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09-16-2018, 11:25 PM
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#1
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Newborn Pup
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 22
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Worried that cage is wrong.... Rosewood abode?
I'm getting a female Russian hamster and picking her up during the week. I purchased a cage from them too and they offered to put her in to get settled before I came to get her.
I am now worried that the cage is all wrong! Think I already know I am right but just need it confirming by you guys x
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09-16-2018, 11:33 PM
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#2
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Dwarf whisperer
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Wales UK
Posts: 24,789
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Re: Worried that cage is wrong.... Rosewood abode?
That really isn't a good cage I'm afraid, it's too small & the design isn't really suitable.
You'll need an 8" wheel for a dwarf ham which wouldn't fit, you need a base that allows for a good 15cm or more of substrate, a house with no base on top of that, then you need a water bottle or bowl, toys & a sand bath (with chinchilla sand not dust) which is important for dwarf hams.
Good cages would be something like the hamster heaven (best used without the tubes & penthouse) or the grosvenor is another good cage. Although you do need enough height for the wheel I wouldn't go to tall due to the risk of falls.
__________________
Slave to Zak.
Always loved, never forgotten, forever in my heart
T'ycor, Ziggy, Zephyr, Flynt, Mickle, Little Whisp, Zen, Zeki, Tinwë, Zylvan, Míriel, Calyanwë, Gusto & Meri ❤️
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09-17-2018, 12:39 AM
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#3
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Newborn Pup
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 22
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Re: Worried that cage is wrong.... Rosewood abode?
Argh, I knew it. Thanks Cypher. Will just have to get her a new cage. Thanks for recommendations. I should have done my research before agreeing ![](https://www.hamstercentral.com/community/images/smilies/icon_cry.gif)
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09-17-2018, 12:40 AM
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#4
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Dwarf whisperer
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Wales UK
Posts: 24,789
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Re: Worried that cage is wrong.... Rosewood abode?
Most of us make mistakes like that at the beginning, the good thing is that you asked & are prepared to change things, it's all a bit of a leaning curve!
__________________
Slave to Zak.
Always loved, never forgotten, forever in my heart
T'ycor, Ziggy, Zephyr, Flynt, Mickle, Little Whisp, Zen, Zeki, Tinwë, Zylvan, Míriel, Calyanwë, Gusto & Meri ❤️
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09-17-2018, 01:19 AM
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#5
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Newborn Pup
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 22
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Re: Worried that cage is wrong.... Rosewood abode?
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09-17-2018, 01:36 AM
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#6
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Dwarf whisperer
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Wales UK
Posts: 24,789
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Re: Worried that cage is wrong.... Rosewood abode?
Pretty much ![](https://www.hamstercentral.com/community/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif)
It's just too small, I really would recommend something around 80x50cm, that allows plenty of space for all the things you need plus some room for your ham to run around, dig burrow etc.
Think about access too, the Hamster Heaven has a very large front door which makes access super easy & interacting with your ham without scaring it is really easy too, top access is usually far from ideal but the top of the Grosvenor comes off completely so again access is easy & you can approach your ham from the side rather than directly above.
__________________
Slave to Zak.
Always loved, never forgotten, forever in my heart
T'ycor, Ziggy, Zephyr, Flynt, Mickle, Little Whisp, Zen, Zeki, Tinwë, Zylvan, Míriel, Calyanwë, Gusto & Meri ❤️
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09-17-2018, 02:29 AM
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#7
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Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Yorkshire, UK but my heart lies in Scotland!
Posts: 28,192
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Re: Worried that cage is wrong.... Rosewood abode?
I wouldn't rush to change the cage if she has already been put in that and you have bought it. There are a lot of stressful changes ahead in her life with moving / new people / new handlers / noises and smells. Personally I would tame from the smaller cage and once settled and easy to handle you can start to look at the options for an upgrade. Changing to a hamster heaven is quite a big step as it is a barred cage and this cage is a tank type so she would be more in the open so she needs to be well settled and tamed in my opinion before a move. If they have not already moved her in though and you can cancel the cage then looking before you bring her home and getting the cage set up is best as it would be the one move and one cage buy.
