# Wooden hamster cage



## dee o gee (May 21, 2010)

I have a female syrian hamster in a peggy metro cage at the moment, iv had her nearly a year now. She does a lot of bar chewing and there isin't a lot of floor space to add stuff to it so I think its time to upgrade her to something a little bigger. 
I was initially thinking the hamster heaven but its nearly impossible to get around here (in sligo in ireland) and when it did come into a shop near me it was over a 120 euro which I didn't have at the time. It can't be got anywhere around sligo anymore so I would have to go to pets at home in derry for it, but I read on here that they no longer stock savic cages anymore and you can only order online. Im also worried that she will continue to just chew the bars and plastic regardless of how big the cage is.

I have been looking around for old fish tanks but they all seem to be pick-up only and theres none around here, also to buy one new no place seems to sell decent sized normal fish tanks anymore, they are way too expensive because they all come with fancy cabinets and lights, the plain ordinary fish tanks on their own are too small. We had a really big fish tank years ago that would have been perfect but its long gone to the dump unfortunately.  I have found a sort of tank specially for smallies in a local shop for 89 euro which I still think is a little steep for what it is, basically it has a little more floorspace than the peggy but its higher and has 2 glass shelves.

I also found this cage online Great deals on small pet cages and accessories at zooplus: Small Pet Cage Nogales and Great deals on small pet cages and accessories at zooplus: Small Pet Cage Phoenix these are exactly what im looking for, no bars to chew, plenty of floorspace to add extra stuff and plenty of nooks and crannys (sp?) to explore. But Iv a few worries, firstly would the wood absorb the pee? She's not toilet trained but I guess I could try and potty train her, anyone any tips for that? And how easy would it be for her to chew a hole through it? It says its flatpacked which im thinking will be a nightmare to assemble due to all the little bits, has anyone actually assembled one of these?

Will upload some pics of the little monster once I take them off my camera. :thumbup:


----------



## Flissy (Jul 27, 2009)

Those cages look very cool - I think the first one looks like it would have more space for toys and stuff 

If it hasn't been varnished or whatever already, you could always get some child-safe paint and paint the shelves, that way you could wipe them clean if they get weed on


----------



## BattleKat (Oct 26, 2009)

I've debated buying these cages for my mice but I just can't get over the price.

You can easily buy a glass sided terrarium/vivarium and then add in whatever bits you want. 
I have my girls in one and I've used small bathroom shelves and big cardboard boxes to add more levels, little cardboard boxes to hide in, toilet roll tubes, various beds and wheels and some of those wooden units you can buy (a climbing frame, a little split level house, etc). 
I find it's great that you can switch everything around whenever you clean out and throw away anything that's been peed on and can't be cleaned.
AND the thing only cost me £30.


----------



## dee o gee (May 21, 2010)

BattleKat said:


> I've debated buying these cages for my mice but I just can't get over the price.
> 
> You can easily buy a glass sided terrarium/vivarium and then add in whatever bits you want.
> I have my girls in one and I've used small bathroom shelves and big cardboard boxes to add more levels, little cardboard boxes to hide in, toilet roll tubes, various beds and wheels and some of those wooden units you can buy (a climbing frame, a little split level house, etc).
> ...


I had never thought of a vivarium/terrarium but im guessing il have the same problem in that it'l be next to impossible to find a second hand one near me or a cheapish one in the shops. Il keep an eye out though. I presume if they are reptile proof then a syrian wouldn't find its way out of one?

Another option is to build a tank out of perspex. I wouldn't have the slightest clue how to go about building one but I could bribe my dad to make one. Iv sourced a cheap enough place to get perspex but what could you use to hold it all together? Is there any glues that are non-toxic, would silicon be toxic if she decided to try and eat it?

Oh by the way this is Ireland and 189 for a hamster cage that going by the specs is pretty much a mansion isin't that bad. I paid nearly 70 for the peggy metro and I think around 80 for the fop gimmey (couple of years ago, can't seem to find them anywhere anymore ) And when they had the hamster heaven it was 120! I can get the nogales for £149 off the english site so it might work out a bit cheaper that way.


----------



## dee o gee (May 21, 2010)

A few pics as promised! 
She's due a clean this evening and I got a new camera yesterday so il try and get some better pics of her.
Her names Dora by the way, and in the third pic she isin't about to be eaten by my cat, my cat when it comes to hamsters is a herbivore and prefers to eat the hay out of her cage than the hamster itself, which is what she is at in the third pic!


----------



## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

i wouldn't get them wooden cages due to the fact that hamsters like to wee in different corners of there cage and so after a month the wood will stink.


----------



## myzoo (Jan 13, 2010)

hi i would not get a wooden cage because hamsters love to chew wood if she is chewing the bars and they are metal think of the damage she could do to wood and at them prices iam sure you would be pretty gutted if she wrecked it only after a month there is a good second hand website that often has cheap cages ect poppin up in ireland it is called preloved just google it you could also try looking at large bird cages and then modify it for hamsters or you could also build a bin cage out of plastic storage boxes cant remember the link but iam sure sombody else will be able to give you the details good luck on your hunt for a new cage


----------

