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Old 01-28-2018, 09:41 PM   #1
Maddie123d
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Join Date: Jan 2018
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Default Is this cage okay for my Syrian hamster??

Hi I’ve had my Syrian hamster for about seven months and I have been keeping him in 3 crittertrail cages connected with a tube and I just wanted to know if this was an okay set up because I have tried moving him into a 120 gallon tank but he didn’t really like it so I moved him back into the critter trail cages. Now he is struggling to get through the tubes when his cheeks are full and I don’t want him to struggle so I ordered a billy extension shelf and I’m going to build him a billy cage. My mother thinks he is fine and I shouldn’t worry but I’m trying to be a good owner and have only the best for him.
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Old 01-29-2018, 07:35 AM   #2
Pebbles82
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Default Re: Is this cage okay for my Syrian hamster??

Hi. I think an upgrade sounds like a good idea because Crittertrails are too small to have normal behaviours in, even if you have 3 joined together (one cage needs a good sized floor area and a deep enough base for Substrate). Also, as you say, the tubes are risky.

I wouldn't do the Billy extension though as it is too narrow for a Syrian (ie not deep enough widthways).

Not sure what the dimensions of your 120 gallon tank are, but as long as it is at least 40 to 45 cm (18 to 20") width (the short side not the long side) then I would suggest trying that again - but set up so one end is a deep digging area - this will effectively reduce the size of it inside - at least initially.

Having said that, it might be that your hammy is just used to a barred cage and not a tank - but he would adjust.

Transferring them carefully can help the tank to work for you. So for example you could set the tank up with lots of substrate (the more you have, the less you need to do clean outs and can just spot clean - for months really - especially if you provide a litter tray in the area the hammy chooses).

So put lots of substrate in - at least 6" - and then deeper at one end to say 10". To create a cosier main living area in the rest of the tank. (I'm assuming the tank is about 100cm or more long?).

Then put one of the Crittertrails inside the tank, without cleaning anything - ideally the one he usually nests in. And leave the door open. Then set the rest of the tank up with wheel not too far away and his old toys, food bowl, water bottle etc.

With a larger area too you might need more/larger toys to fill it a bit so there isn't too much open space (which can freak them a bit after moving to a bigger cage).

Pringles tubes are a good size. I also like the large cork log tunnels you can get in reptile shops (or on Amazon) - they usually need a bit of a wash/brush before use and I tend to freeze them for a week to kill anything that might be living in them!

The make a nice big dark tunnel in a large cage, and also something to climb over with an interesting texture - plus they are light and don't sink into the substrate.

Ideally you would want a large-ish house for nesting as well (a shoebox is a good size - cut a hole for a door and cut the base out and keep the lid as a lift-off roof so you can check inside without his nest falling apart). But you could wait to add the house later, until he's settled in (as the crittertrail will be in there).

A platform is quite important so they don't feel too exposed and have something to sit under and it's a good place for a food bowl, sand bath or any heavy/ceramic toys that could be tunneled under in the substrate. Just a piece of untreated pine wood and stick some dowels on for legs is fine. Or some people use Ikea Knuff magazine racks to make a platform/hide. (See link below) which might be easier if you don't like diy much.

So set it up so there isn't too much open space, a place to sit under/hide and plenty of hidey floor toys like tubes/tunnels - larger ones - and a cardboard tissue box or something can make a hide to fill some space too. Kitchen roll inner tubes are ok if you slit them down one side, and cardboard egg boxes with a hole cut in one end.

Then he can continue to nest in the crittertrail inside the tank, and gradually explore out of the cage. Actually I would put a house in at the start, as he may move out of the crittertrail and into the house and then you can remove the crittertrail after a week or so. Scatter some food round the cage, add an interesting nice chew or two and hide the odd treat around the cage. That will get him distracted and exploring.

Then just leave him for two weeks - no cleaning - just put food out. If he wants to come out that's fine, but maybe not for the first 3 days unless he's showing he wants to come out.

It can take a good two weeks for them to adjust to an upgrade. I did it with our last Syrian and he looked scared and shaky and we so nearly moved him back into his old cage (but couldn't as he was getting stuck in tubes), but stuck it out. And suddenly by day 10 he was happy as larry and loving it and looking really happy! Running about - leaping out of his wheel and flopping on the substrate (plenty of space).

Not sure what size wheel you've got but I'd invest in an 11" or 12" one as they run better in a large wheel and it can never be too small for them then. If you want to fill the space as well then rather than buying lots of extra toys you could maybe get a 12" flying saucer as well as a wheel so something else fun.

He will really appreciate the extra space and ability to have places to go and things to do, if you set it up carefully and give him time to settle. Leaving the Crittertrail in the tank for at least a week. He'll probably abandon it within a week if there's an interesting bigger dark new house to nest in.

And put a big pile of torn up strips of plain white toilet paper somewhere in the tank so he can build a nice big nest and forage for the nesting material.

I would change him over now if he's having issues with the tubes - even if you don't have a platform ready yet - you can add that later and just have plenty of hidey places and tubes for now.

What are the dimensions of the 120 gallon tank? The Billy is only just big enough for a dwarf hamster really and some people even then think it's a bit narrow.

