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Dusty's Mom
Thanks so much, RainbowBrite, I have already ordered the cork log and I had already ordered some grapevine branches too. And I had ordered one more platform. LOL! I have a month to return any of this to amazon. So I am good. I was trying to see how it might all work within the measurements of the cage coming tomorrow. I will work on setting it up and taking lots of pics. I also have a package of various sprays coming as well. Also a 3 pc wooden ladder set of different lengths. And my strawberry ceramic hide.I have just seen the video and I love what you have bought! You have even arranged everything in such a nice way! The way you put the bowl with the ramp and bridge leading into and the glass container it is perfect for Dusty as he can access them both and then have two ways of going out. The platform with the wheel on is so nice. I bet he will love the multichamber hide and he has the coconut hide and cute wooden hide.
He will have such a lot of chews to play with. I do not think you need to worry about getting a cork log. He has plenty of lovely things. Just to say, with the wooden items I always paint them with a hamster safe varnish as it protects the wood against urine. I think people in US use Mod Podge for that.
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You are doing such a wonderful job of researching and buying lovely things for Dusty.
I also forgot I have a seagrass hide about the size of a coconut too that the gerbils don't use. I hope I have enough to do a decent job.
Also I thought the wooden bridges, houses, etc should be unfinished so it is safe for them to chew on. I think the niteangel platforms come with a waterproof finish, it feels like it. But it is a good point about urine stains. I cleaned the bowls I got yesterday from the thrift store and I will bake the wood tomorrow after I get the cork log....the last of the wooden things.
The cage comes tomorrow too, I hope I have enough energy to put it together, on a worktable, LOL! I cannot do anything on the floor.
I saw Dusty today about 2pm for a very brief moment before he went 'down under'. I see evidence he has been up and about. Footprints in the sand bath, the toilet paper tube is now full of bedding. And bedding is scattered places it wasn't before.
And oh my goodness, I remember Mod Podge when it first came out in the 1960s! Yikes that says how old I am! LOL! Thanks for that tip!
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Dusty's Mom
I also wanted to know if any of you have seen the you tube video of a gal named Lotta and he hamster enclosure. It is unbelievable!
Here it is! She must spend a small fortune on this! It is beautiful and there are other large enclosures in that room.
Here it is! She must spend a small fortune on this! It is beautiful and there are other large enclosures in that room.
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RainbowBrite
Her hamster enclosures really are amazing. She is very inspiring.
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Dusty's Mom
Yes she is a very dedicated hamster care taker. I wonder what kind of bedding she uses as the main bedding she puts down first? It looks like it is great for burrowing. And I didn't know you should press down the bedding in the cage.Her hamster enclosures really are amazing. She is very inspiring.
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RainbowBrite
I think it may be allspan. Oh yes, pressing the bedding helps it to hold burrows. If it is not compressed then the hamster cannot make burrows.
Paper bedding makes great tunnels too. My robo loved kaytee clean and cosy bedding. He had 13 inches and he would tunnel all the way to the bottom.
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Dusty's Mom
Kaytee Clean and Cozy is what I use too, but I have never pressed it down for my gerbils or Dusty. I will have to remember to do that. I also have a supply of hemp and aspen and hay. I probably asked this before but I was wondering if I layer different beddings or mix it all together and then press it. So many details to know.
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RainbowBrite
You can do that if you want but I just use paper bedding alone. As it holds burrows well there is no need to create different layers. I use aspen as a different substrate in a dig box.Kaytee Clean and Cozy is what I use too, but I have never pressed it down for my gerbils or Dusty. I will have to remember to do that. I also have a supply of hemp and aspen and hay. I probably asked this before but I was wondering if I layer different beddings or mix it all together and then press it. So many details to know.
Please feel free to ask as much as you want.
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It’s fine to mix different beddings . As Rainbow says, Kaytee clean and cost does hold tunnels. Although it might use up quite a lot if pressed firmly down so mixing substrates could work out cheaper as well
Plueschraupe’s set ups are amazing. Oddvon linked them recently as well. I believe she uses Spruce shavings, which are not easy to get hold of (Spruce is equivalent to hardwood). However Allspan has apparently had issues recently and Hamster welfare no longer recommends it. It is not 100% Spruce. A proportion of it seems to be softwood which, according to their website, isn’t kiln dried. Oddvon found another manufacturer of spruce shavings but not sure if they’re available in the US.
Aspen, hay and Kaytee C&C are fine though. Personally I would also use just Kaytee C&C if it doesn’t work out too expensive. I worry about poky bits with hay and aspen.
