Glad to be here!

[AnimalAddict]

Hello, I'll try to keep it short but I could go on forever about all the pets I have (and have had)! I'm now happily retired but have had a crazy, insane addiction to all living things since I was very young. I'm sure my parents roll over in their graves laughing at the antics and lengths I went through when I was a kid sneaking all kinds of different animals into the house and trying to keep them a secret. Now that I have a home of my own (and a tolerant husband) I'm still filling the area with animals but TRY to keep it reasonable.

Right now I have 3 dogs, two saltwater fish tanks, two chameleons, and a pond full of fish. And now.... a female Syrian hamster. I've probably had just about every pet you can imagine including monkeys and snakes and goats (oh my!). Every kind of parrot, every rodent, and over 50 dogs (I do foster and rescue).

ANYWAY, I also often rehab orphaned newborn wild animals and recently raised four newborn rabbits. Upon their release my 2 year old granddaughter keeps asking for them and misses them terribly, so Sunday I went out and purchased a hamster "for her". (Any excuse will do!) I'm having one hell of a time keeping the little bugger in her cage, she has now escaped three times! Today I set up an entirely different enclosure in the hopes that she'll stay put for a while.

I'm off to read some of the posts in the forum and will have tons of questions but for now I'm just grateful to find like-minded, crazy people.

 

[Maz]

Hi. That sounds great - a bit like the Durrells What is the hamster escaping from? Is she chewing out or getting the door open? Female Syrians are notorious for needing a lot of space. At least 100cm cage size if not bigger.

 

[Member ID2]

Well, you've come to the right place, that's for sure.

Hello and welcome to the forum!

I'm looking forward to hear more about your animals, past and present.

 

[elusive]

Hello & welcome to the forum.
Sounds like quite the menagerie you have there! Look forward to hearing more about your ham & other animals.

 

[RainbowBrite]

Hello and welcome to the forum. How amazing to have so many animals. I too am looking forward to hearing all about them and your new hamster too.

 

[AnimalAddict]

Hi. That sounds great - a bit like the Durrells What is the hamster escaping from? Is she chewing out or getting the door open? Female Syrians are notorious for needing a lot of space. At least 100cm cage size if not bigger.

I had set up a 40 gallon long fish tank for her before I got her. It has a slide on screen top (previously used for reptiles) so I THOUGHT it was safe. The first night, she found the 1/4" opening where the hanging water bottle didn't allow the sliding lid to close completely and apparently pushed it further open. So I removed the hanger from the water bottle and velcroed it to the glass so the slide on mesh lid closed completely, pretty much snaps into a lock position. Next morning, it was open and she was gone.... she somehow got her little claws in there and pried it and slid it open! CLEVER LITTLE CRITTERS!!!!! So yesterday I put two heavy duty clamps on the lid making sure there was no way she was going to slide it open. So instead she chewed through the metal mesh and climbed out! I guess I can't have anything tall in there because she uses it as a ladder and works on the mesh top!

In my shed of rescue supplies (yes, an entire shed just for pet stuff!) I have a large critter cage that I raised 3 newborn squirrels in until they were ready for release. I'm going to dig it out after another cup of coffee and measure, but the base is bigger than the current fishtank, and it goes up pretty high with I believe three or four shelves and ramps. She would have plenty of room to explore and climb and play, but my two concerns are: will she squeeze her way through the bars? I think they are 0.5" apart. And if she falls off a top shelf, will she get hurt? I will have deep bedding, and luckily her 3 leaps from my very high dresser that her aquarium is on didn't hurt her, thank God.

 

[RainbowBrite]

She may be happier in a 75 gallon as female Syrians tend to need a lot of space. They are very good at escaping. Perhaps making a lid with mesh may help keep her from escaping.

Hamsters are not good at climbing and a one level cage works best for them. You can always have a look at suitable cages on here. There is a thread with information. She will be able to squeeze out of the bars.

 

[Maz]

A 75 gallon tank is a good shape and size About 4 ft by 2ft? If it's the kind of mesh for a reptile enclosure they can chew through it. Most people make or buy lids made from 1cm square metal mesh which they can't chew through. Even then the lid may need a lock or a book on top! So they don't push it open.

I think the 40 gallon long is a bit narrower isn't it? They do better with the deeper floor area. I am sure once you get things right from her she won't try and escape!

Height can be an issue with hamsters actually as they climb but don't see well so tend to just jump or drop and fall and can hurt themselves. So ideally you don't want a tank taller than about 30 to 40 cm above bedding level. They will always find a way to the top (scaling a wheel or water bottle eg) so the main thing is a secure lid

Edit - just saw Rainbow suggested a 75 gallon tank too.

 

[Maz]

Edit - what I said earlier - hamsters will still try and escape! But the main thing is the cage is secured against that and they have lots of enrichment and happy with the set up.

Even with more height to the roof - they have been known to pile all the substrate up into one corner into a mountain and just walk up it to the top!

Sounds like you have a real maverick lady there!

