# Hamster cage help!



## Hammylover123

hello im new on here and wondered if anyone could help me? im looking for a cage for my syrian hamster and need advice on what type and a make, i want to get her a preferable cheap, large cage that she can have fun in but at the same time ideal for a syrian. I put in my intro that i have a crittertrail at the moment and its much too small and i feel so sorry for her, please can someone help? i was going to get her on as my xmas prezzie but realised i have some allowance so if its cheap enough, i could get it now and get her some things like the s.a.m playpen and things like that. thankyou x


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## LittlePaws AnimalRescue

A cage for a syrian needs to be at least 80x50cm base size and high enough to fit an 11 or 12" wheel in as they need large wheels so they dont hurt their backs 

There are lots of fairly cheap but nice cages about, here are some links
Great deals on small pet cages at zooplus: Alexander Small Pet Cage
Small Pet Cages
Great Deals on Cages at zooplus!: Barney Pet Cage

Alternatively you can make a 'bin cage' Get a large plastic storage bin
SAMLA Box - black, 28x19x14 cm/5 l - IKEA
The largest one here is perfect.

You cut a large area out of the top of side and cover the hole with some wire mesh.
Add some extra air holes using a drill on the top and sides.

And there you have a cheap, large hamster cage!


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## Hammylover123

Thankyou so much, youve gave me an idea on what type of cage to go for. Do you reccomend the duna fun large by ferplast for a syrian hamster, iv saw it in the shop and it is very big but iv heard plastic cages are bad for ventilation? im not sure, oh and would you reccomend the fantasia 3 hamster cage? the links are below:

http://www.petsathome.com/shop/duna-fun-hamster-home-by-ferplast-93257[/URL]

http://www.cagesworld.co.uk/p/Fantazia_3_Hamster_Cage.htm?affiliate=adwords&gclid=CLCtnOCA6LICFaTKtAodrXkA-w[/URL]

Hopefully the links will work, its my first time putting a link on! x


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## LittlePaws AnimalRescue

Personally I wouldn't use the duna fun large or the fantazia as a cage on it's own....attatched to a bin cage I think they'd be great.

You cant fit an 11 or 12" wheel in those cages unfortunately.

The Alaska cage (one that I linked to) is only £30 so it's cheaper than either of those and it's plenty big enough for a syrian.


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## Hammylover123

Ok then I have heard bad reviews about both cages to be honest but I really like the look of both of them. But, it's not about me liking it as such, it's what's best for Hollie! Are basic one storey cages better than multi story then or the other way round. I want to get her a cage that she can have fun in butat the same time be safe for her. Do u think a cage with like loads of space for toys and silent spinner wheel and a house ect all on the same floor ( or maybe dad said he could build a shelf big enough for the house and space around it and buy a ladder, would this be ok?) or have a cage with a couple of levels added on? I would probably like one that can extend upwards if I had a multi storey one though, sorry to be a pain hehe x


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## LittlePaws AnimalRescue

You're not being a pain at all. Spending time finding the right cage for you and your hamster is a good thing!

Hamsters are better with more floor space than height. They dont really have a sense of height so will just drop down from way up high and not realize they will hurt themselves.

You can get wooden levels and ledges on ebay (just search rat shelves and similar things to that) that just screw onto the cage so you can move them about to create different levels all the time.

Here are a couple of photos of one of my most recent cages, it's the Barney from zooplus

















I put loads of substrate in there as all my hammies love to dig. 
The hamster in this one has a hanging bridge, a tunnel under her shelf, the large corner house that acts as another level as it's so big and then a few other toys to play with...oh and that round thing is her sand bath.


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## Hammylover123

Ok then great, I will certainly look into the barney cage nd other cages like that then. I did want a like rotastak or fantasia but iv realised it really isn't the best for my hammy, its because I like it and I would hate for anything to go wrong like she has problems with her back or whatever just do I can have the cage of my choice. Is there any plastic cages you would recommend as the only trouble I had with my crittertrail is there was wire all round and Hollie was gnawing on the bars all night and she unfortunately had to be moved downstairs from my bedroom, I'd love to have her in my bedroom again but I wouldn't want any harm to come to her


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## LittlePaws AnimalRescue

What size wheel does Hollie have?
I only ask because wheels that come with crittertrail and similar cages have wheels that are far too small. So if a hamster cant use their wheel because it's too small they might start bar chewing out of boredom.
That's not always the case of course, some hammies bar chew just because they want to!

There are a couple of plastic cages you could go for instead
The zoozone 2, it's advertised as a rabbit cage but it's perfect for a hamster.
The door on the top has large bar spacing so it would need meshing but that is very easy and cheap to do.
Hagen Zoozone 2 Large Indoor Rabbit Home

There is also the simba rif. The doors on top of this one have small bar spacing so no meshing would need to be done on them.
Simba Rif Multy Hamster Cage - Large Clear Lid: Amazon.co.uk: Pet Supplies


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## Hammylover123

Ok then ill have another look at all of those cages and decide on one, I had my heart set on either fantazia or duna fun large if I'm honest, but if it won't be suitable for hollie then I will choose one that is best for her. I'm not sure what the size of the wheel is but I just had this idea of a plastic cage so there would be no bar chewing as iv heard it can give them brain damage? And a perticularly large cage I could put a few toys in,I'm going to have another good look at all the cages youv suggested x


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## polishrose

My hamster hated her plastic cage-since I put her in a barred cage she's much happier.She doesn't chew the bars.


