My First Ever Bin Cage
Top view of Stevenβs first, 100 qt bin cage
Sept 24, 2020:
I knew I needed something better for my hams.
By mid to late September I had had Steven for almost two months. For most of his life with us he had been in a Kaytee Crittertrail SUPER habitat (which I hope to do a YouTube review of soon). It wasnβt a bad cage. Technically it meets the minimum size for hamsters. But, due to the confinements of the layout of the cage, there were limitations on how high/large a wheel could be, how deep bedding could go, etc.
Initially I wanted bars- my robo, Steven, was so shy that it was easier to interact with him through the bars than if our hands were in his cage. Even now, four months into having him, we can touch him and pet him, but if we move something in his cage or he sees our hand and it isnβt rubbing his head, he flies in the air running. Itβs actually kind of comical how scared of our hands he is unless they are touching him! I try hard to rationalize what it is heβs interpreting.
I had my eyes on the Living World Eco cage (link to Amazon) Itβs not sold in the US, but you can get it shipped from the UK for a mere $150! Itβs also 1000 sq inches and looks gorgeous. ONE DAY!!! We all need goals, right?
In the meantime I tried to think more rationally. How can I give Steven more sand bath space, more bedding depth, more hides interest to his enclosure? Other than dropping $300 on that Living World cage, I kept coming back to bin cages.
But I felt so overwhelmed by making one. UGH I donβt have that time. I mean, really. I have a full time job, an hour commute (yes! Even during COVID times) and I have other personal goals Iβm working towards. I have time to take on being a hamster mom, but I wasnβt so sure about making a bin cage. Also they looked so ugly to me!
And then one day, as I was perusing OfferUp for some good glass tanks (too heavy!) I found a 100 qt bin cage for sale and decided to just give it a try. Why not? Worse comes to worse I donβt love it, but Iβm only paying $30 and itβs coming with some unused paper bedding!
Getting a bin cage really got my creative juices flowing. In a barred cage it kind if is what it is. But in a bin cage- the world is your oyster! After seeing a really cool Niteangel multi-chamber hide, we made something similar out of some wine boxes (see below). placed this in the bin with the wheel on top. I figured this gave Steven some new hiding spots and more vertical space for burrowing!
Best part is, since Steven is just a wee robo, I quickly realized a lid really wasnβt necessary for him. He can jump (as Iβve seen him do a few times) but itβs not THAT high. I also donβt even think he would try to escape if he could.
I spent the whole day working on his bin cageβ¦ how to get it just right? Where to put a sand bath? SO many questions! And then I let Steven give it a tryβ¦. See photos & video below!
Who is Sofia?
Sweet little Sofia, as captured by the πΉ hamster rescue β€οΈ where I got her on Sept 14, 2020
I should have started this website sooner. But here I am, so I am going to have to backtrack a bit.
I got Steven (Spielberg) at the end of July 2020. I had been planning to get a hamster πΉ but hadnβt even considered or knew to search for hamsters on Craigslist that needed a home, hamster rescues (they do exist!) or ethical hamster breeding.
I work in manufacturing for a living (specifically USA made apparel) so I know how important it is to know where something is coming from and in what conditions was it madeβ¦ but I had never considered to think this way about a little animal! πΉ π π’ π¦’ π¦
Getting Steven opened me up to the hamster side of the internet. From instagram to YouTube and online forums, I learned about the many hamster rescues and found one not too far from me.
I reached out to see if they had an robos. I love all hamsters but felt like I would be a better caretaker if I focused on one type of hamster.
The woman who ran this particular rescue had a few robo hamsters she was looking for homes for- she said because they can be tricky to tame they are hard to find homes for.
One Sunday morning (Sept 14, 2020), I checked LA traffic, saw that it was light and made my way down to her house.
It was amazing. What a sweet woman, she had this whole air conditioned back house with all of these little hams, waiting for homes. This particular robo, the one who became my Sofia, had been born at the rescue, when a pregnant robo was surrendered. The woman who runs the rescue estimated she was about 2 months old.
I was so happy to have Sofia. I wasnβt sure if she was a girl, but until proven otherwise, I went with that name. It seemed like her.
Since I named Steven after Steven Spielberg, I felt it was fitting to name Sofia after Sofia Coppola.
Sheβs so different from Steven and I think thatβs what I love the most about her. Figuring her out and getting to know her had been such a joy!
We quickly discovered that Sofia enjoys spoon rides after she eagerly would climb in when we fed her.
We canβt quite get her in our hands yet (a few brief encounters only so far) but sheβs okay with a gentle pet while sheβs eating
Since Sofia loves the yellow, Silent Runner wheel, I decided to go full rainbow π hamster πΉ theme for her
200 Qt Bin Cage
Sofia in her βCarnivaleβ themed, 200 qt, bin cage
Steven reviews his new cage
Iβve come a long way from whence I began on July 27, 2020. Iβve gone through several cages- the Midwest βBrisbyβ Cage, The Kaytee Crittertrail SUPER Habitat, 100 Qt Bin Cages, and now 200 qt bin cages!
