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Originally Posted by syrianali
I notice Ikea Expedit listed as making a cage, but wondered how you would seal the exposed chipboard and the corners to prevent them becoming urine soaked?
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I personally used drawer liner paper with a sticky reverse side. Works great and makes cleaning much easier too -- just takes time and care to apply it very smoothly without wrinkles.
Quote:
Originally Posted by syrianali
am I right in assuming the colour coding is suggesting the space that is unsuitable in red, and green is good?
I am querying as I thought I read in the NHC paperwork that 1000cm 2 was the minimum req for a syrian?
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The color coding is a bit arbitrary, as it started out as a chart I made for my personal use. I own many of those commercial and DIY cages, and those were what I felt was accommodating for my hamsters, who are all dwarf hams. It had something to do with a layout too. For example, even though the floor area of one half of a 40/30 Gallon "breeder" tank is approximately similar to a habitat made from an IKEA Billy Extension shelf, the IKEA habitat is much longer and seems overall better.
The "half" is there because I split my hamsters for re-introduction, so it was to get an idea of how much room they had (and someone else might consider that as a reintroduction option, since dividers are so easy to make for aquariums).
Quote:
Originally Posted by syrianali
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As for such general recommendations--they are often not for pet owners who are seeking the best for their hamsters. They are more like the minimum suggested space, which is not to say it's a good amount--it's just the minimum they feel is okay. As to how happy a hamster will be in that minimum is subjective, but I would guess not as happy as if he/she had more room with more toys and things to do.