Our last article compared the pros and cons of tanks vs. bins, now let’s take a look at the differences of plastic vs. wire housing…starting with plastic.

PROS:

• Protects against drafts
• Easy to see through
• Prevents bar chewing

CONS:

• Usually has poor ventilation
• Might be chewed up quickly
• Prone to crack over time
• Might be hot and stuffy inside

Plastic cages are probably one of the most popular/sold housing types available today. They are usually designed to be very colorful and eye appealing to both children and adults

There are many different types and styles, ranging from round to rectangular, and some are even made to be clear and in the shape of an “aquarium” tank, which can be a great thing if you want the look of a tank without the weight! However, the largest these are typically manufactured to be is in a 10 gallon size, so if you ever wish to expand, the only possible way is to insert long tubes through the lid or to perform modifications such as cutting a hole at the side of the unit and joining the tube through it. Some brands that are available in the UK (such as Savic, ZooZone, and FOP) make wonderful housing as they are quite roomy and allow for an 8 inch wheel, if needed, but again they might be difficult to add on to, should you wish to expand.

With a plastic cage (I happen to use the Habitrail OVO line as an add-on), I love the fact I can blast the fan or a.c. in my room without worrying about it blowing directly on my hams and they can stay toasty warm in their little dens. However, this also means I need to control the temperature more closely to avoid it getting hot & stuffy on summer days. The ventilation in most plastic cages that are on the market today can also be very poor, if you use these as a sole habitat, so if you choose to use plastic, be sure to clean it out often to avoid ammonia fume buildup inside. Just because you can’t smell it doesn’t mean it isn’t there. Perhaps you can consider attaching a wire cage for better airflow so your hamster can have the best of both worlds! Oh yeah, wire cages….let’s look at those now:

PROS:

• Allows proper ventilation and air flow
• Gives opportunities for climbing
• Allows for better interaction with your hamster
• Gives your hamster a chance to smell and see his surroundings

CONS:

• A bad choice for hamsters who are impulsive bar chewers
• Bedding & droppings do not stay inside without a deep base
• Hard to take photos through the bars
• Not ideal for drafty environments
• Hard to add on with no pre-cut tube holes

With wire cages, you need not worry about them getting as stuffy or stinky like a plastic housing unit, but of course they still need dilligent cleaning, like any cage. There are some models on the market today which are made for easy disassembly where you can slide out a bottom tray or lift the top wire part off and clean the base out. Try to find a cage with a deep enough base to allow for ample shavings for your hamster’s burrowing pleasure, but also so the bedding isn’t kicked out and ends up on your nicely-vacuumed carpet! Also take care, when cleaning the metal parts, that water and other solvents are wiped and dried off completely to avoid rusting the bars.
The main drawbacks of a wire cage is that 99% of them do not have precut holes to connect tubes for expansion. Unless you get one big enough to start, such as the Jack 72 resort, it will be frustrating to add-on to these. Another thing to keep in mind, if you are a budding photographer, is that the wire bars make a great “prison cell” effect for your photos, but after about 3 shots, they will start becoming annoying and you’ll wish you had a better view of your furry critter!
Overall, Wire cages are a great choice if your ham is a little monkey who loves to climb and you live in a warmer climate, but keep in mind what was said about bar chewing……*nom nom nom*

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Hold your breath, for I am willing to vouch with my hamsters’ weekly allowance of sunflower seeds (sorry, Neko and Nikole! ) that the cage set up you’re going to see will be one-of-its-kind and one of the most unique you have ever seen.

Ready? Here you gooooo!

Are you impressed? Did you go ‘woah!’ like I did when I first saw this photo?

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This is the genius of HH member Flea, from Germany. In the words of HoppingHammy, “You people in Germany are so creative and always have the nicest, most natural looking cages.” Here’s the exclusive interview with Flea.

HH (Hamster Hideout): What gives you the inspiration for such a creative set up?
Flea: I got most of my ideas from a German hamster forum and adapted it to my conditions.

HH: What are the dimensions of the Ikea bookshelf?
Flea: The dimensions of the ‘Expedit’ bookshelf are 149 x 39 x 149 cm

HH: What are the dimensions of each ‘level’?

Flea: Every Hamster lives in one floor (5 floors in total) and each has an area of 139 x 39 cm

HH: How do you wash the ‘cage’? And what is the average cleaning time?
Flea: I remove the bedding with a shovel and then wipe everything out with a wet cloth. Due to the big doors it’s quite easy. I take about 20 minutes to clean each level.

HH: How long have you been using this set up?
Flea: I build the entire set up in February 08. For the furniture, I change one thing in the cages about every two weeks to avoid my hamsters from getting bored.

HH: What are some of the pros and cons of using this set up?
Pros:
-A lot space. My hammies really enjoy running and digging through it!
-In my opinion it looks better than a cage
-It’s space-saving if you have more hamsters
-It was cheaper than to buy four tanks/aquariums in that size
-The big doors: I can reach everything in the cage easily and pick up my hammies everywhere
- I can observe my hams very well

Cons:
-It’s very heavy. If I want to move it, I’ll have to take it apart.

HH: What DIY works did you do to the cage?

Flea: I screwed on a back board made of laminated chipboard. On the front I screwed on a rail with a height of 10 cm to avoid bedding from falling out from the cage. At these rails, I fixed the doors with hinges. To make the doors, I’ve sawed the holes with a jig saw and fixed the mesh inside. For locking the doors, I screwed bars/lock bolts on the doors. I used an electric staple gun to attach the wire mesh onto the door. Then I glued a barrier on the floor for the wodent wheel area. At last I’ve sealed the grooves with silicone for aquariums (non-toxic) to avoid urine from infiltrating the chipboard.

HH: Did you make the wooden toys? They are beautiful!!

Flea: I made the houses myself using plywood. Unfortunately my hammies don’t use them. They sleep behind their wheel

HH: What are the parts that make up your entire set up & estimated costs?

-Expedit Bookshelf 40 € (used/ second-hand)
-Chipboard 35 €
-Screws, hinges and locks abt. 50 €
-Mesh 0 € (got it as a present )
-Edge bander 6 €
-Silicone 6 €
-Varnish (to paint the hinges white) 5 €

Entire cost for the hamster home abt. 142€
Excluding: Wodent Wheels and ‘furniture’ costing about. 80 € (I had a lot at home. The running wheels are the most expensive.)

(Note: The currency is in Euro €)

HH: Thanks a bunch for doing this interview!
Flea: Thank you as well for your interest in my hamster’s home!

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Related Links::

Read the previous issues here.

Proud of your hamster’s cage?

You can submit your hamster homes photos via HH Forum or Flickr

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Rated suitable for the general audience, although I’m sure it’s bound to incite screams of “Omg, that’s so mean!” (which I totally agree is cruel and mean).

Anyway, I think the elevator is operated by hand since it seems to know when to wait for the hamster and when to rise. Poor hamster, I hope he/she is not hurt in the process.

I think it would be pretty cool if it’s a real working elevator and that it stops right outside the doorway instead of leaving a huge gap (on purpose, in this case) in between.

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