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09-17-2018, 04:04 AM
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#8
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Hamster Antics
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 23,533
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If they offered to put her in the one you said tou’d Buy from them - what is she in now? Assume she’s a baby from a litter and still with the Mother. We’re they asking much for the cage because if not it could be useful as a play cage when doing a clean of a main cage or even portable enough for a trip to the vet maybe if needed. Anyway - you have a few options I think. If you bought another cage you could take it to the seller for your hamster to be moved into from the start and decline the purchase of the other one (just say you now already have a cage you wish to use.
Or as Soufflé suggested leave her in the little one at first and then upgrade her.
I would be thinking about the money aspect too. The Ferplast duna multi is a good option for a dwarf hamster as well. Much better size than the pets at home plastic cage - not quite as big as the hamster heaven. It’s not easy to find but Portin Aquapet sell it for about £34.
Or you could make a bin cag. Ikeas Samoa bin costs about £15. It partly comes down to whether you want a cage or tank style. A dwarf hammy would be ok with either as long as it’s tall enough to fit a wheel in. Cages tend to have front access as well as top access which some owners prefer (me included ![](https://www.hamstercentral.com/community/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif) ) and just prefer cage styles. However I think the duna multi is the kind of thing you are looking for as you have looked at Perspex cages so far.
However. If they have already moved her into it then Souffke’s suggestion is good. Take the cage and wait a few weeks before upgrading her. There are varying views on cage size for dwarf hamsters- and I agree that the Tosewood Abode is too small for long term use. But for a few weeks until you have something else sorted it could be fine. What people usually do when collecting a hamster is collect them in something like a guinea pig sized pet carrier like the Ferplast Aladino and already have the cage all set up and ready back at home for the hamster to go straight into from the pet carrier and that is then when they need the settling in time. If she is already in the Rosewood cage and only recently been put in it then that is familiar but the change of environment to a new home will still cause stress and need settling time.
I think personally I would worry about the hammy being in such a small cage for a few weeks and want something a bit bigger than that. Is there an option to say no to it now? Or another alternative is put the abode cage inside a bigger one when you get home with the bigger on with substrate in and the odd toy or a house and let her explore out from the abode when she’s ready. Ie leave the to off the Rosewood and keep the top on the new one so just the base of the Risewood is inside the new cage. How are you going to transport her home - in the cage? If so be very careful as ideally they need to be in a pet carrier and can get thrown about in a cage if a car braked suddenly eg.
Last edited by souffle; 09-17-2018 at 07:16 AM.
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09-17-2018, 04:27 AM
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#9
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Dwarf whisperer
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Wales UK
Posts: 24,789
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Re: Worried that cage is wrong.... Rosewood abode?
If your ham is coming from a breeder & is used to being handled then you may find that taming/handling is easier regardless of which cage she's in, if she's not used to being handled or interaction then it's worth bearing in mind that tank style cages do make interaction harder in the early stages.
I wouldn't go too small even for a starter/taming cage, all mine have come from pets shops in tiny glass tanks either with other hams or alone & have no problem with the move to a hamster heaven size cage if it's set up well & I think if the cage is too small then human hands coming into their environment is even more intimidating for them.
__________________
Slave to Zak.
Always loved, never forgotten, forever in my heart
T'ycor, Ziggy, Zephyr, Flynt, Mickle, Little Whisp, Zen, Zeki, Tinwë, Zylvan, Míriel, Calyanwë, Gusto & Meri ❤️
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09-17-2018, 06:25 AM
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#10
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Newborn Pup
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 22
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Re: Worried that cage is wrong.... Rosewood abode?
Thank you everyone for such helpful replies!
They've already moved her into the abode so I presume I must buy it now, she's been in it for about 3 days now so obviously I will have to pay for it now I'd say!
I was told she would be ok to take her home in the cage but thinking perhaps I should transport her in a carrier to be safer.
I think I will have to use the smaller cage for taming and then upgrade.
Totally see how tank style cages do make it harder to interact and tame though x
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