Chinese in a Mickey 2XL?

[Roxie]

Just for future reference...anyone keep a chinese in this cage? Obviously I'll have a lot of hidey holes in there for her. Shiloh is making her Mini Duna look small already as she's very active, my only concern is that it may be *too* big.

I was thinking of getting Cookie (syrian) the Igor Fuchsia Marchioro cage, just because she strikes me as a Hamster who should have a bright pink cage :). Shiloh could then have Cookies 2XL.

Any thoughts?

[mangoandmimi]

my chinese is quite shy in a mini duna, even more in a zoozone 1, i wouldnt even think of putting her in a bigger barred cage but all hamsters are different. if you feel she'd like it then yeah go for it, just cram it with toys ^^ x

[Roxie]

Yeah, Shiloh is the complete opposite, sits out in the open, naps on the wheel. She's a little shy on occassion but mostly really inquisitive, always wants to be out where the action is :mad:

[racinghamster]

My honest opinion would be that a tank style cage like the Zoozone 1 or a Gabber Rex is better Roxie. The Mickey 2XL is made to house smaller hamsters and mice, so there is nothing wrong with using one for this purpose, especially if the cage is accessorized to suit a chinese. My Prinny lives in a Gabber Rex and she loves it. Although I have made sure that she has places to sit and eat and hide. I would`nt go back to using a smaller tank/cage for her now unless I felt she was getting old and needed a smaller enclosure. But even then I would try and keep her where she is because of the familiarity of where everything is.

The only reason I would use a smaller tank would be if the hamster was very shy/timid or old.

The Mickey 2XL is a nice big cage (I have my syrian in one). :) But you know your own chinese so if you feel she would benefit from the XL, there is no harm in trying. The base is deep though so your water bottle would need to be set lower (especially as they age).

[fluffymunchkins]

I wouldn't have any problems in putting a confident chinese in the Mickey 2 XL :)

Bacardi is in the ferplast criceti 15 which is pretty much the same floorspace, I do find he appreciates the big ferplast corner shelf to go under for privacy. He also has his trixie jesper house to sleep under. But apart from that hes happy to run on his wheel and up on the shelf for his food and water :)

I orginally moved Bacardi as I felt he needed more space (originally in a gabber rex) and would appreciate the bars to climb. Turns I was wrong in the fact that he hasn't even attempted to climb on the bars. But its done no harm with him being in a barred cage, Ive found it much easier to socialise with him x

[Roxie]

That's good to hear FM, my personal preference is for barred cages so I'd like to move her into one if I can.

I'll give her a little more time then make a decision but I really think she may benefit from the extra space.

[racinghamster]

That`s good to know is`nt it? :) My chinese is currently in a Gabber Rex and I thought about going a step-up still to a Zoozone 2, but until I have the space to fit this slightly larger tank in, I will need to make do with the Rex for the time being. But I definately agree about giving a chinese more leg room if they are giving signs that they need the extra space. :)

[ashari]

i agree that if you think she would benefit from the extra room then go for it.i also have my eve in a mini duna and shes definitely making it look small.i haven't had her long (just over a week) so i dont know her well enough to know if shed like something like a M2XL but i think shed love the zoozone 1.im really surprised how curious and active my little Chinese is tbh!i thought shed be hidden away all the time and just dart from one place to another but shes up and about exploring,running about and borrowing!shes great to watch!

[Roxie]

Has Eve destroyed her cage yet? It's Shilohs new favourite past time. Tunnels everwhere, everything tipped over. Destroys things for a while then naps on the wheel. Then she repeats it all again! I <3 her :mrgreen:

[ashari]

not yet but im sure she will in time!lol.oh but i did bury some of her tubes and she looked like she was having a great time tunneling one way and popping her head up another way hehe!shes coming along great though!i was sorting her wheel out last night too and she was coming up to my hand and investigating what i was up to.she wasnt scared of my presence at all so i handed her a meal worm to see if she'd take it and she did!i wanted to jump for joy lol,it was just lovely! :) i cant wait to upgrade her to a zoozone because the mini duna is so much more flimsy than the zoozone 1 :/

[racinghamster]

The Zoozone 1 would probably be the best equivellant to the Gabber Rex in terms of size and has great access. :) ashari, you will find that if you have a little seed treat or half a mealworm to offer her from your open hand, she will soon learn that you = a treat! Prinny comes over to me all the time because she knows I have a little seed/millet or half a mealworm for her and she loves nothing more than to feed from my hand and places a little paw on my hand aswell, which is so sweet. They really are clever little hamsters and behave like mice, which is why I have taken to Prinny so much because she is more mousie to me than she is a hamster. :mad:

[Gizmodo ^_^]

Yeah i much prefer the zoozone1 to the gabber and duna multy i own.
The access is just so much better
the grill really annoys me on the duna multy and gabber:mad:
(i own an old Duna multy, before they came out with the new lid)

[racinghamster]

The `lift-up` lids/grills are definately best. My Gabber Rex was second hand off ebay and the grill was so rusty I took it off and made my own from two old barred shelves from another cage and I just sit these over the gap now. The grill overlaps the hole by a few inches so I just have to lift it off now. I hate those slide-in grills because they are too noisy and the small door in them is just that...too small!

So the gabber grill can be removed and replaced by a home-made wire mesh or a grill made from a wooden frame and mesh, which is what I want to make for mine when I have the time! :mad:

[ashari]

zoozones are very good,thick plastic,sturdy and meshing the lid is very simple.i was really lucky how i got mine as i found it at the local tip when i went with my dad to chuck out some old carpet lol.you should of seen my face when i saw it hehe!my mini duna was kind of an impulse buy because i was really worried Eve would be scared in the zoozone for a first home and might be better in the mini to settle in.

racingham-yeah i agree chinese are so clever and very mouse like in looks and nature.i just love sitting by her cage and watching her tunneling under one place and then popping her cute face out of another!lol.shes just fab :)

gizmodo- am i getting a feeling you want a chinese? lol

[racinghamster]

That was handly finding a Zoozone at the local skip! :mad: