What else do I need?

[heidii]

I will be (hopefully) bringing home a hamster this upcoming Saturday and so want to get everything ready for them before they come home.
So far, I've gotten the following:

• IKEA PLATSA cage 120x80
• Trixie 28cm Silent Spinner Wheel
• Carefresh Natural Bedding
• Kaytee Natural Bedding
• 113l of Aspen shavings
• Trixie sand bath
• Coconut Soil
• Small Animal Carrier
• ProRep Cork Bark Short Tube, Medium
• Trixie Natural Living Bridge, 22 x 10 cm
• Glass Drinking Bottle, 177 ml
• Hedgehog Bowl for Food or Water, 200 g, orange
• Komodo Natural Sand
• Allazone Wooden Maze Tunnel
• Nature First Large Willow Tube

I am a bit worried the cage will look super bare and have too many open spaces but can't find many suitable natural looking hides on Amazon. I still need chews also, but can't find any. And I also can't seem to find any moss? I have seen some Etsy sellers selling moss in batches of like 50g, but that doesn't seem like a massive amount?

[Ria P]

You need a big house but you can make a shoe box house. I'd also get a coconut hide (petsathome). You can get chew sticks and whimzees online or petsathome as well. If it's too bare then you can make hides from cardboard boxes until you see some you like. A freestanding platform to create levels with a long bendy Trixie bridge leading up to it could be an idea.
A new habitat is work in progress for a while because you'll find out what the hamster does and wants once they start to settle in.
There are plenty of household items you can use for hides like flower pots, mugs, oil burners, Pringle tubes etc.
I wouldn't worry about moss, you can add greenery with dried hamster herbs, millet sprays etc.

I'd set it all up and post a photo.

[cloudy]

I have seen some cute hides on this website and a great price too. I bought the natures first hillside view and grassy wigwam.
Hamsters – Tagged "Hides" – Hope's Healthy Treats

I am so happy you have found a hamster now.

[heidii]

Originally Posted by Ria P

You need a big house but you can make a shoe box house. I'd also get a coconut hide (petsathome). You can get chew sticks and whimzees online or petsathome as well. If it's too bare then you can make hides from cardboard boxes until you see some you like. A freestanding platform to create levels with a long bendy Trixie bridge leading up to it could be an idea.
A new habitat is work in progress for a while because you'll find out what the hamster does and wants once they start to settle in.
There are plenty of household items you can use for hides like flower pots, mugs, oil burners, Pringle tubes etc.
I wouldn't worry about moss, you can add greenery with dried hamster herbs, millet sprays etc.

I'd set it all up and post a photo.

Been meaning to set it up but because I'm moving it's been a bit hectic. I should be able to get it all done by Thursday night hopefully, or worst comes to the worst, Friday night.

& Thanks for the link!

[cloudy]

I am so excited to hear about your hamster.

[Ria P]

Originally Posted by heidii

Been meaning to set it up but because I'm moving it's been a bit hectic. I should be able to get it all done by Thursday night hopefully, or worst comes to the worst, Friday night.

& Thanks for the link!

Link was from cloudy but all my hamsters have the Teddy bear ceramic hide and love it. It fits every species.

[heidii]

Originally Posted by Ria P

Link was from cloudy but all my hamsters have the Teddy bear ceramic hide and love it. It fits every species.

Yeah sorry, I did know that I was just in a rush and so didn't quote it!

[Ria P]

Are you going to tell us all the exciting details on Saturday?

[Pebbles82]

Getzoo do some great platforms suitable for that kind of cage - but you wouldn't get one before Saturday! You could maybe add one later if you have a good house to start with. They do either corner ones or some racetrack type ones that go round two sides. As Ria says a platform is always a good thing - they seem to like running up onto a platform and sheltering under it (a favourite place for a wash maybe) or just to feel secure. It's also a good place to put heavier ceramic items. They do two heights - the 21cm height is better as it allows for plenty of substrate under it and still leave a gap between the substrate and the platform to sit under. You could use your cork log as a ramp up to it. I've done that a few times - just kind of wedge the log so it's part under the ramp and part sticking out in the cage - they can run through the log or climb up the side onto the ramp.

From your list:

1) I wouldn't use the coconut soil - especially in a tank style - risk of humidity and mould which can affect respiratory system - stick to the other substrates you have.

2) I'd get one of these - corner litter tray/potty TRIXIE Corner Toilet, 16cm x 7cm x 12cm : Amazon.co.uk: Pet Supplies

3) I'm not sure about the sand you have. Reptile sand isn't always suitable. The tiny friends one is ok, or some people use children's play sand and bake it. I get this one:

JR Farm Chinchilla-Sand Special | zooplus.co.uk

Also agree with Ria - a large house/nesting box is an essential - either a shoebox house or you can buy some really good labyrinth houses from rodipet (but they're expensive and also wouldn't be there by Saturday). And have them on legs so they don't sink into the substrate.

Etagen | Einrichtung & Zubehor | Getzoo.de

Or you can make a platform using Ikea knuff magazine racks (but the hole needs blocking off).

knuff hamster shelf - Google Search

Or Trixie do this which is quite cheap - and might be there before Saturday

Trixie Natural Living Shelter, 30 x 22 x 25 cm : Amazon.co.uk: Pet Supplies

To me, the most important thing, after the basics of cage, substrate and wheel - is a large house/nesting box that's dark inside. The first thing a hamster wants to do is find a place to nest and feel settled. And build a large cosy nest and burrow down in the substrate and bury hoards under the nest. So it's best if it's open underneath and sat on the substrate. If it's large enough and you put a corner litter tray at the end opposite the door (the other end will be darker and they tend to nest at the darkest end) they will almost certainly use the toilet. Just put Chinchilla bathing sand in the toilet.

A new hamster may take a few weeks to get fully toilet trained and have the odd accident in the nest but they generally choose a place to pee away from the nest - in a corner - either the corner of a large house or the corner of a cage.

Then the cage stays clean and dry for a long time - you just take the top of the house and empty the litter tray once or twice a week.

[Pebbles82]

Houses - this is the one I used for our Syrians. It's not cheap! But they all loved it because it's dark inside. They usually nest in the front left chamber and use the middle back one as a toilet. The terracotta dish means you don't have to take the whole roof off to empty the toilet - you just take the dish off (large hole underneath).

It needs to be supported though due to the weight of a large house, in case they tunnel under it and it subsides on them. Rodipet sell legs for it. Or you can glue 6" dowels on for legs. It also doubles up as a shelf.

Rodipet® Hamster House Maze DaVinci 41x26 cm, Ø 7cm +terracotta

Or they do these smaller ones with two or three rooms and a piece of granite on top (good for keeping nails trim or catching splashes from a water bottle).

Houses Rodipet® +GRANiT

Or you can make a shoebox house Which is much cheaper. That's just one large room. Cut the base out of the shoebox and keep the lid as a lift off roof. Cut a hole for a door on one of the long sides at one end (they'll nest at the other end). It's light so no need to be supported underneath. And put the litter tray at the end opposite the door.