Zoo Med Sand-Blasted Grape Vine
Hey Hamster Friends!
I decided to do a new thing I’m calling “Product Spotlight” - highlighting products I’ve owned and loved and doing short product reviews for them to help new hamster owners (or old hamster owners!) decide if the product is right for them!
Today’s video is about the Zoo Med Sand-Blasted Grapevine in Size Medium. I’ve purchased a few of these throughout the years and they have always made great additions to my hamster set ups. It’s fun watching my hamsters try to climb on them or use them in different ways.
I also love how each one is different each time I order - it really makes it a fun surprise to see what shape you’ll get!
The grapevine serves as an easy way to add “clutter” to your hamster cage instantly!
Do you use sand-blasted grapevine in your hamster set-ups? How do you like it?
*as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Goodnight, tiny Miles
Tiny Miles posed for me while he enjoyed some time in the playpen
If you have been listening to my podcast, you probably already heard the news - little Miles passed away a few weeks ago on May 29th, 2024.
It was both happy & sad. Prior to his passing he made enormous strides, in both coming out of his shell and spinning & pacing significantly less.
I honestly didn’t think I’d see this kind of progress from him - he had been with me for about 5 months and the spinning & pacing seemed to only escalate. I suppose after almost a year in a small, pet-store cage, taking 4-5 months to detox seems reasonable!
He was the only hamster I had no photos of… until May 21st, when he popped out of his nest mid-day, hopped into a transport cup and happily snacked, sniffed & groomed in the playpen. If I got close to the playpen he would start pacing and spinning again. So I left him to his own devices and watched from afar. I couldn’t believe it! He continued to come out every day, each day getting a little braver, with body language clearly more relaxed, even if I was around.
This lasted for a little over a week. I was so happy to see him, to see how much progress he had made, to feel that contented feeling of giving a hamster the home they needed.
And then one day, he didn’t come out.
Had it been any other week, I wouldn’t have thought anything of it. I hardly saw the guy! But after one day of not seeing him, I knew. And there he was, his sweet, tiny little bod, buried in his nest.
It’s bittersweet to see a hamster make so much emotional progress and then lose them, right as they get there. But at least I can know that he was happy & relaxed at the end, after such a stressful beginning.
I wish I could say I knew Miles more. I don’t feel like I knew his quirks, his likes or dislikes. He seemed to like flax seeds, like most hamsters, and freeze dried tofu. But otherwise, the sadness I feel is knowing I didn’t really get to know him.
One thing I do know is that he reminded me of Steven and Oscar, my other husky / white faced Roborovski hamsters who came before. They were also very shy and skiddish in the beginning, and, like Miles, unbelievably cute. Sometimes I would marvel at how a creature like this just exists in the world. We didn’t breed them, we didn’t even interact with them much until the 1990s (Roborovski hamsters, that is). And here one is, in my office, doing impossibly cute things all day long.
The world is a mysterious and magical place!
Sleep well, my little Miles.
Gotta love those little robo legs!
Thor’s Celebration of Life
Welp, it happened! I hosted my very first, hamster, “Celebration of Life”.
It was nice. And lovely to have a real, event, to mark the occasion and feel like I honored little Thor for all that he was.
I wish I would have, could have, done this for my other hamsters. They died in a time when I was still heavily avoiding people, thanks to COVID, and also, a bit displaced as I bounced around from job to job.
I buried my first five hamsters at my parent’s house, underneath some rhododendrons in their garden. Finding time, between working 2+ jobs and feeling so sad every time I thought about their deaths really made me delay their burials. I feel like I did it hastily, trying hard not to cry and just get it over with.
Having a party, in this case, really did help me feel closure. “Closure” - in the sense that I feel content, happy with the life he had with me, happy with the moments I had with him, accepting the fact that his life has come to an end and now he lives in my garden & memories.
I’ll definitely be doing this in the future, and I’ll definitely be getting more Custom grave stones from Innodove on Etsy! How cute is it!?
I only wish I had purchased some sort of sealant for the grave. Next time maybe I’ll get a spray or something from the hardware store. So far, the grave has held up well though, even in LOTs of rain!
This was the photo I sent Innodove to base the grave on. I think it turned out pretty well, considering i’s not the easiest photo to pull from. In the future I’ll have better photos of my hams now that I’ve invested in a fancy camera.
Rest in peace, little love.
Luftpets Guinea Pig Cage Liners
No, I do not own guinea pigs (at least not yet anyway….although I’m often tempted by adorable Insta & YT accounts!), but I DO own some guinea pig cage liners, and let me tell you, they come in handy!
Dexter shows us one of his best angles (I mean, all his angles are the best, really) while cruising around on a Luftpets Guinea Pig Cage Liner
I primarily free roam my hamsters in nylon, pop-up style playpens (https://amzn.to/3QYzlUO ). This is because I tend to have a lot of nervous, little robos and dwarf hamsters, depending on their previous situation, and they aren’t always big into being held or having significant human-hamster interaction.
Once in a while I get a hamster like Dexter, who just cannot get enough attention and wants to be out ALL THE TIME. Day or night! He is here to make friends!
In either situation, playpen OR outside of the playpen, I like to protect the ground with something that will keep hamster pee from getting on carpets, couches and so on. I also want to protect my hamsters from finding their way deep into couch crevices or chewing through the pop up playpen. In the past I’ve used fleece blankets but have found they sometimes get caught on little hamster nails if they are a bit too long. It’s a nice signal that it’s time for a trim, but not really a great surface for hamsters to walk on.
AND THEN! I discovered Guinea Pig Liners!
Well, actually, they discovered me.
The company I got these from, Luftpets, reached out to me and asked if I’d like to try their guinea pig liners & cuddle blankets. I’ll admit, at first I was confused - I don’t have guinea pigs, what would I use these for? Luftpets responded that people use their liners and cuddle blankets for all sorts of animals!
“But I’m not a guinea pig… am I?” - Dexter
“Ooo this cuddle blanket is so soft! Please cuddle me with it!” - Dexter
So, I gave them a try! Luftpets sent me the five pack - three cuddle blankets and two cage liners to try out (yes, I got the 5-pack for free, but am otherwise not being compensated for this post!)
I actually liked them so much, I purchased an additional package of cage liners on my own dime!
The liners are great bc they are smooth & have little rubber grips on the back so they stay in place wherever you put them. I tried a variety of my hamsters on these liners none of them had any nail snags at all.
The cuddle blankets are nice too! They are fuzzy in a way that seems not to get caught on hamster nails (the fuzz is not looped like a towel, so you don’t have that issue here). I have been using them as an additional cover on couches etc, and have also been experimenting holding Dexter with the blanket to trim a nail or two.
I watch my vets do this with skill all the time- they secure the hamster gently with a small wash-cloth and then are able to trim a nail or look at teeth etc. I’m trying to build up my hamster wrangling skills, so Dexter has been patiently allowing me to practice holding him while I attempt to trim a nail.
On the whole, I find him too wiggly and I’ve only been able to confidently get two nails so far (I definitely don’t want to risk hurting him so I’m taking a lot of caution here). I think I might need a second person for this- I can hold him if someone else could trim? I have seen my vets and vet techs do it this way too - I think it depends on the hamster and how wiggly they are. Maybe I could pay them to teach me…
ANYWAY, back to the cage liners.
If you are interested in trying out Luftpets cage liners, I have exciting news!
What! Free Giveaway?!
Yes, that’s right! If you’re interested in trying out Luftpet’s Guinea Pig Cage Liners & Cuddle Blankets with your hamsters, Luftpets is giving the first 20 people a FREE set of these if they DM Luftpets on Instagram and use the code “Rachel’s Gift” !
You can check them out on Amazon by following the link below.
What do you use as a protective cover during free roam time?
*as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Miles is Spinning
If you listen to my podcast, you’ve probably already heard about Miles the Roborovski hamster and his spinning issues.
Poor guy!
Miles came from Pet Supplies Plus, where he was for at least 3/4 of a year and at that point, marked down 75% (from $20 —> $5). I decided to take him and another hamster, “Ginger”, home, in hopes I could give them a good life for what time they had left.
Miles, at first, was extremely shy. He would fling himself into a burrow at the slightest sound of sight of me. But after some time, he started coming out more in my presence. I wouldn’t call him “friendly”, but at least he was willing to come out!
It was at this point I started to notice an issue… Miles was spinning! Always in the same direction (counter clockwise), Miles would pace or spin.
At first I thought, “this might just be from stress after a year of being in a small cage & being born at a breeding mill.” But time went on, and the spinning got worse.
I was afraid to touch anything in his bin lest it stress him more. I tried to give him more enrichment (like seed sprays from Oakwood Forest) but it didn’t seem to help. He spun and spun, doing tighter and tighter circles.
So, Miles went to the vet.
I wasn’t sure what they would say. Last time I had a spinning hamster (Sofia the robo), it was clear there were other health issues going on with her (her eyes bulged & she seemed to be going blind). I prepared myself for the worst, but he checked out fine! He did well at the vet visit, although he did scream at the vet after she put him down.
The vet took some time to look into causes and possible solutions and eventually came back to me with some advice.
She said she felt that the issue was similar to what she sees in dogs who chase their tail - a form of OCD . She also mentioned (something I already knew) that this issue is most often seen in white face / husky Roborovski hamsters, just like Miles.
The vet suggested that I try to disrupt his OCD / pacing & repetitive behavior by making his enclosure as crowded & enriching as possible, in addition to moving things around in his bin.
While giving him an enriching environment seems obvious enough, I wouldn’t have thought to move things around - usually the advice is to not move things too much so your hamsters aren’t stressed. This was an interested suggestion and I’m glad I went to get a second opinion.
So far, the vet’s advice helped a lot! I got out every little hide & tube I had left to clutter up his space. I also started moving them around every day or two. I think it’s helped! I was just watching the footage from last night and I see him spending more time exploring the new items / new locations than I see him pacing & spinning.
I don’t think I’ll ever get Miles to stop spinning, I’m hopeful I can help minimize it so he can still have an enjoyable life. As my next step, I’d like to focus on getting him to the play pen more frequently in hopes that a change of atmosphere will help break up that behavior. So far, I’ve only been able to get him there once (last week), as he his a very trickly little guy to catch. I’ll keep trying!
Have you ever had a hamster with neurological issues? How did you deal with them?
a Big Box From Tafit Pet!
Hello Hamster Friends!
I recently received a big box of hamster things from Tafit Pet - a hamster-brand based in China, now starting to sell their products in the US via Amazon.
(If you didn’t hear my recent podcast on the matter, I did an audio-unboxing!)
