Glad to be here!

[Member ID2]

My honest opinion: i wouldn't use it for a hamster.

I think there are serious fall risks and the wheel looks like a mesh type of wheel. Please correct me if i'm wrong. I doubt there's enough room for a big house and a 28cm+ wheel plus plenty of Syrian sized enrichment like hides, tunnels etc. The ladders look steep and not sure what she'd be doing on the high up platforms. She may well climb the bars trying to get out and fall from a height high enough to cause injury.

I'm not trying to be critical and hope that you don't feel offended by my honesty.

 

[AnimalAddict]

Not offended, appreciate the feedback! The wheel is 12" diameter and yes, it has metal rungs.... do we only use plastic these days?

I can definitely lower all the shelves and make the ramps less steep, but since this crazy lady is always standing on TOP of the huts and hideaways I have in her tank, I figured she liked the elevation.

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[Member ID2]

Yes, wheels with metal rungs are considered unsuitable because they can trap toes and nails and give a hamster bumblefoot, i think its called which is a painful condition.

People use wooden, plastic or aluminium wheels but all have a solid surface.

 

[Maz]

I'm not sure why but I was imagining a tall tank . I agree with Beryl though. However, you might be able to make it work as a temporary solution to prevent escapes if you could create a full level rather than shelves. The floorspace is quite a bit smaller than her current tank so she is likely to bar chew.

I wouldn't move her in it tonight as there are fall risks. They can behave like lemmings and jump off top shelves or climb the bars to the roof and monkey bar across the roof (usually looking for a way out) and then just drop and can bounce off the edge of shelves on the way down or land on something.

If you can make the tank lid as secure as possible for tonight and hamsterproof the room. I would think this cage could be adapted with a bit more time on it - as a temporary home to give you some breathing space.

What you'd need probably is

1) About 10" high cardboard all round the inside bars (you can attach with cable ties) and fill that up with bedding so it's about 12" of bedding. This effectively reduces the height (although not enough) and means she can dig tunnels and a burrow which might keep her happy enough in the cage size for now.

2) Use two of the current shelves on the same level and put a piece of wood or something across to make a solid level about 40cm about the top of the final substrate height. So it's like a roof that she can't get up to or above (ie remove the ladders). The third shelf can be used below this just as a normal shelf for her lowered cage.

This does mean you lose the top part of the cage because it would take a bit more diy to create a secure full level with access up to it so there's like a second floor of the cage.

It's not so much the volume of the cage that they need for size. But more floor level and less height. To be honest they only really climb to see if they can get out! And it would be risky. You might get away with it with 12" of bedding and nothing to land on (ie any cage items under shelves) but still risky.

Re the wheel - if that's the only wheel you have for now, you could maybe cut a strip of cardboard to stick over the mesh running surface. Wire wheels have been a no no for some time even though they are still sold unfortunately - due to the number of injuries and painful feet conditions caused.

As a permanent cage, the floor area is unlikely to be big enough for a female syrian - it's not far off! Something like 40" by 19" to 20" is about the minimum floor area you want with a cage height of 20" to 24" max.

 

[Maz]

It's a tricky one with the wheel. With no wheel she will go stir crazy. For a day or two it might be ok.

 

[Maz]

I can't quite see how high up the cage door is. If you had 10" cardboard inside the bars, would that block the door? It wouldn't matter if it only blocked the bottom half of the door as then you could still open it and just have a smaller door.

Chances are, she might chew off all the cardboard inside the bars and a lot of bedding fall out through the bars, but at least it'll keep her occupied for a night!

 

[Maz]

Sorry if we've put a damper on things! She is lucky you rescued her! I'm sure you can rig something to make that cage safer for at least a few days - if you can find some cardboard (cutting up old amazon boxes eg), some plastic cable ties (not the ones with wire inside and not string) and a piece of wood or plywood to put across two shelves that are opposite each other on the same level. So she can't climb above the bottom of those shelves.

Actually you wouldn't even need 12" of bedding if you had the full level lower (ie the two shelves and piece of wood) but if you have enough it's still a good idea as the deep bedding and cardboard will help keep her occupied.

 

[JaysBeans]

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".