I think we are all on a journey, right? I wanted to provide good care for my hamsters, and even though the 100 qt and the SUPER Crittertrail cages are technically okay for robo hams, I could tell my hams were feeling under-stimulated. A new cage would always begin with excitement and nerves. I would work hard to ensure things that smelled familiar to them were transitioned to their new cage while introducing new elements. For a few weeks, Iβd see them blossom- running around, sniffing, playing with a new toy or a new, bigger wheel.
Then, fast forward a few weeks and they are stuck doing the same routine. During hours when they should be awake and active, they spend more time buried in their nests. I can sense their boredom and despair. Maybe I relate to their limitations as I too and dealing with a post-COVID world.
In early October I broke my spending freeze and found myself on Amazon at 2 am on Saturday night. I convinced myself that this was my βbirthday month,β and given how hard of a year itβs been, it was time I indulged myself and my hamsters in a little birthday love.
It started with a strawberry hide and a new sand bath for Sofia, innocent enough.
But you know how it happens with windows. Once you break one, the rest donβt seem so sacred anymore.
And so I found myself ordering a trio of 200 Qt bins (which arrived in the largest box I have ever seen).ο»Ώ
The true test of a good cage size is- can you get your whole body in it?
I ordered clear, plastic tubes for Steven.
Steven in his new, βnaturalβ themed bin cage
I ordered aspen wood shavings for texture variety. Sheet moss for color. Link to Amazon: Colorful hamster tubes for Sofia ( As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases). A new, Niteangel wheel for Steven. Acrylic shelves for who knows what! Twinkle lights for their cages so I could interact with them without turning on overhead lighting.
Sofia explores her new pillow moss
Sofia contemplating her new cage
It seems like a lot, and maybe it was. Maybe I spent $100-$200 this month on hamsters! Iβm not fully sure. But whatever it was, it was a worthy cause. They are such sweet little beings and I hope they live lives worth living. Donβt we all?
Scroll Down to see time-lapse videos of both Steven & Sofiaβs 200 qt bin cages
Products mentioned in this blog entry:
(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases)
200 Qt Bins: https://amzn.to/3geplCY
Clear Hamster Tubes: https://amzn.to/2Jw6ebW
Niteangel Silent Hamster Wheel: https://amzn.to/3lKs1JF
Exotic Nutrition Silent Runner 9β: https://amzn.to/2JUegLe
Kaytee Clean and Cozy: https://amzn.to/2LdxIU3
Moss: https://amzn.to/3mPdqxV *Pls freeze the moss overnight to ensure no bugs come along with the moss
Clear acrylic tray (for sand bath): https://amzn.to/39MaGhm
Niteangel Wooden Bridge: https://amzn.to/2JOFXFo
Kaytee Hamster Tubes (Fun Value Pack Assorted): https://amzn.to/2VVPj5b
Kaytee Hamster Tubes (Fun Value Pack Twist and Turn): https://amzn.to/3qxT5je
*I only recommend these tubes for Robos and small dwarves, larger hamsters like Syrians can get stuck in these!
The Quest for the Perfect Hamster Wheel
The Zacro Acrylic Silent Hamster Wheel- see my fav products page for a link
Does it exist? The perfect hamster wheel? The one that makes no noise, is easy to clean and makes you hamster happy and safe?
I hope the answer is yes.
Join me as I continue to evaluate hamster wheels after getting feedback from my two, Roborovski hamsters, Steven & Sofia.
how it all started
Steven, right after he came home from PetCo (and I now know about ethical breeders and hamster rescues! But I still love Steven β€οΈ)
Steven, enjoying some popcorn
It all started with Steven. I got him on a whim at a PetCo in July, 2020. I donβt recommend getting any living creature on a whim, but I had been thinking about getting a hamster for a long time (6+ months). I wasnβt sure I was going to get a hamster that day, but once I saw him, I knew he was the one. I also knew I could afford to give him a good life and would be able to cover any unexpected costs as well. I live on a strict budget but providing a hamster with a good life is still a lot less investment compared to a dog or a cat. AND you donβt have to feel guilty about being at work all day since they are asleep anyway.
I started collecting my videos of Steven into YouTube videos. Iβm not sure why at first, but soon it became a mission to share what Iβve learned with others. I have two Roboroski hamsters; I found that some hamster care for them is a little different than for other hamsters species and I wanted to provide that experience and feedback to help others.
I feel like my hamsters give me a reason to get up in the morning during this very weird and hard time. They make me smile and give me something to think creatively about. How can I arrange their cage better? Would they like this particular wheel? Will they enjoy eating blueberries?
There is truly nothing so soothing and grounding to your soul as petting something warm and fuzzy.
Below is a video montage of when Steven first came home. Please note that I quickly moved him out of a small Kaytee Crittertrail and into, at first a Kaytee SUPER habitat, and now a very large bin cage. Iβm only showing this to show you how we first interacted with him, but please do not emulate this care! I now realize how easy and amazing bin cages are and I highly recommend them to everyone. I have many videos (and more coming) about my bin cage set ups- I hope they help you find your perfect setup!
Please leave me a comment and let me know how you care for your roborovski hamsters (or any hamsters! I love them all!)
Hugs,
Rachel
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