Full disclosure- I received all of these items for free, but am not being paid for this blog post. As a lover of hamsters, I am excited to see more, species-appropriate hamster gear for sale… so my initial response is always a big, “Yay!”
It’s hard to give a full review for items I have only just now pulled out of the box. But at least I can show you how my hamsters have begun exploring them and enjoying them.
With hamster gear in general I try to look at it with a long game in mind - “will this product serve my current hamsters and hamsters to come?” I am hoping the things I buy will last for several hamster - lifetimes. Of course, this takes years to play out, so hard to say right now how Tafit Pet products will hold up. Only time will tell!
The other thing I try to keep in mind is - “is this different from the hamster things I already own?” Hamsters are picky. They can have strong opinions about wheels and water bottles and everything in between. Their needs also change as they move through the different stages of their lives. Having a variety of items on hand helps me problem solve any issues my hamsters might be having… in addition to giving me fun props to use in my playpens :)
I set up the Tafit products in the Coziwow, 430 sq inch enclosure I had sitting empty after taking in Peggy & Ella in December of 2023. It was the perfect space to allow the hams to explore all the Tafit products while I lurked with my camera.
Dexter enjoys a spin on the Tafit Pet, 8.7” hamster wheel in Pink
First up is the 8.7”, pink Tafit Hamster Wheel (https://amzn.to/49wWF2g). The wheel is quiet and has a nice, matte feel. I like the bubble-gum pink, but there are a few other colors if it’s not for you! The wheel comes in two sizes currently, 8.7” and 10.2”. I wouldn’t recommend this wheel for a Syrian hamster, as I firmly believe they should always get a 12” (or larger) wheel. But for dwarves, it’s great!
Dexter didn’t try to drink from the Tafit Vacuum Water Bottle, but he did explore how cute he might look if he squished his body underneath it (very cute, Dex!)
The Tafit Vacuum Water Bottle & Stand (https://amzn.to/3UhmZJ9) is so sleek and futuristic! Hamster water bottles can be kind of clunky and ugly. The balls in the straws also have a tendency to get stuck, which can be a problem if you aren’t on top of testing it (this is why I always keep both a water bottle and a bowl in my hamster enclosures!). But this water bottle is definitely very creative and dare I say, beautiful! Who knew water bottles could come in circles!? And all clear! Love it!
So far I haven’t seen any of my hamsters drink out of it yet, will advise how it goes when they do.
As a test to see if it leaks I placed a small water bowl beneath the straw opening. So far, no leaks!
Dexter explores the light, fluffy, paper bedding
Tafit also sent me a bag of their paper bedding.
I’m a pretty loyal, Kaytee Clean & Cozy gal, but I have to say, I liked it! It’s SO light & fluffy, and I was surprised how much was packed into a small-ish bag. I might have to consider mixing up my paper bedding source in the future!
I used the Tafit Pet food bowl as a coconut fiber digging area and Dexter got right to work finding a treat to nibble on. Well done!
Included in the box was honey themed ceramic set- a food bowl (https://amzn.to/4axI4Fa ) and a sand bath (https://amzn.to/43WzJIx ). Shown above, the Tafit Small Pet Bowl is quite large, probably about 5” in diameter.
Instead of using it strictly as a food bowl, I put some loose, coconut fiber in it, then sprinkled treats in the fiber for my hamsters to dig for. Dexter got right to work and looked adorable doing it.
Dexter seemed to particularly love this Tafit Pet Honey Pot Sand Bath! He got in and around it many times.
“How cute do I look from this angle?”
The Tafit Honey Pot Sand Bath (https://amzn.to/43WzJIx ) functions well as a sand bath! Dexter was very interested in it and kept going over to it to stand against it and look around. He’d get in, roll around, get back out, look around, and repeat. This guy loves his sand bath and this was no exception.
Do I think this honey pot could replace your regular sand bath? No. Dwarf hamsters need large sand baths to do their reading, thinking, eating, bathing and napping in. But do I think this is a great, additional sand-bath to keep in in the enclosure? Yes! This could also work well if you wanted to put an alternate texture in it, like coconut fiber.
“What’s in here?”
“I’m going in!”
Dexter checks out the Tafit Pet peep sheds
The Tafit Pet peep sheds are very cute! I love that one has little stairs to an opening at top - it really allows these to function in a different way from other peep sheds on the market.
The peep sheds are held together by little metal rivets. Normally I’d be opposed to this, but they feel quite flush to the wood and I don’t see any metal sticking out anywhere.
If you had a hamster who chewed a lot, this might be a concern. Personally, I’ve never seen a dwarf hamster chew much on their wooden furniture, so I’m not worried about it.
The peep sheds are also on the small side - too small for a Syrian hamster in my opinion. On the plus side, they looked very appropriate for my dwarves! I actually think these are the PERFECT size for a robo, which is hard to find. I’m excited to see one of my robos give this set-up a spin.
There are three components - the Livingroom (two rooms - https://amzn.to/3JhYAwU ) Bedroom (single room with two entry points- https://amzn.to/3vKcq8i ) and Study (single room with one entry point - https://amzn.to/3vKcq8i)
Conclusion
The Tafit Pet products are unique and very cute! I like that they are so different from the items I already have from Niteangel and Bucatstate. I’m looking forward to continuing to use these items to see how my hamsters enjoy them!
Have you tried any of the Tafit Pet products yet? What do you think?