Forgot to mention - when you've filled the tank with substrate, keep his old substrate from the other two crittertrails (leave the one he nests in as it is, in tact) and sprinkle it on top of the new substrate in the tank so it smells familiar. And move everything over without cleaning any toys/wheel etc so it smells familiar. It's tempting to clean everything at such times, but better not to - it'll be fine for a couple of weeks.

After a week you could spot clean his toilet area (ie any area pee'd on) by taking a handful or two of substrate out, adding a bit new and mixing it in - you could then put a litter tray (any kind of dish with chinchilla bathing sand in) in that area, and he should use it. Then you just need to empty and clean out the litter tray every 5 days or so and the rest of the cage should stay dry But don't clean anything or move anything around for at least two weeks once he is in the tank

Last edited by Pebbles82; 01-29-2018 at 07:40 AM.
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Old 01-29-2018, 10:20 AM   #3
Maddie123d
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Default Re: Is this cage okay for my Syrian hamster??

The tank was about 12 inches wide which I thought was too narrow. Do you have any other cage recommendations?thank you so much for the advice you have helped me a lot because before I found this forum I was using Wikipedia and yahoo answers (bad idea). But to answer your other questions I do have an 11inch wheel and a sand bath and a large tube and a bendy bridge. I think I’m going to get a large bin cage. Oh and thank you for telling me how to get him used to a new cage I was looking everywhere for information on how to do that
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Old 01-29-2018, 11:42 AM   #4
Pebbles82
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Default Re: Is this cage okay for my Syrian hamster??

You're welcome Yes 12" is a bit narrow - I think that's the issue with the Billy as well. Bin cages are a good option. Also because you have mesh on the sides it'll be more cage like than a tank. The difficulty is finding a good sized bin - some slope at the sides quite a lot.

I'm guessing you're in the US and I'm not that up on good bins in the US apart from the Iris Christmas tree bin which is very good but might not be available now Christmas has been and gone. (Out of stock at Walmart).

Another option is a detolf cage which is also popular in the US and I think any Syrian would be happy in that. It's quite long but a bit deeper than your tank (about 14 to 15" deep). It's an Ikea glass cabinet tipped on its side. You leave the door off during assembly and make a lid (most people make two shorter lids rather than one long one) with wood and mesh. There are a lot of tutorials around on youtube on how to do the lids, including one by Erin's Hamsters (her videos are worth checking out). It costs about $60. If you have any Ikea Kallax cube storage units, it fits well on top of those, or on top of a couple of the cheaper Lack coffee tables.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=ha...w=1252&bih=553

A bit easier than making a bin cage in my opinion and they look nice too! An 11" wheel fits, but some 12" ones are too tall (unless you take the stand off and mount them with a bolt through the wood end piece.

I would love a detolf, but we have two hamsters so two large cages is about all I can fit!

Try putting Hamster detolf in youtube and you'll see some set ups as well.

There is a very good Syrian sized cage available but it's about $100. It has a great front opening door, comes with a really nice rat sized tube (nice for Syrians) and you can take the plastic shelf etc out and set it up how you want. A wheel can be bar mounted and it's tall enough without being too tall. It's a good size but you wouldn't want to go any smaller.

It's the Marchioro Goran 82 - but it's been out of stock for a while - this is the cheapest seller I'm aware of

https://www.petmountain.com/product/...-rat-cage.html

There is also the Lixit Mickey 2XL but that costs even more - about $145 - about the same size, but a bit lower. An 11" wheel fits fine but a 12" wheel is a bit restrictive on floor space in this cage. I had this for our Syrian and it's a lovely cage. It comes with a metal grid shelf that needs taking out though (intended for mice I think) as that's bad for hamsters feet. Also the tubes inside it are far too small - mouse sized and one is narrow/flat - our Syrian got stuck in them - but you don't need to use them - they're not attached. One positive about this cage though is it's fairly future proof because it has 7mm bar spacing so is suitable for a dwarf as well as a Syrian. It's actually a bit cheaper at the moment - $127 (only sold on Amazon I think).

https://www.amazon.com/Lixit-Animal-...it+mickey+2+xl

Those are the only two cages I know big enough for a Syrian in the US. A lot of people either make a bin cage, have a detolf, or get a 40 gallon breeder tank from Petco when they have their dollar per gallon sales.

I would only go with a bin cage if you can find one big enough/tall enough or you may need to upgrade again.

A detolf might be a quicker option than a bin cage also, if he needs to move fairly quickly - and if you have space for one! They can make a kind of living room decor piece as well, with storage underneath.
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Old 01-29-2018, 04:27 PM   #5
Maddie123d
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Default Re: Is this cage okay for my Syrian hamster??

I just got a 101cm x 54.6cm x 45.4cm bin is that an okay size or should I go bigger?
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Old 01-29-2018, 04:33 PM   #6
Pebbles82
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Default

It sounds good

When you cut panels in the side for meshing, it's a good idea to have them higher up rather than down near the base, so you've got enough space for a good depth of substrate so it doesn't fall out through the mesh.

A bit like this one maybe although I'd still have a bit more space under the mesh.

Image - TinyPic - Free Image Hosting, Photo Sharing & Video Hosting

Last edited by Fluffagrams; 01-30-2018 at 04:06 AM. Reason: Consecutive posts
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