Guide to Buying a Cage - Page 3

Anthorn · 07-26-2013, 02:22 AM

Ok I managed to read it. My method was to right-click on the link and "Save link as" whereupon I got a warning from McAfee and allowed it.

It's a .pdf file of a paper publication which could be no longer printed and circulated and is at variance with the current advice on the RSPCA website. Apart from the question of cage size the leaflet says that

Quote:

It can be made of hardwood or softwood with a laminated plastic finish

and goes on to advise a wire mesh front with a wooden surround. But the current information already linked to in a previous post warns against using a wooden cage!

Gizmoandfriends · 07-26-2013, 03:56 AM

Probably because wooden cages can be chewed out of..

Gazmo · 07-26-2013, 07:05 AM

agreed, its kinda obvious..

Anthorn · 08-13-2013, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gizmoandfriends

Probably because wooden cages can be chewed out of..

I don't think that's the reason. But if we take the RSPCA's advice as what is required then all if not all of us are at risk of being accused of not looking after our hamsters properly.

The PDSA's care advice is better but their explanation of why they recommend a 70x30x30cm cage is that the hamster in the wild runs a lot. But I never saw a hamster running to and fro along the length of the cage.

Overall, my problem with recommended cage dimensions is that I don't know what it means. Is it the overall floor space? Does the floorspace requirement include platforms/shelves? Can it be split into more than one cage connected with tubes? Does the length of tubes count? etc. etc.

Gazmo · 08-13-2013, 09:35 AM

wooden cages can be chewed out of, plus when your hamaster pees on it, its pretty much ruined

Bekki2308 · 08-13-2013, 10:16 AM

Wooden cages are fine if appropriately sealed. Hamsters can and do chew out of plastic so that argument fails. The germans use wood over plastic full stop.

Gizmoandfriends · 08-15-2013, 03:47 AM

This is a really old topic.... And it is easier to chew through than most cages, also the wood if weed on would smell!!!!!

HamJam · 08-23-2013, 08:01 PM

My syrian hamster is about 4 months old, and his cage is definitely too small. The thing is, the only cages in any of the shops here that are bigger than what I have are for guinea pigs, etc, which, of course, have bars spaced too far apart. My cage is about 30 1/2 x 40 1/2 by 46 cm high. I would gladly have something bigger, but so far I'm just not finding anything locally. RSPCA standards are all fine and nice, but what if you can't find anything that actually meets them? Why aren't my local pet stores selling cages that even come close to being big enough? (Not to mention that I had to go to 2 stores just to find a wheel bigger than 6 1/2 inches). I have looked online, but, for example, one I found today that I really liked doesn't even ship to Canada. Others I've found are big enough but the platforms are all wire, and I thought we weren't supposed to use wire platforms. Why the heck is it so hard just to find a proper cage? It's so frustrating. I want to provide my hamster with the best possible living environment, but what I need to do so isn't even readily available.

If I'd planned in advance to have a hamster, I'd have surely been more prepared and knowledgeable, but we became hamster parents sort of by chance. We adore him and are glad circumstances brought him to us, but we were completely unprepared and not at all knowledgeable. When I walk into these big pet stores and see aisles upon aisles of merchandise for cats and dogs, I'm so disappointed to find that what is available here for hamsters is both limited and inadequate. Is it like that everywhere? Where have all of you found your cages?

Truffle · 08-24-2013, 04:11 AM

Really good post..... I showed my friend it and she found it really useful so thanks

DickGrayson · 02-24-2014, 04:07 PM

I am looking into getting a bigger cage for my hamster soon as I want her to have more space to run around in and so she can have more toys inside the cage.

Any pet shops in my area and many of the cages I have looked at online seem to only have bigger cages in the aquarium/tank style. But I read that because hamsters have pretty poor eyesight, the curved corners of the aquarium type cages and the glass/plastic material makes it hard for them to see the walls and corners of their cage which confuses them and makes them bump into the walls.

Is this true? I wouldn't want to stress little Sander out or cause her any injuries by bumping into things.

In anyone's experience, which is better - a metal barred cage or the aquarium type?