Bridge

[Lovelyness]

I need a bridge for Blossom to climb up onto her platform. The daft girl removed all her deep bedding so now it’s quite a climb, which she has always managed, but is struggling a bit now she is older. I found this one on Amazon. Does anyone have this one? Or do you have any suggestions? I don’t really want a bendy bridge as I know they are not great because of the gaps. NB she does have alternative routes up to the platform, but quite often peers over the edge of it looking like she wants to get up.

 

[Lovelyness]

I’ve put a small upside down dish there at the moment to see if it will give her a little bit of height. She still climbs all round the rest of her cage.

 

[Maz]

All my hamsters have had one of these But they're not really good for a ramp up to anything as they're quite small. Charlie just used to like running over his. Most of the others kind of ignored it but liked to know it was there. It's better for robos and dwarf hamsters in some ways as they can fit under it and they don't need such high ramps!

I tend to use a cork log. I have it pushed partly under a shelf, at an angle, so they can run up the side onto the shelf, and also it makes a large tunnel leading under the shelf. But they take up quite a lot of space, even in a 100cm cage, so it might not fit.

Or you could make some steps out of cork bark round pieces - I've done that before, but that is really only ok for 2 or 3 low steps - it might not be very stable for anything higher - and the cork rounds are about 7 euros for two plus postage, so not that cheap.

There are a couple of niteangel bridges. Again I found those a little low and more suited to dwarf hamsters. But I'll check them as there was a taller one. What I also used to use was the coloured bendy bridges that screw to the bars so you can have it as a fixed, sloping ramp (it used to take two overlapping). They are smooth wood so don't have the gap problem. But I can't seem to find them for sale any more. The place I used to get them from seems to have closed down.

Will pop back after another look ...........bridges are always tricky, they can sink down in substrate and end up not high enough.

 

[Lovelyness]

Thanks @Maz. That rainbow bridge looks like it has a little platform on the top, which would then allow her to climb up onto the platform Just don’t want her to get her legs caught in the gaps between the steps.

 

[Maz]

They tend to fall over or sink in the substrate. Is it for her large grey platform? Do you have a photo of where it needs to go?

 

[Maz]

These are the two niteangel ones I've used. The first one, both Tino and Higgins have. It is maybe slightly taller than the rainbow bridge.

Niteangel Bridge

I preferred this second one - it also has a flat bit on top. But the entrances are really for dwarf hamsters - although a Syrian could get through/in! They wouldn't get stuck as they're open underneath onto he substrate

Niteangel bridge 2

Or you could maybe use a little house like this as a bridge?

House with ramp roof

Or you can get these coloured bendy bridges without gaps

Coloured smooth bendy bridge

 

[Lovelyness]

They tend to fall over or sink in the substrate. Is it for her large grey platform? Do you have a photo of where it needs to go?

It’s between the wooden hide/platform in the foreground of the photo (the one with the spotty food bowl on)and her wheel. She doesn’t have any substrate there, because, if you recall, she excavated all of the bedding as she didn’t want it there There used to be deep bedding at that end of her cage so that it wasn’t a big climb or drop.

 

[Lovelyness]

These are the two niteangel ones I've used. The first one, both Tino and Higgins have. It is maybe slightly taller than the rainbow bridge.

Niteangel Bridge

I preferred this second one - it also has a flat bit on top. But the entrances are really for dwarf hamsters - although a Syrian could get through/in! They wouldn't get stuck as they're open underneath onto he substrate

Niteangel bridge 2

Or you could maybe use a little house like this as a bridge?

House with ramp roof

Or you can get these coloured bendy bridges without gaps

Coloured smooth bendy bridge

I was just having a look at the first niteangel one, but there isn’t quite enough space for it between the hide/platform and the wheel.

 

[Lovelyness]

The other thing I’m thinking is that some time soon I’m probably going to have to reorganise her cage on one level for her. She doesn’t need it just yet as she can easily access all other areas in the cage. And like I said, she can actually get up to that platform via a longer route.

 

[Maz]

Yes I was thinking that too - as she gets older, then things would need to be lower - I tend to leave one very low level that's easy to access. But then that's when these little bridges are good What about the coloured bendy bridge? You could make that as high or as low as you want and they are always useful, even with a lowered setting.

 

[Lovelyness]

I’ve created a little step for the time being with a couple of upside down dishes of different heights which may help give her a leg up, although it’s not high enough just to step up onto that platform. It would work well with her lower platform and dig box though later when I do move things around for her. The coloured bendy bridge looks like a good option

 

[Lovelyness]

Any bridge in that gap at the moment would be a bit a squeeze with the wheel and would mean she couldn’t use it…I don’t think she does anymore anyway. She’s never been a big wheel user, preferring her dig box. Those dish steps do allow her to climb into her wheel more easily tho, so perhaps she will use it again Originally she had bedding under the wheel so it wasn’t a big step in, but she removed it all

 

[Maz]

The coloured bendy bridge is probably a good option then because instead of having it next to the platform, you could have it the other way round so one half is under the platform and the other half leading up to it - maybe? That might not interfere with the wheel so much - in fact she could hop from the wheel onto the bridge?

It sounds like you need a really narrow ramp going sideways up the ramp - but then she might fall off! Hmm

The rainbow bridge is quite narrow - you could maybe try that even if it’s not quite tall enough.

But to be honest you’re upturned bowls interfere less with the wheel so maybe they will do? Could you maybe get one slightly taller than the other?

I have quite a deep one like this, but they only seem to be selling a set of three

Hamster bowl

 

[Lovelyness]

Oh, that’s a good idea, putting it the other way round. I hadn’t thought of that. It would be more practical too once I do reduce everything to one level.

 

[Maz]

It might make the slope a bit steep though - I've had problems fitting them in before. I think the steps idea is better!

 

[Maz]

Another thing I've sometimes done is used a hyacinth tunnel sloping up, with one side hole opening onto the shelf. To keep it up at an angle you'd need to tie the far end to the bars. Sisal string or cable ties. I'll see if I can find a photo as an example. It's softer so maybe less of an obstruction. They have entrance/exit holes at the sides, two of them, so you just need it in the right position so one hole opens sideways onto the shelf, The other one will either be above her, under her or on the other side. Even if it's under her they still manage to step over that bit!

 

[Maz]

Or - for a second step you could use one of these little lava ledges screwed to the bars so it's pointing away from the bars lengthways at the height you want for a second step. And just use one of the upturned bowls as a first step. So she steps onto the bowl then onto the lava ledge as a step to the platform. I have a couple of those I haven't used so if you think that would work, I could send you one

Lava ledge

 

[Lovelyness]

The lava ledge is a good thought, although in this case, the bottom of the bars is the same height as the top of the platform

 

[Maz]

The lava ledge is a good thought, although in this case, the bottom of the bars is the same height as the top of the platform

Oh that's no good then. I think the sloping hyacinth tunnel/ramp would be better. The top end can be attached to the bars slightly above platform level. The bottom end sits at cage/substrate level. Makes a nice tunnel to run through to get up to the ramp, softer and probably less wide than a bridge. Also better when hamsters are older if they start having problems climbing up steps or usual ramps. That's when I used to use them - the hyacinth is more grippy and a gentle slope and much easier than steps or a steeper sloping ramp. Still looking for a photo as I can't remember which hamster's cage had it! I know Charlie (first hamster) did at one time but not sure if I have a photo.

Small hyacinth tunnel Amazon

 

[Lovelyness]

Would love to see a photo. It sounds like a good option Thanks so much for all the suggestions and help with problem solving!