Caged advice.....which one? - Page 2

RubyDG · 01-23-2015, 03:15 PM

I have the Mamble 100, although this isn't the best picture maybe it will give you an idea. I have changed a few things since I took this - I added a homemade hammock across the whole of the roof so he can't monkeybar across the top of the cage. I'd take a pic now and upload it but I've just had surgery so I'm stuck in bed. I ordered it from Rat Cages : Mamble Rat / Hamster Narrow Bar 100cm Cage : www.LittlePetWarehouse.co.uk - The UK's Small Pet Specialists - The place to buy amazing products for your pet online and included the additional corner shelf Chinchilla Accessories : *NEW* Plastic Corner Shelf - Substrate Holding With Deep Rim : www.LittlePetWarehouse.co.uk - The UK's Small Pet Specialists - The place to buy amazing products for your pet online(for an extra £7 I thought it was worth it). I then ordered some untreated shelves off Ebay plus the stand I ordered off Amazon as it was cheaper (LITTLE FRIENDS X-PART Stand for Rabbit 100cm Cages Metal: Amazon.co.uk: Pet Supplies). With the shelves I went for one big shelf that spans from front to back and then smaller ones of various sizes to fill in the gaps. It took some planning but there is nowhere he can fall off and fall very far, especially with the top hammock added in (which is not in the picture).

I'm very happy with it - Spike seems to be too. The total cost came to much more than what I would of spent on a Detolf for example (which was my first choice) but I just do not have the space for something that size. A 100cm cage was what I could accommodate so I felt this was the best option for a Syrian (I don't think it would be suitable for any other species of hamster). He loves climbing and uses all of the cage (hence adding the hammock across the top - I've actually made it completely flush with the top so it acts more like a barrier than a hammock). I'm glad I decided to spend the money on the stand because it makes moving the cage super easy which is a bonus, especially when cleaning. I also appreciate the extra storage space in my small flat. The cage cost £57 incl delivery with the additional shelf, the stand cost £22 and the wooden shelves cost a total of £23 altogether (I bought a multi-pack of shelves so I have extras not in the picture too). I will add that the one thing I was not happy about with the Mamble was the roof - I had to zip tie it in one or two places to make it more secure, it's not noticeable and I have no plans to fold it for traveling so it's not something that's an issue for me but it's worth noting. Big clear tubes are included as well which was nice but I found they take up far to much room in the cage but they're great for playtime. Spike also loves digging in his giant litter tray so I've left it in rather than getting something smaller.

I think many people start keeping a hamster and try to do a setup as cheaply as possible, which is great and what I was aiming for. I just think it's better to be realistic about the total cost and not expect to get EVERYTHING you need for £40/50 (unless you're doing something like a bin cage). Buying haphazardly and bit by bit just works out more expensive in the long run in my opinion. I sat down with a budget and then worked out exactly what I would need for the cage I was looking at to make it the best home I could manage. I decided it was better to spend the £180 budget straight off to get everything he needed at once and then stick to a small monthly budget after that. This has worked out very well for me. I use Argos playsand (£2.99 for 15kg) which I stick in the oven for 30 min and Fitch bedding (20kg for £17.99 incl delivery - lasts months). I feed him Burgess Hamster Harvest which also lasts a good while. So after my initial start-up costs Spike really costs me very little on a month by month basis (although obviously I have a Vet Fund for emergencies). Naturally I do include a bit extra in my budget for any toys or treats but those are luxuries and not necessities. Although I got Spike on impulse (had him in a temporary bin cage for two weeks) I am glad I took the time and energy to plan and work out everything carefully beforehand, including costs, because now I feel that Spike has the best home to suit both his needs and my own.

Sorry for the over long ramble - I'm stuck in bed with not much to occupy me

. I hope my comment is helpful anyway. Let us know what you decide.

Shannonmcn · 01-23-2015, 06:02 PM

I appreciated it anyway, I've been going back and forth on a Mamble for over a month now, there aren't many reviews outside the ones on Amazon!

RubyDG · 01-23-2015, 08:39 PM

In the end with the Mamble it's about the height and if you're prepared to spend the extra money adding in levels/hammocks to reduce the risk of falls. If you don't want to (and you can't fit a Detolf!) then I think the Alexander Small Pet Cage is a good option as well (Great deals on small pet cages at zooplus: Alexander Small Pet Cage.) It's a good sized cage and the shelving is laid out to maximise the use of the available space.

hamstermomma · 01-24-2015, 02:19 AM

Thank you rubyDG
It's good to get an idea of what you can do with it, your looks really good!! So how many shelves did the cage come with 1 or 2?

RubyDG · 01-24-2015, 05:26 AM

The cage came with 1 corner shelf included. I added in an additional corner shelf to my order which cost an extra £7. The corner shelves are the same, if anything the additional one is a little sturdier, but they look the same. With just one corner shelf there is a lot of unused space so having two 'balanced' it out a bit more. I added in the wooden shelves so that if he did fall he would never fall very far before landing on something and I felt I was making better use of the space.

hamstermomma · 01-26-2015, 04:23 AM

I think I'll get more like you. So with the measurement of the cage is it 100cm length, 54cm depth and 64cm height or are the height and depth the other way round?

RubyDG · 01-26-2015, 06:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hamstermomma

I think I'll get more like you. So with the measurement of the cage is it 100cm length, 54cm depth and 64cm height or are the height and depth the other way round?

Depth/width is 54cm and the height is 64cm. You'll find that the actual length works out more as 99cm long because the base curves in a bit.