HAMHATTAN = Dwarf Hamster City

[kyrilliondaemon]

The problem is that non-flat cages are dangerous for groups. And hams can fall out at any given moment, we had a "social" group of four who were ok together for over a year - then needed separation. Now our pair and trio are amazing together... But we still take precautions and I still expect fall outs because ultimately pairs and groups are at high risk of falling out sooner or later.

Your post implies that you think your cage is better for the hams than other cages and sorry and all but thats really not the case. A flat cage may look "boring" but its a heck of a lot better for the ham(s) than a load of tiny modules like your cage.
We personally make our "boring" cages good for the hams. Our pair and trio love their cages and are much happier in them than they'd be in a giant complex like yours - and they're a lot less likely to fall out in the cages they have. Always an added bonus...
Scamp's cage was the modular stuff you saw above - and her "boring" cage now is a lot more fun for her.

Habitrail is basically a pet shop gimmick - which is why so few on here use modular systems. They're just not as good for the hams.

That said... Your hams, your choices. I just think you're kinda wasting your money and not giving the hams as good a home as they could have to be honest. I still feel that there're much safer and better ways to offer hams more simulation and excitement - because "boring" cages provide way more leeway for customisation and ham-specific layouts e.t.c designed to appeal to the ham rather than the ham owners.

[vanilla-yazoo]

1- NEVER put a male and a female together. they can mate and fight and if you have any sense you wouldnt do this!

2- your 'flat' cage was probaby quite small. most cages are smaller then what a hamster needs, so they where bored because they had no room.

3- the hamsters in pet shops are babies, hence they are together, and they dont house them in big cages because they have a high turn over rate, so it would be 'wasting' space. but it dosnt mean its right.

4- 'teddy bear hamsters' are syrian hamsters. solitary animals that CANNOT live with another of its species. regardless of gender, 'fancy' fur or colour.

5- money shouldnt be an issue, you can make fantastic bin cages for less then £20, there are many cages designed for other animals that are far more suitable. the ovo loft is the only part of your whole set up that we would consider even a hospital cage on here. a single dwarf, like a robo, might be happy in there, if he still had lots to dig in, tubes to play in INSIDE the cage, a good wheel ect.

the ovo, habitral cages where not designed for 'hamsters' they where designed for children, because they are bright and colourful, the children like it, and want to add more, and thats why the extra bits are soo expensive, to make the parents pay more. when getting a decent cage to begin with would be less expensive and last far longer.

[battlewagon]

I honestly don't care what you guys think about my city not being suitable for my dwarves. I prefer Habitrail, Crittertrail, and SAM over any flat cage or tank or bin. The latter I find to be boring. I don't regret spending more than a thousand dollars in building my dwarf hamster city and I'm not about to change their habitat just because a bunch of other people say that it's not suitable or this or that. The 4 dwarves are happy and social and to me that's most important. If someday, fights break out, they will be separated. The troublemakers will no longer live in HAMHATTAN. The nice ones will stay in HAMHATTAN. The whole point of HAMHATTAN is for it to be a home for multiple dwarf hamsters.

For now, the 4 dwarves love each other and they are very happy in their unique one of a kind home. And I'm proud of it.

[Nikkigrace]

You did write in your first post on this thread 'Let me know what you think' so people are being honest and telling you their opinion.
You don't have to agree with what people say but you asked for opinions and you got them. I personally just hope that your 4 stay happy together and no fighting occurs, if that is the cage you choose to house them in.

[Axeria]

I say this with only kind intentions even tho it may sound harsh:

I do find it conserning that you put the looks of an cage before the wellbeing of your hamsters! That is the most careless answer ive ever read from someone using those kind of cages and i find it very sad!

You obviously cant have reseached hamster cages well because all the members here who have desent sized "boring" cages (80x50cm or more) have really happy hamsters! It dosen just depent on the size of the cage you know!! Size is important yes ofc, but so is a desent sized wheel or flying saucer, toys and many activities like running, climbing, digging and bathing in sand etc!!!! And not to mention time outside the cage!!!

The "boring" cages on here is nowhere near what is it like in the petshops! you just check out this link and then tel me they live in same conditions at petshop hams: Let's see your cages (from January 2013)

We can dream about many things through life, but a responsible owner just wont put their dreams before the wellbeing of their hamsters! It just isnt humane or sane to do so IMHO -____-'

Your dwarfs may be getting along fine now, but one day you will find one or more of them half eaten by one of the others, and you will be devostated! Is it worth it just to have a cage you think is cool?

