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Pebbles82 · 03-18-2017, 03:08 AM

I think it will be fine too! As Cypher says just make sure she has plenty of substrate to dig enough - fill the base to the top (if you get Fitch it works out cheap and lasts for ages and hammy's love it).

When setting it up maybe go for quite large toys like rat sized tunnels and a large-ish house then she will have plenty of hidey places and dark areas to go as well.

I would suggest - a big house at one end.
A platform like this, at the other end (it's a good size and quite tall so will easily sit above 17cm or more of substrate!)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trixie-Natu...living+shelter

That will give her something to sit under without feeling exposed from the top and also something to climb onto. A couple of bendy bridges are always good as hides or a ramp up to the platform.

I used to have this house in Charlie's old cage at one time

It's not big enough for a rabbit by any means. Because it's quite tall it can sit on the base of the cage and have the substrate all piled up round the outside (plus some inside to lower the height), which keeps it stable and the right height for a hammy. Plus the roof lifts off so you can check inside.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ferplast-84...n+rabbit+house

Or you can make one out of a shoebox. Cut the bottom out of the shoe box and cut a hole for a door in one of the long sides and keep the lid as a lift-off roof.

You could also maybe have a rat sputnik hanging from the roof to break up the space in the centre of the cage. It means it would come out when you opened the lid (so would need to be near the back hinges so it didn't catch) but that's ok as long as your hammy isn't in it at the time! Fill that with some bedding as well. It will hang quite low over deep substrate so be easy to climb into and give some extra "cover" so it doesn't feel too exposed.

And then a wheel obviously! Assume you already have a wheel.

But no I don't think it will feel too big if you fill it up well lol! You have loads of space to play with and these big cork tunnels are great. Best to put them in the freezer for a week first in case anything microscopic is alive in the cork.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trixie-7640...ds=Cork+tunnel

As these things can add up a bit costwise, I would get the platform and cork log and a couple of bendy bridges and make the shoebox house and have other cardboard boxes or kitchen roll tubes in there too (slit the kitchen roll tubes down the side so they expand).

03-18-2017, 03:08 AM
Pebbles82 Hamster Antics Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 23,533	Re: Advice preparing for a new hammy! I think it will be fine too! As Cypher says just make sure she has plenty of substrate to dig enough - fill the base to the top (if you get Fitch it works out cheap and lasts for ages and hammy's love it). When setting it up maybe go for quite large toys like rat sized tunnels and a large-ish house then she will have plenty of hidey places and dark areas to go as well. I would suggest - a big house at one end. A platform like this, at the other end (it's a good size and quite tall so will easily sit above 17cm or more of substrate!) https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trixie-Natu...living+shelter That will give her something to sit under without feeling exposed from the top and also something to climb onto. A couple of bendy bridges are always good as hides or a ramp up to the platform. I used to have this house in Charlie's old cage at one time It's not big enough for a rabbit by any means. Because it's quite tall it can sit on the base of the cage and have the substrate all piled up round the outside (plus some inside to lower the height), which keeps it stable and the right height for a hammy. Plus the roof lifts off so you can check inside. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ferplast-84...n+rabbit+house Or you can make one out of a shoebox. Cut the bottom out of the shoe box and cut a hole for a door in one of the long sides and keep the lid as a lift-off roof. You could also maybe have a rat sputnik hanging from the roof to break up the space in the centre of the cage. It means it would come out when you opened the lid (so would need to be near the back hinges so it didn't catch) but that's ok as long as your hammy isn't in it at the time! Fill that with some bedding as well. It will hang quite low over deep substrate so be easy to climb into and give some extra "cover" so it doesn't feel too exposed. And then a wheel obviously! Assume you already have a wheel. But no I don't think it will feel too big if you fill it up well lol! You have loads of space to play with and these big cork tunnels are great. Best to put them in the freezer for a week first in case anything microscopic is alive in the cork. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trixie-7640...ds=Cork+tunnel As these things can add up a bit costwise, I would get the platform and cork log and a couple of bendy bridges and make the shoebox house and have other cardboard boxes or kitchen roll tubes in there too (slit the kitchen roll tubes down the side so they expand).