# Hi. Advice needed on cage



## carriehumphrey (Sep 7, 2010)

Hi. I have a syrian hamster and at the moment I have a wire cage but he is always getting bored and goes a bit crazy. I am looking into buying him a new cage probable the Crittertrail Discovery Dexluxe. Is this a good cage? I will probably buy some add ons too. I know he can fit through the tubes as I have already checked. Please help

Carrie


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## noushka05 (Mar 28, 2008)

hi Carrie ive just googled it and i personally think its an awful cage really tiny with no room to add toys plus the wheel looks far to small for a syrian they need at least an 8" wheel or it can damage their spine, if you look on ebay you can pick up some excellent cages really cheaply, imo the best ones are hamster heavens( ive had two from ebay one cost £20 the other £30),immac fantasys(i won one with two extensions for £30),gabber rex, duna multys, i also picked a brilliant rat cage suitable for a syrian up off ebay for just over £30


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## niki87 (Nov 18, 2009)

Yup totally agree with noushka05, this is not suitable for any animal really. Syrians need a lots of running around room and 8" wheel. But for the price of that one, you could get much bigger and more suitable :thumbup:

All of what noushka said. I got a Savic Cambridge recently from a charity shop for £24. But ebay is great for bargains! If you're unsure just ask here again!! Good luck! xx


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## catz4m8z (Aug 27, 2008)

I didnt realiese Syrian Hammies got bored! Inigo is the most lazy hamster ever, he thinks his wheel is modern art and if I attempt to give him any treats hidden in loo rolls/boxes he cant even be bothered opening them!!


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## niki87 (Nov 18, 2009)

catz4m8z said:


> I didnt realiese Syrian Hammies got bored! Inigo is the most lazy hamster ever, he thinks his wheel is modern art and if I attempt to give him any treats hidden in loo rolls/boxes he cant even be bothered opening them!!


Haha that made me laugh out loud!! Bless him! :thumbup:


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## Lady Sol (Aug 20, 2009)

I've got the smaller version, which does have my adolescent syrian in until Monday. After that it's getting attached to the rest of her Habitrail cage network. I'm hoping Smokey will use the Crittertrail as a sleeping cage like Himalaya did and go play in her other sections, I'll have to see how well it works. 

You could use the cage as part of an expanded network of Crittertrail/Habitrail/SAM modules as they all use the same connections. But you would need several of the largest to give enough space. The lookout towers, buses, travel sections that they sell aren't big enough to count. It would be a lot cheaper to buy a large wire cage. Smokey will have her Crittertail Discovery, 2 wired Habitrail sections, one Ovo pod and 2 extra Ovo maze units for her toys as she grows up. In a couple of months I may add to it again. So it depends on your budget and floor space.

Also the wheel is too small for a grown syrian and there is nowhere to attach a larger wheel. You have to get an external wheel or attach a wheel in a bigger attached cage.


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## carriehumphrey (Sep 7, 2010)

I already have a wire cage but he drives me crazy chewing on the bars all night and as ive read its not really good for him.


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## niki87 (Nov 18, 2009)

How big is the current cage? xx


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## Lady Sol (Aug 20, 2009)

> I already have a wire cage but he drives me crazy chewing on the bars all night and as ive read its not really good for him.


I've got three syrians who do that. Doesn't matter how many toys they have or how big the cage is, for some reason chewing the bars is more entertaining  Sandy even chews the paperclip her wooden chew toys are hung up with, headbutting the nice chewable wood to one side. The Crittertrail Discovery does have wires at the back of it and Smokey has tried chewing them  The Crittertrail Outlook is bigger, has wires on the roof rather than the sizes and gets good reviws, but is harder to find (I have seen it on Ebay though).

I you want to avoid bars and go all plastic I'd go for a Habitrail Ovo Loft, Habitrail Ovo Trainer  and a couple of Habitrail Ovo Mazes/Pods. Or a large Zoozone, but you will need to put mesh over the widly spaced bars on this one.


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## niki87 (Nov 18, 2009)

Lady Sol said:


> I've got three syrians who do that. Doesn't matter how many toys they have or how big the cage is, for some reason chewing the bars is more entertaining  Sandy even chews the paperclip her wooden chew toys are hung up with, headbutting the nice chewable wood to one side. The Crittertrail Discovery does have wires at the back of it and Smokey has tried chewing them  The Crittertrail Outlook is bigger, has wires on the roof rather than the sizes and gets good reviws, but is harder to find (I have seen it on Ebay though).
> 
> I you want to avoid bars and go all plastic I'd go for a Habitrail Ovo Loft, Habitrail Ovo Trainer  and a couple of Habitrail Ovo Mazes/Pods. Or a large Zoozone, but you will need to put mesh over the widly spaced bars on this one.


