Worried please help

[pumpkin123]

Hiya i only started using this website yesterday. Could someone please help me because i feel my cage is too small basically i put her in it and she startyed biting the cage so i got a chew in 5 days she ate it all and now she started chewing her cage but i have a wheel and i bought her this ladder with things coming off it could and expert tell me if my cage is small or fine please. Also i have had her for 3 weeks and 4 days and do they always kick there carefresh into the corner because i use carefresh like instead of sawdust and she kicks it all into the corner like s big heap is this normal

[bonkers4hamsters]

Unfortunately your cage is on the small side, people on here generally recommend a cage 80x50 cm.

I am sure some others will be able to help, but what country are you in and what species of hamster is your hammie? That will help even more :)

And it is normal to make a big pile of bedding for their nest, some hamsters can ake huge nests!

[pumpkin123]

See it look small be it has 3 storis and im in england and she is a syrian hamster longhaird grey and white also before she bites the cage she scratches on the floor of the cage she bite in the middle layer of the cage and scratches her paws in the corner then gnaws it

[BrainGirl]

What are the measurements of your cage? It looks to be about 30cms long and the wheel maybe about 15cms or less. A Syrian hamster really needs a wheel larger than 20cms to run comfortably and preferably closer to 30.

[Tutu]

I'd say your cage is small as you can't fit big wheel like 11" or 28cm wheels. She was bored in small cage therefore decided to dig herself out and that's why you can see heap of carefresh. Look up this link for inspiration for cages and set ups. http://www.hamstercentral.com/community/housing/37424-lets-see-your-cages-january-2013-a.html
Good luck

[pumpkin123]

Hiya thanx for the advise but my mom says its not small and doesnt want to spend money on her for another cage when we bought tht one for 30.00 Xx

[LanTsocial9]

I agree with everybody else, your cage is a bit on the small size!

[pumpkin123]

Im not sure i think it might be but my mom doesnt want to spend more moneycexspcially as ive just had her xx

[BrainGirl]

Have you ever heard of a bin cage? You can very easily build a good-sized enclosure for your hamster that you can fit many toys in and also will prevent bedding from being kicked out on the floor for very little money :)

There's a bin cage tutorial in the Housing section: http://www.hamstercentral.com/community/housing/19246-mosraels-cage-bin-cage-tutorial.html

If you do a search on youtube there are many other tutorials as well.

Also please check out the section called Marketplace. Sometimes you can find free or inexpensive cages here as well as on your local classifieds! In fact I saw that someone had posted a bin cage just this morning. With any luck they'll be close to you :)

[BrainGirl]

Im not sure i think it might be but my mom doesnt want to spend more moneycexspcially as ive just had her xx

I think your hamster's happiness and comfort should come first. Are there any small jobs you can do for money? Babysitting? Leaf raking? You could earn a bit of money and buy a new cage yourself :)

You might also try complaining to the store that sold you that cage since it is wholly inappropriate. Perhaps the store will give you a refund or a discount on a new cage!

[a_small_pineapple]

Christmas is coming up!
Think about making a cheap cage ... http://www.hamstercentral.com/community/diy-do-yourself-hamster-projects/36025-photo-guide-making-bin-cage.html that she might enjoy a bit more. :)

[DexterChloe]

Hi! If there is nothing you can do about the cage size then you'll have to make sure she gets plenty of playtime outside of the cage. You could make a playpen out of cardboard (free from shops/ supermarkets just ask) and pop lots of toys in there. Just make sure you keep an eye on her. If your mum isn't keen on spending out on toys you could use empty cardboard packaging and toilet roll tubes. Anything she can climb on that is safe if she chews it. Nothing made out of fabric.
Hope this helps. :)

[pumpkin123]

How big just the height be is tht the height of the whole cage and ho much should the width be xx

[A_Couple_In_Love]

Making a bin cage really would be worth a try? There really easy to make and you can buy one fairly cheap for roughly £10 from places like wilko's, the range and so on..

This could solve the chewing problem along with the fact you can upgrade the cage size by much more and also add lots of chew toys to distract them!

You can go onto the Housing section on here and if I'm correct there should be a sticky called "How to make a bin cage" with instructions of how to make one. I'm sure member's on here will be able to help you with the right size storage box if you wish to do this.

