Is this cage safe?

Blueberry · 09-19-2015, 03:54 PM

Hi
I found a great house for hammy. I just want to be sure, if is safe, I heard that some woods are not good for dwarfs. Please let me know what do you think.
Thank you!

Songmics XXL Wooden Hamster Cage
Hamster cage / Pet Hutch,
Product Description:
1. Fir material, untreated solid wood, no processing, no painting. Durable, beautiful and comfortable.
2. Three transparent PMMA window, operable roof
3. 3 layers luxurious space, a small bedroom separately on the upper and the middle
4. Move freely up and down with the ladders, 2 seesaws to play A plastic bowl for food, dismountable plank for cleaning
3 floors, including accessories set,

Ps. I am new in the forum and don't know yet how to make a new post..?

**kyrilliondaemon** · 09-20-2015, 07:54 AM

Hi Blueberry and welcome to the forum

I've moved this to be a new thread, to make your own new threads you just need to go to the section where you'd like to post your thread, then click "Forum Tools" then "Post a New Thread" and after that it should be fairly straightforward.

I think a few other forum members have the cage you've mentioned so hopefully one of those members will be along to give their opinion soon

I don't have that cage but personally I'd be a bit worried about a hamster chewing out when the cage is made from wood.

cypher · 09-20-2015, 08:40 AM

Hi & welcome

That cage is fine but only if you get a ham that doesn't decide to chew all the wood! You would need to paint the wood with a safe paint like plastikote to make it water proof too.
It's not a bad size but I'm not sure it really makes the best use of space & it would be hard to customise it if you wanted to change anything in future to suit the ham you get, they all like different things so I personally prefer to get a cage that I can make more changes too, either barred or tank style give you more options really & can work out a lot cheaper.
Have you had a look at Zooplus? They have some really nice cages at quite good prices, for example the alaska, barney, alexander or hamster heaven, or you could look at something like the zoozone if you prefer a tank style cage.

Blueberry · 09-20-2015, 03:58 PM

Hi!
Thank you for your help with the post and quick replay.
I am attaching picture.
I already bought it month ago, I liked this house very much, is well and solid build and I thought that maybe natural material would be nicer for hammy.
I haven't introduced him to a new house yet, as I wanted make sure that is safe for him. My Blueberry has 10 weeks and has only 3 feet, when he was born and his mum was cleaning away all of the afterbirth she also nipped off one of his feet (back foot). He knows life no other way and is totally healthy and healed. He is so whizzy and it doesn't bother him at all.
I will make sure to protect it with special paint and will observe him if he is not up to chew it?

Thank you for your help

Piebald · 09-20-2015, 11:54 PM

That's a nice cage but I see a problem with getting a nice deep layer of substrate in the bottom unless you change the way the it is set up in the picture. Hamsters need a good layer deeper than their size for borrowing, digging and stashing hoards, Without the ability to engage in this natural behaviour you might get stress issues and illnesses. I think you can make it work though if you wall off an area for a wheel with a bendy bridge on its side, and have the deep substrate on the other side of the wall. You won't be able to use the bottom opening except for the occasional big clean. It doesn't really provide a lot of burrowing room but it's better than nothing. Make sure he has other things to chew on and hopefully it will be fine. I would definitely plasticote the bottom and sides to protect from wee saturation. I'd love to see a pic when you get it set up!

cypher · 09-21-2015, 12:05 AM

Good idea to try to section off the base to deepen the substrate, they really do need that!
I'm just wondering how you get the wheel in? It doesn't seem to allow much space for a full size wheel.

Piebald · 09-21-2015, 03:34 AM

One or both of the bottom ramps will have to be moved and the wheel put in front. That's really the only option I see. It could work I think. It's hard to judge scale from the picture.

Blueberry · 09-21-2015, 11:48 AM

Thank you for the answers, so helpful

I will look for Plasticote non toxic "water-based" (are they acrylic? I can't find any different plastikote than acrylic). Good point Piebald, I was thinking and I think I found a solution, for the problem with opening cage with deep layer of substrate, in the bottom, I will build a wooden, few cm bridge, to prevent substrate from coming out while opening. Cage is really big 115 cm/60 cm tall, I think wheel, will be ok, I wonder how he will get on, with the wheel without one feet. I will update you with my progress

Thanks !

Piebald · 09-21-2015, 12:42 PM

I had thought about a "bar" in front of that opening but didn't want to trouble you that much

. It might get chewed but that's not the end of the world. It would reduce the usefulness of that bottom opening however, first by making it smaller, second because you can no longer sweep out directly to clean it-- you have to lift all the old substrate over the bar. I suggest trying the cage without the bar at first and see if you really need it or not. The top opening might work fine for you. Just be aware it's a little more scary to a Ham to have things like The Hand swoop down from the top.
Your guy will be fine in the wheel with 3 legs. I have a 3-legged dog and she romps all over the place. So you see I am quite fond of tripods. Which leg is your one missing?

Blueberry · 09-22-2015, 05:51 AM

Yes, you are right, I will try first without the bar and see how we go. Is his left back leg, he is walking fine just sometimes he looks like need to slow down and balanced. Poor thing...
I bought the plastikote clear enamel water base in amazon, children toys safe, so should be the right one.