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Old 04-18-2022, 12:44 PM   #11
Pebbles82
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Default Re: Is etsy of interest for sourcing hamster supplies?

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Originally Posted by VOESSY View Post
Sorry about the allergy thing, that must be a hassle.

Solid bridges and bigger holes in hides are definitely two solid examples. I struggled to find nice looking hides in syrian size aswell.

I am toying with the idea of possibly creating and selling things people seem to be missing, so thank you for sharing.
There is definitely a market for suitable hamster hides and bridges (and ladders that attach safely).

The only real suitable hamster hides, in my view, are from Rodipet or Getzoo and postage is expensive (and the houses are expensive). And those aren't all quite perfect either - rooms too small or compartments in the wrong place. They are pretty good though (especially the rodipet ones).

It's basically a box with holes isn't it? With the comparments in the right place.

Just about everything else is either too small or made with nails or has unsafe entrance sizes or windows.

The Ferplast Guinea pig and Rabbit houses are a good "nesting box" but as Cloudy says, the doors are very large.

I found a few "copycat" labyrinth houses on Amazon that looked ok, but on closer inspection the dimensions were only enough for dwarf hamsters (and some of the wood looked a bit rough and splintery).

Happy Hamsters links a couple of Etsy sellers for houses - one labyrinth house looked quite good there, but some of the inner entrance doors were in the wrong place. Rodipet has it right there (with the Syrian labyrinth house) - the nesting area needs to be round a corner so it's dark and the toilet tray area needs to be easily accessible for it, with the top hole well away from those area.

They are expensive and I usually end up cutting a compartment out. They would also be better with doors rather than holes - when our hamsters are older I end up cutting out the bottom part of the hole to make a door - so they can still get in and out of the house (when they can't pick their feet up or have a lump or something).

So if you're thinking of starting a cottage industry - please do! I'd buy one!
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Old 04-18-2022, 01:28 PM   #12
VOESSY
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Default Re: Is etsy of interest for sourcing hamster supplies?

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Originally Posted by Serendipity7000 View Post
There is definitely a market for suitable hamster hides and bridges (and ladders that attach safely).

The only real suitable hamster hides, in my view, are from Rodipet or Getzoo and postage is expensive (and the houses are expensive). And those aren't all quite perfect either - rooms too small or compartments in the wrong place. They are pretty good though (especially the rodipet ones).

It's basically a box with holes isn't it? With the comparments in the right place.

Just about everything else is either too small or made with nails or has unsafe entrance sizes or windows.

The Ferplast Guinea pig and Rabbit houses are a good "nesting box" but as Cloudy says, the doors are very large.

I found a few "copycat" labyrinth houses on Amazon that looked ok, but on closer inspection the dimensions were only enough for dwarf hamsters (and some of the wood looked a bit rough and splintery).

Happy Hamsters links a couple of Etsy sellers for houses - one labyrinth house looked quite good there, but some of the inner entrance doors were in the wrong place. Rodipet has it right there (with the Syrian labyrinth house) - the nesting area needs to be round a corner so it's dark and the toilet tray area needs to be easily accessible for it, with the top hole well away from those area.

They are expensive and I usually end up cutting a compartment out. They would also be better with doors rather than holes - when our hamsters are older I end up cutting out the bottom part of the hole to make a door - so they can still get in and out of the house (when they can't pick their feet up or have a lump or something).

So if you're thinking of starting a cottage industry - please do! I'd buy one!


This is great information, thank you!

Having a look at Rodipet and Getzoo items, a nesting box/multi-chamber and the like all seem to range between 20-40€. I would be bummed to buy an item for a price I felt high and then still have to customize it. With the compartment placing, size and better quality sorted - what would you say would be a fair price? (without shipping)

Paying attention to the shape of doorways is something I could definitely do, I can totally see the benefit there.

Haha, excellent, I will make sure I make it known if I end up doing this.
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Old 04-18-2022, 02:04 PM   #13
Lilafernim
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Default Re: Is etsy of interest for sourcing hamster supplies?

Hi, I love some of the ideas so far!

I just wanted to make some suggestions myself of things I’ve thought of doing but will never be able to. Firstly, themed chew toys. I know this is mainly for our pleasure but if I wanted a chew toy you get a choice of a stick, carrot or circle. A lot of people do themed cages so a woodland set, or a space set, or I’ve seen on here someone do a beach theme so do a set with a bucket and space, a starfish some fish chews. Even do set ideas based on popular movies. I know the hamster won’t understand but it’s fun for them and allows cages to be more fun.

