Cage advice

[Thams14]

I think that one is better than the Hamster Heaven. It's the same cage basically and same size, but with just the one shelf there's room for a 28cm wheel. However they do tend to block up the external tubes and nest and pee in them - and they can sometimes even get stuck in them if they grow very large - so some people remove the tubes and block them off. The cage comes with the tube blockers.

It sounds like a good upgrade and hope it suits her. She might need plenty of out of cage time as well.

Thanks, I didn't realise that about the tubes. The cage we currently have has tubes and Zazu uses them, so that's handy to know. I haven't made a final decision, but the advice here has been brilliant

 

[Thams14]

I think that one is better than the Hamster Heaven. It's the same cage basically and same size, but with just the one shelf there's room for a 28cm wheel. However they do tend to block up the external tubes and nest and pee in them - and they can sometimes even get stuck in them if they grow very large - so some people remove the tubes and block them off. The cage comes with the tube blockers.

It sounds like a good upgrade and hope it suits her. She might need plenty of out of cage time as well.

Forgot to say, we have her out of her cage lots.

 

[Maz]

Yep external tubes look fun but they are a total pain! They do like tunnels but rat sized toys work better for Syrians. So shorter runs of tunnel as floor toys or just as a ramp in the cage eg, work better. Sometimes a kitchen roll inner tube is a favourite thing but that needs slitting down the side so it expands or they can get stuck in those too! I speak from bitter experience! But our first Syrian was particularly large.

 

[Maz]

Oh, a litter tray - that's wonderful I will most definitely try that, thanks. I clean Zazu's cage every few days and replace the bedding completely. That's expensive because I buy Carefresh, which isn't cheap. I've read advice about spot cleaning instead of a full cage clean, but I'm not sure how that works (like, how do you know what parts to clean).

All the advice they give in pet shops about cleaning is wrong usually! They assume there is just a thin layer of substrate and the cage base gets wet and smelly.

As an example. I have about 6" of bedding in the cage (filling the base basically - you can stop just short of the top of the base so it doesn' spill out everywhere). And a litter tray. Hamster uses the litter tray with chinchilla sand in it. The rest of the cage stays clean literally. Spot cleaning - you just take the odd handful of substrate out - eg if there are a few poops in it or it's looking a bit worse for wear - and replace it with another handful. You can go on like that for 2 or 3 months, depending on the size of the cage. I've gone 4 months like that before. During that time you just clean anything else as and when needed but not all at the same time. Eg the wheel one week (sometimes they pee in the wheel but not always) or any toys etc. Toys tend not to need cleaning that often.

When you come to change the substrate, you can keep back the clean half (usually the bottom half) and reuse that and add more bedding to it and mix it in. Some people spread the old half or third on top of the new so it smells familiar. They actually scent mark everything in the cage to find their way around and claim it as their territory so removing all the scent in one go stresses them out and they want to escape!

Basically the more there is in there, the less you need to clean out. The cage base is usually clean and dry as is the bottom half of the substrate. It can be expensive initially but not ongoing.

Kaytee Clean and Cozy seems more popular than Carefresh on here - it's similar but I think it works out a bit cheaper if you get the bigger bags. You can also get some paper beddings in bulk which works out cheap. I get the 10kg of Fitch (recycled food grade paper) which works out a lot cheaper. That costs about £23 and lasts me about 6 months with a 100cm cage. But then you need to have space to store the bag! It's not that big - it's about the size of child's beanbag chair and it comes in an oversized bag so you can squish it different shapes to fit it under something eg.

 

[Maz]

I get these litter trays - they're just the right size for a Syrian and are higher at the back so the pee stays inside it. Our first hamster was so incredibly neat with his! He would pee in the very back corner, then sit in the front part to have a wash. It's better with sand in rather than the potty litter that's sold - the potty litter isn't that safe if eaten anyway and it also works out expensive. Some people use sterilised childrens play sand) or you can buy chinchilla bathing sand. That tends to last quite a while.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trixie-Corner-Toilet-16cm-12cm/dp/B00178PJ3M/ref=sr_1_13?keywords=hamster+potty&qid=1672945456&sr=8-13

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Supreme-Petfoods-7403-Chinchilla-Bathing/dp/B005OCXN1M/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2GYLM9GJOT3X6&keywords=chinchilla+bathing+sand&qid=1672945517&rdc=1&sprefix=chinchilla+bathing+s%2Caps%2C727&sr=8-5

I think childrens play sand works out cheaper.