*as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Maurice’s New Diet
Maurice has been on the struggle bus lately. My once, pudgy little guy as thinned out a lot, without any clear reason.
It first started sometime in December. I noticed he had stopped gathering up all the seeds in his enclosure. He still spent time digging around in the coconut fiber, hunting for them, but seemed to only take home a few.
My initial thought was that he was sick of those seeds, he needed variety! So I searched for variety.
I noticed he got excited about peanuts (particularly in shell). He snatched up walnuts and pecans eagerly. He even spent afternoons nibbling on Mazuri Lab Blocks he had hoarded. And yet, he continued to be a waif.
What gives, Mister Moe?
So I started to give Moe extra, fresh foods - scrambled egg, baby foods. At first they were a hit, but he seemed to tire of these too.
AND THEN I remembered my lovely little dwarf hamsters, Laverne and Shirley. A pair I fostered for a rescue (then called) Tiny Tracks Rescue, a part of the California Hamster Association. Both Laverne and Shirley had issues eating in their old age. Shirley lost her top teeth entirely, Laverne just seemed to lose the jaw strength. They enjoyed baby food, but it wasn’t enough calories to fulfill their needs. So one day, I whipped out my Mini Cuisinart and started grinding up anything I could grind up, and sprinkled it around the cage.
It was a HUGE success! Hamsters are gatherers. Laverne and Shirley got to enjoy the thrill of finding their food, sprinkled on cork logs and various surfaces all around their enclosures. Once again, they got to live the hamster life. Shirley grew back the hair she had lost from being malnourished. Laverne managed to stay her round, little self.
SO, Maurice has begun his journey with ground up food. I started with some tofu, sunflower seeds, walnuts, pecans, & lab blocks. I’ll continue to add to the array of options as I go! So far, Maurice is a fan, Yay!
Maurice eats some ground up Tofu on a 12” Niteangel platform in his size L, Niteangel Vista enclosure. Momo is estimated to be 1 1/2 years old now.
*as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Springtime for Hamsters!
It’s officially SPRING… and you know that means a new playpen theme! The hamsters rejoice!
Dexter the dwarf hamster is always up for a photoshoot! He loves the grass I grew using Pet Green’s grow kit. Instead of the bag, I planted the wheat grass in an old, glass, candle container.
The wooden carrot chews, from Niteangel, are also a big hit with him. Although I normally have them in his enclosure and he gives them no attention there, in the playpen, he is ALL about them! Hamsters are always keeping me on my toes.
Here, Dexter is searching for flax seeds in front of an adorable, Easter set made by my friend, Cindy, of LittleHamDesignsUS. She no longer sells her sets, but she does post some fab photos of her hamsters visiting sushi restaurants and the like. I highly recommend you give her a follow!
(I eventually had to remove the set because Dexter wouldn’t stop chewing on it… but it did make for some fun photos!)
Little Peggy, the Roborovski hamster, scurries all about the playpen, never really settling anywhere (except maybe the sunflower head…). She looks so cute in this sandbath with the lemon hide!
I used some loose, sphagnum moss around the sandbath, and some sheet moss in other areas. I LOVE moss for it’s gorgeous pop of color, nice, fresh smell, and additional texture. My hams seem to love it too!
I got a lot of things for this playpen from Etsy. You can view my curated, “Springtime for Hamsters” favorites list here!
As I’ve discussed on my podcast, I upgraded to the Canon 5D Mark III with a 50 mm, 1.4 F-stop lens. This is the first, DSLR camera I’ve owned, and I LOVE it. It makes such a difference to capture those tiny, hamster moments. I went with an older model so I could get something high quality but at a reduced price. The 50 mm lens is a very versatile lens often recommended to newbies (and many people can get by with just this lens for most of what they do!)
How do you celebrate spring with your hamsters!?
*as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases
Bucatstate Cactus Hide
Welp… if you read my blog post about my love of the Bucatstate Cactus Water Bottle, you won’t be surprised to see that I added to my Bucatstate Cactus collection!
Full disclosure, after I posted on Instagram about how much I loved the water bottle & left an enthusiastic review on Amazon (I think it’s important to leave feedback!), Bucatstate reached out to gift me the matching hide.
I believe this hide will come in varying sizes and colors in the future, but currently only comes in the large size, and in this green color (but I love the green color!)
I wasn’t sure how the large size would work for my mostly teeny, tiny hams. It IS roomy for them, but they all seem to like it!
Peggy the Roborovski hamster checks out the Bucatstate Cactus Hide, size L
Peggy enjoys the fluffy, pillow inside the Bucatstate Cactus Hide, size L
The hide comes with a little, fluffy pillow on the bottom - I would remove this if you were going to use the hide in a permanent set up. For a playpen situation, where the hamsters don’t stay long, I think it’s fine. The major concern is that your hamsters don’t chew & ingest the fluffy pillow. My dwarf hamsters rarely chew on things like this, but something to keep in mind if you have a hamster who likes to chew.
I actually think my hamsters love the fluffy, little pillow! I found Dexter asleep on it the other day. He left one, tiny, poo, right in the center of the pillow when he left!
Dexter the dwarf hamster gets sleepy on the little pillow included with the Bucatstate Cactus Hide
The hide also features a removable lid - this is handy if you’re looking for your hamster but don’t want to disturb them too much. It’s also great if you have this hide in their enclosure and you want to do a quick spot clean without disturbing their bedding.
