The Mewoofun...Hamster cage ..... For cat owners ??

[oddvon]

Hi. Maz asked if I can add this here...so here goes

As a cat owner I was looking for a solid walled cage.... I can vouch for it being a good choice in that specific regard ...as having no open exposed bars means Hammy's paws are safe...so I can relax with them both in the same room .... my cat doesn't seem to pay it much attention..... but the downside is that this cage is something you place in a fixed situation and work round it... like an aquarium..... you go to it to clean it out... it doesn't offer the convenience of a light weight plastic/ bars type cage that can be split apart and hosed down in the bath....etc...once built... I wouldn't want to move it around much.....I think the joints would get stressed and fail fairly quickly.

So would buy it again..?? as a cat owner.... yes...... but If I didnt have a cat... I would look for something different....

So ordering on Amazon ... it cost £130.00 plus £4.99 delivery and that took about a week... its full sized... 100cm x 50cm x 50cm... In my book thats expensive....
It is assembled without tools....the sides clip together and are held in place by thick silicone bands.... sounds odd but it works...
Anyone with hand strength issues or just not into Ikea type assembly might want to ask for help.... its hard to say...but I put it together myself in about 20 mins.


The front and sides are perspex with an outer MDF type wood bracing ... which frames and supports the cage... the back panel is solid MDF type ...not perspex lined... but as its a flat surface I don't think a hamster could get an edge to start gnawing on....so I think It will be ok. ( I will edit this if that isn't the case long term )

The perspex sides both have about a dozen holes drilled high up and the top lift up lid has good ventilation.

Because the height of it is 50cm..... Ive got it on a fairly low level side board ( 60cm) because any higher would make it difficult to reach over and in to clean
( Im about 5ft 6 )... so this is a restriction that makes it more difficult to place than other cages.

I lined the inside base with a large plastic seed tray in case of water spillage...
(but in hindsight that wasn't necessary.... certainly not with regular spot cleaning... so I could have saved myself that extra cost )

 

[RainbowBrite]

Thank you for this review. It was really helpful and interesting.

 

[Maz]

It's a great review, thank you. It'll be very helpful to anyone else thinking of getting one. Nice to see little Buddy in the photo These things take some working out don't they? Like the right height item to stand something on so you can reach in the top easily. Hopefully it will last a long time. I have a wood playpen that slots together in a similar fashion and always wondered if the slot in bits would snap off with it being taken up and down so much, but had it a good 7 years now. One bit did snap off recently, but it still all holds together with the other bits.

 

[Maz]

Was it fairly easy to assemble? And is the front panel all one piece with the perspex in? Buddy is a lucky boy Yes cages have all got really expensive now. There isn't much under about £80!

 

[oddvon]

Hi Maz... firstly yep... its expensive... but Im retired so its that rainy day I saved for a kinda second childhood...and how I would have loved to have provided for my first love Fidget..but as a skint kid from a skint family... this kinda lifestyle would have been impossible.... so yep were both very lucky ..

..So it flat packs and there are 3 separate perspex panels ..2 shorter side panels and 1 full length front panel...

you clip the base and back pieces together ....like a jigsaw..and secure the joints with the silicone bands..and as they only just stretch they clip the joints tightly....

Then the trick bit is placing the perspex side panels match the back and floor clip points.... WHILST ALSO... aligning the M D F facia panels...which sandwich perspex / M D F / M D F ... then clip ... tricky !!

so for the sides thats about 3 pieces to jiggle ..hold... clip....and if one moves .. none can fit...

you do both sides.... eventually !!.... then the front perspex panel clips to the sides ... but again you must align the front M D F facia as the last and most front facing piece ...have it all perfectly aligned left and right front.... .. then pop on the bands....... I hope that makes it clear

The lid just bolts into place easily enough... the instructions are simple to follow... and they do provide the mini bolt tightener.. ( I forgot to mention that in the original post ) ... but you need to have the whole unit about 3 inches away from the back wall so that the lid can hinge open and rest against the wall.... without the chance of dropping down.... that kinda crash sound would severely shock a hammy I think so I never leave it open if he's in there .... ( wouldn't with my Cat ...in the room potentially ... her name is SPARX by the way ). .. and to anyone here please feel free to ask any questions .... coffee time now

 

[Maz]

Thank you Love Buddy's name on the front.

 

[oddvon]

The art work is by little girl who originally had him... and who is family.... so she comes to see him....and she loves him... it just wasn't the right time/ situation for her...

its a win win win for all 3 of us ... but this explains my stress regarding his weight.... I just want him " safely here " like 120 grammes would make me feel safer about him... I cant screw this up !!! not on my watch

 

[Maz]

That must be a pressure yes! But try not to worry. He seems perfectly active and healthy and will probably flourish in your care Was he in quite a small cage before? He maybe just wasn't thriving and has chance now. Either that or he'll stay a very small hamster.

When Raffy came to me I was just told he had been a child's pet but "it didn't work out". It took a long time for him to settle and he was a biter! He had this kind of mixed personality. He was very friendly with voices and perked up when someone talked to him in a baby voice - I suspect he had got used to the child's voice and kind of missed them. But he was also scared of hands. So maybe he had been squeezed before or something. Took me two months to get him used to hands without trying to bite! He is still a small hamster but a better weight. And still really perky and friendly.

It's early days and he will adjust to you and his new environment and with a good diet I'm sure he'll fill out and grow a bit

 

[Maz]

Looking forward to hearing more about Buddy You could start a thread for him if you like. It's like a hamster's personal thread for their updates and antics

Syrian Hamsters

www.thehamsterforum.com

 

[oddvon]

I forgot to add to the review ... that you MUST PEEL. a plastic wrap off the perspex BEFORE USE...its in the instructions to do so.... and a s a final note...... looking at the price of the most similar type cages in Maz's excellent article on here somewhere ........ its really not badly priced at all..... I was shocked at the price of the most similar types of cage ..... and I wouldn't pay more for those with the Mewoofun being available . xx Von

 

[Maz]

Thanks The perspex panels for cages are like that too, with film both sides that needs peeling off and sometimes it's hard to find a corner or edge on those.

I'm shocked at all cage prices these days. Hardly anything under £100 and most tank style enclosures over £200 so yes the Mewoofun is much more reasonable and about the cost of a diy cage possibly. Some of those can cost about £100 with materials. There are second hand cages available though but never seem to be any in my area!

 

[hamsterluvr63]

I love it! with my families cats my hamster would be super safe! perfect for a robo.