• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

Hamster Housing Query?? sorry wrong section!!!

D

Doncat5

Mama Doe
All being well I should be the pround owner of a rescue Syrian hamster in the next week or so. So.... I went out looking for ideas for housing, my original plan was to buy a 2.5-3ft glass fish tank and make a mesh lid (as I have done with my previous hamsters) as I like them to have as much space as possible but me still be safe. The first shop didnt sell tanks without pumps etc so I had a look at the cages, I didnt really want a metal cage in case the hamster live in my daughters room, I thought a tank would be less noisy. The assistant showed me some small plastic cages, but said a few people had complained that they had been chewed and hamsters escaped.:? I found a larger plastic style, which looked more rounded and less easy to chew for £30. The assistant then said they recommended metal bar cages as they like to climb. I said my original plan was to use a fish tank as you get more space for your money and add things to climb on, but she said they were bad for ventilation, and that hamsters didnt need that much room....then showed me a specifically designed tank which looked exactly the same as a plain fish tank but had a mesh lid and NO extra ventilation but costing £60.:? :?

So I go to another shop that sells plain fish tanks, a good size one for £25-£30. They had some plastic style hamster cages too, but looked too shallow to put much climbing stuff in. They also had the standard metal cages (on a litter tray style base) but these looked even more chewable than the last shop.

I dont really mind how much it costs but would prefer up to £50, but I need it to be safe, spacious and suitable. Any reccomendations greatly appreciated as I'm now totally confuddled.... I'm sure it wasnt this difficult last time I homed a hamster!

Thanks in advance and sorry for the looooong post.:wave:
 
Last edited:
The woman in the petshop is talking mince. U can make a lid from bits of wood and mesh to give perfect ventilation. Thats what i do for my gerbils. Yes hamsters like to climb but im sure you will put plenty of toys etc that they can climb on. Id stick with your own idea as that sounds great - and the hamster can make tunnels etc too in the tank and will get extra room that way. You would prob otherwise pay twice as much for half the room and quality. You stick to ur guns!! :D As for the hamsters dont need much room what a lot of rubbish. As far as im concerned with any animal as much room as you can possibly give it is best!
 
I've found rody rabbit cages or zoozone cages by far the best, however you do need to put mesh over the bars as they are cages designed for buns, not little hams.

PhotosVideoClips020406009.jpg


Can't wait to see pics of your new arrival!:D
 
Thanks Minimallow, thats hows it seems to me, but I left the shop feeling like I'd be depriving the hamster of some valuable extra climbing if I get a bigger fish tank without bars, but I thought giving it some extra space was more important.

The first £30 plastic one, was almost as big as the tank but she said they were recommended for a pair of Dwarfs, not Syrians... :? ... and youre right I dont think she had a clue, but at least she was honest and told me the one most chew-out-able, but that was the one she was recommending and it was the cheapest.:lol:
 
Beebop said:
I've found rody rabbit cages or zoozone cages by far the best, however you do need to put mesh over the bars as they are cages designed for buns, not little hams.

PhotosVideoClips020406009.jpg


Can't wait to see pics of your new arrival!:D
Click to expand...


Ahhh I did look at those beebop, but was quickly ushered away by the assistant, they obviously looked far too roomy for ONE hamster.:lol:
 
One syrian needs 20 gallons, tbh I wouldn't have put my guys in anything smaller, they used all the space, and by the time they had their sand bath, igloo house and wheel put in, they really needed the extra space. ALso loved swinging from the bars at the top like monkies!:lol:

You can also get rody guine pig, which is a bit smaller, but good enough if the rabbit one is too large.;)
 
Do they chew the Rody rabbit/guinea pig houses or are they a bit tougher that the flimsy hammie ones??

Thanks for all advice, really is appreciated.
 
The zoozone cage is harder and smoother, and Bronwyn did go through a stage of chewing her zoozone around the water bottle holder areas, but she didn't get too far, the plastic is sturdy enough.;)
 
My little mouse is in a cage like the one in beebops picture & i can't fault them, very secure & easy to clean, not to mention roomy.They're not too expensive either, mine was about £25 i think :D
 
Sorry for all the questions, but is that Rody or Zoozone in the pic? .... and dont they chew at the hole where the water bottle goes in?? :oops:
 
Do you have a friday-ad (freead type paper) or similar? You can find really cheap aquariums in there :) Got my 4ft tank for nothing because the seals were no good for fish anymore - perfect!
 