 

[Thams14]

All the advice they give in pet shops about cleaning is wrong usually! They assume there is just a thin layer of substrate and the cage base gets wet and smelly.

As an example. I have about 6" of bedding in the cage (filling the base basically - you can stop just short of the top of the base so it doesn' spill out everywhere). And a litter tray. Hamster uses the litter tray with chinchilla sand in it. The rest of the cage stays clean literally. Spot cleaning - you just take the odd handful of substrate out - eg if there are a few poops in it or it's looking a bit worse for wear - and replace it with another handful. You can go on like that for 2 or 3 months, depending on the size of the cage. I've gone 4 months like that before. During that time you just clean anything else as and when needed but not all at the same time. Eg the wheel one week (sometimes they pee in the wheel but not always) or any toys etc. Toys tend not to need cleaning that often.

When you come to change the substrate, you can keep back the clean half (usually the bottom half) and reuse that and add more bedding to it and mix it in. Some people spread the old half or third on top of the new so it smells familiar. They actually scent mark everything in the cage to find their way around and claim it as their territory so removing all the scent in one go stresses them out and they want to escape!

Basically the more there is in there, the less you need to clean out. The cage base is usually clean and dry as is the bottom half of the substrate. It can be expensive initially but not ongoing.

Kaytee Clean and Cozy seems more popular than Carefresh on here - it's similar but I think it works out a bit cheaper if you get the bigger bags. You can also get some paper beddings in bulk which works out cheap. I get the 10kg of Fitch (recycled food grade paper) which works out a lot cheaper. That costs about £23 and lasts me about 6 months with a 100cm cage. But then you need to have space to store the bag! It's not that big - it's about the size of child's beanbag chair and it comes in an oversized bag so you can squish it different shapes to fit it under something eg.

We have put down the inner part of kitchen rolls, but Zazu ignored it
Thank for for that brilliantly detailed reply! I was thinking about using a cheaper alternative to Carefresh but was worried about Zazu getting stressed. I currently pay around £24 for Carefresh. I will definitely try the litter tray, as it would be much easier maintenance. From cleaning her cage, Zazu appears to poop in different locations, so if she use the litter tray, that would be fantastic.

 

[Thams14]

I get these litter trays - they're just the right size for a Syrian and are higher at the back so the pee stays inside it. Our first hamster was so incredibly neat with his! He would pee in the very back corner, then sit in the front part to have a wash. It's better with sand in rather than the potty litter that's sold - the potty litter isn't that safe if eaten anyway and it also works out expensive. Some people use sterilised childrens play sand) or you can buy chinchilla bathing sand. That tends to last quite a while.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trixie-Corner-Toilet-16cm-12cm/dp/B00178PJ3M/ref=sr_1_13?keywords=hamster+potty&qid=1672945456&sr=8-13

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Supreme-Petfoods-7403-Chinchilla-Bathing/dp/B005OCXN1M/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2GYLM9GJOT3X6&keywords=chinchilla+bathing+sand&qid=1672945517&rdc=1&sprefix=chinchilla+bathing+s%2Caps%2C727&sr=8-5

I think childrens play sand works out cheaper.

That's brilliant! Thank you

 

[Maz]

The trouble is, there is no perfect cage! Some of the things that come in cages don't work very well or break! So most of us have come to the conclusion it's almost better to start with an empty cage and add things. Although if it comes with shelves that is good - they like having a shelf and it's a good place to put a food bowl. A spare water bottle helps too. Some people have made their cages look very colourful and creative!

And it's annoying because it adds to the cost. The most important extra though is a wheel the right size. The small wheels in the cages are so bad for their backs - and sometimes they won't even use them. Most houses are far too small - only big enough for dwarf hamsters.

 

[Thams14]

The trouble is, there is no perfect cage! Some of the things that come in cages don't work very well or break! So most of us have come to the conclusion it's almost better to start with an empty cage and add things. Although if it comes with shelves that is good - they like having a shelf and it's a good place to put a food bowl. A spare water bottle helps too. Some people have made their cages look very colourful and creative!

And it's annoying because it adds to the cost. The most important extra though is a wheel the right size. The small wheels in the cages are so bad for their backs - and sometimes they won't even use them. Most houses are far too small - only big enough for dwarf hamsters.

