View Single Post
Old 02-07-2019, 04:08 AM  
Pebbles82
Hamster Antics
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 23,533
Default Re: Tanks with lids in UK?

That one Cypher linked is another one I looked at getting. And didn't because an experienced owner/breeder said a hamster could chew out of the plastic side vents. Now other people have had this without issue but there was someone who had exactly that issue - the hamster chewed through the side vents.

Junglepets will make a custom size tank whatever size you want. I asked them to quote me for one 50cm deep and 50cm tall (can't remember if that was for 100cm or 120cm long), which they could do - with or without glass shelves. I think shipping was about £50. It has to come on a pallet so it doesn't break. It was about 3 or 4 years ago now and the quote was around £125 I think but may have gone up.

My view on this is - if you go for something 100cm long you'd probably be better with a cage with front access, like the Savic Plaza. If you want something longer than 100cm then a tank or detolf is better.

The other option I looked at for tanks, was the Falco 100 cage. But it doesn't seem to be sold any more and it also had an issue with access. It was a glass tank 100cm by 50cm by 50cm with a cage top on top of it. Now if that cage top had a front opening door it would have basically been a good cage with a very deep glass base. But the only door was on top.

If you're wanting the tank for deep substrate or because you like the look of them more, I would suggest that a cage gives just as much enrichment, if you have a really good house that mimics a burrow system, even though the substrate isn't as deep.

It is a bit of a minefield and I spent ages trying to get the perfect cage - and in the end there isn't one! Everything is a compromise. I personally am with Cypher in that one of the most important things is front access.

The Savic Plaza is the nearest to my perfect cage (it didn't exist when I was looking) - 100 x 50cm and with a large front opening door and the whole of the roof available for attaching things to (I like roof runs that link platforms etc from one side to the other) so I have large rat tubes attached to the roof between hanging sputniks and shelves - it almost doubles the floor area in terms of enrichment.
Pebbles82 is offline   Reply With Quote