Food and other items for a new Syrian?

[cypher]

I'm beginning to lose track of all the things you're getting lol! She's going to be one lucky hamster that's for sure
I really like the Alexander, most people tend to go for the Barney as it's cheaper but both are equally as good, you'll have loads of room to fit everything in there so don't worry about that.

Some mice might get through 1cm bar spacing, I think 7cm is usually the maximum size recommended to keep mice in (or out!) I can't say for sure though, the only mice I have are the wild ones in my garden

[Nedriel]

Hahaha you all been helping me with a lot stuff x3 but I think FINALLY! I got all nice cage, toys, food and everything x3 it was just curious since Alexander is 1cm bar spacing and Barney is 7mm but I think 1cm is really nice! x3

Thanks again for EVERYTHING because means a lot to me be ready and have the best things for her and you all helped me seriosly A LOT!! I can't wait for get here and show you everything hehe (Still need to know how to post picts here xD)

[Amber_x]

I think that the Alexander actually has 7mm or 8mm bar spacing despite the fact that it says 1cm so it should be fine to keep mice out

[AmityvilleHams]

It will keep out some mice but not every single mouse

[Pebbles82]

Wow! The Alexander is a fantastic cage. I nearly got it but it was out of stock when I got the Barney. Yes it has 7mm bar spacing even though it says 1cm (it might be there is the odd gap at the edge that is 1cm but that is fine for a Syrian and if you ever use it for a dwarf hamster you can just cable tie those bits smaller.

Of your list of toys I think the Guinea Pig Large boredom tube is way too big - it would be massive. I have the rat medium 10cm one and that's big.

Also the rat sized sputnik is a better size for a Syrian hamster. I had the smaller one as well and used to use it as a veg bowl. Our Syrian could just about fit in it.

The long house that is built into the Alexander is great and space for a potty litter tray inside it too.

I definitely think you are doing the right thing. Getting the right cage is more important than getting lots of toys (you can use all kinds of things for toys - household items, home-made toys etc). And with the Alexander you'll be happy and not wanting to upgrade again probably. Good value up front. What a nice friend to do that for you!

Although I like the Barney I think I like the Alexander more and I ended up buying extra shelves for the Barney which made it cost about the same in the end.

You can't go wrong with a 30cm wheel either, but might need to miss out the middle joining shelf on the Alexander to fit the wheel in under the sloping edges. Some people put the joining shelf across the front instead like this (scroll down page). It has a 29cm wheel in.

Syrian cages?

BUT - if you're ordering the cage from Zooplus, I would get this wheel instead at the same time (ie on the same order). It's the 28cm Trixie wheel. Very popular and probably last longer than the comfort wheel and be quieter. Plenty big enough for any Syrian and it will fit in a bit better probably.

Rueda para roedores Trixie

If it's too late - no matter the 30cm Comfort wheel is fine

[Nedriel]

Oh I took the wheel you sent me from zooplus and cancel the other one then was just in time haha also changed the size of the Boredom tube :3
Thanks you again!!

[CMB]

Well done on doing research on what is good for your hamster before getting it. You are giving your hamster a good size cage and some nice toys.

You may want to get two water bottles (one to use and a spare) with narrow drinking spouts to fit through the narrow cage bars. Or attach the water bottle inside the cage.

Hope you can get your hamster soon.

[Pebbles82]

Can't remember which water bottles you were looking at but the classic mouse sized ones are good to use. I would also use two at first just in case one stops working or the water leaks out (our hamster used to untwist it a bit and the water would leak out!)

The 75 ml one is perfectly fine for a hamster and easier to get in and out. I found the bottles fiddly with 7mm bar spacing so had a bottle stand inside the cage. You can make a bottle stand with a human water bottle Cut the top off so you have a plastic tube. Put some stones in the bottom to weigh it down and make a hole partway down for the hamster bottle spout to stick out of - the hamster/mouse water bottle just sits inside the bottle holder with the spout through the hole (if that makes sense).

These bottles

https://www.viovet.co.uk/Crystal_Del...bottle&sct_r=2

If you haven't finished your Viovet Order, these are our hamster's favourite wood chews!

He especially likes the wood carrot and it gets dragged into his house - they tast nice I think.

https://www.viovet.co.uk/Boredom_Bre...3D_Veg/c11963/

I'm excited you're getting the Alexander cage.

[cypher]

Originally Posted by Nedriel

(Still need to know how to post picts here xD)

That bits easier than shopping lol!
You can do it two ways, either use the go advanced button below the reply box, scroll down to manage attachments & then just upload from your computer/device, whatever you use.
The other way is to upload your photos to a host site like Photobucket then just paste the link into your reply for your photos to show up in the thread.

We will definitely want photos when she's settled into her new palace

[Pebbles82]

Another tip re the photos If you use the Advanced button under the message box, it opens a new set of options at the top of the message box and you click on the paperclip to upload photos. A new window opens and you click 'browse' and select the photo from your computer, then upload and wait until it's finished uploading before browsing for the next photo. You can do a maximum of five photos that way. But - if the file sizes are too big (ie 3 or 4mb as they tend to be straight from a camera) it can take ages. I find it best to shrink the photo file size first then they upload in seconds. To shrink them you need some kind of program though. I use Batchphoto (there's a free version or a one-off lifetime fee), or there are online programs that can do it, or you may have some other photo software that can do it.

Photobucket can be easier. You register for an account. It is free but you get adverts on the page which can be annoying. I opted for the annual fee on that (about £10) just to get rid of adverts. On Photobucket you also upload photos directly from your computer and you don't need to shrink them (although shrinking them does make the uploads quicker again, but without shrinking they don't take a massive amount of time). Once uploaded you need to "resize" them to fit on the forum page or it stretches the forum page. To do that, you click on/open the photo, then move your mouse top right over the photo and an edit box appears. Click on edit, then resize and change the numbers in the left hand box to 700. The numbers in the right hand box will change automatically. Then click apply and then save. It takes a few seconds wait between each operation. You have four links on the right hand side next to the photo. Click on the bottom one and a yellow banner will flash saying "copy". On the forum message box you then click on the world symbol and a box will open for you to paste the link into.

When you click on "submit" for the message the photos will appear in the message box. You end up with two identical photos in your photobucket account - the original one and the resized one. The resized one is the one with the name that is a string of letters and numbers

The photos appear a nice size with the photobucket link. With the 'Advanced' upload option on the forum page, they appear at the bottom of the message quite small, after you close the upload window and submit the message. But they get bigger when someone moves the mouse over them.

In some ways Photobucket is easier, unless you have a programme to shrink photo file sizes But I didn't like the adverts - I kept finding separate ad windows open on my laptop.