I used to have a cupcake hide from Niteangel with a removable top for my Roborovski hamster, Sofia. She loved being in it, and it was great to have that removable top to check on her, if I hadn’t seen her in a while and just wanted to make sure she was okay. Sadly, Niteangel doesn’t sell this cupcake hide anymore (for some reason, they’ve stopped making a lot of their cute hides!) but it looked a lot like this one from Etsy.
So, if you’re in the market for a cute, ceramic hide for a hamster of any size (Syrians included!) this cactus hide might be just the ticket! If you don’t have a ceramic hide for your hamster yet, I highly recommend you get one! Ceramic hides are easy to clean and disinfect (most can just pop in the dishwasher). They also act as a cooling place for your hamster during summer months. And some hamsters just LOVE a ceramic hide. I recently put a little strawberry, ceramic hide in my dwarf hamster, Dexter’s cage, and he has now made it his primary residence.
There are many great options from Niteangel & Bucatstate or on Etsy. Just make sure you get a size appropriate for your hamster - Syrian hamsters will need larger hides so they don’t get stuck. Smaller hamsters (like dwarves and robos) can use any size hide.
For more about hamster hides, check out my Hides page!
*as an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Where Do Pet Store Hamsters Come From?
If you didn’t know, now you know.
…a warning, it’s a heartbreaking and hard to watch.
Please try to adopt first. If you choose to shop, please shop ethical breeders (you can find a list of ethical breeders from your country’s hamster society).
The reality is, ethical breeders will probably never keep up with the demand for hamsters. What we really need is better protection for animals, of all sizes.
But in the meantime, try not to support the breeding mills with your money!
(I love the) Bucatstate Cactus Water Bottle!
Now that I have SEVEN hamsters (!) I found myself short one water bottle & stand. I am sad I gave some away about a year ago when I had mites and was in a big purge phase to help declutter my enormous hamster collection.
However, some of the items I gave away because I just didn’t LOVE them. They were fine, but didn’t really fit in with the aesthetic I like my cages to have, and now that I’ve purchased at lot of the big things (like enclosures & wheels), I can start to get nit-picky about my hamster stuff.
Little Freddie, (the ginger-colored dwarf hamster who spent a year living at Pet Supplies Plus until he was marked down 75%), just had a water bowl. It worked fine, he seemed to know instantly to drink from it, but it always makes me happier to have two methods of giving out water, lest one fail in the middle of the night.
This can be an issue - Maurice, my increasingly grouchy, old man of a hamster, refuses to drink from a bottle. He never has, he never will! One day, he somehow knocked over his water bowl. I didn’t notice it until the next evening when I went to refill water bowls, and the poor guy was probably without water for almost a day. I frantically dug him out and tried to give him water from an eye dropper . He was grouchy and didn’t respond well, but did come out to drink shortly after. In the end, he was fine, but I felt terrible about it and I wish he would be open to a water bottle! Alas.
Anyway, at least with little Fred, I figured, I could attempt to give him a back up source . This guy is a BIG guy, and he drinks a lot of water! He might be a bit obese from a year in a small cage with a 4” wheel (he now runs on a 12” wheel!), but he’s also just a big hammy.
Rather than buy my standard, Niteangel water bottle & stand (which I do love, thanks to the adjustable height—> https://amzn.to/4bNbYWU ), I figured I’d give the Bucatstate Cactus stand a try… and I couldn’t be happier! IT IS SO CUTE! And fits in with my naturalistic / pops of green & red cage theme.
I wasn’t sure how little Fred would take to it, but he’s been drinking from it! For some reason he drinksfrom the side, so I’ll need to reposition it for him to be easier to access. Either way, I’m glad it’s working and I’m happy he’s out, doin’ his thing!
Do you have any favorite water bottles /stands for your hams?
…. okay so now I’m tempted to get this cactus hide from Bucatstate too… maybe next time I have a little extra $$ …. :D
*as an amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
A Few, Simple, Updates to a 200 qt Bin Cage
Oh, how just one platform can make such a difference!
Now that little Fred & Miles have been with me a few weeks, I decided it was time to give them a quick upgrade - something that would enrich their lives without disturbing their current set up too much.
For Fred, I only added two things:
1- a Niteangel 7” Platform (wave shape) with adhesive cork on top to provide grip (https://amzn.to/49G3jUs & https://amzn.to/49kvHLY )
2- a Niteangel bendy bridge, altered to have sphagnum moss hot-glued onto it to prevent tiny toes from getting stuck in the gaps (https://amzn.to/49CrfrE & https://amzn.to/42JxIic & https://amzn.to/3uusGK1 )
I also added some additional bedding to his pile so he had more to work with for burrowing, in addition to some nice sprays from Oakwood Forest Shop :)
I was having trouble keeping Fred from getting bedding in his water bowl, so having it on a platform helps solve that issue for me.
I also recently purchased him the Bucatstate Cactus Water Bottle & Stand (https://amzn.to/3uw7jrI ), I’m excited to get that in there and see how cute it looks!
For a full list of everything in this 200 qt bin cage set-up, please see below.
