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Old 04-22-2021, 01:57 PM   #41
GhostsInSnow
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Default Re: Cage/Peer pressure on social media

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Originally Posted by Ginger32 View Post
I am a new hamster owner and decided to start off with a 31"x13" tank for my baby syrian hamster. I was on a facebook hamster group and posted a picture of my hamster and before i knew it i had all kinds of rude comments about how my hamsters cage is too small and so is her wheel etc. I did my research and i feel like the set up i have right now is ok for my hamster right now since she is still small and plan to upgrade soon. I ordered a bigger wheel for her also. Does anyone else have about a 20 gallon set up for their hamster currently?
There is absolutely nothing wrong with starting out smaller and upgrading as your hammy gets bigger and more confident. As long as you're cage isn't horrendously small and you're hammy isn;t showing signs of stress and boredom then I'm sure you're fine. 31 inches is only fractionally shorter in length than a savic hamster heaven which is a suitable cage so as long as you're hammy is happy then don't feel bullied to upgrade any sooner than you originally planned.
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Old 04-22-2021, 02:06 PM   #42
LunaTheHamster1
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Default Re: Cage/Peer pressure on social media

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ginger32 View Post
I am a new hamster owner and decided to start off with a 31"x13" tank for my baby syrian hamster. I was on a facebook hamster group and posted a picture of my hamster and before i knew it i had all kinds of rude comments about how my hamsters cage is too small and so is her wheel etc. I did my research and i feel like the set up i have right now is ok for my hamster right now since she is still small and plan to upgrade soon. I ordered a bigger wheel for her also. Does anyone else have about a 20 gallon set up for their hamster currently?
Sorry you went through that, and I'm probably not going to make matters any better for you (sorry) but that is considered rather small, below what people often quote as the bare minimum of 450sq inches even if a small syrian. I do think people do forget that we were all once beginners in hamster care and there are maybe kinder ways in helping/giving advice. As you probably just found out there are lots of people very passionate about 'correct' hamster cage. I think the main thing to remember is that we are all always learning, no matter how many hamsters we have had or for how many years we have had them.
I believe 20 gallon tanks are considered too small, I think 40 gallon is the minimum. (sorry) Like you say though, it is something you are looking to upgrade soon, so that is all good.
Have a look around on the forum, there is a thread somewhere of people's cage setups, which may give you some ideas/inspiration.
Any other questions, feel free to ask.
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Old 04-22-2021, 02:09 PM   #43
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Default Re: Cage/Peer pressure on social media

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Originally Posted by GhostsInSnow View Post
There is absolutely nothing wrong with starting out smaller and upgrading as your hammy gets bigger and more confident. As long as you're cage isn't horrendously small and you're hammy isn;t showing signs of stress and boredom then I'm sure you're fine. 31 inches is only fractionally shorter in length than a savic hamster heaven which is a suitable cage so as long as you're hammy is happy then don't feel bullied to upgrade any sooner than you originally planned.
Ghosts in snow, I get what you are saying, length wise it may not be such a problem but if it is only 13" wide, that is not much wider than the 11-12" recommended wheel size. Just don't want Ginger to waste their money on something that they will need to upgrade again, as so many people end up doing.
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Old 04-23-2021, 09:30 PM   #44
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Default Re: Cage/Peer pressure on social media

I can say that I've felt peer-pressured in terms of a cage layout. I haven't had a hamster since I was 10 and recently (2 weeks ago) got one for my 20th birthday. They have always been banned from my household, I've wanted another for many years but apparently they "stunk" too much. Of course it was due to incorrect cleaning and proper care given since I was a kid. Hence why I see the argument of why hamsters shouldn't be a pet for kids and I totally see why they were banned from my household now after reading articles about parents and their kids hamsters. Anyway, my hamster don't smell, my room just smells of sawdust but whenever I look at other peoples cages I think oh mine is too empty, but then I think it's too crowded so I'm stuck. But I've decided to just go original and do what I think is best.

Last edited by souffle; 04-24-2021 at 02:58 AM.
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Old 04-24-2021, 09:05 AM   #45
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Default Re: Cage/Peer pressure on social media

Go with your hamster They do vary in personality. Cardboard is your friend too. Cardboard tubes and boxes make good tunnels and hides. They tend not to like too much open space (they will creep round the edges if that is an issue) so floor toys enable them to have variety of environment and texture etc, but also to feel safe moving around the cage so they can dive into or under things. As prey animals they are hard wired to be nervous of attack from above - hence tunnels and overhead cover help them feel safe. Strangely they don't seem to worry about being exposed when they sit on a shelf! So I suspect it is something to do with ground dwelling habits when they're at floor level.

