Hamsters don't like their bin cage!

[XRubyRoseX]

So I have two dwarf hamsters, Miso and Pocky. They're squabbling a little in their cage (nothing major though) so I've decided to make them a bin cage so they'll have more room. I placed them in their newly furnished bin cage (put in they're old bedding for them) but they didn't like it. They just kept running in circles and trying to climb out lol. So I put them back in their old cage. I'm thinking of gradually introducing them to the new cage ( putting them in for play sessions and putting bedding in so the cage smells like them). How can I get them to feel comfortable in the bin cage? And I'm having trouble finding a way to attach the wheel and water bottle because they need to be clipped onto bars, any ideas on how to put them in the bin cage?

[2LittlePuds]

sorry I cant help you with them not liking the bin cage, perhaps just put everything from there old cage into the bin cage in the same layout as they're used to?

for the bottle sticky back heavy duty Velcro is what i'm using in a vivarium, would work just as well in a bin cage :D alternatively ive seen a few people make diy freestanding bottle holders out of popsicle sticks and the like.

[XRubyRoseX]

Thank you! Any ideas on how to get the wheel attached? I'm going to just have to keep trying to put them in.

[ianpallen]

I downsized my Screech into a 62ltr bin cage and she had no problem with it. What size bin cage do you have. If you have an old bird cage or a small wired hamster cage that is not big enough for use, you could cut a side off and put it in the cage fixing it to the side and put the bottle holder on the bars. Do you have the mesh on it. I made a bracket for a wheel originally and it worked well. But the wheel got a bit too squeeky so I bought a silent spinner which has its own stand and taped it to the base with gaffer tape. It wont move around the cage and it does not vibrate on the plastic base.

If the hams are squabbling, they might have to be placed in seperate cages so they dont have a serious fight.
Many people read that dwarf and robos are happy in pairs, but I have noticed the majority of them have to be split up because of fighting. mostly to do with territorial issues.

[2LittlePuds]

sorry no help with the wheel, Ive bought a freestanding one so no need to attach it to anything

[XRubyRoseX]

I'm not sure on the size of the bin cage, it was a storage box that I had in the house and I gave it a very good clean out before hand, but it is very big, it's almost twice the size of their current cage. And as for the squabbling, it was only a small bicker really, I think it was over the hamster house which I have now removed from the cage and all seems to be well, however if they do continue to fight I'll just move one to the bin cage :) and thanks I'll try that I'll have a look in my local DIY store and see if there's anything I can attach the wheel/bottle to.

[2LittlePuds]

have you meshed any of the sides of the bin cage?

[ianpallen]

For a bottle stand which is also the same for a wheel, this is what I made. i shall put a thread on here about it in the diy section.
http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx46/ianallen2/Hamster%20cage%20home%20made/hamsterwheelbottlestand001_zps5830c584.jpg (http://s740.photobucket.com/user/ianallen2/media/Hamster%20cage%20home%20made/hamsterwheelbottlestand001_zps5830c584.jpg.html)

[XRubyRoseX]

No I haven't meshed them yet, I've just left the lid off for now as it's far too high for them to climb, picking up some mesh tomorrow

[2LittlePuds]

Once you mesh you could attach the bottle and wheel to that :)

[oimysizex]

i have just put a syrian in a big bin cage just without a lid (no meshing) and i got a ferplast 'sippy cup' with suction things on, so it sticks to the plastic, the're not the best and ive had to stick some tape over one of the suction cup but it does the job!!
i got mine from pets at home

[XRubyRoseX]

Thank you! I'll mesh it tomorrow and attach them :)

[XRubyRoseX]

How much were the suction bottles? :)

[oimysizex]

like a fiver, expensive i know but was desperate lol!!

[XRubyRoseX]

I might just buy one of them then since I need to buy a new bottle anyways it'd probably be cheaper than buying all the mesh etc