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Questions about current enclosure set up

Whimsical Girl

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Currently I have a DIY bin enclosure for my lil hammy unfortunately I believe he needs more floor space according to the size for cage forum. He's currently in a Sterlite bin with the lid, the lid has been altered for air flow we used chicken wire and zip ties and cut a large square in the middle and attached everything but he needs a bigger space is there any other enclosure suggestions or even better a way to connect the bins together safely, I don't want him to get hurt or anything. The bin we used for his enclosure is down below 1000018705.webp

1000018702.webp
 
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I can’t help you with the diy cages, but it doesn’t look that small. Do you have a foto of the setup?
 
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Hello it looks to be 116 quart 33" x 20". A better size would be at least a Sterilite 160 quart or 200 quart :-) A number of people in the US use those sizes for bin cages. @ilguy on here knows more about it. I think Homemart sells them. Is it a Syrian or a dwarf hamster you have?
 
Hello it looks to be 116 quart 33" x 20". A better size would be at least a Sterilite 160 quart or 200 quart :-) A number of people in the US use those sizes for bin cages. @ilguy on here knows more about it. I think Homemart sells them. Is it a Syrian or a dwarf hamster you have?
I have a Syrian hamster but he was labeled as Teddy bear when I got him, thank you for your input I appreciate it. I am also from Canada but I'll check if they sell em here.
 
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It's not a bad size - it's slightly bigger than the old 80 x 50 minimum size, although bins slope quite a bit towards the bottom so that would be maximum size. It looks very nice for him - lots of bedding to dig in. Maybe a bit more cover like a platform at one end (to sit under and climb on) and a few sprays would help add some more enrichment. Natural forage and cover. And you can use cardboard items too - a cardboard shoebox hide makes a nice big dark hide for them and they love the space that's dark inside. You just cut the base out of a shoebox, so it's open underneath, keep the lid as a lift off roof, and cut a hole for a door - ideally near one end of one of the long sides (it means the other end is darker as light doesn't go round corners). You could even fit a corner litter tray inside at the back at the door end and he would probably use it1 They seem to like an ensuite toilet :-) You just put sand in the litter tray. Then you can empty it every few days by lifting the roof off the house. Keeps the substrate clean and dry and stressful cleanouts needed less often (and less spot cleaning). Unless he is contrary and decides to pee somewhere else! But they usually do use a litter tray inside a large house if they decide to sleep in it.

I think for a Syrian, if you can get a 200 quart sterilite bin it would be perfect for him. Then you can fit some larger enrichment items in for him and he'll have more space to roam at night :-) I'm aware some things are hard to find in Canada! I believe in the US they're available from Homemart - do you have one of those?

Edit Walmart in Canada seems to sell them - I can't link it as I'm in the Uk and can't seem to open US Walmart pages sometimes! Amazon.ca also seems to have a listing for them but they might only sell them in three's rather than singly - which wouldn't help much!
 
This place sells them singly $26.99. I'm not sure if it's in Canada or not but maybe they ship to Canada?


The Sterilitie website only lists Walmart as a stockist and shows them as out of stock. Some people use the sterilite Christmas tree bin which is about 189 litres. That is quite large/long. The lid would be harder to mesh as well. I think the 200 quart bin is better because it's wider/deeper, but it's a possibility. This place in Canada sells it but I can't get the page to display properly. Maybe it will for you.

 
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It's not a bad size - it's slightly bigger than the old 80 x 50 minimum size, although bins slope quite a bit towards the bottom so that would be maximum size. It looks very nice for him - lots of bedding to dig in. Maybe a bit more cover like a platform at one end (to sit under and climb on) and a few sprays would help add some more enrichment. Natural forage and cover. And you can use cardboard items too - a cardboard shoebox hide makes a nice big dark hide for them and they love the space that's dark inside. You just cut the base out of a shoebox, so it's open underneath, keep the lid as a lift off roof, and cut a hole for a door - ideally near one end of one of the long sides (it means the other end is darker as light doesn't go round corners). You could even fit a corner litter tray inside at the back at the door end and he would probably use it1 They seem to like an ensuite toilet :-) You just put sand in the litter tray. Then you can empty it every few days by lifting the roof off the house. Keeps the substrate clean and dry and stressful cleanouts needed less often (and less spot cleaning). Unless he is contrary and decides to pee somewhere else! But they usually do use a litter tray inside a large house if they decide to sleep in it.

I think for a Syrian, if you can get a 200 quart sterilite bin it would be perfect for him. Then you can fit some larger enrichment items in for him and he'll have more space to roam at night :-) I'm aware some things are hard to find in Canada! I believe in the US they're available from Homemart - do you have one of those?

Edit Walmart in Canada seems to sell them - I can't link it as I'm in the Uk and can't seem to open US Walmart pages sometimes! Amazon.ca also seems to have a listing for them but they might only sell them in three's rather than singly - which wouldn't help much!
Thank you so much for the advice, quick question tho I've looked for sprays and foraging flowers but I never know if it's safe for him, and I don't wanna unintentionally accidentally make him sick or anything.
 
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Thank you so much for the advice, quick question tho I've looked for sprays and foraging flowers but I never know if it's safe for him, and I don't wanna unintentionally accidentally make him sick or anything.
Yes that's always a worry :-) Niteangel do a selection on Amazon but they can be quite expensive. Safe ones are millet, sorghum, flax, amongst others, and you might be able to find those individually in various places.

Sprays are not essential but they can add enrichment for the hamster. Some syrians don't even eat them or ignore them, but they seem to quite like them being there as a kind of "cover" - they don't like being too exposed in open spaces.

These are the Niteangel ones - but as I say they are a bit expensive - about the same cost as the sterilite bin!

Niteangel sprays

I'm not familiar with other places you could get them in Canada. But yes they would need to be sold as pet safe so there are no chemicals etc.
 
Yes that's always a worry :-) Niteangel do a selection on Amazon but they can be quite expensive. Safe ones are millet, sorghum, flax, amongst others, and you might be able to find those individually in various places.

Sprays are not essential but they can add enrichment for the hamster. Some syrians don't even eat them or ignore them, but they seem to quite like them being there as a kind of "cover" - they don't like being too exposed in open spaces.

These are the Niteangel ones - but as I say they are a bit expensive - about the same cost as the sterilite bin!

Niteangel sprays

I'm not familiar with other places you could get them in Canada. But yes they would need to be sold as pet safe so there are no chemicals etc.
Thank you
 
I'd just focus on his main layout first :-) And worry about that afterwards. As you made a bin cage are you up for some diy? It can be qjuite cheap to make a platform. Just a piece of wood and four dowels for legs, cut the length you want. Best way though is to drill a hole in the top of each corner of the wood and then drill a small starter hole in the top of each leg. Then screw through from the top down through the legs.
 
It's Home Depot @Maz ,they frequently have sales on industrial size totes. Menards is a good place too! For the sprays, it's a bit odd of a place but I've gotten flax sprays on Etsy in the past. Usually someone selling them on there
 
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