Hamster set ups

When I had hamsters I always found that the best cages were those rubbermaid type containers that you have in the top. They were easy to customize, easy to clean and easy/cheap to replace when needed. My hamsters always loved them and there were far less escapes! I love your set up

Oh they are SO cute!!! Great set up!

Nice....looks like a fun place for a hamster to live! Kudos to you for being game for cleaning all those cages. I'd take a litterbox over a cage (or a fish tank, for that matter) anyday!

Just a warning about those cages you have on the second shelf. I had one of those, and my hamster figured out how to escape. I think I had to tape the little compartment at the top shut, and tie the door shut at some point. Of course, my hamster was named Chaos for a reason.

Your hamsters are very lucky

Wow, that setup is awesome!!

There is no way there is enough circulation of air using rubbermaid containers. I would never recommend using them.

For the same reason why glass tanks are not suitable for rodents, plastic containers are not suitable either.
http://allaboutteddybearhamsters.blogspot.com/
http://www.hamster-club.com/housing.asp

Great set up!

We have a hamster named Dribble and I'm really considering setting him up in a rubbermaid cage

Looks like your hammies have a decent set up. While I will not debate cages, I can tell you that anyone that has ever raised rodents and kept them as pets will usually want to argue the tub/bin type cages.

More than a decade of keeping rats, I have learned quite a few things Hammies are a totally different thing and I am pleased to see you dont keep them in tanks.

My last 2 rats live lazily in a 2 level Ferret Nation cage.

I love rodents

I can honestly say that I am happy they don't. I have seen far to many rats crammed into fish tanks and its sickening. People already don't understand or simply do not want to.

Your hams look like they are well ventilated and happy.

I have had mice and hammies, but my heart belongs to rats In the last ten years I would guess I have had 40 or 50 come through my home for one reason or another. Most of them adoptions from a rat rescue, many horribly abused and neglected. Those short lifespans make it incredibly heartbreaking to keep them as pets.

I don't agree with keeping rats in tanks (Rats are not equal to hamsters or mice for that matter, their care are completely different, be it dietary and cage wise and to compare them really isn't right. Just because they are "rodents" dose not make them the same-neither is comparing hamsters to mice or let's say gerbils), but I (as an experienced owner) have kept hamsters in tanks with ventilated tops.

I also use bin cages with ventilated sides and tops for years with no problems.

Unfortuantly, a hamster (esp a dwarf) cannot go into a FN or CN, nor are ANY of the pet store options adequate, even with extensions. They are never large enough, clean enough, and more over, I am not paying $40 for a cage when I need to buy 10 of them to get the same space. If someone gave me viable solution, I would take it. There are precautions to take in bin/tank cages..such as where the tank is kept, what kind of bedding is used, ect.

And as cat owners, I would be wary of buying pet store cages with cats as they are way easier to break into or paw in.

And Minka, how is a bin cage any less ventilated then the crappy critter trails or other *ahem* PLASTIC cages? That is what I really don't get...most CT and others have plastic tubes, sides, and about 1/2 inch if not more of solid plastic on top and bottom and a solid roof. So you get bar siding. How is that any different than bin cage?

Again, I hear the argument against bin/tank cages with no viable options otherwise.

Elli, I have posted on HH but your cages look good I love Kodi.

We always used modified bin cages when showing rats. They were easy to travel with and super easy to clean.

I miss showing and I miss so many of those finky dinks

CT's are garbage and I cringe when I see them. We had a hammie named Velvet...she was something else LOL She hated me, but would jump right out in my daughters hand and play nice.

Rodents Rock!!!!

I just wanted to touch on the bin thing because I just came back to this thread - I must have missed it in my daily lurking before, lol.

I have never had a rodent (I had gerbils and hamsters) have any problems from being in a bin. In fact, I have had a TON of problems with them in the traditional pet store/wire cages.

What we did was get a big rubbermaid bin. The top was modified by cutting out the inside bit where it indents, melting it a bit so there were no sharp edges, attaching mesh across that part and then melting plastic over that so that there weren't any loose edges on the mesh and so that it was harder to escape. My dad always helped me with them when we needed to make them - it was always a fun project for us, even though he detested the rodents, lol. Next we took a drill and put holes about 1/2 inch apart (if I'm remembering correctly, it was a LONG time ago), there were 3 - 5 rows of those and everything was inspected daily to make sure they were not being chewed on. We never seemed to have a problem with that though. Hopefully that gives a good explanation of the set up we had. We would also drill larger holes the diameter of the plastic tubes you can get and add them to it so they could go to another bin. I wish I had pictures of it, I'll see if my mom does but I don't think so.

When I had guinea pigs I made a cage for them as well. We used those things you can get that snap together for bathroom storage to make the walls. The flooring was modified plastic dog cage bottoms that were cut and attached together, or a large section of tile. Clean up was super easy with that, we just removed part of the wall and swept it. They had about 10 sq feet for a cage and loved it (there were two of them, Hermi (female) and Sirius (neutered male)). There was no top to that cage though, it was in my bedroom and the cats were never left in there unsupervised - even when they were in there they never showed any interest in the pigs.