The Habitrail ovo? - Page 2

CoolcatNatNat44 · 06-12-2011, 09:46 AM

Another habitrail hater checking in too, i just agree with what everyone said, apart from that the colours are nice

SnickersTheFirst · 06-12-2011, 09:58 AM

I just think it's really hard to have a decent set up, most of the pods are tiny as are the tubes. It would cost so much to buy a big enough set up that you may aswell buy a big cage.

Ventilation is poor as it is all plastic and there are no corners which hamsters like.

Ministottie · 06-12-2011, 10:16 AM

I agree with everything that has already been said, just wanted to add that I think they look great to us, but to the hamster I can imagine it being horrible to live in.

linford27 · 06-12-2011, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pomegranate

Sorry, another Habitrail hater checking in. It's small unless you spend an absolute mint (and even if you do, it's still not ideal), time-consuming and fiddly to clean, bad ventilation, potential for condensation or even mould build-up, difficult for taming nervous hammies, circular (hamsters like wall-hugging, it makes them feel safe), not large enough for a big wheel, compartment design can cause fighting in groups, Syrians can outgrow the tubes, and dwarf hamsters' soft furry feet struggle to climb them (unless the setup is all one level, as with Jasmine's old setup, rather than the vertical design they normally show on their boxes).

They're made to please people, not hamsters. Just completely unsuitable.

*i can see why you say its too small, however the picture posted is not the one i have. i have the one with a main pod, lots of (about 4) different tubes tunelling along, i have 3 pods, a water compartment,
*i dont mind the time consuming,
*bad ventilation? how do you know this can i ask?
*i can see why its difficult for taming, but with my hamster its not and he's tame
*circular? yes, maybe a bad point
*wheel? perosnally i feel the wheel is large enough, his back is not arched when he uses it
*fighting? he's on his own
*outgrow tubes? they're big enoguh, and he gets up and down them fine

reviewing these points and answers, it seems the only bad thing is that its circular, however he has not bumped at all and gets around fine, maybe this cage is ok for my particular hamster, he doesnt seem unhappy?

Pomegranate · 06-12-2011, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by linford27

*i can see why you say its too small, however the picture posted is not the one i have. i have the one with a main pod, lots of (about 4) different tubes tunelling along, i have 3 pods, a water compartment,
*i dont mind the time consuming,
*bad ventilation? how do you know this can i ask?
*i can see why its difficult for taming, but with my hamster its not and he's tame
*circular? yes, maybe a bad point
*wheel? perosnally i feel the wheel is large enough, his back is not arched when he uses it
*fighting? he's on his own
*outgrow tubes? they're big enoguh, and he gets up and down them fine

reviewing these points and answers, it seems the only bad thing is that its circular, however he has not bumped at all and gets around fine, maybe this cage is ok for my particular hamster, he doesnt seem unhappy?

Even with a different setup, it's still too small.
The bad ventilation is in the round units particularly - there are reports of hamsters dying of suffocation in these, especially when nesting as their bedding fills the few ventilation holes there are.
I'm glad your hamster is tame, but barracading himself in one unit and then only coming out for food and water is hardly a good sign.
Is he a baby? They often out grow wheels as they get older. 8" is a good minimum size, but some adults need an 11" wheel.
Fighting is a general point - with groups of dwarf hamsters, a single level one-main-area cage is best to avoid terrorial fighting.
And with the tubes; again, they can out grow them. If he's a baby, they're probably fine for him for the moment.

KatiePillow · 06-12-2011, 11:03 AM

As fluffy said, if it's working for your hamster then it's up to the owners discression.
The main problems are for the owner in that you can't place toys as easily, and if your syrian does outgrow the wheel or tunnels then it's not a good cage for those syrians.

I wouldn't recommend it as a cage to somebody who didn't have one already, since it's very expensive to get a nice large set up, and it's considerably easier to just get one nice large cage which the hamster won't grow out of (tubes wheel etc), but if it's working out for you then people aren't pressurising you to replace it if you're having no issues with it.

People are mostly against the ovo because a lot of syrians grow out of the wheel (it's 7.5" I think?) and there's no way to put an 8" or 11" wheel in to replace it. Some hamsters do get stuck in the tubing. And it's harder to tame in and more expensive than a single level cage.

Jasmine · 06-12-2011, 11:03 AM

I didn't think there was an Ovo bigger than the Loft?

I've seen the smaller pods with the wheel in but not seen one bigger than the loft. I didn't keep my dwarf hamsters in them long, I upgraded them to an Imac fantasy cage each.

linford27 · 06-12-2011, 11:11 AM

hmm, maybe it needs to be bigger then?
do you think buying a whole new one (Habitrail OVO Suite Hamster Habitat: Amazon.co.uk: Pet Supplies)
and taking the wheel/bowl thing out the orange bit, so its a big spce, and conncecting it to the one i already have, adding the extra tubes, so he'd have 2 orange bits, one with a wheel/bowl, the other i can put toys in? would that help?

KatiePillow · 06-12-2011, 11:16 AM

I'd just buy a box (like a storage box) and connect that instead, would work out far cheaper

Lou_angel84 · 06-12-2011, 11:17 AM

When I adopted my Syrian from my sisters friend she was in one of these cages... But not anymore! Not only was it a pain to clean, it was just way too small! She filled the tubes, there was no space for her to move! I hated it! I swiftly bought her a ferplast guinea pig cage and now she lives in a mansion sized home!