hellpppp desperate helpp

[babanana]

i bought a 2 month old male syrian and he currently lives in a habitat 2 enclosure, i said it was too small for him (and all the other cages at our local pets at home were unsuitable for any hamster too) but my siblings said "it says its suitable for 2 dwarf hamsters and 1/2mouse (cant remember) so its big enough for him anyways!!" I wanted to say how it doesnt work like that but i didnt want to spark an argument right there and then because my brain literally acts like they own me.


i contacted an ebay seller to buy a savic plaza 100 for £47.50 , as i was discussing on where we would meet to pick up his cage, i realized the seller was 2 HOURS away from me(so i would have to go 4 hours to pick up a heavy cage), ok fine so i asked whether they could deliver it and i was willing to cover standard delivery cost. After writing that message the seller stopped responding and i desperately need to get him out of that small cage (I was planning on moving him today) , Im wondering whether i should buy the Griege Luxe 3 on Amazon or wait for the seller to respond but im quite skeptical they wont respond???ack?? i dont want to waste the sellers time and upset them so i need advice on what to do here.

 

[Maz]

Hi there. Try not to panic. The Habitat 2 is small at 70cm x 47cm but it's not as small as some, and a baby hamster will be ok in there in the short term until you find something suitable. The main thing is make sure he has plenty of cosy bedding in there, and enrichment and a suitable sized wheel and somewhere dark to hide/sleep. It has a shelf in so he will probably make a nest under the shelf where it's darker.

Ebay sellers won't usually deliver cages a distance or even post them as it's not worth the cost and effort to them. So I would just get your hamster settled in and cosy while looking for something else. Is he bar biting at all? If not then he's probably just settling in.

How long have you had him? They need 10 days to 2 weeks to adjust to a cage and new environment anyway and are best left alone during that time without any upheavals or changes as baby hamsters can get scared quite easily. Although adding something is usually accepted as long as you don't take things away or move things round. You can just talk to him gently through the bars so he gets familiar with your presence and scent and voice, and if you see him, maybe offer him the odd treat (like a pumpkin seed) through the bars.

Don't clean anything out for the first week - and after that just spot clean where he has pee'd - in a small cage like that, he will probably just pee in a corner of the cage, which makes it really easy - then you just take out a handful of wet smelly substrate and add a new handful. Don't take out his nest or any hoard. Just leave him to make it into his home and scent mark everything so he feels secure.

The worst thing for them is stress, and change, when they are babies. And at 2 months old he is still a baby and not fully grown. Many male syrians are also quite shy. Not all though.

Even when you do find a new cage, moving them is a big deal - they have to go through the change/settling in process all over again. And there are ways to do it to avoid stress for him, so don't move him cold turkey. When you find a new cage, we can advise on the best way to move him over.

So calm You have time to find a better solution. I would keep checking ebay for second hand Savic Plaza cages - there may be one come up near you. But if traveling to collect them is going to be an issue, it would be easier to buy a new one online and have it delivered.

I've added our list of recommended hamster cages so you can see what's available.

And by the way - I would phone Pets at Home and say you would like a refund for the Habitat 2. Say it's too small for your hamster. Quite a few people have done this and obtained a refund. If you phone you can say you'll bring it back once you've got the replacement cage. Do you still have the receipt? That would help towards the cost of a new cage.

Hamster Cages 2026

Here is a list of suitable cages available for hamsters in 2026. Whether you prefer tank style or barred cages, front access or top access, there is, thankfully, plenty of choice in the Uk and Europe. Choice in the US is mainly tanks and tank style or diy. Both tank style and barred cages...

www.thehamsterforum.com

 

[babanana]

Hi there. Try not to panic. The Habitat 2 is small at 70cm x 47cm but it's not as small as some, and a baby hamster will be ok in there in the short term until you find something suitable. The main thing is make sure he has plenty of cosy bedding in there, and enrichment and a suitable sized wheel and somewhere dark to hide/sleep. It has a shelf in so he will probably make a nest under the shelf where it's darker.

Ebay sellers won't usually deliver cages a distance or even post them as it's not worth the cost and effort to them. So I would just get your hamster settled in and cosy while looking for something else. Is he bar biting at all? If not then he's probably just settling in.

How long have you had him? They need 10 days to 2 weeks to adjust to a cage and new environment anyway and are best left alone during that time without any upheavals or changes as baby hamsters can get scared quite easily. Although adding something is usually accepted as long as you don't take things away or move things round. You can just talk to him gently through the bars so he gets familiar with your presence and scent and voice, and if you see him, maybe offer him the odd treat (like a pumpkin seed) through the bars.

Don't clean anything out for the first week - and after that just spot clean where he has pee'd - in a small cage like that, he will probably just pee in a corner of the cage, which makes it really easy - then you just take out a handful of wet smelly substrate and add a new handful. Don't take out his nest or any hoard. Just leave him to make it into his home and scent mark everything so he feels secure.

The worst thing for them is stress, and change, when they are babies. And at 2 months old he is still a baby and not fully grown. Many male syrians are also quite shy. Not all though.

Even when you do find a new cage, moving them is a big deal - they have to go through the change/settling in process all over again. And there are ways to do it to avoid stress for him, so don't move him cold turkey. When you find a new cage, we can advise on the best way to move him over.

So calm You have time to find a better solution. I would keep checking ebay for second hand Savic Plaza cages - there may be one come up near you. But if traveling to collect them is going to be an issue, it would be easier to buy a new one online and have it delivered.

I've added our list of recommended hamster cages so you can see what's available.

And by the way - I would phone Pets at Home and say you would like a refund for the Habitat 2. Say it's too small for your hamster. Quite a few people have done this and obtained a refund. If you phone you can say you'll bring it back once you've got the replacement cage. Do you still have the receipt? That would help towards the cost of a new cage.

Hamster Cages 2026

Here is a list of suitable cages available for hamsters in 2026. Whether you prefer tank style or barred cages, front access or top access, there is, thankfully, plenty of choice in the Uk and Europe. Choice in the US is mainly tanks and tank style or diy. Both tank style and barred cages...

www.thehamsterforum.com

ive had him eat treats from my hand, ive had him 2 weeks aswell. ive found the griege luxe 3 on amazon for 70 , im just unsure on when to move him in?? and yes ive seen bar biting twice. And i dont have the receipt

 

[Maz]

I hadn't seen that cage before The Griege Luxe 3 - it looks fine. It's a good size at 100 x 50 x 50 and it has a large front opening door. It looks like it will need the top part assembling. But yes that looks like a good buy for £69.99 When you get it, you can maybe review it for us.

Like most barred cages, the cage base isn't that deep for deeper bedding, but you could put cardboard inside the bars so you can have deeper bedding, at least at one end, and so the bedding doesn't fall out.