In this bin:
50 Gallon Stacker - available at Home Depot
Cork Flats (2) - https://amzn.to/47JkeUt
Niteangel Peepeshed, sz small (for dwarves) - https://amzn.to/48LdEyi
Niteangel Super Silent Wheel, size L/ 12” - https://amzn.to/48IraTh
Reptisand ( about 1/2 bag) - https://amzn.to/3vWlw19
Eaton Hemp Bedding - https://amzn.to/3Sf9mIa
Kaytee Clean & Cozy, White, Unscented - https://amzn.to/42fjVQq
Water Bowl - https://amzn.to/429W5FE
Niteangel Wooden Cloud Hide - No longer available, similar option from Etsy
Whimzee Chews - https://amzn.to/3u2iqs7
Seed Sprays and flowers from Oakwood Forest (also a great option are Kaytee Millet Sprays for birds: https://amzn.to/3Hwt65j )
Wyze Cam v3 - https://amzn.to/3OdBD0A
Strong Magnet (to hold the cam to the bin): https://amzn.to/3OdBFpe
Kaytee Millet Sprays for Birds: https://amzn.to/49EMyJb
Acrylic Tray for Sandbath: https://amzn.to/49JsDsJ
Niteangel 7” Platform, wave shape: https://amzn.to/49G3jUs
Adhesive Cork (for the top of the platform): https://amzn.to/49kvHLY
Niteangel Bendy Bridge: https://amzn.to/49CrfrE
Galapagos Sphagnum Moss: https://amzn.to/42JxIic
Non-toxic hot glue gun: https://amzn.to/3uusGK1
Water Bowl (not shown, it was being washed): https://amzn.to/3SWLKIP
Water Bottle (featured in another blog post): https://amzn.to/49SVydS
*As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
My Funny Valentines
Getting hamsters to strategically pose behind a kissing booth is hard, but I’m glad my little friends were willing to indulge me :)
a Quick, Simple, Bin Cage Set-up
I recently took in an unexpected hamster and found myself setting up a quick bin cage for him.
Wait. ANOTHER hamster?! Okay yes, hear me out.
I found myself at Pet Supplies Plus last weekend, buying some more bedding and sand for Dexter’s new set-up (after I finished cleaning Thor’s things). And what do you know? There were TWO hamsters on sale for 75% off. So I inquired - why were they on sale? How long had they been there?
One, a dwarf hamster named “Ginger”, the other, a robo named “Speedy”.
Ginger was this large, dwarf hamster, with a tiny, 4.5” silent spinner he could hardly use. The sweet employees said he had been there probably close to a year. It broke my heart. This poor guy.
After some consideration, I decided to take him home. There was no reason I couldn’t give him a home, and, he was probably over a year old already… how much time did he have left? Poor thing!
So, we boxed him, up, I signed the forms, paid (just $5.49) and I found myself at home, with another hamster, urgently in need of a home.
(Wait, what about the robo?? Okay, well later that day, I actually did go back and get him too. He hadn’t been there as long and the 4.5” wheel wasn’t quite as horrible for him… but I still felt it was the right thing to do. More on him later!)
I got to work, quickly creating a space for this sweet little hamster. I felt so happy with my impromptu setup, I had to share!
Side-view of the 200 quart / 50 gallon Sterilite stacker
arial view
It felt so good, four years into my hamster journey, to feel more confident in my set-ups. To know exactly what items I need and how to easily arrange them.
Not like there isn’t room for improvement of course! But I do feel like I’ve come so far from the days when I used to have to really work to figure out how I wanted to arrange things. Even a simple bin cage used to take a lot of planning and thinking. Now I can whip one up for a hamster in need and feel happy knowing they can have their needs met for the time being.
I don’t think this is a great, long term set-up. I plan to add things like platforms and bendy bridges to give the space more areas to explore and burrowing space… but for now, I’m happy, and I think (I hope!) this little guy is too. 🤞
…and for those asking, what’s his name? Well, his name was Ginger (based on his gorgeous, red fur), but I felt this was a little bit feminine for this big boy. So I decided to name him “Fred” (as in Fred Astaire), Ginger Rogers talented dancing partner.
The store employees told me he was a bit nippy, but so far he’s been a slow moving, slightly shy but sweet little potato. When I give him my hand he gently sniffs it and moves on. He doesn’t even flinch if I try to pet him! I can’t wait to get to know him more!
In this bin:
50 Gallon Stacker - available at Home Depot
Cork Flats (2) - https://amzn.to/47JkeUt
Niteangel Peepeshed, sz small (for dwarves) - https://amzn.to/48LdEyi
Niteangel Acrylic Wheel, 11” - https://amzn.to/48IraTh
Reptisand ( about 1/2 bag) - https://amzn.to/3vWlw19
Acrylic Pantry Organizer - https://amzn.to/42dt77M
Eaton Hemp Bedding - https://amzn.to/3Sf9mIa
Kaytee Clean & Cozy, White, Unscented - https://amzn.to/42fjVQq
Water Bowl - https://amzn.to/429W5FE
Niteangel Wooden Cloud Hide - No longer available, similar option from Etsy
Whimzee Chews - https://amzn.to/3u2iqs7
Seed Sprays and flowers from Oakwood Forest (also a great option are Kaytee Millet Sprays for birds: https://amzn.to/3Hwt65j )
Wyze Cam v3 - https://amzn.to/3OdBD0A
Strong Magnet (to hold the cam to the bin): https://amzn.to/3OdBFpe
*as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Little Fred (formerly Ginger) explores his new home
Cleaning Up 🧹 After the Death of a Hamster 🐹
This is a hard one to write ✍️, bc honestly, I don’t ever want to have to do this!
