Platforms related question

[WitchyCat]

Hi hamster lovers.
I am getting ready to adopt a friendly, active boy from Happy Hamsters UK, and my boyfriend and I are working on getting everything needed for the enclosure. We are very excited.

Before this, I never realised how many platforms a hamster enclosure needs. It's a very educational experience.

My questions is - what do you do if the stilts of the platform don't reach the 10 inches recommended depth of substrate that your hammie needs/wants?
The way I see it, you just either leave a layer at the bottom that the stilts don't go through, or you maybe only increase the depth of bedding in areas of the enclosure where there aren't any platforms, and you create separators with cardboard/other safe materials.
Let me know please what you are doing and what best practice is, in your experience.

[OG_Jam]

platforms like other levels in the cage? as far as im aware (i could be wrong) but im pretty sure hamsters dont need platforms maybe except one just for the wheel to sit on but mine always do fine sat on the paper bedding. from what i heard platforms (if on multiple levels/higher than the bedding) are dangerous because hamsters throw themselves off them because "head empty no thoughts" other than run on on the wheel that is lmao

[WitchyCat]

Thank you for your reply.
A proper set up for a hamster enclosure requires platforms for the heavy objects - wheel, sand bath. Otherwise the hamster can dig and burrow underneath and can be crushed b these heavy objects falling on them.

Rachel Got Hamsters and Happy Hamsters UK have very good info about why these platforms are needed. They aren't intended to be placed high, but to sit on stilts to prevent hamster burrows and tunnels from collapsing with heavy objects on top.
Hope this clarifies.

I've meanwhile ordered proper stilts.

[OG_Jam]

righttt yea i misunderstood, my bad �� i thought you were asking about higher levels for the hamster to climb and stuff. i only have 1 small corner platform for water bowls the wheel has a large stand that sits fine in the paper and ive never had hamsters burrow under them making it an issue

[WitchyCat]

That's ok.
Where do you keep the sandbath for your hamster though if not on a platform?

[OG_Jam]

i have it in one of those ovo trail? or habitrail? idk one of the attachment rooms (i never used the ovotrail as a house for my hamsters it was just part of a bundle i bought and i would set it up for my russian dwarf to play in for like 15-20 mins when i'd clean out her cage and re-arrange things then i'd put her back) but i filled the entire ovo trail room attachment with the sand and added it into my savic plaza cage, i took it out recently tho because my syrian hammy bandit has never used it so i replaced that corner with a forage pit which he seems to like more but when the sand bath was there i made a pit in the paper and placed this bowl like "room" full of sand in it and i'd clear out paper from it but he's never used it for digging, rolling or going to the toilet just occasionally hop into it then go back to his wheel im also 100% sure he never used it because i have a night vision cam set up in there to keep an eye on him and my chinese hammy. it was set up next to his wheel on the opposite side of his cage where he never burrows he sticks to one half of the cage for burrowing because of the cage layout even tho 2/3 of the cage has like 9 inch bedding he just sticks to his lil sleeping areas and the rest of the time he spends running and foraging