Yeah you can get a BIG zoozone quite cheap...am getting a 40" one for my 4 winter white brothers for £20 off preloved  . xx


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## Tigerneko (Jan 2, 2009)

I don't like the Crittertrail/Habitrail setups personally. I think it's far too easy for people to see one 'section' or 'add on' of these cages and to assume that they are big enough.

Plus, they can be difficult to clean out and are very, very expensive. Especially if you get the bug for add-ons!

You are best off buying a cage such as the Savic Cambridge, Gabber Rex (not available in shops any more but pop up on eBay quite regularly) or one of the big Zoozone cages, which like someone's said, will need to be modified with metal mesh because the bar spacing is too wide for a syrian, but it's easy to make them safe. The Hamster Heaven and Imac Fantasy are also quite widely available and can be a great bargain! A 3 tier Fantasy should be a good size for a Syrian.

Unless you are looking at getting an amazing setup like Lady Sol's, then I would seriously advise against getting a Crittertrail or Habitrail style cage.


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## carriehumphrey (Sep 7, 2010)

Thanks for all your help. I think I am probably going to go with the Imac fantasy or the hamster heaven and hope he doesnt get bored enough to chew on the bars. How do you get three stories with the fantasy? Do you need to buy the starter and then 2 expansions or just one?


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## Lady Sol (Aug 20, 2009)

You either buy a one storey plus two expansions.

Or look on ebay and hope someone is selling a prebuilt 3-storey.


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## carriehumphrey (Sep 7, 2010)

Ouch. Lots of money. Will have to look into it as Im only a uni student so dont have much money


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## niki87 (Nov 18, 2009)

carriehumphrey said:


> Thanks for all your help. I think I am probably going to go with the Imac fantasy or the hamster heaven and hope he doesnt get bored enough to chew on the bars. How do you get three stories with the fantasy? Do you need to buy the starter and then 2 expansions or just one?


^^ *likes* 



Lady Sol said:


> You either buy a one storey plus two expansions.
> 
> Or look on ebay and hope someone is selling a prebuilt 3-storey.


I just bought a three story one off ebay plus loads of accssories and postage for £40!!! Most pleased 



carriehumphrey said:


> Ouch. Lots of money. Will have to look into it as Im only a uni student so dont have much money


Me too....so look for bargains!!!


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## Lady Sol (Aug 20, 2009)

> I just bought a three story one off ebay plus loads of accssories and postage for £40!!! Most pleased


Mine cost £60, but I did get some toys and some Ferplast tubes with it


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## carriehumphrey (Sep 7, 2010)

Thanks for the help guys. Just bought a Hamster Heaven on ebay for him


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## niki87 (Nov 18, 2009)

Oh wow well done...how much did you get it for? xx


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## CheekoAndCo (Jun 17, 2009)

Personaly I love bin cages  I do have 4 spare zoo zones but we keep them for emergancys for ill piggies etc. Asda have storage tubs for £2 just now so got them and dad is going to add height for a wheel. 

Can get some great bargins but I never have money when I see them


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## $hAzZa (May 2, 2010)

niki87 said:


> Yeah you can get a BIG zoozone quite cheap...am getting a 40" one for my 4 winter white brothers for £20 off preloved  . xx


Zoozone's are awesome! Stewie has one, you can fit so many toys in it:thumbup:

Got mine from seapets.com, £30


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## niki87 (Nov 18, 2009)

$hAzZa said:


> Zoozone's are awesome! Stewie has one, you can fit so many toys in it:thumbup:
> 
> Got mine from seapets.com, £30


OK, well was let down by the lady bringing it...but think I've found another seller on here with 2...so might get both! xx


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## momentofmadness (Jul 19, 2008)

Personally I dont think it matters what cage you get with bars.. Hamsters are just obsessed with chewing at the bars.. 

P Neeco also chews the mental bit of her water bottle and gives herself a shower... They also have free time and when they go back they are straight onto the bars.. If you think a hamster can scurry over 4 miles in the wild.. so most cages dont allow this mcuh...


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## $hAzZa (May 2, 2010)

You can buy sour spray to spray on the bars, the taste will stop him chewing:thumbup:


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