# Hamster cage question



## Lady Sol (Aug 20, 2009)

Hi all, I'm new to the forum. Hoping to get my first hamster soon. I've ordered a cage and wondering if other hamster owners think it will be big enough as a starter cage for a dwarf hamster.

I went for Habitrail as I can expand on to it and improve it with each pay check. I know it's not the largest floor space though, so I ordered several extras and am planning on connecting more of the larger components over the next few months. I went for the mini cage for ventilation as it's wired sections to let air circulate and yet in theory the wire is close enough together a dwarf cant escape. The Ovo seemed to be too enclosed by plastic and mainly taken up by the wheel.

Planning on laying the tubes flat or at a slight angle so the poor dwaft isn't trying to climb any big vertical tubes. Does anyone know how dwaft hamster get on with elbow joints? Can they climb in the big elbow tubes for 90 degrees, or do I need mini elbow tubes to connect the loft and tower?

Habitrail mini main unit - wheel, space for food bowl, sleeping space and water.
Habitrail adventure pack (extra tubes, den and transport unit)
Habitrail safari tower
Habitrail safari loft
Habitrail mini maze with cardboard maze designs pack.
Various extra tube to make sure I can get the add-ons to join up correctly.

Is the above big enough to start with if I'm adding more to it over the next few months? Thanks for any advice.


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## srhdufe (Feb 11, 2009)

Lady Sol said:


> Hi all, I'm new to the forum. Hoping to get my first hamster soon. I've ordered a cage and wondering if other hamster owners think it will be big enough as a starter cage for a dwarf hamster.
> 
> I went for Habitrail as I can expand on to it and improve it with each pay check. I know it's not the largest floor space though, so I ordered several extras and am planning on connecting more of the larger components over the next few months. I went for the mini cage for ventilation as it's wired sections to let air circulate and yet in theory the wire is close enough together a dwarf cant escape. The Ovo seemed to be too enclosed by plastic and mainly taken up by the wheel.
> 
> ...


Hello and welcome to this wonderfully addictive forum 

I'm sorry but in my opinion i dont like those cages...
They are too small, even with added extras...
They are difficult to clean out too... There seems to be too many bolt holes so a nervous hamster or a new hamster thats not been used to being handled could run away and you may have trouble bonding with him/her..

The tubes are fine... They should have no problems with them if you lay them horizontaly.. If they are vertical, they may need mouse ladders placing inside the tubes to make it easier for them


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## CharleyRogan (Feb 20, 2009)

The best cages to go for are the barred ones with a plastic floor. The more expensive one you can get the better.

Ebay is great for stuff like that. Personally I don't like the habitrail, rotastak and all them ones. My favourites are Fop and Savic.

You need to think about space, its not all about connecting them together, if you have a big cage, such as the hamster heaven which is an amazing cage, although a little pricey you can add floors in and multiple toys. The habitrail and rotastak ones have a habit of being too small for most toys. The savic cambridge is also a good cage and you can ge tthem cheap on ebay as most people don't know what they actually have and just sell it as... hamster cage, or blue cage normally.

I have a savic freddy 2 for my rats, but my hammy Misty Moo was in there before, a Hagen cage for my dwarf Ella, A fop for my dwarf Maisie, and a Savic for Poppy.

Which breed of hamster are you getting? I wouldn't put a Syrian in there full stop and would put a dwarf in as a temporary measure, sorry to slam your purchase but I really don't think they are suitable.

These companies appeal to children and adults with style, and they are small enough not to attract attention in a room. They do not think about the welfare of the hamster.


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## srhdufe (Feb 11, 2009)

I agree with Charley... I love Savic...
She made a good point about not being able to put toys in those habitrail cages too... Thats something to think about...

Savic do the hamster heaven cage which is a brilliant size
Savic
They also do the Mickey 2xl cage... it's the same size as the hamster heaven but designed for mice and dwarf hamsters..
Savic
You would need to cover the bars on the shelf though because it can hurt their feet and cause Bumblefoot
Hamsters Feet paws


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## Lady Sol (Aug 20, 2009)

The main unit I ordered is barred with a plastic floor, I admit it isn't going to be enough floor space on it's own though. I'm planning on getting at least one more main unit add on over the next couple of months along with a couple of the larger maze units. I might need more than one more main unit, but I haven't actually seen the unit in real life yet, so I'm not sure exactly hows mall they are. Can't see me being able to fit in any cardboard tubes or other toys otherwise. It's merely I starter design to add more onto to create play opportunities.