I think rule of thumb is - better to have too much in the cage than not enough.
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Old 04-26-2021, 10:00 AM   #46
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Default Re: Cage/Peer pressure on social media

I have two hamsters and combined they don't cost me that much!

I am a big believer in not getting pets if you cannot afford the upkeep because their little
life is in our hands and therefore deserve us to be able to provide adequate care. I think that investing in a good, large cage and large wheel is the most important bit of a hamster set up. After that they are not that expensive in upkeep. Hamster toys (such as things to chew, ladders, bridges, hides etc can all be found cheaply if you look around. It is also easy to make things from cardboard like you mentioned.
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Old 05-15-2021, 12:24 AM   #47
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Default Re: Cage/Peer pressure on social media

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Originally Posted by LunaTheHamster1 View Post


Someone criticised one of my cages because it's not the German min 100*50cm, I think it is 97cm *47cm. I honestly don't think my hamster is going to die or have harm come to it because it is a few cms short of 100*50cm.. I think common sense has to prevail at some point. If my cage was empty and had nothing in it, then maybe criticise me.. but seriously!

It does worry me about the future though, will it put people off from having hamsters because they think they can't give them a good life as they don't have room for a detolf cage or bigger.
So, it happened again. I have just been told that the german min is now 120 x 60 x 60. (First I have heard of this, thought it was 100 x 50 x 50.) and that both my cages are too small for any hamster. I have the marrakesh 97 x 47,(48 something like that) and medium livjng world eco habitat 99 x 59 i think.

I do get that the more room you can provide for your hamster the better, ( in most circumstances) and one day I do hope to, but sometimes I do think people have to be realistic. I do worry about people bullying others and where this will all end. I think there is a big difference between what I provide for my hamsters and them living in a hamster prison death trap.
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Old 05-15-2021, 02:09 AM   #48
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Default Re: Cage/Peer pressure on social media

I think this is a safer place to discuss hamster cages than any social media where there is, perhaps, less moderation. Was your comment on a YouTube video Luna? I get that all the time. Even for the 100cm Barney cage videos or the 80cm Savic cage for the Robo. Just ignore. Some people are just trolls or don’t watch the video properly or talking rubbish. If a comment is upsetting or rude you can remove it on YouTube x. I also think some people have got in the habit of just spouting “your cage is too small “ whether it is or not because they are just idiots and troublemakers and like to feel important!
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Old 05-15-2021, 02:18 AM   #49
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Default Re: Cage/Peer pressure on social media

Ginger- I agree with Luna that 13 inch is a bit narrow for enrichment- it might be ok for a dwarf hamster but generally they do better with more depth as well as length. For moving around. But it is fine to start out with a smaller cage when taming and upgrade later and a dwarf hamster might be happy with that cage. It would be too narrow for a Syrian really as they do need to move around. 18 to 20” deep is what a Syrian needs. If you can only get tanks it’s good to look at the dimensions rather than gallon size.
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Old 05-15-2021, 04:06 AM   #50
LunaTheHamster1
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Default Re: Cage/Peer pressure on social media

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Originally Posted by Serendipity7000 View Post
I think this is a safer place to discuss hamster cages than any social media where there is, perhaps, less moderation. Was your comment on a YouTube video Luna? I get that all the time. Even for the 100cm Barney cage videos or the 80cm Savic cage for the Robo. Just ignore. Some people are just trolls or don’t watch the video properly or talking rubbish. If a comment is upsetting or rude you can remove it on YouTube x. I also think some people have got in the habit of just spouting “your cage is too small “ whether it is or not because they are just idiots and troublemakers and like to feel important!

Yes, on one of my YouTube videos. OMG I can't believe you get that too. The two times I have had it they have been German. I replied, but won't be replying anymore, I wanted to say my piece as in the hamster community as a whole it really annoys me when people start putting people down. I think it goes along way for having a good and safe sized cage, wheel, safe bedding and food. I just didn't want other people coming along and freaking out that they had cages the same size as mine and they are doing everything wrong. It is kind of funny because they are quoting everything at me which we normally see people advising when they have a tiny cage i.e. 200- 450sq inches.
I just wish these 'discussions' didn't leave me so exhausted
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