335 replies to this topic

[HamsterLover246]

1. Some hamsters can thrive with 450 sq in
2. "Yogis" and other sugary snacks are fine in moderation
3. Colorful Setups can be just as enriching as naturalistic
4. Hamster care, while improving, is also becoming very judgmental and closed-minded
5. Platforms/substrates/driftwood don't make an enclosure "better"
6. Naturalistic enclosures are becoming more popular due to their aesthetic
7. As long as a hamster can properly burrow, there doesn't need to be a specific number of inches of bedding
8. If your ham doesn't chew it, occasional plastic toys are fine

My opinion about these
1. I agree, as long as you are willing to upgrade if necessary. Bigger is always better
2. Agree for Syrians
3. They can absolutely, but sprays etc, which are often found in naturalistic setups, can be very enriching, and replicate the wild.
4. It is. It can be necessary with really inappropriate care, but for a few inches of bedding depth or cage size it's unescessary.
5. Disagree. Won't be better like "my cage is better than yours" , but can make an enclosure more enriching, if you for example have your wheel on a platform, you can fit other things under. Different substrates is very enriching and great for the hamster to experience new things.
6. Yes. But a hamster can really enjoy many of the naturalistic things, like sprays, herbs, etc, that you likely won't find in a non naturalistic setup.
7. I think a minimum is necessary, because what is burrowing for you? Just the hamster being able to cover in bedding, or burrow tunnels that go up and down?
8. Agree. Just for a hideout to sleep in it isn't very good.

[♥️ MKmagnifico ♥️]

Hi!

I think enough has been said on both sides for whether Syrians require more space than dwarfs, so anything I say will probably just be repetitive. I do believe that while it’d be great for all hamsters to have huge cages, Syrians require large cages whereas for dwarfs, its more of a nice to have.

1. Some hamsters can thrive with 450 sq in
2. "Yogis" and other sugary snacks are fine in moderation
3. Colorful Setups can be just as enriching as naturalistic
4. Hamster care, while improving, is also becoming very judgmental and closed-minded 
5. Platforms/substrates/driftwood don't make an enclosure "better"
6. Naturalistic enclosures are becoming more popular due to their aesthetic
7. As long as a hamster can properly burrow, there doesn't need to be a specific number of inches of bedding
8. If your ham doesn't chew it, occasional plastic toys are fine

1. I don’t think that’s an unpopular opinion. Pretty much everyone here agrees with that
2. I disagree. Even if we say, ok, they’re fine, they don’t cause any harm, even then, what good do they do? There is little to no nutritional benefit, it is just lots of unnecessary sugar. There are so many healthy treats, from simply your ham’s seed mix to fresh and dried fruits and veggies. There are so many options so in my opinion, giving such snacks isn’t useful. It’s not benefiting your hamster.
3. This I do agree with. I understand both sides to be honest. Having a natural enclosure is closer to what a hamster would have in the wild which is why so many people support it, but there really isn’t much harm with colorful enclosures, and if you have enough going on in terms of enrichment, I don’t see anything wrong with it. I think the issue arises when everything is just plastic, there are no interesting textures, it’s just all plastic. But if you can avoid having an all plastic enclosure then the color doesn’t matter.
4. I think that is a very generalized statement, and I don’t think that’s fair to say. Everyone I know on here would never judge someone for a small cage. We strive for what’s best for the hamster but at the end of the day, each to their own, if they don’t want to do something, that’s their choice. We will always answer with what’s best for the hamster, that’s the point of the forum, but I don’t see see that much judgement, especially on this forum.
5. It adds texture, different places to go, explore, see, play with. If you could pick a room that you have to live in for the rest of your life that is practically empty, maybe just a bed, or a room with lots of different pieces of furniture, places to sit, places to do different activities, which would you rather live in. If it’s for the rest of my life, I’d rather have a bit more than just a bed
6. Yes, I agree. But I see that as a great thing! Naturalistic enclosures usually happen in much larger enclosures, they have lots of enrichment. I think if people strive for better hamster care, whether it’s for the aesthetic or not, it’s great!
7. Hmm, this one is a toughie. I think a hamster can burrow in a pretty shallow amount of bedding, but will the burrow be complex? Will it be a challenge? That is up to each person I think
8. Yes of course! I think there’s nothing wrong with plastic as long as it’s in moderation. The issue arises when there’s no other texture. When it becomes either bedding or plastic. Texture is important!

