What Cage To Get?

AmberIsNotCool · 10-27-2015, 06:32 PM

Hello, I had a couple Chinese hamsters a few years ago and I will be getting a new one soon but I'm not sure if the cage I want is suitable. It's a Ferplast Duna Fun and I've read so many different comments that I've no idea whether it's a good cage or not. Thanks

velma · 10-28-2015, 03:27 PM

I would say that wouldn't be big enough. If you like the tank style, the ferplast duna multy is a better size and you can put toys for climbing in there. It's about 70cm long. And the duna multy maxi is about 100cm. Or you can use a bin cage. Fluffagrams has a bin cage for her Chinese hamster. Or there are some good barred cages, check out Cypher she has some amazing setups and could recommend the cages she has got on better with.
And welcome to HC

Tazius · 10-28-2015, 07:26 PM

That cage looks pretty small? There are some RSPCA guidelines on how big the cage should be (someone else might know the measurements off the top of their head but I'm not sure).

I recently had to return a modular cage, so would definitely advise against those. I personally have a bin cage and am finding it really great, or lots of people highly recommend the Alaska cage which also looks great!

cypher · 10-28-2015, 10:30 PM

Personal opinions differ quite a lot on the best type of cage for a Chinese, if you want a tank style cage then I agree that would be too small, Chinese hams are very active, need lots to do & lots of hideouts so you need the space to provide for that.
I prefer barred cages, I've used the Alaska (& the Borneo but wouldn't recommend that one unless you really know your hams capabilities well!) but any narrow barred cage would be ok as long as it's big enough, they love to climb so a barred cage (made safe for climbing & I can give you lots of ideas for that if you like) give them a much greater opportunity to do what comes naturally to them & allows for lots of cage enrichment, also it just makes interaction with your ham a lot easier & more fun!

Pebbles82 · 10-29-2015, 03:32 PM

Agree that the Duna Multy or maxi duna multy would be ideal for a dwarf hamster, if you like that style of cage. The Duna Fun is far too small. Dwarf hamsters, although smaller than Syrians, are very active and need quite a bit of space. RSPCA recommend 70 x 40cm minimum for one dwarf hamster and 80 x 50cm for a syrian or two dwarf hamsters, but many people have 100cm cages for their hamsters as the minimum is just that really and it's surprising what you can do with the extra space to make it into a really good habitat. You could have different levels (eg a third of the cage sectioned off with deep substrate for digging, an end section of sand, an archway under the substrate to encourage digging and plenty of space for interesting toys and accessories. The buzz word is 'enrichment'. The more enrichment in the hamster's environment, the healthier it is for them.

The large version of the Duna fun would also be ok - it is the same width as the duna multy but with the extra barred section and the bar spacing is small enough for a dwarf.

http://www.portonaquapet.co.uk/-M271...ImJBoCP4vw_wcB

But for a few pounds more you could get this one - the maxi duna multy - the wider floor area is much better for a hamster than extra height and shelves/levels. It's a great cage and is suitable for both dwarf and syrian hamsters, so quite futureproof.

http://www.portonaquapet.co.uk/Cage_...a_Multy-M58956

Here are some examples of set ups in the maxi duna multy

I love this natural one! It's set up for a syrian but could easily be for a dwarf

Obi's natural set up is complete!

Maxi Duna Multy Has Arrived!

Scroll down for dwarf set ups

Let's see your cages (from January 2013)

The advantage of the tank style cages is they tend to be a bit lower and there is less of a risk of falls causing injuries. Narrow bar cages can be good too but they need setting up carefully to avoid falls.

Fluffagrams · 10-30-2015, 04:46 AM

The cage base on that one is not that different from that of the Mini Duna which was fine for a very elderly hamster but when I put a younger hamster in there she was as miserable as anything. Yes, the one you mention has the additional levels which some hamsters enjoy but others don't so I'd suggest going for a larger floor space and adding your own levels if that's something you think that your hamster will enjoy.

My little Chinese Hamster lives in a bin cage which has things for her to climb as well as allowing her to dig which she likes to do. I got the idea from Vectis, one of the moderators here who has a great article on her website with instructions on how to build one.

The beauty with bin cages is that they can often be cheaper than commercial cages if you're happy to put the work in (or know someone who is) and I've got a couple in different sizes that I can use depending on the hamster.

Pebbles82 · 10-30-2015, 06:22 AM

Yes the Duna fun comes in two sizes - the small one is the same size as the mini duna, the large one is the same size as the Duna Multy (70cm approx).

Fluffagrams · 10-31-2015, 01:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Serendipity7000

Yes the Duna fun comes in two sizes - the small one is the same size as the mini duna, the large one is the same size as the Duna Multy (70cm approx).

I thought I'd seen two different sizes at some point but couldn't be 100% sure as it was a while ago that we looked at them and I'm pretty sure that it was the smaller one we were looking at after we had to split Stitch and Meat up.

Pebbles82 · 10-31-2015, 03:00 AM

I agree with you though Fluffagrams - the lower wider cages are best. More floor space rather than levels. Did you decide on something Amber?

AmberIsNotCool · 11-07-2015, 07:58 AM

Thanks so much for the help guys! I've decided that I'm going to get a bin cage as they seem so much more customisable as well as a much better size. Thanks for the help again ! Xxx