[pumpkin123]

Well thanx for the things guys but could someone say how big thr cage has to be please also mom wont even buy bin cage xx

[BrainGirl]

As stated in the first response, it needs to be at least 80 x 50 cms (floor dimensions) and tall enough to accommodate a proper sized wheel, maybe even as big as 30 cms. If your mom won't buy you a proper cage then you're going to need to get creative. Ask around for a free cage or a free bin that you can turn into a cage using the bin cage tutorial in the Housing section. I posted the link to that in a previous reply. Also do a search for "hamster bin cage" on youtube and you will find many videos on how to do it.

Did you check in the Marketplace? Here's the direct link to it: Marketplace - Hamster Central (http://www.hamstercentral.com/community/marketplace/)

Depending on where you live you can check the nearest classifieds sites and see what comes up. You might even be able to advertise yourself to ask for what you need.

[Tutu]

Well thanx for the things guys but could someone say how big thr cage has to be please also mom wont even buy bin cage xx

Think this way. Your little hamster depends on you on this whole world and she has no one but you to look out for her. Would your mum like to live in small house like size of your bathroom? I'm sure she wouldn't!
So you must try to get her appropriate living place and wheel. Her wheel is so small and if she had bigger wheel at least she can break her boredom. Your hamster's next cage should be big enough to accommodate 11" wheel.
This is one of those cases think before get hamster or pet I'm afraid:(
But as someone said Xmas is coming soon and if you keep your eye open you can find bargain cage on ebay or even here!

[A_Couple_In_Love]

I agree with BrainGirl, they are good suggestions if your mum isn't willing to help you. Maybe ask close family members if they have any big storage boxes they no longer need or also looking in one of your local newspapers on the weekly selling section, they tend to sell a lot of stuff for free/very cheap, you may even see a good hamster cage on there that meets the recommended size.

Also as mentioned previously doing a few small jobs is a great way of getting money especially if its only something like £10, that could probably get you a decent storage box, so don't give up! Maybe offer to do stuff like wash/clean a family members car, fully clean the house ect.

[Gazmo]

I made a temporary bin cage with a huge £3 bin :) they aren't expensive

[pumpkin123]

Thanx guys i think i will look into a bin cage just need to find £3 one my wheel is 15cm xx

[Tutu]

Thanx guys i think i will look into a bin cage just need to find £3 one my wheel is 15cm xx

15cm wheel is way to small for Syrian hamster:( we are talking about at least 28cm or 11 inches diameter here.
Small wheel will actually damage/break your hamster's back if she tries to run on it :(
I'm glad you are thinking of making bin cage. You'll find great ideas on hamster central :)

[pumpkin123]

Kk thanx will try and get bigger wheel maybe for christmas thanx for the tips does yone know ehere i could get cheap plastic box from in uk xx

[Gazmo]

pound stretcher?

[Tutu]

Willkos, ikea, tesco, asda ......

[JinjaMakes]

Morrisons do them too.
I hope you find something!

[gutterglitterxx]

I definitely think a bin cage would be your best bet. Like others have mentioned, there are many tutorials on HC. Here is a thread about the one I made...

http://www.hamstercentral.com/community/housing/32298-my-first-bin-cage.html

There are slightly more specific directions on page 5 of that thread. Good luck!

[empire11]

i agree so much with tutu you needed to think really about everything and if it was me i would hate being stuck in a small enclosure and maybe you could buy another cage like yours that could fit the same size tubs through so you are not wasting your money you are simply adding to your collection, please dont take my words as an offense i am only saying what i think is right. hope you find the best for your hammy:)

[racinghamster]

I agree with what everyone has suggested regarding caging and perhaps trying to make yourself a Bin/Storage cage, but also remember that meshing one involves some DIY skills and plastic isn`t easy to cut through. It`s not impossible if you follow some of the links to how other members have made theirs and get some ideas. :)

The thing with Syrian hamsters is, they are the largest of the hamster species and their habitat and accessories need to reflect this. The cage you currently have is inadequate and is one of many cages sold in shops around the UK because they are able to. Not because they are suitable. Doing research before getting any hamster is crucial. It saves you money too because paying £30 for the cage you have could easily have bought a Ferplast Kios from the Zooplus website or the Alaska cage when they are reduced in price. These would have been more suitable, especially the Alaska cage.

A wheel for an adult Syrian needs to be 11" inches across the middle. The cage around 80cm x 50cm minimum. Even dwarf hamsters need this much space to prevent stereotypical behaviour like bar chewing and pacing behaviours. A hamster can live for two years and beyond, so within this time, they really should have as big a cage and wheel as the owner can afford. Mum`s and dad`s seem able to afford the bare essentials, but sadly are not prepared to pay more and remember too that your hamster may need to see a vet during it`s life, so mum and dad need to realise this and make sure the funds are in place for any emergencies.