[Pebbles82]

Sorry - didn't realise you had a large cage. I just vaguely remembered you were thinking of changing cages a while back, so maybe you already did. Did you have to mesh the cage then? Bar spacing for guinea pigs is usually larger than 1cm.

Shame about the donut bed - they wash up quite well I found, in a washing machine - although then you need to check them to see if they're still in tact and no loose stitching etc - although maybe it was beyond cleaning up. And to disinfect it would probably need a very hot wash and then it might fall apart. Although it can be hard if certain things are associated with the last hamster but that can wear off in time. I think they're great for out of cage time but I wouldn't use one inside the cage again - even if your last hamster didn't chew it, another one could. Any kind of fabric is a bit risky in the cage.

A Syrian would almost certainly escape if the bar spacing was bigger than 1cm.

The one in the photo looks like he's asleep. It can help to see them awake to make sure they're not sick. I think in most pet shops they are just in a tank with bedding, a food bowl water and perhaps one toy - a cardboard tube. Our first one was. No they don't usually have wheels in pet shops either. That's not such a bad thing if they're babies or very young because if they have a wheel too soon there have been stories of them having a heart attack from over use. I know some breeders don't give them a wheel until they're about 12 weeks old. Baby hamsters are often rehomed at 6 to 8 weeks old. Although most people give them a wheel straight away.

I know what you mean about feeling sorry for them and wanting to give one a home. It's very tricky - weighing up the need to save one and the risk of poor health if the pet shop conditions aren't good. You had an awful time initially with your last one having bugs. I don't know what it's like where you are, but are there people advertising wanting to rehome their hamster? Eg adopting one. They are often unwanted pets that were bought for children who got bored with them.

If you do get one from a pet store and the hamster isn't active and healthy looking then get a vet check - and if it needs any treatment the pet store should pay. But if it does seem active and healthy then it might be best to just let them settle in for that first 2 or 3 weeks settling in time rather than stressing them out with another change of environment by going to the vets. Baby hamsters can get freaked quite easily. I wouldn't go to the same pet shop though.

It can be quite a task thoroughly disinfecting the bars of the cage - I used to put them in the bath and spray the bars inside and out thoroughly all round with the disinfectant spray, leave it 15 minutes or so, rinse it off and then I'd go over the bars again with a sponge with washing up liquid which foams everything up - eg soap gets all bits of the bars and joints so nothing is missed, and then rinse all that off. Same with the base - inside and out. It's not just to disinfect it, but to remove all scent of the last hamster or it can freak out another hamster if they can smell a previous one (or smell sickness).

If the cage was then going to be used for another hamster I'd probably then clean it a second time after all that with white vinegar. Which does help remove scents. But that needs thoroughly rinsing off or it's a bit of a strong scent.