[Kikya]

I think the studies have shown that in 4 inches, hamsters barely burrow at all so a 6 inch min is probably good and can be achieved by even the smallest 450 inch cage. I can say from personal experience hammies looooove to borrow so the more you can personally give the better but don't feel bad if you can't give 3ft of bedding lol

I feel like, yogis while you can feed them, hamsters have such tiny stomachs and they love fresh veggies and fruits as much as a yogi so why not give them that? My hamsters will jump up for a tiny peice of carrot just as much lol plus it gives them access to water soluble vitamins at the same time. I don't feel like they really add much enrichment to a hamsters life and as their keeper, it's my job to make sure they have an enriching life.

I really like the platforms in my cages because they are functional as well as nice looking. My hamsters often burrows underneath them, and they allow me to put more bedding over all in the cage.

Omg my hammies love diving into coco peat and cork granules, I think they would be quite upset at me if I took them away lol I think of this as a nice to have but not a must. Sand is a must,like showering for us.

And I use cork logs to build little tunnels and paths for them. To also make them feel safe by putting them at their burrow entrance. They are good for chewing too!

I agree that hamster care has become like the helicopter moms in that every little thing that isn't perfect is judged. And I do think people need to think critically about what they do and why they do it and not just assume that people know what they are talking about or assume they don't. I think it would be best if you give advice on here to explain why you are giving that advice so people can learn instead of just repeating over and over the same talking points.

Kikya's .02

[HamsterLover246]

I think the studies have shown that in 4 inches, hamsters barely burrow at all so a 6 inch min is probably good and can be achieved by even the smallest 450 inch cage. I can say from personal experience hammies looooove to borrow so the more you can personally give the better but don't feel bad if you can't give 3ft of bedding lol

I feel like, yogis while you can feed them, hamsters have such tiny stomachs and they love fresh veggies and fruits as much as a yogi so why not give them that? My hamsters will jump up for a tiny peice of carrot just as much lol plus it gives them access to water soluble vitamins at the same time. I don't feel like they really add much enrichment to a hamsters life and as their keeper, it's my job to make sure they have an enriching life.

I really like the platforms in my cages because they are functional as well as nice looking. My hamsters often burrows underneath them, and they allow me to put more bedding over all in the cage.

Omg my hammies love diving into coco peat and cork granules, I think they would be quite upset at me if I took them away lol I think of this as a nice to have but not a must. Sand is a must,like showering for us.

And I use cork logs to build little tunnels and paths for them. To also make them feel safe by putting them at their burrow entrance. They are good for chewing too!

I agree that hamster care has become like the helicopter moms in that every little thing that isn't perfect is judged. And I do think people need to think critically about what they do and why they do it and not just assume that people know what they are talking about or assume they don't. I think it would be best if you give advice on here to explain why you are giving that advice so people can learn instead of just repeating over and over the same talking points.

Kikya's .02

Agree 200% with everything

[raviolithehamster]

Thanks for your responses everyone! While my personal care does not reflect all of my unpopular opinions, I do try to do my best in terms of hammy care.

1. Raviolis enclosure is 116 qt and he shows no signs of boredom although it is not too much larger than the 450 sq in minimum

2. As far as yogis go, I just mean that, even as humans, we enjoy a slice of cake or a cookie here and there. Healthy? Definitely not. But if I only had two years to live, you better believe I'm gonna wanna indulge on rare occasions

3. While Ravioli's wheel is the only plastic item, I do have a bendy bridge that is colorful. I definitely agree with natural materials such as wood, but I've never had an issue with colorful wood or chews being dangerous.

4. Ok so I'll explain this one. When we got Ravioli on July 10th, we made him a tiktok. (yes he already has more followers than me lol) and some people literally hated on me when I said he had 7 in of bedding bc they need at least 9. I can see his burrows and When I put more bedding, he didn't burrow any more than usual. As long as he is behaving in a way that mimics his instincts, he is fine. I also got criticized for having a 10 in wheel as opposed to 11 or 12. If his back arches I will upgrade but he shows no signs of discomfort as he is a smaller Syrian. Just things like that seem very nitpicky. Same with the colorful bendy bridge. People assume that the dyes are toxic without proof. 