I understand you used ALOT of money on that setup, but cant you just take our advice and listen to what we say? That cage is just not safe for your hamsters!

Besides being expensive they have these cons:
-poor ventilation
-They make pairs or groups turn on eachother because of territorial fights
-They smell worse because of air not getting to circulate around the cage
-They are a pain to clean
-They have so many parts that if one gets broken of will you find your hamster and the hole it got out of in time?
-They get build ups of urinegasses and this can make your hams sick, it literally makes it a amonia-gasschamber
-It makes it hard to check on you hamsters health
-And worst of all NOT SAFE for ANY hamster to live in permanently!

Im totaly with kyrilliondaemon and vanilla-yazoo on this, you are infact endangering your hams with this cage, even tho you think it looks cool or nice or whatever Habitrail/crittertrail cages are maid to make money NOT with the best of the poor animal living in that thing in mind! They are made for kids, not adults who wish their hamsters the best!



And yeah; Syrians are not to be paired with ANY type of hamster, they actually end up killing each other more times than they get along.. even tho you may have heard about it working for some (excuse me) ignorant people...

I am sorry to be blunt but this is all facts that im telling you and im really worried for your hams with you being so incapable of listening to any of the warnings and advice you have gotten

I hope you change your mind about this cage and buy a big "boring" cage for you hamsters, you must love them right??

[vanilla-yazoo]

HAMHATTEN as you put it, is just plastic tubes that you stack high to look like a city scape, taking its name from manhatten, dosnt mean its a home for multiple hams.

I would reply with how we use the cages we do because we love them, not throw as much money as possible at them. but I can see you are not going to listen, and not going to learn. so i will save my time.
if you are calling flat cages boring you are pretty much saying every hamster on this site bar yours must be so bored stiff. where I know that all the hamsters on here I know are loved, cherished and are defiantly not bored.
I just hope your hams do not have a horrible fight in there, because you may not see where the bullies go in such a maze of tubes.#

eta. the german forums would have a field day with this! with their no plastic, minimum 1 meter long tank or expadic style set ups! germans always make such creative natural and exciting habitats. maybe you should go look at some, as you may learn that outside your country, hamsters have better lives, and we are only trying to help you, and help your hamsters live happier.

[kyrilliondaemon]

Just to check, are these boring too?
(Some of our current/past cage examples)







*note - All examples are/were used for lone hamsters because I don't want to increase the risk of my pets biting each other

[vanilla-yazoo]

some more examples here of previous cages of mine that must be soo boring!

hamster hutch floor 1



floor 2



and fred's alexander before he moved to the hutch




yea my cages have changed around since then. are those boring?

[squishyhammy]

The people on this forum aren't just random people... They are experts on hamsters and their needs and have been keeping them for Years happily and healthily or people who want to learn so can do the best for their hams We offered you the advice to make your hams lives better and happier in a polite informative way yet you're having a hi at us? I'd do anything for my hams. Just cos a cage looks boring to you doesn't mean it's boring to the ham. Looks aren't important when looking after an animal. I'd rather have an ugly cage with lots of toys and things to do than one like "hamhattan". My Syrian is in a alaska and he's always running and loves it

[GhostsInSnow]

Originally Posted by battlewagon

If someday, fights break out, they will be separated. The troublemakers will no longer live in HAMHATTAN. The nice ones will stay in HAMHATTAN. The whole point of HAMHATTAN is for it to be a home for multiple dwarf hamsters.

I'm sorry but...seriously? Hamsters aren't trouble makers, they act on instinct and if their habitat causes them to fall out then that does NOT make them troublemakers. And how do you determine who's nice and who's a troublemaker? How will you know who started it? If you look in the cage and find two injured hamsters then how do you determine who started it and who was defending themselves. Are you really willing to make FOUR of those things so that each of your hamsters lives fairly should they need separating?
You can't ask for peoples thoughts and opinions and then get all offended when they say something you don't like!
And for the record, my Syrian had an Imac Fantasy when I first got her which is levels and tunnels connected together and then she got moved into a larger single level cage and guess which she's happier in? The single level cage.
She has toys and a massive wheel and plenty to do. Hardly a mundane existence