Is this hideout safe?

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Beccabbode

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Hi! I am new to hamster care, my daughter has been wanting to get a Syrian hamster for a while now. She has been saving up and we have been slowly collecting things for the hamster throughout the last few weeks. We have been watching YouTube videos to make sure we are getting everything right before getting her hamster. She went with her dad today to get a hideout and she came back with one I haven't seen on YouTube before. It is the petSmart brand "Full Cheeks" firwood house hideout for chinchillas. My daughter loved how big it was, thinking it would be safest for a larger hamster. However we do not know if the wood will be okay. Does anyone have experience with this hideaway? Is it safe? Should we exchange it for something safer? Any advice? Thanks!
 

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Hi & welcome to the forum.

It’s hard to know if that wood is safe or not if it doesn’t specify on the packaging what it is.
That style of house can often have tiny little tacks in them which can be hard to find but are dangerous if they get exposed as they are very sharp.
Also ideally you want something you can paint with a non toxic paint on the inside so that it’s pee proof easy to clean when necessary & won’t get mouldy.
So I would say best not to use that one.
A multi chamber house is best but I’m not sure what’s available in the US, you may be more likely to find something suitable online rather than in a pet shop.
I’m sure someone will be along soon who knows more about what’s available where you are.
 
It is a sweet little house. Don't worry, it won't go to waste. You can use it for the play pen under supervision in due course. The chinchilla forum was worried about the glue used on it. Best to wait until you know whether your hammy is a chewer before using it. I made a cardboard house for Socks and he loved it. We upgraded to a more expensive Happy Henry house later, but he was always very content with his cardboard house and treated it with great respect.
The thing a lot of You Tube videos don't prepare hamster owners for, particularly Syrian hamsters, is that they can be rather nocturnal and aren't always out when you are up and about. The parent is often more likely to see them than the child and should be fully involved in cleaning and play penning. They don't live long and some die unexpectedly so checking they are healthy, not coughing or having diarrhoea is important. You are doingvghe right thing though and you and your daughter ate obviously giving the matter of keeping a pet a great deal of preparation and responsibility. Welcome to the forum. I would visit a branch of the ASPCA and speak to them, they will give excellent advice and might have pets available for you. Keep in touch, it is a very exciting time for your family. My pet gives me a great deal of pleasure and I have learned so much from keeping him
 
Sorry for the spelling errors
 
I forgot to link to this, an article on houses

www.thehamsterforum.com

Houses, multiroom houses and nesting boxes for Hamsters

How to choose the best house or nesting box for your Hamster. The best houses have multiple rooms for nesting, hoarding and for a litter tray. This mimics a Hamster's burrow and they can have normal behaviours and enjoy a dark, safe and cosy...
www.thehamsterforum.com www.thehamsterforum.com
 
I think that house is very likely to contain sharp nails unfortunately. The ones with dark bark often do, and that particular house is unlikely to be made only with glue due to its design. I don't buy those types of house anymore for that reason. One of my gerbils once injured her mouth and could only eat soft foods for a couple of days, and I strongly suspect it was from chewing a house with a sharp nail sticking out of it.

For playpen use, under supervision, it should be fine.
 
This is the sort of thing most of us use, I haven’t had a thorough look to see what’s available but Niteangel are generally good quality & either of the large houses would be suitable for a Syrian.

 
Hello and welcome to the forum. It is so lovely to hear you are researching and buying everything before you get your hamster. Just to let you know, check out rescues as there are so many hamsters out there who are in need of a loving home.

Niteangel is a favourite brand of mine and I highly recommend their wheels. :)
 
Hello and welcome. I agree with the others that it would be fine for a playpen but not in a cage due to nails and glue. Regarding the Niteangel multiroom houses Elusive linked - while they look similar to others I wouldn't recommend the Syrian one. There is an issue with the roof and there have unfortunately been accidents with hamsters dying due to pushing up the roof and it falling on them as they climbed out. It may be a minority but the roof is an issue. I got the dwarf version of it before I knew about this and was slightly concerned about that, but managed to make sure the roof was wedged securely. I don't know what wood it's made of but the roof is very heavy and not secured at all really. It's a big design fault. Unlike most multiroom houses which are lighter wood or have secure lids/roofs.

A multiroom house is a good house for a hamster though and I'm not sure what alternatives there are in the US. I'll check.
 
I can't see much else Syrian sized on amazon, but there is this 3 room house. Also Niteangel but the roof isn't so large so not the same issue.


It would need to be on legs/stilts to support it as hamsters dig underneath them. Niteangel sell legs for them or you can just glue thin dowels on as legs.
 
I love Etsy for hamster supplies. This seller in the US has lovely things. :)

www.etsy.com

FatPotatCreations - Etsy UK

Shop Handmade & Custom Small Animal Products by FatPotatCreations located in Maryland, United States. Smooth dispatch! Has a history of dispatching on time with tracking. Speedy replies! Has a history of replying to messages quickly. Rave reviews! Average review rating is 4.8 or higher
www.etsy.com www.etsy.com
 
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