5. Would I love to have Niteangel everything? Sure. Can I afford it right now? No, but I can still make sure I have a happy and healthy hamster with proper care. Personally, Ravioli barely touches the sprays he has. Not to mention that most sprays (oat, millet, wheat) are already ingredients in their seed mixes. Yes it's more natural for them to eat sprays but some hams simply don't like it. Ravioli doesn't even eat the millet in his Sunburst  I also am hesitant to purchase branches and driftwood as they can be expensive, and while they clutter a cage nicely, they may not be used by hams. I don't have the disposable income yet to gamble on that. 

 

Those are the majority of my explanations. I am glad hamster care has improved so much, yet I just want to emphasize that the enclosures we see more often on social media and by popular owners are not the only option for a happy and healthy hamster.

[Kikya]

Thanks for your responses everyone! While my personal care does not reflect all of my unpopular opinions, I do try to do my best in terms of hammy care.

1. Raviolis enclosure is 116 qt and he shows no signs of boredom although it is not too much larger than the 450 sq in minimum

I started out with a similar bin with my first recent hamster. =)

2. As far as yogis go, I just mean that, even as humans, we enjoy a slice of cake or a cookie here and there. Healthy? Definitely not. But if I only had two years to live, you better believe I'm gonna wanna indulge on rare occasions

3. While Ravioli's wheel is the only plastic item, I do have a bendy bridge that is colorful. I definitely agree with natural materials such as wood, but I've never had an issue with colorful wood or chews being dangerous.

I don't think plastic items are necessarily bad, my biggest issue is none of them seem the right size! It would be cool if someone came up with a plastic tube that was appropriately sized for a Syrian.

4. Ok so I'll explain this one. When we got Ravioli on July 10th, we made him a tiktok. (yes he already has more followers than me lol) and some people literally hated on me when I said he had 7 in of bedding bc they need at least 9. I can see his burrows and When I put more bedding, he didn't burrow any more than usual. As long as he is behaving in a way that mimics his instincts, he is fine. I also got criticized for having a 10 in wheel as opposed to 11 or 12. If his back arches I will upgrade but he shows no signs of discomfort as he is a smaller Syrian. Just things like that seem very nitpicky. Same with the colorful bendy bridge. People assume that the dyes are toxic without proof. .

People on the internet suck sometimes. It's best just to respond kindly or not at all. Plus the average agreed upon minimum is 6 inches, not 10. Is 10 better? Sure, is it always feasible. No.

5. Would I love to have Niteangel everything? Sure. Can I afford it right now? No, but I can still make sure I have a happy and healthy hamster with proper care. Personally, Ravioli barely touches the sprays he has. Not to mention that most sprays (oat, millet, wheat) are already ingredients in their seed mixes. Yes it's more natural for them to eat sprays but some hams simply don't like it. Ravioli doesn't even eat the millet in his Sunburst  I also am hesitant to purchase branches and driftwood as they can be expensive, and while they clutter a cage nicely, they may not be used by hams. I don't have the disposable income yet to gamble on that. 

I don't really care to use the oat or millet sprays at the store unless that's your only option. I prefer to get mine off Etsy, just make sure they are for small animals and not for decoration because they spray them with preservatives. My hammies love black or brown sorghum.

 

Petsmart sometimes has affordable cork logs and sometimes you can get a coupon for $10 off $40 or something like that. I'd signup for some mailers and see what coupons you can get!

 

Youtubers and social media people are just people, they can make mistakes and don't always research stuff. I am 100% sure most of them just repeat stuff they get off this website or copy other youtubers.

 

Those are the majority of my explanations. I am glad hamster care has improved so much, yet I just want to emphasize that the enclosures we see more often on social media and by popular owners are not the only option for a happy and healthy hamster.

Unpopular opinions are a-ok with me. I have plenty of my own! I dislike a lot of gatekeeping people do around pets but I also understand that some standards need to be kept.