Yes, the advice in the pet shop for recommended wheels was rubbish! Such a shame people will accept this and not think any more about it (not their fault). Me, I'm an inquisitive soul

 

[RainbowBrite]

I love kaytee bedding and it holds burrows really well.

 

[Thams14]

I love kaytee bedding and it holds burrows really well.

I had never heard of it until you guys mentioned, so thanks

 

[Maz]

Not sure which part of the country you're in but I linked a few second hand cage adverts for sale recently. This one is a very good cage. It's not available in the Uk any more. It's the same size as that 100cm grosvenor I linked but a better height and has a large top door and two small front doors. Mind you not that much cheaper than the Grosvenor new!

Barney cage for sale in London

Just linking this in case anyone in the London area is looking for a cage. The Barney is 100cm x 54cm and only available second hand these days. It's made by Skylinel not Savic, so the listing is incorrect on that front...

www.thehamsterforum.com

 

[Member ID2]

I started off exactly like you and bought a cage, wheel, house etc that was too small because i listened to the petshop and didn't know any better. I completely cleaned out the cage weekly, unintentionally stressing out my hamster by removing all his scent.

Then i did what you did and joined a hamster forum which greatly improved my hamster's life and gave me the confidence and knowledge i needed to give my hamster a happy life.

My two Syrian hamsters live in a Savic Plaza and an Alaska cage, get plenty of out of cage time and very few cage cleans. They wee in sand filled toilets and poops are nothing to worry about. They don't smell and they dry up. The hamsters chuck them out of their houses for me, their cleaner, to collect.
I spot clean and scoop the clumps of wee out of their toilets and change the sand when it gets smelly.
In fact my nose is my guide. I do a cage clean maybe every 4 - 6 months, take everything out and sort smelly substrate from not smelly one which i put back in with fresh. I don't clean anything else at that point because i don't want to upset the hamster by removing all their scent.

Hamsters have bad eyesight and rely on their scent to find their way around and it gives them a sense of security and comfort to feel at home.

Too much cleaning can really stress a hamster out, make them hyperactive and unsettled.

I didn't know any of this when i got my first hamster. I wished i did because i could have saved myself so much money.

 

[Thams14]

Not sure which part of the country you're in but I linked a few second hand cage adverts for sale recently. This one is a very good cage. It's not available in the Uk any more. It's the same size as that 100cm grosvenor I linked but a better height and has a large top door and two small front doors. Mind you not that much cheaper than the Grosvenor new!

Barney cage for sale in London

Just linking this in case anyone in the London area is looking for a cage. The Barney is 100cm x 54cm and only available second hand these days. It's made by Skylinel not Savic, so the listing is incorrect on that front...

www.thehamsterforum.com

Thanks. I'm in Glasgow.

 

[Thams14]

I started off exactly like you and bought a cage, wheel, house etc that was too small because i listened to the petshop and didn't know any better. I completely cleaned out the cage weekly, unintentionally stressing out my hamster by removing all his scent.

Then i did what you did and joined a hamster forum which greatly improved my hamster's life and gave me the confidence and knowledge i needed to give my hamster a happy life.

My two Syrian hamsters live in a Savic Plaza and an Alaska cage, get plenty of out of cage time and very few cage cleans. They wee in sand filled toilets and poops are nothing to worry about. They don't smell and they dry up. The hamsters chuck them out of their houses for me, their cleaner, to collect.
I spot clean and scoop the clumps of wee out of their toilets and change the sand when it gets smelly.
In fact my nose is my guide. I do a cage clean maybe every 4 - 6 months, take everything out and sort smelly substrate from not smelly one which i put back in with fresh. I don't clean anything else at that point because i don't want to upset the hamster by removing all their scent.

Hamsters have bad eyesight and rely on their scent to find their way around and it gives them a sense of security and comfort to feel at home.

Too much cleaning can really stress a hamster out, make them hyperactive and unsettled.

I didn't know any of this when i got my first hamster. I wished i did because i could have saved myself so much money.

Thanks! I should have joined a hamster forum first When we got Zazu, we actually initially only went for a look, but my daughter spotted this wee lovely hiding away and pleaded with me to get take her home with us. There's no way I could resist I'm not very confident at the moment, hence my visits here, but hopefully that will come with advice and experience.