I was put of the more wired cages by the ones I remember as a child. We had them at school, all my friends seemed to have them and my sister had hamsters for years. They seemed to climb up the sides and then fall over from a great height, have wired floors on the upper level that the hamsters feet used to fall inbetween and the hamsters used to chew on the wires for hours. Was also a bit concerned about a dwarfs ability to escape through the wires. If however I find one I like with some tube inlets I'm willing to attach one in.

I wouldn't put a syrian in a tubed cage unless I knew what size it was going to end up and that it wouldn't get stuck in the tubes. The Ovo bit don't look comfortable enough for a syrian to move about in and I heard they could have trouble with the drinking bottles.

Thanks for the advice so far


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## srhdufe (Feb 11, 2009)

Lady Sol said:


> The main unit I ordered is barred with a plastic floor, I admit it isn't going to be enough floor space on it's own though. I'm planning on getting at least one more main unit add on over the next couple of months along with a couple of the larger maze units. I might need more than one more main unit, but I haven't actually seen the unit in real life yet, so I'm not sure exactly hows mall they are. Can't see me being able to fit in any cardboard tubes or other toys otherwise. It's merely I starter design to add more onto to create play opportunities.
> 
> I was put of the more wired cages by the ones I remember as a child. We had them at school, all my friends seemed to have them and my sister had hamsters for years. They seemed to climb up the sides and then fall over from a great height, have wired floors on the upper level that the hamsters feet used to fall inbetween and the hamsters used to chew on the wires for hours. Was also a bit concerned about a dwarfs ability to escape through the wires. If however I find one I like with some tube inlets I'm willing to attach one in.
> 
> ...


Have a look at an imac fantasy cage... they are great 
You can extend them as many times as your budget will allow


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## CharleyRogan (Feb 20, 2009)

The reason a hamster chews on the bars: Its bored! Needs more toys! Hamsters aren't as fragile as you think! If they don't think they can jump it, they won't because they are timid creatures!

My flatmate Cherrie_B who is on here, has a ovo for her dwarf sprite, and its a pain in the bum to clean, and it hasn't got very good ventilation. In hers its has space for a silent spinner whell and a couple of chew toys, which isn't really enough.

Wired floored cages, cause bumblefoot, and there is a straw mat thing you can use, I bought one the other day out of interest for the ratties, and they love it, its all natural and they can chew on it! They haven't got barred flooring, but it was only about £1.50 so I bought it!

We also have a 4 story IMAC in ours aswell! They are amazing, although last night, little Charlie the syrian hamster escaped when he managed to get one of the top lids off, I came in and he was just standing on top looking confused, good I saw him really as the cats invaded when I opened the door to check on them!


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## Lady Sol (Aug 20, 2009)

The Imac one is like the Habitrail mini one it's just bigger. I'd need two Habitrail mini sections to make one Imac floor space. I didn't like the Ovo on it's own, I agree with the lack of ventilation. I went with the mini though as it connected the add ons which I thought the hamster would enjoy. I'm figuring I can take them off and clean them seperately. I wasn't planning on sticking with just one main unit, but I was wondering if it would do to start off with.


I guess my question was, if I'm planning to add on the extra units to make the extra floor space, does it matter if they extra floor space is in sections (as main units, so big enough to run around with toys). At which point you may say I might as well go for a Imac style cage, but I did think breaking the area up a bit with tunnels and the maze add ons etc might provide extra interest for the hamster.


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## CharleyRogan (Feb 20, 2009)

Mazes would be good, and would keep interest.

I'm just thinking of you because having it in sections decreases the range of toys that you can have due to space restrictions.

If you had the Imac you could fully utilise the space that you had.


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## Lady Sol (Aug 20, 2009)

Thanks for the advice Charley  I can see your point, I guess I just like the idea of mulitple rooms as long at least some of them actually have some floor space.

I'll look at what I've ordered tomorrow and see how big it is when all joined together and whether I think I need to add more straight away, or wait until next payday.


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## Flissy (Jul 27, 2009)

Lady Sol said:


> Thanks for the advice Charley  I can see your point, I guess I just like the idea of mulitple rooms as long at least some of them actually have some floor space.
> 
> I'll look at what I've ordered tomorrow and see how big it is when all joined together and whether I think I need to add more straight away, or wait until next payday.


You could try adding a Savic cage to it maybe? I have a Savic cage and I've managed to attach a Rotastak cage to it even though the tubes are different sizes! I just needed some tape to hold them in place


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## zany_toon (Jan 30, 2009)

THe mini habitrail is really small. I have two young mice in it just now and they are already out growing it. It is good as a temporary cage, holiday cage or even a cleaning day cage though. Sookie and Sherbet will be getting a new cage soon as I can figure out where to put it (14 mice, three fish tanks in a small bedroom...!)


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