Also, a lot of people like natural cages, so if you can think of something that isn’t wooden, make a wooden version of it. Bowls, shelves, Sputniks, anything that there isn’t a wooden version of make a wooden version. (I know shelves is a poor example because Trixie does some but I’m trying to think of the top of my head and I mean longer lengthens shelves also)

Underground cosies would be cool as well. This might just be me but it would be cool to see like a wooden box with just a tube out of it, and you put it under bedding with the tube out the surface so it’s literally a little hideaway for them. It also is floor space saving since you could put other accessories on top of it whilst it’s ‘underground’. Just definitely make sure it’s cleanable (roof comes off)

Finally, again maybe just me, it’d be cool to see more interactive toys. I know there’s a few but mostly a hamster goes on it’s wheel. A reinvention of a safe version like a mini treadmill would be amazing and sweet but obviously unrealistic XD. But a bit like Skinners rat experiment (not the electric shock one!) where they click a button and the treat would drop. Or if they pull on a stick have something else move or drop that they can investigate. Or a puzzle box that’s not just holes but maybe they have to open like a cupboard door or slide things to get to the centre using their teeth.

I don’t know if the last idea would even work but I just find a lot of hamster toys to be quite mundane and lack variety. It’s normally just cardboard and chew to get the treats but I would find this boring after a while if I was a hamster and variety would be nice. Also any wooden crafts should coat in plastikote and maybe if you do sell you should print out a leaflet for proper hamster care. I know most on Etsy probably already know but they could promote it or it might teach them something new too.
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Old 04-18-2022, 02:17 PM   #14
Pebbles82
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Default Re: Is etsy of interest for sourcing hamster supplies?

To be fair, the Rodipet ones don't need customisation and are very good quality. The big syrian labyrinth house is just right. It's only when our hamsters are older that I've cut one of the very small compartment walls out - so they can manage easier. Likewise with the door bases. By then it's a couple of years old so I don't mind so much!

The only rodipet house that, in my view, needs some customisation, is the long 3 room one. The only entrance is on top so neither of the other rooms are dark - so it doesn't quite work well. I liked the shape of it though - fits well at one end of the cage - but it would be better with a normal door at one end and no rooms inside. I ended up cutting mine up and making a really nice hide/platform out of it! But again had used it for a couple of years by then.

The other thing is, on most of the rodipet houses (apart from the labyrinth house), the rooms aren't big enough to fit a toilet in and not quite big enough for a large nest. Although a toilet fits in the two room and three room granite houses, it fills the compartment! So the hamster has to walk through it to get out of the house - the only other place to put it is in the far compartment which is where the hamster wants to nest, because it's the darkest room. So again the three room corner house with top and front entrance isn't great from that point of view either - no dark compartments.

Their labyrinth house Dalani is great. It works - there is a large compartment front left that is dark it's through three doors and round a corner. (the little tiny one beyond it is a bit pointless but they seem to like it). The middle back compartment they usually use as a toilet and a toilet tray fits in and room to walk past it - it leads directly from the nesting compartment on the left which is why I think they use it. The rest is just "walkway". The right compartment sometimes doesn't get used for much except coming and going through the top hole - but they do it all in the dark which seems to be the attraction.

So I really like the smaller granite roof houses - but they can't be expected to fit a toilet in where a hamster will use it (they just end up nesting on top of the toilet if the toilet's in the compartment furthest away from the door).

But the labyrinth house is big and expensive. I do love it though - hamsters love it and use it. And it can double up as a shelf when raised on legs. 40 euros odd is a lot (but some of the houses on Etsy cost that too).

I'm not keen on the Getzoo houses. The three room one is very similar to the rodipet ones but I think the rodipet ones are better quality. Their Syrian labyrinth house doesn't quite have the right layout and there a door under the ramp that's very narrow at the top - it has always put me off as I think a hamster using that would end up with fur rubbed off! And the layout isn't as good as the dwarf sized one - they have to turn in a tight angle to get from the passage into the nesting area after going down two passages - but probably ok. They are all jigsaw like so don't stay stable and together very well (unless glued). Some reviews also say there's a hazard in the gap beyond the ramp (hamster getting stuck in there). Hamsters do try and squeeze themselves into tiny gaps.

The dwarf sized one is very good - the rest - not for me - I prefer the rodipet one.

One thing I would like to see is a house like the long three room rodipet one with a door about a quarter of the way along - so the toilet goes left (or right) of the door and the rest is one open room with just one divider/door (so like an entrance and a room).

Because that is space saving in a cage - hamster gets a great house in the dark - lots more space in the cage.
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Old 04-18-2022, 02:18 PM   #15
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Default Re: Is etsy of interest for sourcing hamster supplies?

Posted at the same time as Lila!
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Old 04-18-2022, 02:36 PM   #16
Lilafernim
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Default Re: Is etsy of interest for sourcing hamster supplies?

