All About My Pumpkin - Page 37

SKB_Hamsters · 05-08-2017, 04:22 PM

Thank you Drago, Pumpkin does love her cage! Her cage is a DIY IKEA cage, made from the STUVA Frame (128x50x60cm), this cage provides her with 7,015cm sq useable floor space (122x57.5cm), which allows plenty of space for lots of enrichment to help keep her entertained and also enough room for both her wheels (as Pumpkin enjoys running back and forth between the two!)

Drago · 05-08-2017, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SKB_Hamsters

Thank you Drago, Pumpkin does love her cage! Her cage is a DIY IKEA cage, made from the STUVA Frame (128x50x60cm), this cage provides her with 7,015cm sq useable floor space (122x57.5cm), which allows plenty of space for lots of enrichment to help keep her entertained and also enough room for both her wheels (as Pumpkin enjoys running back and forth between the two!)

Nice! I've never heard of the cage, but it looked really nice so I had to ask

Would you recommend it? I may keep this in mind for future hams

SKB_Hamsters · 05-08-2017, 04:58 PM

I would recommend this IKEA hack - I had never heard or seen this DIY cage before but I saw this frame in the "Fynd me a home" section of IKEA (furniture which people have returned) I could see the potential and for only £10 I thought it was worth a try. The STUVA frame is the framework for children wardrobes. This IKEA hack is not a simple as the BILLY cage, as the back panel is made for a flimsy piece of fibreboard, so I had to use one of the sides for the base and used a piece of untreated pine wood painted with white plastikote to fill in the gap - they are joined together with aquarium sealant. I can't remember how much exactly this cage cost me to build but it was somewhere between £60 and £70 - although the acrylic was the most expensive piece of the cage at £30 (this was the cheapest place I could get the acrylic cut to size) - it was still a lot cheaper than buying a cage without bars at this size.

AprilPearl · 05-08-2017, 07:46 PM

Haha Mushu is also very good at the sunflower seed vanishing trick!

Pumpkin’s cage is looking amazing and that picture of her with her morror is hilarious. I wonder if hamsters can actually see their reflection, or if their eyes don’t work that way.

cypher · 05-08-2017, 10:28 PM

Looks lovely as always SKB, Pumpkin has clearly been enjoying exploring her new set up & I had to laugh at her tidying up the forage

BorisPasha · 05-09-2017, 02:35 AM

Looks stunning as always SKB, I need you to come and do my cages lol. Pumpkin will have a great time I'm sure with the new layout

The little doormouse dish looks so cute (think I'm seeing it in the pictures).

I too laughed at her tidying up her forage and putting it in to her bowl, I've never seen my boys do anything so tidy!

Love the pic of her looking at her reflection, I'm sure she'll be very happy with how pretty she looks

I'll look forward to seeing Pumpkin's new trick with the sunflower seed

Hamsterita · 05-10-2017, 03:07 AM

Pumpkin's cage looks stunning as usual. I wish I would know how to cramp so many things in my cage without making it unsafe or hideous! Pumpkin is a lucky ham!

Thin Lizzy · 05-10-2017, 09:41 PM

Another wonderful & colourful cage layout for Pumpkin the Magician! Superb SKB.

SKB_Hamsters · 05-12-2017, 08:37 AM

Thank You AprilPearl, cypher, BorisPasha, Hamsterita and Thin Lizzy. It been really lovely watching Pumpkin enjoying this months layout!

I also really that photo of Pumpkin with her reflection, I was trying to get a picture of her standing up against the acrylic, her reflection was produced from the flash from my camera reflecting against the acrylic (as her acrylic is clear colourless) - so it was a big surprise that when I saw the photo to then see her reflection too.

I also haven't had a hamster who has been as tidy and organised as Pumpkin is. I was also laughing at her as she set about collecting all the forage - I could imagine Pumpkin thinking that I had made a mess of her cage with this forage scattered around. But I don't mind that she collected the forage as I got quite a few cute photos of her nibbling on pieces.

AprilPearl - I also wonder too if hamsters are capable of seeing their reflection, but I don't know if they can due to their poor eyesight.

BorisPasha - I wouldn't mind doing your all of hamsters cage as I really like setting up cages although it would probably take me a ages. It takes me while just to do Pumpkin's cage - luckily Pumpkin is happy to sleep in her carrier whilst I'm doing her cage although she get so comfortable in her carrier that when its time to put her back into her cage she reluctant to come out of the nest she has made in there.
Yes, the dormouse dish is visible in a few photos, Pumpkin is also sniffing her new dish in the bottom left photo of the first collage.

Hamsterita - It takes a while for me to get a layout that I'm happy with and which is also safe for Pumpkin. Personally I like to try toys in many different places until I find a place where it looks the best. Although Pumpkin's cage layout looks really empty until I have added her chew toys, I find these are good a filling spaces which look fairly empty.

New Playbin

I went to IKEA this week to get Pumpkin's new playbin - she now has a 130l SAMLA box to replace her old playbin as it was small and Pumpkin constantly wanted to try to find a way out - so her new box will allow me to add more toys, and also I will have enough room inside to add a 11" wheel. I also thought this box would be an ideal travel cage for her when needed. At first when I put her in the box she was very unsure - but with some reassurance she was calm and comfortable to explore and started to enjoy herself.
I also got some more KNUFF magazine files to make some more cage shelves. I did have plans to get the multicolour LEDBERG lights, although online it showed that they were in stock however they didn't have any in stock and I even asked a member of staff and they said they haven't had any instock in for ages. So I was quite disappointed as I have really missed watching Pumpkin at night but I bought some unused multicolour LEDBERG lights of eBay so I'm waiting for those to be delivered.

Pumpkin's Sunflower Seed Sprouts

I had been trying to sprout sunflower seeds for Pumpkin for ages, but recently I had success. On Sunday, Pumpkin got to enjoy these sprouts, as soon as I placed the pot in her cage she rushed over and began tucking in - within 2 minutes they had all disappeared. Out of the sprouts I have tried Pumpkin on I think she enjoyed these the most as they got the best reaction for Pumpkin. So Pumpkin definitely recommend sunflower seed sprouts. Here are the photos I managed to take of Pumpkin enjoying herself:

IMG_1565_zpssadtduup.jpg

AprilPearl · 05-12-2017, 08:47 AM

Glad to hear that Pumpkin is thriving in the new play bin. She looks as though she is enjoying those sprouts too! How long did they take to grow? Sunflower seeds are Mushu's favourites, so I can't help but think he would think it a waste to bury them in a pot (not being able to conceptualise the idea of them growing into something else yummy!).