Hi

[QWERTYOP]

So I'm still actually at the stage of considering buying a Syrian hamster. Not something I think you should ever rush into with any pet, so I'm taking my time and trying to gain as much knowledge as I can before taking the plunge. Have decided to go for the Savic Plaza cage. Seems well liked among experienced owners and it clearly offers a lot of space. Would definitely like some advice on bedding. I live in a one bedroom flat, and the hamster would be in my living room with me, so odour control will be VERY important for me. I've read that wood pulp bedding would be good for this. Is that true, or would you recommend something better? Cost is also a concern for me too. I'd like to keep costs down where I can without compromising on giving the hamster the best environment that I can. Also on the subject of bedding, before coming here, my research led me to believe that a full bedding change and cage clean should be done once a week, but on this forum I've read people saying that needs to actually be done much less than that. Could I get some clarification there? If a full change doesn't actually need to be done very much, then perhaps I'm over estimating how much bedding will cost me over time? I owned a bearded dragon for a few years about 10 years ago, so I'm used to keeping animals in tanks/cages and cleaning it etc. I guess this time around I wanted something simpler, cheaper to keep, and without the live locusts! I've compiled a "to buy" list for before I pick myself up a hamster to go live in the cage. I'll post below so anyone can let me know if I've missed anything?

Plaza cage
substrate/bedding
nesting material (toilet or kitchen paper is apparently OK?)
12" silent (ideally!) wheel (will I need a smaller one at first?)
toys
hide(s)?
chews
food bowl
exercise ball for outside cage play
water bottle
dustpan and brush for spot cleaning, any overspill of substrate & cage cleaning
travel tank/cage (I like my holidays, so once or twice a year may need to take my hamster to board somewhere while I'm away)

I think that's it for now! Sorry if I've gone on a bit, but I like to try and be thorough when it comes to keeping any kind of animal.

Thanks!

[alpacassei]

You chose a good cage!

I find Kaytee Clean and Cosy is the best substrate for odour control, its paper based so its really soft and good for burrowing. You only need to do a full cage clean every 6 - 8 weeks, if not longer depending on how stinky your hammie is. A lot of people use the 2/3 method of replacing 2/3 the substrate with clean substrate and leaving 1/3 of the old substrate so it still smells familiar.

12” wheel is fine for baby hams so dont worry about getting a smaller one first. I have the wooden trixie wheel for my Syrians but the Wodent Wheel and Silent Runner (not spinner!) are also good options.

You’ll need a large house for your ham to nest in, preferably one with a removable lid. A lot of people use labyrinth houses but any large house is fine, even cardboard shoe boxes! I recommend getting a few different sizes bendy bridges and a cork tunnel as these make great hides.

Exercise balls are pretty controversial tbh. Not all hamster like them, some get stressed out being stuck in such a small space and the air slits can catch paws. A large play pen is a much safer option.

[QWERTYOP]

Thanks! Ah that's a lot less often than I was expecting concerning substrate changing. Is there a general rule of thumb or telltale sign(s) for when I'll need to do this? Or is it purely a case of when it starts to smell? Is there a point where it would get unhealthy for the hamster for example? I'd plan on being very regular with my spot cleaning. Something I got very used to with my bearded dragon.

I suppose the biggest major concern I have left is temperatures. I note from research that hamsters are used to relatively warm temps in their natural habitat. Not a major issue during the day because I like to keep the living room warm for me! But I'm concerned about the night time. As you'll know, it typically gets very cold quite a lot at night here! Is that going to be a major issue or are they OK with that?

In terms of hides & toys etc, I was told a good way to go for Syrians was to buy things marketed for rats because Syrians get large for hamsters. Is this a good way to go? I'm just going to find it difficult at first because obviously I plan to buy hides and toys etc before the hamster itself, and may even be doing so online where it might be even more difficult to judge if it's the correct size.