Can anyone reccomend a good cage?

[BexPetz]

I will be needing to split my hamsters into groups of possibly two three's.
Can anyone reccomend a good-sized, fairly-priced cage which isn't a tank or tub?
Thanks.

[Alex]

Savic Rody's are a good sized cage and i have found them to be an effective design for keeping robo's in .... check out the Robo homes idea's thread ... there are a few ideas on there that might give you some inspiration viewtopic.php?f=13&t=8

[BexPetz]

I have a savic rody for the Dad hamster, Mickey Max Dwarf hamster cage for the Mum, Savic Metro for the syrian, a 36 inch long tank for a pair of gerbils and another few wire cages which aren't suitable for roborovski's. Are crittertrails any good? Is there one for three?
The cage topic is really helpful, and I like the really big-plastic topped version of the savic rody.
Thanks.

[Tammy - Oak Farm]

Hiya Becky

It is great that you like the cage topic, but please reply to that topic if you are talking about that topic or cages in that topic

Crittertrail cages are not very good for robos really. If someone already had the cage and they were using just for a single robo, then it would have to do until that person could afford a better cage - but i would definately not recommend going out and buying one for a robo to live in. They are not suitable as they dont really have enough room for the hamster to run around around in.

They are definately not suitable for more than one robo as the different compartments can cause arguments if the hamsters get territorial over them.

Tammy x

[BexPetz]

Sorry, I was just mentioning it when I said about the Gabber Rex.
Savic generally make good cages, but are there any suitable for a group of robos? I'm not sure whether to keep them all together and hope they get on, so I'm looking for a large cage with a lot of potential.

[Alex]

Tanks are probably you're best option for space as they are so flexible as to what you want to do with them, you can build up levels etc or fill very deep with shavings to allow the robo's to dig.

I have founded that if you use hay and sawdust that when the hamsters make burrows they actually hold their shape and make really interesting tunnel systems.

[BexPetz]

I like the tanks with levels but they are too expensive and often small. I am considering a bin cage, but I'm not sure how I would support the back of the waterbottle or keep the wheel on. Can you tell me about setting up bin cages, please?

[Tammy - Oak Farm]

Hiya Becky

Most wheels which are suitable for robos come on their own stand - so they are free standing and can be placed anywhere in the cage.

The waterbottle can be tricky, but it might be possible to create a small hole in the side of the bin so that the water bottle spout can be pushed through from the outside. The bottle can then be attached to the outside of the bin by cellotape or by a piece of wire, but you probably need to make two tiny holes for the wire.

To create the holes there are a few different methods that different people use - my husband uses a drill to create holes in lids for me, so i am sure it could work well for the sides too, but just be careful that the actualy plastic isnt too cold, as the drill can cause the plastic to crack if the plastic is cold and brittle, but placing it near a radiator for a few minutes first should make it ok.


Another method that i know some people use is a soldering iron - we have also used something similar, a screw driver heater up and used to push holes through the plastic, this works just the same

Please, please, please ask your parents to do this for you though if you are planning to use any of the above methods! I find it difficult myelf - either my dad helps me, or my husband, and i am 24, lol, so it might be a little tricky as you are only 13! but please do ask your parents, i am sure they would be willing to help, as this method is much cheaper than going out and buying a new cage! Please be careful! and let us know how you get on

Tammy x

[BexPetz]

Ok. Thanks.
Could I put a shoebox in the bottom of the cage with some holes cut as doors? This would have a flat surface to support food and a wheel, but also be a good space-saving hiding place for them. I take it that cutting a hole big enough to fit a tunnel and expand the bin cage isn't a good idea if the drill is tricky? My parents aren't fantastic at D.I.Y...
I will look for a bin cage. Thanks. Bex.

[Tammy - Oak Farm]

Yes, i think a shoe box would work very well, but you would have to check it incase it got wet and collapsed - this would happen slowly though, so no danger to the robos - and it would probably need replacing once they have chewed it too much to stand properly, lol!

To be honest it wouldnt be a good idea to add tubes, as then you would have the same problem as you would have with rotostak and crittertrail cages - you would then have different compartments for them to fight over - and there would be no point choosing a bin cage, as the whole reason is to have one large cage with one level for them to be able to run around in.

Tammy x