Changing Cages (DIY) - Need Advice/Info

[fancyhamster]

Hello! I have two sort-of related questions about enclosures. I apologize in advance, this is very long and detailed. I appreciate any response greatly!

First question: I am currently in the process of making a DIY enclosure for my male Syrian hamster, Fancy. It is an HDX (Home Depot brand) 57-gallon Tough Storage Tote with dimensions of 45.4 L x 20.7 W x 19.5 H (inches) (~900 sq in). I would love to get a regular enclosure, but I am on a budget and the need for a switch is too urgent to wait for months.
First of all, does this tote seem okay to use? Dimensions are smaller at the bottom, but I plan to fill it with at least 10-12 inches of bedding. I have sawed a large ventilation hole in the lid (most of the lid is gone), 1 smaller rectangular hole each on 3 sides, and I plan to cover the openings with mesh chicken wire (I think half-inch hole openings) & zipties (none of which will have edges accessible to Fancy). Gonna do a detailed trim of edges for extra caution (even for my own hands haha).
If anyone has advice for how to improve this DIY set up or anything like that, please let me know!

Last question: Would it be okay to switch his cage one more time in his lifetime? I have had him for 7-8 months and only switched his cage once so far. However, in at least 6 months to a year, I would like to upgrade his cage again to a potentially larger and non-DIY enclosure. This would make 3 enclosure switches in his lifetime. Would that be too stressful for him, even if I waited until a year or so in this new cage?
It's hard to tell this-- but I believe he also may be a bit more naturally prone to stress due to a severe lack of necessary quality & quantity of enrichment and space for 1-2 months at the pet store last year.

Thank you so much for your help! This forum has been incredibly helpful.

TLDR;
Question 1: Is this DIY storage bin cage fit to be a good enclosure with how I'm doing it specifically?
Question 2: Would it be too stressful to change his cage three times in his lifetime total?

 

[Maz]

Hi that sounds like an excellent size so I wouldn't worry about the base sloping. It's not ideal having to have a cage change but it's necessary sometimes. How long is it since he last had one? It's more the frequency really. I think he'll be fine as long as you go with a careful move. Which is to move everything over from his old cage without cleaning anything. Even if it's all a bit whiffy - it'll be fine for a couple of weeks. That way it still smells familiar. So - new bedding in the new bin cage. Old bedding spread on top of that. Save his nesting area and hoard and put that back in the same location as before ideally. Try and keep the layout similar to before. Eg wheel back left, house front right and any tunnels and hides in a similar layout. As much as possible. Removing a bit of pee'd on substrate from a sleeping area during the move is ok but don't go overboard. Leaving a bit of whiffy bedding is more important and you can then spot clean a week or so later.

Another thing I have done that really helps them transition, is - if you have the space - set up the new bin cage and let him have a play in it the day before moving him over. So some bedding and any new items you have for it,. plus maybe one familiar item from his current cage. Scatter some treats etc. Just pop him in and let him spend some time in there exploring it and doing hamstery things. But don't leave him there - after a while get him back in his old cage (having replaced the item you took out of there).

I've even done that on two consecutive days before moving before. Then the following day, when it's moving day, pop him in a pet carrier in another room - maybe a bedroom - well out of hearing and smell zone! They can get quite distressed if they know you're dismantling their cage. So I put the pet carrier in the bedroom where it's quiet and a blanket over it so it's darker. Then move everything across from the old cage to the new one and get it all set up.

Before getting him back out of the pet carrier, remove the old cage from the room entirely - so he can't still smell it. If it's in a different location to the new one, have a bit of clean up and hoover up in the room where the old cage was. If the new one is going to sit in the same place as the old one, no need to do a clean up - the familiar smell is ok.

The reason for this is they can get quite upset after a move, if they can still smell their old familiar cage in the room - ie wanting to go home. So taking it out of the room is a good move before you get him back from the pet carrier and into the new bin cage.

It's then basically like when you first get the hamster. Give him 2 or 3 days alone to settle in. I find doing it all this way, means the hamster is settled in within days rather than being stressed for a couple of weeks. He might be a bit skitty for the first day or two but settle after that.

 

[fancyhamster]

Hi that sounds like an excellent size so I wouldn't worry about the base sloping. It's not ideal having to have a cage change but it's necessary sometimes. How long is it since he last had one? It's more the frequency really. I think he'll be fine as long as you go with a careful move. Which is to move everything over from his old cage without cleaning anything. Even if it's all a bit whiffy - it'll be fine for a couple of weeks. That way it still smells familiar. So - new bedding in the new bin cage. Old bedding spread on top of that. Save his nesting area and hoard and put that back in the same location as before ideally. Try and keep the layout similar to before. Eg wheel back left, house front right and any tunnels and hides in a similar layout. As much as possible. Removing a bit of pee'd on substrate from a sleeping area during the move is ok but don't go overboard. Leaving a bit of whiffy bedding is more important and you can then spot clean a week or so later.

Another thing I have done that really helps them transition, is - if you have the space - set up the new bin cage and let him have a play in it the day before moving him over. So some bedding and any new items you have for it,. plus maybe one familiar item from his current cage. Scatter some treats etc. Just pop him in and let him spend some time in there exploring it and doing hamstery things. But don't leave him there - after a while get him back in his old cage (having replaced the item you took out of there).

I've even done that on two consecutive days before moving before. Then the following day, when it's moving day, pop him in a pet carrier in another room - maybe a bedroom - well out of hearing and smell zone! They can get quite distressed if they know you're dismantling their cage. So I put the pet carrier in the bedroom where it's quiet and a blanket over it so it's darker. Then move everything across from the old cage to the new one and get it all set up.

Before getting him back out of the pet carrier, remove the old cage from the room entirely - so he can't still smell it. If it's in a different location to the new one, have a bit of clean up and hoover up in the room where the old cage was. If the new one is going to sit in the same place as the old one, no need to do a clean up - the familiar smell is ok.

The reason for this is they can get quite upset after a move, if they can still smell their old familiar cage in the room - ie wanting to go home. So taking it out of the room is a good move before you get him back from the pet carrier and into the new bin cage.

It's then basically like when you first get the hamster. Give him 2 or 3 days alone to settle in. I find doing it all this way, means the hamster is settled in within days rather than being stressed for a couple of weeks. He might be a bit skitty for the first day or two but settle after that.

Hi Maz! First of all, thank you so much for such a thorough response. I have read through all of it and will be saving it for when it is time to move cages. That was so so helpful, and had some great new tips for me to incorporate into the move!

Also, his last move was in January 2026, a few weeks after I got him. This was due to me originally buying an aquarium that was WAY too small, but he hasn't had a change since.

Thank you again!