As you may know, I lost my little robo, Thor, last weekend. I was thankful I was able to be with him as he passed on, and OH will he be missed!
It just so happened that I had recently taken in a dwarf hamster the week prior, when the owner had to move and wasn’t able to bring him with her. I had this new, little guy in a simple bin cage while I sorted out a more permanent enclosure solution.
I hated saying goodbye to Thor, and I definitely didn’t enjoy working all day next to his empty cage. So, I got to work, cleaning all of Thor’s things so that my new little friend could move in. It makes me happy, knowing Thor’s things will serve another hamster in need.
I often find getting another hamster is the way that helps me heal the most. I always find a hamster in need of home (via various Facebook rehoming groups, Petfinder, local rescues or the like), and then it helps me find the motivation to clean up, knowing that another hamster will benefit and have a good life, honoring each hamster who came before it. But this might not feel right to you.
Take your time. Take photos of their cute little piles of neatly sorted seeds. Smell their tiny smells. Cry as much as you need.
When you’re ready, you can start by removing the big items.
Wooden things can be washed with soap and water, fhen baked at 200 degrees F for 20 ish minutes. I keep the heat lower for this one so I don’t burn or warp the wood. For items that have flat surfaces (like the top of a multi chamber), make sure you place it flat on a cookie sheet so it doesn’t become disfigured.
Some of Thor’s wooden items ready to go into the oven
Sand can be sifted, then washed, then baked at 350 for an hour or two or until it’s fully dry. For more on washing sand- see my washing sand video below!
Here is my sifted and washed sand, baking at 350 degrees F
Ceramic and plastic can be washed by hand with hot, soapy water. I use rubber gloves so I can use hot water without burning my hands.
Compost or throw away all other substrates, wipe the enclosure with water, then with an alcohol/ water solution to disinfect. Let the enclosure fully dry and air out before placing anything back in.
Now you can begin the fun part- setting up the enclosure for it’s next, happy resident! I was able to do all my cleaning in a week and had little Dexter in Thor’s Niteangel Vista by the following weekend. It made me so happy to see another ham enjoying all the nooks and crannies little Thor enjoyed too :)
Dexter first explores his home
Goodnight, tiny Thor 💕 🌈
Today I had to say goodbye 👋 to the littlest guy with the biggest personality ❤️ 🐹
Thor had an abscess removed on Tuesday and seemed to be doing well. He was eating and running and coming out to visit whenever he heard me.
I had noticed some new health ❤️🩹 issues since December- he was having more trouble staying balanced/ upright and climbing on things. He also had more, unexplained itching and fur loss (tested for mites, removed many things from his enclosure to ensure it wasn’t allergies). He had lost weight, so I was feeding him baby food each morning and night with his antibiotic, which we ate with excitement 🤩
This morning, when I went to get his dirty plate and replace it with fresh baby food, I noticed he hadn’t touched it. Then I saw him laying there, behind his wheel, still alive but his eyes closed.
I scooped him up and kept him warm for a while, I figured there wasn’t much else the vet could do, but after a little while I decided to take him in to the ER 🚨 🏥 , in case he was in pain. But by the time we got out of the driveway and down the road a few minutes, I looked over at him and he was gone 😢
I only had Thor for about nine months. Prior to that he lived in a tiny cage at Pet Supplies Plus for 7-8 months until he was discounted to $3 😔
Thor was a bright addition to my day ☀️ and I’m so glad I got to give him a chance to live a life outside of that tiny, pet store box 📦 I wish I had had more time to know him, but so thankful for the time I had.
Sweet dreams, little guy 💭 🐹 💕
a New Nutcracker
If you don’t normally give your hamsters nuts in shells, they are a great, fun treat for them! Dwarf hamsters don’t really have the ability to get into the nut, so I usually give them a crack first to get them started.
I have been needing a nutcracker for a while now. My parents have one of those metal, squirrel types, and I had put that on my Christmas list this year hoping I would get my own too.
I did get many, exciting things, this Christmas, but I did not get a nutcracker… so I got one for myself!
After reading a few reviews, I decided to go with this little wooden mushroom - the reviews were fantastic, and now that I have it, I agree!
Unlike the metal squirrel, the bits of the nut stay contained and don’t get everywhere. It’s also SO easy to crack any nut, even walnuts! The screw mechanism takes the pressure off having super strong hands - it would work well for anyone!
the Hamster Playpen of the Future
Little Peggy looking towards a bright future ✨
The new year has arrived and it was time to take down the hamster Christmas tree!
…But what to put in its place…?
I recently read an article, I think on Vox (of course now I can’t find it!), about the use of the term, “season”. If I’m in a season, I’m in a season of iridescence! Or maybe I’ve been in that season my whole life and am finally embracing it…. either way, I’m a sucker for something shiny, sparkly, clear & colorful. And what better time to celebrate cool tones and sparkly whites than the coldest, most dreary part of winter?!
I gathered all my sparkly & pretty things, including an antique asparagus dish I thought would make a gorgeous hemp foraging area!
I also splurged on a few items to make the playpen a little more exciting- like the iridescent, Bucatstate Hamster Wheel, some iridescent lights, an iridescent hide and a little icy-looking mountain hide.
The Bucatstate wheel was a little less colorful than I thought it would be, but I still appreciate the excuse to buy it- I’ve be wanting an excuse to!