I would take out the top level in case your hammy thinks it's a diving board. they could get neurological problems from falling from a height that high. that wheel isn't safe for a hamster, the wire can give them infections. Also is that a permanent housing situation? (Sorry if i came off rude)

 

[Maz]

I would take out the top level in case your hammy thinks it's a diving board. they could get neurological problems from falling from a height that high. that wheel isn't safe for a hamster, the wire can give them infections. Also is that a permanent housing situation? (Sorry if i came off rude)

You need to read back . Hamster rescued and needing temporary accommodation as she kept escaping previous enclosure . So an urgent secure cage needed (that needs adapting for safety!)

 

[JaysBeans]

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!

@Maz didn't see this till now thanks for telling me.
also female syrians can be crazy!

 

[AnimalAddict]

Thanks everyone - I really appreciate the feedback, suggestions, and instructions! So you want her ONLY using the floorspace and not having a second level at all? How do these poor things in the pet stores not lose their minds in the tiny enclosures with very little entertainment?!?!

 

[JaysBeans]

How do these poor things in the pet stores not lose their minds in the tiny enclosures with very little entertainment?!?!

That's the sad thing about big chain pet stores, they don't usually do ethical breeding and advertise not safe homes for the little guys. And the teenage employees don't know what the proper care for the animals are, they are trained to sell as much product to you. disregarding the basic needs of the animal.
Its truly sad

 

[Maz]

The floorspace and one shelf as a level gives her somewhere else to go but the height is a safety issue unfortunately. They do better exploring outwards and downwards (digging) than upwards!. If the cage was lower it would not be a bad sized cage for the average syrian hamster. But a bit on the small size for an active female syrian! In theory it would be nice for her to run up and down ladders to different levels but there have been so many accidents and injuries with tall cages.

If you have time to a bit of diy on it, you could actually make a "full level" to go about half way up - ie a whole floor of plyboard with just a gap in one corner for an access level up from the floor. Even then you need a small shelf over the gap in the second level or they can fall from the roof down the gap.

Sorry for instructions lol! We've had to solve some of these issues and found things that work!

 

[Maz]

Honestly though she could have a lovely time at floor level with lots of deep bedding and a wheel and house and one shelf to sit under and climb onto and a few tunnels etc as floor toys. My Syrian free roams round the living room at night (after I hamsterproofed the room) and he isn't the slightest bit interested in climbing things - except at low level - eg clambering over shoes etc. But if there is something to climb, they will climb it and then just drop.

 

[Maz]

It's difficult to tell from the photo, but how tall is the cage exactly? It might not be quite as tall as it looks and the 12" of bedding might solve most of it - with the top shelf removed.

 

[JaysBeans]

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".

to the photo in here, i would personally cover the walls up to the 2nd platform with cardboard and also remove the first platform then add bedding up to the top of the cardboard

 

[JaysBeans]

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".

something like this is what i would do
white= bedding
brown= cardboard

 

[AnimalAddict]

The floorspace and one shelf as a level gives her somewhere else to go but the height is a safety issue unfortunately. They do better exploring outwards and downwards (digging) than upwards!. If the cage was lower it would not be a bad sized cage for the average syrian hamster. But a bit on the small size for an active female syrian! In theory it would be nice for her to run up and down ladders to different levels but there have been so many accidents and injuries with tall cages.

If you have time to a bit of diy on it, you could actually make a "full level" to go about half way up - ie a whole floor of plyboard with just a gap in one corner for an access level up from the floor. Even then you need a small shelf over the gap in the second level or they can fall from the roof down the gap.

Sorry for instructions lol! We've had to solve some of these issues and found things that work!

PLEASE DO NOT APOLOGIZE - I was sincere with my appreciation for your tips and guidance!

 

[AnimalAddict]

It's difficult to tell from the photo, but how tall is the cage exactly? It might not be quite as tall as it looks and the 12" of bedding might solve most of it - with the top shelf removed.

Will measure again - I did originally but forgot.

 

[AnimalAddict]

to the photo in here, i would personally cover the walls up to the 2nd platform with cardboard and also remove the first platform then add bedding up to the top of the cardboard

How do we use a wheel, litter bin, food dish, etc. when there is such deep bedding?????