 

[RainbowBrite]

Thanks! I should have joined a hamster forum first When we got Zazu, we actually initially only went for a look, but my daughter spotted this wee lovely hiding away and pleaded with me to get take her home with us. There's no way I could resist I'm not very confident at the moment, hence my visits here, but hopefully that will come with advice and experience.

Oh do not worry. I have my first hamster and I am always worrying and asking questions. It is lovely you care so much for Zazu and want to make her happy. Where did you get the inspiration for her nane?

 

[Maz]

Thanks! I should have joined a hamster forum first When we got Zazu, we actually initially only went for a look, but my daughter spotted this wee lovely hiding away and pleaded with me to get take her home with us. There's no way I could resist I'm not very confident at the moment, hence my visits here, but hopefully that will come with advice and experience.

I was just the same when we got our first one. And he definitely chose us. We didn't get him the same day as OH needed convincing and we needed to get a cage (it was a small pet shop and they didn't have a great choice). I bought a 3 tier rotostak thing with yellow tubes - because an ex bf had a hamster in one of those many years ago so I thought it would be fine! And because OH son liked the look of it. Our hamster was in it 3 weeks, got depressed, bar chewed, cage rage - and then - stuck in a tube! So I started googling and came across cage size advice on a hamster site. Bought a new cage. Did all the wrong things - moved him cold turkey into the new cage and then thought he would die of a heart attack. He sat and shook and looked ill for about 10 days - it was awful! He did settle eventually. But I always wished I'd got something just a little bit bigger and ended up upgrading again. So I ended up paying for three cages. And the hamster had two cage changes! I do get grumbles about the hamster cage prioritised over other things but that's the way it is lol.

It sounds like Zazu chose you

 

[Thams14]

Oh do not worry. I have my first hamster and I am always worrying and asking questions. It is lovely you care so much for Zazu and want to make her happy. Where did you get the inspiration for her nane?

It's good to know I can pop in here for advice I've always been a dog person and never considered a hamster. The reason my daughter wanted one was because some of her friends have them. It didn't take me long to warm to Zazu though - when my daughter goes to her mother's for the weekend, we bond rather nicely The inspiration is really down to her friend making noises when my daughter was showing her new hamster off to her friends. One of them shouted "Zazuuuuuuuuu" and that was that

 

[Thams14]

I was just the same when we got our first one. And he definitely chose us. We didn't get him the same day as OH needed convincing and we needed to get a cage (it was a small pet shop and they didn't have a great choice). I bought a 3 tier rotostak thing with yellow tubes - because an ex bf had a hamster in one of those many years ago so I thought it would be fine! And because OH son liked the look of it. Our hamster was in it 3 weeks, got depressed, bar chewed, cage rage - and then - stuck in a tube! So I started googling and came across cage size advice on a hamster site. Bought a new cage. Did all the wrong things - moved him cold turkey into the new cage and then thought he would die of a heart attack. He sat and shook and looked ill for about 10 days - it was awful! He did settle eventually. But I always wished I'd got something just a little bit bigger and ended up upgrading again. So I ended up paying for three cages. And the hamster had two cage changes! I do get grumbles about the hamster cage prioritised over other things but that's the way it is lol.

It sounds like Zazu chose you

Aw, that sounds awful. I'm dreading anything like that happening. It's weird, my daughter was recently showing me photos on her phone of her visits she made with her mother to pet shops (hamster viewings, obviously), and Zazu was in the photos! So my daughter was looking at her and took a photo of her a couple of months before I took her to get her, and I didn't know this at the time!

 

[Maz]

That sounds like it was meant to be . I sometimes think hamsters are not that different to dogs. Obviously they are completely different - but in terms of responding to you, bonding with you and communicating. They can be intelligent and show a range of feelings. They can be tamed and bond with you. They know different scents and voices and warm to some people more than others. They can be funny to watch and they can pose when you're taking a photo! (Sometimes). If tame some of them like to sit for a stroke - partly that depends on personality and how active or lazy they are. My vet said you can use clicker training with them as well - although it's not something I've tried. They will respond to their name (sometimes). They can have huffs and moods. They are a much underrated species IMO.

I fell in love with our first one and have had hamsters ever since, even though the child is older and no longer interested. It can be scary at first if they escape but once they're tame they're easier to get to come to you (or will just walk into a tube).