Our poor hero Neko must have been feeling hungry from all that exercising …

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View the previous issues here.

Neko’s wacky idea of table tennis has landed him in trouble … again.

I don’t blame Neko for his confusion though … since the table tennis table seems the right size for him to play tennis.

By the way, congratulations to Singapore’s table tennis team for clinching her first Olympic medal in 48 years!!

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View the previous issues here.

Hamster Hideout is pleased to present the winner of Jul 08’s ‘Hamster of the Month‘ award, Cricket!

Entries:16 |Votes: 12 out of 53

Here’s the exclusive interview!

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1) Congratulations, Cricket for being voted Hamster of the Month (July)! The competition was intense this month!! How are you feeling now?
I am feeling very exhilarated and thankful! It was a tight race, and I only won by a hamster’s tail!

Cricket - July’s Ham-star!

Tell me more about how you became LunarFlame’s pet.
Well, I had been sleeping in my cage one day, all by myself, when I heard some voices. I got a bit excited that it may be my brothers and sisters returning, but instead, I saw three humans and then, the roof of my home was removed. A hairless paw slowly made its way into my cage and I must admit, it was love at first sniff. I promptly hopped into this paw, as it was warm, and smelled lovely. Then next thing I knew though, I was put into some kind of dark box. I had thought I had been tricked, but within a few minutes, I was released into a large bin that looked like a hamster mansion!

What kind of bond/friendship do you share with LunarFlame? And how would you describe your personality?

Lunar and I are best buddies, although she can also take on the role of my manager, per se. She works hard at managing the Ham-Cam. As for my personality, I would say that I have a rough exterior, but inside, I’m a big creampuff! Many people make the mistake of assuming I bite, because I am a dwarf hamster, but I actually love humans. Humans have treated me well since birth, I have no reason to bite them. I’d much rather nibble on the sunflower seeds that they have to offer me. When it is hot, I don’t like to exercise, which worries Lunar sometimes because she doesn’t want me to get fat. I have no issue with being chubby though.

What do your home look like?

As I mentioned above, my home is a mansion! Lunar spoils me. My home consists of two large bins, connected by tubes. I have an upstairs and a downstairs. Lunar likes to co-ordinate the colors, so I have a pink level and a purple level. I have heard her speak of changing one of the levels to be more “masculine,” but I really don’t mind the pink and purple. I am just happy to have such a wonderful home with lots of toys.

What are your favourite activities?
Wow, where do I begin? Sleep would have to be my number one activity. I also really enjoy the company of Lunar though. I look forward to be held, and will always jump right into her hand if given the opportunity. I also love playing in my playpen. When I’m in my cage though, I star on the Ham-Cam (http://lunarflame.camstreams.com). How many hamsters have the opportunity to be famous? It’s like Big Brother- Hamster Style!

Let me ask you something which all humans are curious about - Do hamsters dream? Have you ever had a sweet dream (of sunflower seeds and stuff?)
I often dream of a land that resembles a big food dish. I love food. Seeds, nuts, greens, and of course, things that I am not supposed to have, like carrots and berries! When I don’t dream of food (which is rarely), I dream of my brothers and sisters. I often wonder how they are and where they live.

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Credits: HH Designer Cloudpuff for making the award certificate

See past and present winners, at the HH Hall of Fame

Psst … Want to win? Check out the current contests at the forum

After the past failures, Neko thinks he finally figures out that he can’t bring ’special equipment’ to the events.  But does he truly understand the rules?

I wonder how many hurdles Neko need to clear before he wins something (if ever)?

Please cheer our hero Neko as he takes part in more events through out the entire Olympic period (go, go Neko!)

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View the previous issues here.

Our determined little hero is now back on his paws to participate in another event. He enlisted his friend from the future to help him …

Neko, do you feel no pain, have no emotions and will stop at nothing to accomplish your mission of Olympic gold?

Will our hero ever give up? We don’t think so … stay tuned to find out which event Neko is participating next …

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View the previous issues here.

Poor Neko … after his dream of winning an Olympic Gold was dashed in the swimming event two days ago, he is now pitted against the most powerful opponent in round one of the fencing competition …

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View the previous issues here.

This is the first day of Neko’s Olympics aspirations. Neko has brought along his “special weapon” to the event and he is feeling confident about winning…

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View the previous issues here.

Neko, the star of Hamster Hideout’s “The Misadventures of Neko” comics series, is back in action, and at Beijing, no less!

Join Neko chan as he gets soaked in the Olympics fever to pursue his Olympics aspirations at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics.

What sports events will Neko take part in? Will Neko make history by becoming the first hamster to win an Olympics medal?

Stay tuned … and do cheer for our little hero!

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View the previous issues here.

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*

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