training them (encouraging a behavour rewarding and discouraging and rewarding all affection based--I think he knows that best)

So lol if I didn't say before the hamster is my first one ever and it's kinda fallen on me to care for it but I've kinda bonded with her anyway (yes I have pics of everyone if y'all wanna see any?) she is a little escape artist as well --aka she got out of her cage a few times while I had the door open but not "sealed" just kinda sitting there lol as I was working right there with the sewing machine I thought was ok and I saw her hanging out she does seem to like chewing the bars at times as well but ATM it dosent make much noise so ill add more chews and tolerate lol

Enough? Lol I know a *lot* more of dogs and cats and gardening then I do hamsters but clearly I haven't screwed up too badly as she is still alive

[Lougarry]

Welcome to the forum!

This list of safe and unsafe foods and plants from the Wiki might help you decide what to grow in the hamster's cage: http://www.hamstercentral.com/wiki/S...ood_and_Plants

I have to say, I would be a little wary with the cat, even if it seems friendly. My cat watches the hams and I never thought he'd be a problem till he knocked my Chinese's cage on the floor and I feared Chi had been crushed. Vanilla Yazoo also had this experience.

[Biyu]

No mention of grass ornimental grasses stevia or which variety of mint

I'm thinking of the coarsican mint later in the cage I have also grown:
Ginger mint
Orange mint
Chocolate mint
Mojito mint
Fruitasia mint
Ky colonel spearmint
Reg spearmint (which got rust and was pulled out)
Peppermint
Spearmint (that was from seeds and fine)

Possibly even a few more varieties in my garden as well so I have no clue what they "mean" by "mint" does that cover all of those or just some?

As for the cat the only time (she does have all her claws--but she knows when and when not to use them tho I could prolly stand to give them a trim) I saw something I didn't like was shortly after we got the hamster she was in the carrier and angel seemed to tap when the hamster flipped I quickly bumped angel away looked all over the hamster (I would think after being scratched by mt moms cat so many times I know what that looks like) to see she was fine --that time I was *right* there watching sence then they have been so much better together

I think with the bin the plan is to have it huge as it is on my floor in my room or generally on the floor so I'm not *super* worried about it falling it itself is pretty heavy (and I'm kinda out of shape) add in the toys and that rock cave that she will prolly sit on more then she will sleep in lol and I don't think there's much worry

[Lougarry]

According to this Hamster Owners Forum Website - Safe and Unsafe Foods and Treats, mint is OK but not all hams like it.

[vanilla-yazoo]

Heya,
I hope you find it more friendly here
we are still a bit keen on a bigger cage, but personally, as long as the ham is healthy and happy, getting all it needs, if the cage is a smidge too small its not the end of the world!

I havent grown fresh plants in the cage but mine love fresh basil, coriander & cress, I would try other herbs but those are what i know they have liked, but I think in the cage they would just harvest it, store it and it would go moldy, just keep an eye out for excessive storing of the fresh plants

I have seen some lovely natural set ups using lots of dori seed bushes, millet sprays, houses hand shaped from air drying clay to look like rocks, fish tank decorations like the bridges made of giant pebbles, lots of sand and using more natural looking bedding (bright pink carefresh wont be top lol!!) like megazorb, aubiose, and other such things.
I love wooden houses and toys, so they can make it look more natural using browns then bright colours
I wouldnt let the ham and cat play when you are not about, but if you are 100% they are safe, and you are there with them then its your call

We all would love to see the photos of your ham

[Biyu]

Pics it is! Lol

And eighter me or mom are around when there together 90% of the time it's me if I like go to the bathroom if moms there ill tell her and there fine)

First off the bin and her current cage (the bin is easily 4 times wider then the cage 2 ish times deeper)




(I am assuming bbc works lol)

Then on to her?



[


In the carrier (that now needs a major cleaning --I plan on attaching it to the bin somehow so she can burrow in there as she seems to love to--that was while I was cleaning the cage and yup that's an old sewing machine under there)



And there she is just after we got her

a couple of the birds too



Skip in the cage mom brought home for him (when I sent her to get simply food and bedding for the hamster)




Angel is our cat. We went on a trip or something or another and wound up with a grasshopper in the house (it was the strangest thing) it darted to a corner fell and mom didnt believe me something was there I didn't see only heard it but I eventually found it angel decided it was a toy and batted at it so lightly it barely moved I eventually had to take it outside tho --more recently me and mom have seen something small and dark darting around and the hamster was accounted for as well so mom set traps (cruel glue traps no less even tho I attempted to with the carrier to create a humane cage which is why it needs the cleaning) well leave it to little angel we think she found and flipped it once there was a mouse on it she was also batting its corner lightly again no harm to it that I saw --the cats paid the glue traps no mind still I would have preferred traps that left them alive! Still don't know what I would have done with them tho -- that's the only time I saw eighter cat play with the glue trap and they have caught my shoes before too



And both birds together (you can really see skip is leaning foreward that's I assume from having one leg)