Meet Waffle and Cage Help

[Waffle20]

Hello everyone! I have had Waffle for a few weeks now. I got her the Hamster Heaven cage but quickly realised that all the shelves and tubes were more of a hassle than anything else. I have rearranged her cage and I was hoping that I could get some advice on whether it was a suitable layout for her.

As you will see from the photos I have removed all of the shelves and tubes that come with the Hamster Heaven cage. Instead I have added a cardboard shoebox filled with bedding for her to burrow and build her nest at one end and at the other there is a thinner layer of bedding and a larger wheel. I have added both a tube and a wooden ladder for her to get between the box with the deep bedding and the thinner bedding with her wheel etc.

She seems happy with it but is this a suitable setup for her?

[Ria P]

Hi and welcome to HC!

Is Waffle a dwarf or a Syrian?

I do the same as you and take all the plastic out then start with an empty cage. I find that i need to watch my hamsters for a while to find out what they like and what they do in their cages before i finalise their set up.

There is a thread called "Let's see your cages" on the Forum under Housing which shows a few Hamster Heaven set ups as well.

[Waffle20]

She is a Syrian :) She seems to like what we've done so far as she loves her wheel and digging burrows so she has the best of both now.

That's good to know about the cage thread, I'll take a look!

[LunaTheHamster1]

Hi and welcome. I think it is a great start. I see you have given her a few chews as well.

I just think that there is not quite enough to keep her entertained in the cage, does she climb the bars quite a bit? It just seems a bit bare to me above the cardboard box end - i love how you set that up btw.

Would a platform still fit above it?

How about some dangling boredom breakers, such as sterilised pine cones/empty egg cartons cut up and/or empty walnut shells which you can hang with hamster safe string such as jute or sisal, only costs a £1 or £2 from garden centres/wilkos. lasts for ever and you can make all sorts of boredom breakers with it.

I really love your rainbow ladder - i just bought some of them myself.

Ria, they have a very cute syrian, you can see it on the last pic

[Waffle20]

Hi and welcome. I think it is a great start. I see you have given her a few chews as well.

I just think that there is not quite enough to keep her entertained in the cage, does she climb the bars quite a bit? It just seems a bit bare to me above the cardboard box end - i love how you set that up btw.

Would a platform still fit above it?

How about some dangling boredom breakers, such as sterilised pine cones/empty egg cartons cut up and/or empty walnut shells which you can hang with hamster safe string such as jute or sisal, only costs a £1 or £2 from garden centres/wilkos. lasts for ever and you can make all sorts of boredom breakers with it.

I really love your rainbow ladder - i just bought some of them myself.

Ria, they have a very cute syrian, you can see it on the last pic

Thanks for the feedback! :)

She did have some dangling chews but she bit them off the string :lol: so they're just sitting in the cage now. I'll need to get her some new ones. Or great idea making them myself too with the string from garden centre and next time I have eggs I'll keep the box! She doesn't climb the bars or chew on them which I'm happy about. The rainbow ladder has been great!

I'm not sure about a platform above but I can definitely try and fit one in.

[Waffle20]

Hi and welcome to HC!

Is Waffle a dwarf or a Syrian?

I do the same as you and take all the plastic out then start with an empty cage. I find that i need to watch my hamsters for a while to find out what they like and what they do in their cages before i finalise their set up.

There is a thread called "Let's see your cages" on the Forum under Housing which shows a few Hamster Heaven set ups as well.

She's a syrian :)

Thanks for your thoughts! She seems to like it so far and loves the wheel and burrowing so seems like the best of both for her.

Great to know about the cage thread, I'll take a look!

[Ria P]

She's a syrian :)

Thanks for your thoughts! She seems to like it so far and loves the wheel and burrowing so seems like the best of both for her.

Great to know about the cage thread, I'll take a look!

Yes, now that i'm home and not stealing a quick HC fix while at work, i can see your lovely hamster in her wheel.

I use the 55cm long Trixie ladders in the Hamster Heavens for extra space to run over and little degus shelves are easy to attach for hamsters to sit on. Another place to go.

That's s set up for a dwarf but one of my Syrians lived in the Hamster Heaven before i moved him into the Alaska which is the same size but a bit higher.

[Waffle20]

Yes, now that i'm home and not stealing a quick HC fix while at work, i can see your lovely hamster in her wheel.

I use the 55cm long Trixie ladders in the Hamster Heavens for extra space to run over and little degus shelves are easy to attach for hamsters to sit on. Another place to go.

That's s set up for a dwarf but one of my Syrians lived in the Hamster Heaven before i moved him into the Alaska which is the same size but a bit higher.

Your setup looks great! I think I’ll get another ladder and definitely some shelves for her. Look for a few more things for her to do so she’s not getting bored.

Thanks for your help :)