Hamster Central - View Single Post - Let's see your cages - New thread

Stanza · 07-24-2022, 08:07 AM

[QUOTE=Serendipity7000;963955]Hi Stanza. Rat Sputnik actually works better in the hamster heaven

. Because the cage is lower. They can actually pull themselves up into it from substrate level. My favourite place to put it in that cage was at the front so the opening is where the front door is open - our hamster liked to climb out of it onto the open cage door and also go back in via the Sputnik. And liked to sit in it and look out through the bars (putting some bedding in it makes it cosier).

Thanks Serendipity, great photos too

The only open space I have is under the top door which no longer has the little green penthouse that’s designed to fit up there, so the Sputnik will sit nicely in front of the main door. Hams had made his nest up there, so he did love it but he was using the tubes as his toilet and on warm days it was damp up there, so I was concerned about ventilation. I’m a bit of a softy, so it was a big decision to remove it and I was upset to see him upset but sometimes we just have to do things for the greater good. I moved the food and nesting material that was there to the shoebox which he did use daily but only for hiding out in and within 48hrs he was burrowing around the base of his cage under the shoebox, I was so relieved. I could tell he was sad but it didn’t stop him coming out to see me the following day and play in his pen. He’d go back in his cage and almost expect it to have returned but that settled after 4-5 days and he now has the cutest bed under the shoebox, a proper little nest right at the base of the cage with a food store to one side.

I tried the Sputnik out last night whilst he was in the playpen and it sits nicely in the middle with an entrance from the degu shelves at the back, an opening to the left where I’m going to pop a wooden bridge across the pink shelf as he never uses the small plastic hide there and then either leave the third opening just open as he can reach the small wooden bridge I have placed over the entrance to his shoebox (mostly to keep out light in the day) and as you mention in the HH the Sputnik is nearer the ground, so hopefully leaving this one open won’t create problems.

I’ve had the Sputnik in the playpen for a few nights and he’s climbed in and out of it, been rubbing his scent on it, so tonight’s the night I’m going to pop it in

Love the idea of using the cardboard tubes as roof runs and I’m guessing the plastic rat tubes are larger than any plastic hamster tubes on the market, I’ll look into those.

Thanks everyone for all the advice and photos, much appreciated

07-24-2022, 08:07 AM
Stanza Adult Hamster Join Date: Jan 2022 Location: Essex Posts: 354	Re: Let's see your cages - New thread - July 2017 [QUOTE=Serendipity7000;963955]Hi Stanza. Rat Sputnik actually works better in the hamster heaven . Because the cage is lower. They can actually pull themselves up into it from substrate level. My favourite place to put it in that cage was at the front so the opening is where the front door is open - our hamster liked to climb out of it onto the open cage door and also go back in via the Sputnik. And liked to sit in it and look out through the bars (putting some bedding in it makes it cosier). Thanks Serendipity, great photos too The only open space I have is under the top door which no longer has the little green penthouse that’s designed to fit up there, so the Sputnik will sit nicely in front of the main door. Hams had made his nest up there, so he did love it but he was using the tubes as his toilet and on warm days it was damp up there, so I was concerned about ventilation. I’m a bit of a softy, so it was a big decision to remove it and I was upset to see him upset but sometimes we just have to do things for the greater good. I moved the food and nesting material that was there to the shoebox which he did use daily but only for hiding out in and within 48hrs he was burrowing around the base of his cage under the shoebox, I was so relieved. I could tell he was sad but it didn’t stop him coming out to see me the following day and play in his pen. He’d go back in his cage and almost expect it to have returned but that settled after 4-5 days and he now has the cutest bed under the shoebox, a proper little nest right at the base of the cage with a food store to one side. I tried the Sputnik out last night whilst he was in the playpen and it sits nicely in the middle with an entrance from the degu shelves at the back, an opening to the left where I’m going to pop a wooden bridge across the pink shelf as he never uses the small plastic hide there and then either leave the third opening just open as he can reach the small wooden bridge I have placed over the entrance to his shoebox (mostly to keep out light in the day) and as you mention in the HH the Sputnik is nearer the ground, so hopefully leaving this one open won’t create problems. I’ve had the Sputnik in the playpen for a few nights and he’s climbed in and out of it, been rubbing his scent on it, so tonight’s the night I’m going to pop it in Love the idea of using the cardboard tubes as roof runs and I’m guessing the plastic rat tubes are larger than any plastic hamster tubes on the market, I’ll look into those. Thanks everyone for all the advice and photos, much appreciated Last edited by Stanza; 07-24-2022 at 08:21 AM.