 

[AnimalAddict]

Thanks all. Trying to use some of the enclosures that I already have instead of having to purchase yet another one (I'll need another shed soon!) and have been on Facebook Marketplace looking for something quick I can grab today without spending too much. I really don't remember how tall the squirrel cage was - will dig it out soon and check it out and then perhaps need to go shopping quickly. I don't want her unhappy any longer than she needs to be, but luckily she'll probably sleep all day today after her big adventure last night. And I comfort myself with knowing that she's in a lot bigger space than she was in at the pet store!

 

[AnimalAddict]

Edit - what I said earlier - hamsters will still try and escape! But the main thing is the cage is secured against that and they have lots of enrichment and happy with the set up.

Even with more height to the roof - they have been known to pile all the substrate up into one corner into a mountain and just walk up it to the top!

Sounds like you have a real maverick lady there!

Lucky me - I always pick the winners! LOL My latest rescue dog has already cost me $4000 on rare medical issues and she's only a year old. She's gonna be a fun one, too!

 

[Maz]

I am sure you'll be able to adapt the squirrel tank. Floor area is better than height - I can't quite imagine it. Do you have a photo? She sounds half squirrel anyway ha ha.

I think you're in the US aren't you? The only real options big enough are glass tanks or diy cages (or there is an expensive nite angel tank style but she might chew out of that).

So if it's quite tall, as long as you add loads of bedding - maybe 12" - she will be happy and it will help reduce the height. She may start digging tunnels then instead of trying to escape. So plenty of bedding, a 12" wheel and some kind of shelter (cardboard shoe box is ideal) and a few cardboard tubes or other hides (egg boxes tissue boxes). So there's plenty of clutter in the cage. And scatter feed. Hopefully that will keep her busy. With kitchen roll and toilet roll tubes, slit them down the side so they expand so she doesn't get stuck.

 

[Frida]

Hello, welcome to the forum. I'm looking forward to hearing all about your zoo.

 

[Maz]

Another option is a detolf. Google "hamster detolf" and click on images. You can often find those second hand quite cheaply. It does need a lid making and you might need to reinforce the end wood parts if tried to chew those (or just cover them with perspex).

 

[Member ID2]

Is there any way you could replace the mesh of the current tank with galvanized metal mesh as an immediate solution until you can sort something out?

A very high cage could be risky because hamsters climb up but don't climb down well. They just let themselves drop.

Btw, i have a greenhouse full of spare cages and parts that may come in handy one day....

 

[Maz]

I was thinking that too - but that kind of thing can be particularly fiddly and time consuming sometimes (for me anyway!) But it's probably the best option until you work out something that will work. If you can attach the mesh on the outside of the existing frame,

 

[AnimalAddict]

Hi Gang.
I've thoroughly disinfected and cleaned all the parts of the squirrel cage and it's outside drying in the sun. When I assemble it I will definitely send a photo. Thanks for the ideas! I'm hoping to have her in the new one this afternoon but will make sure I stuff towels under the door of the room she's in so if she DOES get through the bars somehow, she will only have free roam of that room and not the whole house where the dogs might think she's a squeak toy. Right now there are all kinds of heavy things stacked on top of the lid hole (and the entire top) so I don't think she's going anywhere. Besides, she's tuckered out from her all night romp!

A shedful of cages???? You and I could have a tag sale of animal supplies!

 

[Maz]

That sounds good. Not sure if you already know this, but if moving her it's a good idea to keep all the bedding and move that across too. It'll be fine for a couple of weeks. So it keeps her scent or they can get quite stressed if everything changes at once. Plus keeping the layout similar to before.

It can be quite stressful worrying about a hamster escaping! Good idea to confine her to the one room. Having said that, our hamster has got past blankets stuffed under the door before. They are great escape artists. I piece of wood or something can be better to block a gap - something too heavy to move.

How tall is the squirrel cage by the way?

 

[JaysBeans]

Hello, I'll try to keep it short but I could go on forever about all the pets I have (and have had)! I'm now happily retired but have had a crazy, insane addiction to all living things since I was very young. I'm sure my parents roll over in their graves laughing at the antics and lengths I went through when I was a kid sneaking all kinds of different animals into the house and trying to keep them a secret. Now that I have a home of my own (and a tolerant husband) I'm still filling the area with animals but TRY to keep it reasonable.

Right now I have 3 dogs, two saltwater fish tanks, two chameleons, and a pond full of fish. And now.... a female Syrian hamster. I've probably had just about every pet you can imagine including monkeys and snakes and goats (oh my!). Every kind of parrot, every rodent, and over 50 dogs (I do foster and rescue).

ANYWAY, I also often rehab orphaned newborn wild animals and recently raised four newborn rabbits. Upon their release my 2 year old granddaughter keeps asking for them and misses them terribly, so Sunday I went out and purchased a hamster "for her". (Any excuse will do!) I'm having one hell of a time keeping the little bugger in her cage, she has now escaped three times! Today I set up an entirely different enclosure in the hopes that she'll stay put for a while.

I'm off to read some of the posts in the forum and will have tons of questions but for now I'm just grateful to find like-minded, crazy people.

Welcome to the hamster forum

 

[AnimalAddict]

Ok, cleaned, dried and assembled. Tomorrow I decorate it with toys and bedding etc. and let her make the move. Unless you can think of a reason I shouldn't?

Base is 30" x 18".