Help! UK based Syrian hamster owner needs advice on cages

[Reesb88]

Hi all,

I’m really struggling to find consistent information on cage sizes (and choices) for a Syrian hamster in the U.K.

Our pet stores only stock very small cages and our little friend has already chewed a hole in the corner of the one we bought.

It seems that none of the pre-made cages are suitable in terms of size, so was contemplating building my own.

The IKEA Detolf seems a good option BUT I refuse to pay their extortionate delivery rates and I’m unable to collect due to lockdown rule (can’t travel more than 5 miles from hometown).

As such, I’ve thought about making a bin cage, but again, lack of consistent messaging on the internet as to what is good/bad.

I’ve been looking at Really Useful Christmas tree storage box in B&Q but not sure if this is too narrow?

Please please please can I get some advice/suggestions.

Many Thanks!

[Amethyst_ice]

Hello,

It depends what kind of cage you want- barred, tank or tub.

Ebay is a good place to look for 2nd hand cages and 2nd hand sites.

Zooplus did have a fair selection but the brexit situation has stopped that.

Personally im a fan of 2nd hand sites, there are a fw alaska and barney cages near me at present

P@H still stock the hamster heaven I believe.

Depends on your budget and preference

[Ria P]

If you want a bin cage the only suitable one is the 145l rub available at Wickes. You'd need to mesh the lid, a front window and a back vent. I've converted the 133l Xmas tree box from Wickes before which is ok for a dwarf but yes, it is narrow and i wouldn't use it for a Syrian.

P@h sells the Savic Plaza online and the Hamster Heaven in the shop which is fine and with all the plastic tubes, penthouse and shelves removed you have a good sized cage to kit out.
The 28cm Trixie wheel is available on Amazon.

I have recently bought an Alaska off Gumtree because it was out of stock on Zooplus but its available on ebay for over £50.

I bought the Alaska in the area where i go grocery shopping and where i go to work which is well outside a 5 mile radius.

Another option would be the large Zoozone 2 which is available at Jolleys petshop for £55 but it is advisable to mesh the lid.

[Jazzlovessyrians]

The minimum for a syrian is 80 × 50 cm but bigger tends to be better (unless its a hospital cage or for an older hamster or one that doesn't like having a big cage). There are lots of diy cages on YouTube that might help, you could always buy two bins and cut an end off each in order to make the cage a decent size. This, of course, depends on diy skills and if you have the tools. As mentioned above, a lot of the suitable ones that were being sold aren't anymore but there are still some options. Facebook marketplace and ebay may have some options, lockdown means you can't go too far but you might be lucky that there is someone nearby who's selling a cage or something that could easily be made into a cage. I personally am not a massive fan of most wire cages as they often aren't deep enough for a good amount of substrate (at least 6 inches of bedding is recommended) with toys on top and a wheel of diameter 10-12 inches. (Some hamsters prefer a slightly smaller wheel but it's important their back is flat when running and the wheel should not be mesh as this can cause bumblefoot.)
Sorry had a bit of a ramble there but hopefully it helps!

[Tommyshelby]

Most big stores are selling a heavy duty trunk at the moment, it's what I'm using for my dwarf. I dont recommend it as with a multi chamber it feels a bit crammed.

I would just go ikea and get a detolf. I live in the city and lockdown rules are a bit of a joke.

Try get the biggest thing you have space for

[Reesb88]

Thanks all.
I actually went and bought a glass tank in the end. The Tetra 105l.

It’s expensive, but thought it would be better than the current P@H large plastic/wire cage we had. I can probably get £50 for the lid/filter etc that I’m obviously not using.

That being said, I should have done my research a bit more. I looked at it on Amazon and the dimensions listed were larger than it actually is... The 40 gallon version in the US is recommended but it seems the 105l is the largest here in the U.K.

It’s bigger than the cage he had but smaller than I wanted it to be. It’s 76x48x37. About on par with the Savic plaza recommended above. I’m yet to make a lid for it so keeping an eye at the moment to see if my little guy is Steve McQueen! If it looks like he can, I’ll transfer him back whilst I make a lid.