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## Hammylover123

ok thanks x oh and wound anyone reccomend the leon small pet home from zooplus? x


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## Hammylover123

little paws animal rescue, earlier in your post you said the fantasia or duna large would be ok to attached onto something, if i was to get them and attach something on, what would i get to attach on? x


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## LittlePaws AnimalRescue

Yeah, if you get a large storage bin....you know the plastic storage tubs you keep things in, the ones with lids?
You can get them big (anything 70x40 or preferably 80x50cm) and cheap at any of these places Ebay, amazon, The range, Wilkinsons, Ikea does the SAMLA range and the biggest one is only £11.

What you would need to do is cut a hole in the side of the plastic storage tub and join both cages together using a tube/tunnel.
The storage bin would also need a large section cut out of either the lid or the side and covered with a wire mesh panel for ventilation.

The reason I suggested other cages is they could well work out much cheaper to buy than having to get the duna fun large or the fantazia, then having to get an extra bin and then having to buy materials to mesh it.

I am no good at D.I.Y so I would go for the Alaska cage from zooplus.co.uk because it's only £30 and would work out cheaper and more stress free than trying to join 2 cages together to be big enough.

I had a hamster brought in about a month ago, the old owners told me she was a terrbile bar chewer and that she was not tame at all.
They were keeping her in a duna fun with a wheel that was half the size it should be.
Turns out the poor little hamster was only bar chewing because she was so bored 

I've moved her into the Barney (the one I've posted pictures of on here) and she has not bar chewed once.
She also has the 29cm Karlie wheel which she loves.
She's not bored anymore as her cage gives her room to explore and dig and play all she wants so she doesn't have time to bar chew now!!


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## Hammylover123

Ahh, ok then i see what you mean, ill ask my dad hes good at building stuff, yeah i was looking at either that one or the barney one i just thoght they were a little plain compared to the duna fun or fantazia, do u have a shop or something then, im interested in working with animals when im older and iv been thinking about been a home boarding person to work from home but i need other ides what do u work as?


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## LittlePaws AnimalRescue

I have 2 day jobs that have nothing to do with animals (I work in childcare)

My rescue is run from my home.
I just take in what I can (usually only about 4 cages of animals at any time as I dont want to get too over-run as I have pets as well) and rehome them when the right home for them comes along.
I was going to offer boarding but I think you need a licence and insurance to be able to do that.

There are many many jobs you can do with animals. 
Next year I will be starting an animal care course at college so I can go on to train as a vet nurse....it's always been my dream 

Other jobs (or volunteering to see if the job is for you first) could be
-Working in a rescue centre
-At a pet grooming place
-At a zoo or wildlife park
-In a vet surgery


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## Hammylover123

Ok then thanks, I don't think I'd want to work as a vet becauise of the putting down side of it, I'm not sure about the rescue home idea either, I cry at the paul o grady show with dogs at the moment that's on! On the hamster cage idea, I was either thinking of getting the barney or alaska, I did really want the fantasia or imac or something like that but they don't have big enough wheels, I think they are my best option, have you had a look at the leon small pet home on zooplus? X


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## Hammylover123

iv just measured out the cages with pencils on my living room floor, and both the barney and the alaska both look MASSIVE! i didnt realise they were that big! I think hollie will love it if i got her one of those, a big enough wheel and lots of toys and a house and food and water h shes gonna love it, i think there is just one more question i need to ask - which one will have more space and by your opinion is better? x


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## LittlePaws AnimalRescue

I'm not keen on the Leon only because of the shelves, they would get in the way of putting in a decent sized wheel.
However if you did want to get the Leon you could (I think) fit in a 12" flying saucer, it's almost a flat lying down wheel, it would take up loads of one of the floors but it would work.
You would also have to plasti-kote the wood in case your hammy wees on it.
Plasti-kote is just a paint that you put on and it makes the shelves wipeable.
It is cheap though and comes in lots of clolurs, you can get it on ebay and in diy shops.

Out of the Barney and the Alaska....I only have the Barney but I love the look of the Alaska.
I've heard great reviews about the Alaska cage and as it's so much cheaper than the Barney right now that would probably be the better choice. You'll have more money left over for toys that way!


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## Hammylover123

ok then. Ill get the alaska cage. i measure it out and it looks massive! Thankyou for all your help an hopefully soon ill put on a picture of hollie in her lovely new cage. im so grateful, i wouldnt of done it without you, thankyou so much :smilewinkgrin: xx


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## LittlePaws AnimalRescue

You're very welcome 

I cant wait to see pictures of Hollie in her new cage


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