Bio-setup...

EllaJohnson · 07-19-2016, 03:57 AM

Has anyone tried to develop a bio setup for their hamsters? I have a bio-setup for my snake and it works really well and is far more natural. Do you think it's possible to create the same for, in my case, a robo?

Ella

cypher · 07-19-2016, 04:07 AM

I don't know anything about keeping snakes but I guess that would be damp & humid or am I way off?!
A hams environment needs to be dry, mould can be a real problem with anything damp, & they do tend to eat things they shouldn't so it's best to stick to standard substrates & chinchilla sand for your basic set up.

EllaJohnson · 07-19-2016, 04:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cypher

I don't know anything about keeping snakes but I guess that would be damp & humid or am I way off?!
A hams environment needs to be dry, mould can be a real problem with anything damp, & they do tend to eat things they shouldn't so it's best to stick to standard substrates & chinchilla sand for your basic set up.

It honestly depends on the snake/reptile, there are some really successful desert, bio-setups. I would use chinchilla sand as the base, possible mixed with something (?) so the robo is able to tunnel down a little.

This is all in the planning stage currently, I'll certainly not do anything until I'm 100% confident it will cause no harm to my hamster.

Ella

cypher · 07-19-2016, 04:51 AM

I don't think there is really any safe substrate you can mix with sand, the sand just falls to the bottom, earth or compost or even coir isn't a good option as it easily gets damp & doesn't dry out.
Lots of people have ideas for natural looking set ups using those kind of things along with plants growing in the cage but it doesn't really work well at all tbh.

AmityvilleHams · 07-19-2016, 12:47 PM

Something you could do instead of adding sand(very dusty in large amounts especially deep amounts)would be trying different substrate in different sections or using a naturally colored substrate.Carefresh make brown substrate(Natural)and other brands do as well,but really something to keep in mind is that while we can replicate the natural habitat of some reptiles and other animals very well it is not really possible to completely replicate the natural habitat of most hamsters with our limitations.

It is good to lean towards the natural end of the spectrum though,so don't get discouraged!Try out some natural material toys instead of plastic and do things like that.I know you could probably also get a wooden wheel but do make sure it is the right size(a large Syrian would require a 30.5 cm wheel while some dwarf hamsters could be fine with a smaller wheel).

I've seen clay natural-style burrows be made,but you have to be careful to choose a safe clay with no chemicals in it that would be risky.I do forget the link,but it was a really fun idea and it seemed extremely simple!

Instead of actual plants,opt for things like oat sprays and millet as they won't add humidity into the cage which would be a concern for such sensitive creatures.

Vicki · 07-19-2016, 11:55 PM

Check out Etsy & Ebay for some natural type items. I just had a person on Etsy who makes rabbit sized items downsize a wooden box for my Patro'n. He does natural wood or will color a safe color. Anyway it is meant for hay but I got it for a den for her. I also bought my bucket wheel on Etsy as well.