Doncat5 said:
All being well I should be the pround owner of a rescue Syrian hamster in the next week or so. So.... I went out looking for ideas for housing, my original plan was to buy a 2.5-3ft glass fish tank and make a mesh lid (as I have done with my previous hamsters) as I like them to have as much space as possible but me still be safe. The first shop didnt sell tanks without pumps etc so I had a look at the cages, I didnt really want a metal cage in case the hamster live in my daughters room, I thought a tank would be less noisy. The assistant showed me some small plastic cages, but said a few people had complained that they had been chewed and hamsters escaped.:? I found a larger plastic style, which looked more rounded and less easy to chew for £30. The assistant then said they recommended metal bar cages as they like to climb. I said my original plan was to use a fish tank as you get more space for your money and add things to climb on, but she said they were bad for ventilation, and that hamsters didnt need that much room....then showed me a specifically designed tank which looked exactly the same as a plain fish tank but had a mesh lid and NO extra ventilation but costing £60.:? :?

So I go to another shop that sells plain fish tanks, a good size one for £25-£30. They had some plastic style hamster cages too, but looked too shallow to put much climbing stuff in. They also had the standard metal cages (on a litter tray style base) but these looked even more chewable than the last shop.

I dont really mind how much it costs but would prefer up to £50, but I need it to be safe, spacious and suitable. Any reccomendations greatly appreciated as I'm now totally confuddled.... I'm sure it wasnt this difficult last time I homed a hamster!

Thanks in advance and sorry for the looooong post.:wave:
Click to expand...

well i have found various ways of keeping hammys... my latest is buying those plastic tubs with lids from wilco stacking and joining with tubes (obviously drilling air holes and this goes up into a half metal half plastic cage with two levels. but previously my dad made a tirangular rabbit run style which had a door to the cage on and that which was 4ft was in my room. it was pretty cool
 
This is my little mouse's house it's a rody hamster cage made by savic - i just took a quick pic for you.

mousehouse.jpg
 
Hugbut said:
This is my little mouse's house it's a rody hamster cage made by savic - i just took a quick pic for you.

mousehouse.jpg
Click to expand...

Those are great for mice but not big enough for syrians :) [I have my mice in one of those - they're getting a nice big tank soon though :)]
 
My friend kept her syrian in a cage identical to mine & she had bags of space, they're much bigger than some of the cages i've seen in petshops:?
 
Hugbut said:
This is my little mouse's house it's a rody hamster cage made by savic - i just took a quick pic for you.

mousehouse.jpg
Click to expand...



I looked at one just like that but longer, I didnt think it was quite high enough though to add climbing stuff..... crikey this is confusing!:lol:

Thanks
 
I have a plastic storage box, a plastic fish tank and a smaller plastic fish tank all joined together with tunnels for my dwarf. The lid is made by folding mesh a few times so the holes are tiny, and folding the edges over. The hole cage is bigger than any cage I've seen before, and it was very very cheep.
 
Hugbut said:
My friend kept her syrian in a cage identical to mine & she had bags of space, they're much bigger than some of the cages i've seen in petshops:?
Click to expand...

Sure, it's still not big enough though :p

I definitely think you should look in the ad papers Doncat5 - old aquariums are fab for hammies and the bigger ones are about a foot and a half deep so plenty of space for toys etc
 
Right I think I've narrowed it down to 2..... I have to be able to fit it in a space just over 30 inches wide, if it turns out hammie is too noisy for my daughters bedoom, if shes a quiet one she can have a bigger cage.

Number one is a 30 inch wide fish tank thats 15 inches high... need to make a lid, price is err about £25.

Number 2 the Zoozone 1, at just over 28 inches wide, this was becomming my fave until I read the height!!!!! is it really only 6.5 inches high, surely thats no good for anything let alone a small rabbit (which it advises)???
http://www.feedem.co.uk/small-animals-40/small-animal-cages-134/hagen-zoo-zone-1-6097.htm
The Zoozone 2 is 39 wide, so too big for my gap, but 14.5 high, does anyone have a Zoozone 1 to check height please :?

I dont mind paying for a new tank, I just want it to be right.

Oh my head is hurting now, thank goodness I have a few days to try and get it right!

Thanks again everyone.:wave:
 
Last edited:
Jocelyn said:
Sure, it's still not big enough though :p
Click to expand...

In your opinion maybe. Personally i think it's ok for a syrian, of course, the bigger the better when it comes to cages, but i don't it'd be cruel or anything to keep a syrian in a rody, providing it had plenty of excercise - they are intended for hamsters afterall.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

C
Plastic grid playpen or metal grid playpen?
Replies
10
Views
301
CookieDough4Ever
C
A
Possible underlying cause for dental issues?
Replies
4
Views
78
Apache
A
KCG
Something is going wrong
2 3 4
Replies
62
Views
935
KCG
KCG
Back
Top