That’s crazy Serendipity! I only just noticed as I’ve come back on, I thought that was quick for a response! I just had another idea that I think a lot of people would like. You could make a ‘garden kit’ and just have some ceramic pots, coco soil and some hamster safe plants that people can put it their cages. I sometimes find it hard to find small pots or sometimes you just need a small amount of coco soil for example when only want a little amount. So I think that would be a great idea.

Also on the house idea, I do wish there was a basic cheaper one as said it’s a box with holes in! I haven’t had rodipet ones myself but if they’re a good size then it could be good to base the dimensions of of them. Maybe have removable rooms/sections so you don’t have to cut them out.

I think a lot of ideas can be taken from pre-existing products and just making them better. Also, as touched on, a lot of times the cheapest but most logical option is to get guinea pig or rat products were dimensions aren’t exactly designs for hamsters so just even taking this into consideration would interest a lot of people. I’m actually really enjoying coming up with ideas!
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Old 04-18-2022, 02:46 PM   #17
Stanza
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Default Re: Is etsy of interest for sourcing hamster supplies?

Loving all the ideas here. I’ve really struggled to find items that are a good size for a Syrian. I’m actually using a shoe box for my hamsters main hide which he’s nested in. It’s working out ok but I love the look of the wooden compartment ones I just need a good sized hole for Hams as he’s pretty big. Will definitely be keeping an eye on this thread.
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Old 04-18-2022, 03:04 PM   #18
Pebbles82
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Default Re: Is etsy of interest for sourcing hamster supplies?

A shoe box is the simplest - a box you cut holes in! I know some people have made little cardboard compartments to make rooms as well - but then you need a fairly large shoe box (and not sure how the compartments would fit).

Just a nice coloured cardboard labyrinth house would be great! Cheap to buy and replace (although then it couldn't be plastikoted to make it wipe clean).

Going back to plastikoting inside houses - I know the germans didn't used to believe in any kind of waterproofing paint on the rodipet houses as they thought it would stop the wood breathing (which it probably does) and they used to stick little ceramic tiles inside the houses in the toilet compartment Like small mosaic ones. Which I thought was a lovely idea - if fiddly. A tiled bathroom lol.
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Old 04-18-2022, 07:04 PM   #19
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Default Re: Is etsy of interest for sourcing hamster supplies?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lilafernim View Post
I just had another idea that I think a lot of people would like. You could make a ‘garden kit’ and just have some ceramic pots, coco soil and some hamster safe plants that people can put it their cages.
This would unfortunately be a very bad idea and would go against proper safe hamster care really. Live plants inside a cage aren't suitable for hamsters - they're far too prone to adding things like mold spores into the environment, and another major issue is that they add a ton of humidity into the enclosure which for hamsters is a very dangerous thing that can harm their respiratory health. A good alternative though would be having completely safe dried plants like various safe sprays.

As to the original question of the thread - yes, with caution and discretion. There have been things on Etsy just as any other source that aren't safe, some more dangerous than others, even though there have also been some really nice things too. I also noticed within recent years Etsy seems to have gotten plenty stores that seem to essentially just be drop shipping businesses which does sort of defeat the purpose & eliminate one of the huge appeals of Etsy which would be supporting actual small businesses rather than mass manufacturing, so that is another thing to consider with various shops if you're looking towards Etsy trying to support smaller businesses.

Etsy can be a really good source for natural toy parts if you look carefully for safe materials. A lot of sellers are far more transparent there in terms of where things came from, how they've been processed, etc compared to Amazon and similar websites which can be a nice change.
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Old 04-19-2022, 12:26 AM   #20
Lilafernim
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Default Re: Is etsy of interest for sourcing hamster supplies?

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Originally Posted by AmityvilleHams View Post
This would unfortunately be a very bad idea and would go against proper safe hamster care really. Live plants inside a cage aren't suitable for hamsters - they're far too prone to adding things like mold spores into the environment, and another major issue is that they add a ton of humidity into the enclosure which for hamsters is a very dangerous thing that can harm their respiratory health. A good alternative though would be having completely safe dried plants like various safe sprays.

As to the original question of the thread - yes, with caution and discretion. There have been things on Etsy just as any other source that aren't safe, some more dangerous than others, even though there have also been some really nice things too. I also noticed within recent years Etsy seems to have gotten plenty stores that seem to essentially just be drop shipping businesses which does sort of defeat the purpose & eliminate one of the huge appeals of Etsy which would be supporting actual small businesses rather than mass manufacturing, so that is another thing to consider with various shops if you're looking towards Etsy trying to support smaller businesses.

Etsy can be a really good source for natural toy parts if you look carefully for safe materials. A lot of sellers are far more transparent there in terms of where things came from, how they've been processed, etc compared to Amazon and similar websites which can be a nice change.
Oh I never knew that, I thought I’d seen people have some. I was thinking of growing some herbs to put in there but I’m glad you told me this!
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