Tube Climbing

[hannahbubble]

Does anyone have a chinese that climbs up tubes?

I want to extend my ferplast cage but I'm not sure if Ponyo will be able to get up the tubes if I put the extra cage on top.

I just read somewhere that chinese hamsters are the most able of dwarf species at climbing, also that if the tubes have ridges they will be able to?

[racinghamster]

Yes, chinese are good climbers, but any tubes you fix to your cage should still be at an angle to make it easier for the hamster to go up and down. Too upright/vertical and a sick or older chinese would have problems with that. Start as you mean to go on and think about what the extension will look like before actually attempting a cage layout change. Chinese are timid and don`t really like too much change going on too often. If it`s just one tube going up through the roof, then you would need to find a way for it to be angled.

[Onion]

My chinese manages the Imac Fantasy tubes fine, but they are angled, and that makes it easier for her as racinghamster said.

[Vectis Hamstery]

My Chinese are good at climbing. To get up to platforms or shelves I use wooden logs (the ones with holes in from the pet shop or the play sticks curved into an arch or ramp) or bog wood/ other branches. I like these as chins are devils for peeing in plastic tubes or hiding/nesting in them which becomes rather unsanitary. I have also used the karlie climbing ladder.
My very first Chinese lived in a rotastak set-up with vertical tubes. He managed them but needed mouse ladders which have a tendency to fall off either stranding the hamster upstairs or risking falling on the hamster from above. It's not something I would do again!

[hannahbubble]

Well I am going to get either another kora or a combi 1, and put it either on top or by the side. I will see what angle I can get the tubes at and then decide whether to go over or next to

[racinghamster]

That sounds fine hannah. Using tubes to attach add-ons is a good idea really, as long as the tubes are safely angled and properly thought out and attached. Using too many could prove a nightmare to clean though so just using a few would probably be adequate. I feel side-on attachments are better than upper levels, although an upper level could be used as long as the tube attaching it to the bottom half can have the tube coming down at a safe slope. The bubblewave ones are good as they have a grip to them, whereas the flat tubes don`t.

[hannahbubble]

I'd only be connecting it in one way so there'd only be one or two tubes depending on side or on top.

I'm thinking side would be easiest to connect anyway because I can just buy one tube. Think I will get another kora because it is a great cage and she isn't a bar biter. Means I can fit a sand bath in there, not sure what else to add though!