I also decided that a new year should include some fresh greenery, so I grew some chia seed sprouts. If you remember, Maurice & Thor were not very interested in them last time I grew these… but with the new additions to the hamster tribe, I figured it was worth another shot.
For this playpen setup I used a slightly more fluffy blanket than the usual fleece - it gives a nice, snowy effect without getting caught on hamster nails. I use the blankets in my playpen to keep my hamsters from chewing on the nylon the playpen is made of - they can quickly chew a hole and escape! But use fleece or any fabric liner with caution- some hamsters can chew and ingest it. I am always there with my hamsters while they are in the playpen, and rarely if ever do they show interest in chewing on the blanket.
For lighting I use these simple, white twinkle lights from Target, clipped onto the edges with some binder clips. I like the soft glow they give, and allow me to keep the overhead lights off.
I also purchased some “disco ball” lights, which are a little too blue in color when on, but do add some nice reflections!
Do you have any fun themes in your playpen this January? Please share!
Dexter digs in the antique asparagus dish with hemp and foraging items.
Wee Peggy enjoys a snack break
Gotta earn all those extra sunflower seeds…
Dexter demonstrates how to run with style on the Bucatstate Acrylic Iridescent Wheel (10.2”)
*as am Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Setting Up the Prolee Hamster Cage
Welp, I got another hamster!
December has truly been a month of hamsters! And I’m here for it.
If you haven’t been listening to my podcast on Spotify or YouTube, I got two robo sisters from a college student moving home, then I got another male robo from another hamster rescuer who saved a robo litter from becoming snake food.
This male robo, whose name I believe will be “Stan” (?) is now living in this 800 sq in Prolee hamster enclosure!
Setting up a hamster cage can be tricky, so I thought it might be helpful to share my current method.
Please note- the Prolee Hamster Cage is 40” x 20” x 20” (you can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3NVw0Eh ) - fairly comparable to a 200 qt bin cage in size & shape. However, the methods shown here are how I set up all of my hamster cages, then tweak for size, shape, and available items.
Step One: Put in the major items, arrange
If you’re not sure what essential hamster item you need, it’s probably a platform! I think platforms are highly undervalued in the hamster world. A platform maximizes your space by giving your hamster safe burrowing area AND exciting things above them burrows! I like to have a sort of stair-step of platforms, from very high at one end (12”) to flat at the other end, medium platforms in between.
Here I added a 7” Niteangel platform in the back and a double peep shed in the front. I’m not sure how I feel about that drop off towards the wheel though…
Step Two: adding in substrates
Once my items are in place, I start with hemp bedding. I like to provide a few textures for my hamsters, and I love that hemp is soft & eco friendly (I much prefer it to aspen!). Hemp, if you didn’t know, is a very easy plant to grow. It does not need a lot of water or pest control!
Another angle with the hemp in there
Next I added paper bedding. I like to use white & unscented. White so I can easily spot the dirty parts for spot cleans, unscented because that’s safe for hamsters (scented is no safe for hamster delicate respiratory systems)
I then added my repti-sand and loose, coconut soil to the acrylic trays
The final step is adding seed sprays and moss around the cage - this provides nice color and an additional texture. Seed sprays are from Oakwood Forest
You can see here I also reduced the double peep shed to just one- it felt like too big of a drop off towards the wheel and I didn’t want the little guy getting hurt.
A view from the top- I like to put seeds in the coconut soil for my hamsters to dig in and find their food. I also decided to skip the long bendy bridge and use coffee cup holders instead - they also work well for hamsters!
Step Three: Add hamster, observe, make improvements!
Now adding one Stan (isn’t he cute?!). He’s just over two months old!
And this was the last time I saw him! Little Stan is getting around the cage at night (according to my Wyze cam) but is shy during the day. Hoping he’ll come out for a visit soon!
So… what do you think of my set up? Any feedback? How do you plan and set up your hamster cages?
Buy My Hamsters a Coffee
Hi Hamster Friends!
Someone recently reached out, asking if I had a Ko-Fi account - they appreciated some help they got from my website and wanted to “buy me a coffee”!
I actually get an email, about 1-2 times a month from someone, asking for advice or thanking me for the help they got from my website. I love these emails. Nothing warms my heart more than knowing that the time and effort I put into this website is helping other hamsters and their human guardians.
I don’t do this for the money, although I do get a small amount, monthly, as an Amazon affiliate. That money allows me to reinvest into this website, try out new products and write reviews, pay for my hamster’s medical care and, most importantly, afford to take in more hamsters who are looking for homes (which, lately, has become a thing! I have found myself with five more hamsters in the past month from various different situations where the owners could no longer take care of them… I’m thankful I have the resources to help out without worry!).
I always wanted to be mindful about how I monetized this website - I do not use any ads on this website because I want it to be a clean and easy experience for someone looking for hamster-care help. The only “ads” I allow are the links to products I use and recommend. Occasionally I will link a product I have not tried yet, but I always make that clear, and only after I have done my research to feel assured it’s a worth while hamster-purchase.
Anyway, after some thought, I decided to open a Ko-Fi account. If you find yourself appreciating the work I (ahem, adding my hamsters to this… WE) do here, I now have an account so you can “Buy My Hamsters a Coffee”! Please know that your contribution will now & always go to my hamster endeavors, whether is be medical care, some fancy hamster sprays, or a new Sterilite bin for yet another hamster to live in :)
We appreciate your support!
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