Idea: Bin Cage Awareness Movement! - Page 2

Catherine Spark · 07-21-2012, 05:12 AM

Actually, you're right. I mean the workshop would be free and you'd want people to attend that. But if you bought the cage off them you'd indirectly be saying they could make money by not going to the workshop. After all it would be madness to pay people to come to a workshop! So trade cages the chain way then.

RockinHammies · 07-21-2012, 06:01 AM

Sounds like a great idea

I had no idea what a bin cage was before coming to the site, now one of our hamsters lives in one (and loves it!). Our other hamster is in a 1foot by 3 foot tank now and is enjoying life.

I think petstores need to change their ways too, to be honest. One of the big pet stores here - petsmart - posts on their website that a 12"x12" cage is suitable for a syrian hamster!!!

I love the idea of bin cages.

ETA: A lot of people will value what the petstores tell them at the time of purchasing their hamster. I mean they don't know are asking for advise and then believe they are doing the right thing when they follow it. I know the petstores would lose a lot probably changing what they advise (it's obviously marketed towards what the cages are and not common sense even).

Catherine Spark · 07-21-2012, 07:32 AM

Neither did I! Glad your hamsters have found the light, thanks to you

If more pet stores would buy in large storage bins and 0.6cm mesh, as well as nuts, bolts stanley knives and washers, they could possibly make up the sales of the cages, since then they might also get customers coming in for those, to use for other purposes too. Besides, large storage bins can be useful in all sorts of ways to pet owners!

p_anda · 07-21-2012, 08:23 AM

Old hamster cages can be scrapped for metal and plastic...both can be recycled. Or you could use part of the wire instead of mesh, esp. the doors. If you drew up a marketing plan, and sent it to companies like Homebase, B&Q, Pound-Stretcher, Asda, Tesco, etc. they might give you sponsorship...only problem with being sponsored is that you will be forced to advertise, and they might might want you to agree that you will only recommend their shops to buy the bins from.

Younr017 · 07-21-2012, 08:26 AM

If there's anything I can do please let me no

**kyrilliondaemon** · 07-21-2012, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catherine Spark

Neither did I! Glad your hamsters have found the light, thanks to you

If more pet stores would buy in large storage bins and 0.6cm mesh, as well as nuts, bolts stanley knives and washers, they could possibly make up the sales of the cages, since then they might also get customers coming in for those, to use for other purposes too. Besides, large storage bins can be useful in all sorts of ways to pet owners!

Er... I'm not sure that'd work either. When I went to the shop for a cage (five times) I was definetly leaving with a cage - not the stuff to make one.
I'd also not buy bin cage materials from a pet store - just wouldn't occur to me.

That said, a lot of people may not like bin cages. I don't mind them - the hams come first, but I and probably quite a few others do prefer to have proper cages.

Sandti · 07-21-2012, 04:24 PM

Bin cages arent always the most aesthtically pleasing so I'm guessing that some people would be put off.

Mikayla · 07-21-2012, 04:48 PM

I think it's a great idea, but I'm not sure it would necessarily work.

-I would definitely offer to trade their cage for a bin, not buy.
-Quite a few people don't like bin cages as they are...ugly.
-I really doubt that the stores will sponsor you, call be a downer, but they just don't care.

I do think it's a lovely idea. I would hands-down support it.

p_anda · 07-22-2012, 07:42 AM

IMO, if there are people who don't like the idea of bin cages, the workshop could also offer a wooden alternative, but that will cost a lot more, but still less than a cage of the same size...I think all commercial cages are ugly and so are bins, but having the option between spending £70 on a glorified plastic box or spending £10 on a plastic storage box I'd pick the latter.

And I'm sure parents who don't really want to spend money on a suitable sized commercial cage would pick the latter too - and I can understand why. Until there is a cage made that doesn't use flimsy plastic, has a deep litter tray [minimum of 30cm high], is a good size, and it's not full of accessories that would rather suit a dollhouse - and costs a reasonable amount of money brand new - I will not spend a penny on one. I might as well make a bin cage for a fraction of the cost that is just as ugly.

Wooden cages could be made by using 4 sheets of MDF, 1 sheet of plexiglass for the front so you have better visibility, and a meshed lid. Or if you're not too bothered about only seeing your hamster from the top, you can use MDF on all four sides. I reckon that would cost around £30-40, depending on the size. Or it would be possible to buy the wooden boxes wine sellers use to store bottles of wine, but they might try and rip you off...I've had quotes of £25 for a smaller box of around 50x50cms.

TheFeldhamster · 07-22-2012, 09:22 AM

I think the concept of "buying back" the old cage is a great advertising idea. Even if you only find enough funding to do it once and not forever I think it's a great idea. You can always switch to a "we'll trade in your old cage for a new bin cage for free" mode later if you need to.

If you make a few bin cages in advance there won't be any problem where to stick the hamster while the bin cage is built - you give them a ready made bin and take their cage to build the next bin.

It's really too bad that the biggest bins over here are just under our min. cage size requirements or I would steal that idea of bin cage awareness week and promote it over here as well, it's brilliant!