. As Rainbow says, Kaytee clean and cost does hold tunnels. Although it might use up quite a lot if pressed firmly down so mixing substrates could work out cheaper as well Plueschraupe’s set ups are amazing. Oddvon linked them recently as well
. I believe she uses Spruce shavings, which are not easy to get hold of (Spruce is equivalent to hardwood). However Allspan has apparently had issues recently and Hamster welfare no longer recommends it. It is not 100% Spruce. A proportion of it seems to be softwood which, according to their website, isn’t kiln dried. Oddvon found another manufacturer of spruce shavings but not sure if they’re available in the US.Aspen, hay and Kaytee C&C are fine though. Personally I would also use just Kaytee C&C if it doesn’t work out too expensive. I worry about poky bits with hay and aspen.
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Dusty's Mom
I have a bag of aspen and hemp as well as the Kaytee C&C paper bedding and meadow hay. Maybe I could use the aspen and hemp in digging bowls? I got the aspen and hemp for the gerbils, but one of my gerbils has a sensitive eye and I think the aspen may irritate it. Not tried the hemp yet. Not sure but I don't take a chance. Right now in Dusty's cage is mostly paper with a little aspen and hay mixed in. He seems to be doing fine with it so far.It’s fine to mix different beddings
Plueschraupe’s set ups are amazing. Oddvon linked them recently as well
Aspen, hay and Kaytee C&C are fine though. Personally I would also use just Kaytee C&C if it doesn’t work out too expensive. I worry about poky bits with hay and aspen.
I thought Lotta's main bedding was spruce, but I cannot find it in the US either.
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Dusty's Mom
Thanks again, RainbowBrite, using the aspen and or hemp in dig boxes is a great idea. And using paper alone will simplify things.
And I so appreciate being able to ask my questions here and get good answers I can trust. Googling on line is hit and miss with what they say and so many sites contradict other sites.
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Dusty's Mom
Dusty was out this morning and we got to watch him quite a while. I did this video as unlisted so I hope you can see it. In this video he is in his little house busy as a bee.
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Dusty's Mom
Another Dusty video this morning. Also an unlisted video.
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Dusty's Mom
I hope so, and his new cage is due to be delivered today, so I hope to have him in the new set up in a few days. I don't know if you could tell but I did drape a dark towel over his cage on three side and half the top. That may also be why he came out more today. Also I turned his cage away from the windows that let in the bright sunlight. I think I will have to figure a more permanent way of shading his new cage when I get it set up. Or I could swap the location of the gerbil cage and where Dusty's cage will go. The gerbils don't seem to mind the daylight.He looks more confident in his environment. Maybe still a little bit skitty, diving from his food bowl back to his house but I'm sure he'll soon be running everywhere
Here is a picture of the locations of the cage tables now. Dusty's being on the table with all his stuff right now. The gerbil cage is behind the back of a bookcase which shades it from the window and sliding glass door. We had a recent birthday....thus the mess on the kitchen table. LOL!
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Dusty's Mom
in the photo the cage with the topper is the gerbil set up. The table with all the hamster cage decor is where Dusty's cage will sit once I get it. Sorry for the confusion. Dusty's tank now is sitting on the current smaller TV stand that I moved over across the room. Here is a photo showing Dusty's current cage now until the new cage arrives that will end up on the table with white legs. I was considering swapping the two cage locations but I measured and found out that if I do that the drawers under the table for Dusty's cage will not open because of where a file cabinet located next to my desk that cannot be moved. So I will now figure a way to shade Dusty's new cage from the bright light. I should have measured in the first place.I can only see one cage/tank?Is Dusty's tank next to the table with all the items on?
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Your dog looks very relaxed I can see now. I think Dusty's cage will be fine on the table with the white legs. The main thing is that a cage isn't directly under a window in direct sunlight or it could get too hot or too draughty Hamsters are asleep most of the day (not always robos) and mine have got up in the evening in summer and light from the window hasn't bothered them when they're awake. They will still have their "main hamstering" time at night in the dark and almost go into a different mode then.
I can see now. I think Dusty's cage will be fine on the table with the white legs. The main thing is that a cage isn't directly under a window in direct sunlight or it could get too hot or too draughty Hamsters are asleep most of the day (not always robos) and mine have got up in the evening in summer and light from the window hasn't bothered them when they're awake. They will still have their "main hamstering" time at night in the dark and almost go into a different mode then.