Help needed / first time

[Chrissymarie05]

Hi there I’ve got a Syrian hamster for the first time, this is a cage we got second hand and will eventually buy a bigger one very soon. My hamster keeps going in his tunnels and nowhere else I’ve found a forum that says get tunnel blockers, I’m wondering if his little hideout houses are to small would you suggest maybe removing the pink second floor and just getting some swings, toys and a bigger hideout house maybe?

 

[Maz]

Hello It looks like the Savic Hamster Sky cage It's a common issue with that and the Hamster Heaven, and the best thing to do is remove the exterior tunnel completely, and for that you need the hole blockers - did they come with the cage? They would have come with the cage from new. The external plastic tunnels skew their instinctive habits - if they are gone and you give him lots of nice deeper bedding in the base, he will nest at ground level and bury his hoards under his nest and probably use a corner of the cage as a toilet. A corner litter tray with sand in works well for that

As you're just using the one shelf, it is fine. The house on the shelf is too small to nest in but makes an additional hide, although it's a squeeze for a syrian to fit in! So the best thing there is to make a shoebox house and have it on top of the substrate. Just cut the base out of a shoebox, keep the lid as a lift off roof (so you can check inside occasionally without having to lift the house out and disturb his nesting area), and cut a hole for a door - on one of the long sides near one end/corner - so the other end is darker inside.

You could maybe put that front right of the cage. And I notice you have a flying saucer at the back, which is too small for a syrian and they do much better with an upright 11" wheel - so that could go at the back next to the shelf and still leave room for the house

He will love an 11" upright wheel!

Also fill the base with bedding so it's nice and cosy for him and he can dig some of his own tunnels a bit or at least bury things. Paper bedding is best. If you're already using wood shavings, you can just add the paper on top and gradually the wood shavings will get replaced as you spot clean or do partial cleans (don't do a full clean out regularly, it stresses them and can also lead to abnormal behaviours). Basically the more bedding you have in, the less often it needs to be cleaned out! You can just spot clean the pee area, and if the hamster uses the litter tray you just empty that once or twice a week and the rest of the cage stays clean and dry. If the shoebox house is big enough you can put the litter tray inside as they will use it if it's in the house and the house is large enough. So you put the litter tray at the end opposite the doorway in the back corner and the hamster will sleep at the other end. I am sure the hamster would move in straight away as they look for somewhere secure and dark. Even though the tunnels are clear, they feel enclosed so it tricks their senses into feeling it's safe and underground!

So hole blockers:

Reviewer says these fit the Hamster Heaven cage (which is the same cage as yours but slightly different, but hole sizes are the same).

Savic hole blockers

Kaytee Clean & Cozy bedding is a popular paper based substrate. I've linked the purple one below as it's a reasonable price and a good size at 49 litres, but it also comes in white, different colours, and different sizes. But if buying it anywhere else check it is NOT a scented version - there are some that are scented and those are bad for hamsters.

Kaytee Clean & Cozy purple 49.2 litres - £16.99

Or Porton Aquapet have the natural version for £14.99 but it's a much smaller bale at 24.6 litres so won't go far.

Natural Kaytee 24.6 litres £11.99

Or there's a bigger 49 litre one that will

Basic inexpensive 11" Trixie wheel - comes in various colours - it's pot luck which colour you get! But they are all ok.

Trixie 28cm plastic wheel

Trixie corner toilet - you'd need sand to put in it.

Trixie corner toilet £6.15

 

[Socks' Mum]

Hi there I’ve got a Syrian hamster for the first time, this is a cage we got second hand and will eventually buy a bigger one very soon. My hamster keeps going in his tunnels and nowhere else I’ve found a forum that says get tunnel blockers, I’m wondering if his little hideout houses are to small would you suggest maybe removing the pink second floor and just getting some swings, toys and a bigger hideout house maybe?

View attachment 14178

Welcome to the forum

 

[Maz]

Just to add, I'd check the diameter of all the holes in the log, both on the sides and either end as they might be a big small for a syrian and they can get stuck in holes that are too small. Any holes need to be at least 7cm in diameter. Often those logs are sold for dwarf hamsters and have smaller holes. If the holes are smaller than 7cm diameter, I would take it out, but if you have a pringles tube you could use that Just wipe it out inside.

If it all sounds a bit costly in one go, just get the hole blockers and the wheel Then add a big pile of torn up strips of plain white toilet paper and put it in the cage somewhere - maybe near the shelf. Then he'll take it and build a big nest somewhere - maybe under the shelf.

 

[Angel’s Teddybear]

Welcome to the forum! I think it is lovely how you are looking to improve your hamster care already! My sister actually had the same exact cage for her first hamster. A lot of what Maz said is what I would suggest too! I also would recommend adding a bit more bedding (preferably paper bedding, or even shredded toilet paper or tissues) almost up to the end of the blue.
If you have any questions, I know I’m happy to help answer them as well! I completely remember my first time as a hamster owner- and i was not very knowledgeable about hamsters quite yet.

 

[Maz]

Looking back at your post again - I wouldn't waste money on any swings or toys Most of these things sold for hamsters either aren't safe or are only big enough for dwarf hamsters. Hamsters do love enrichment, but I would stick to natural things - cardboard, cork, wood, ceramic etc.

Have a look on this thread for some ideas Also if you do fill the base to the top with bedding (which is recommended), then people worry about bedding falling out - which it will do a bit so either a) don't worry about it and accept the odd bit of hoovering when bits fall out or b) you can put cardboard round the inside of the bars at the bottom to stop it falling out - maybe 2" to 3" deep. Which isn't very glamorous, but does the trick Unless the hamster chews cardboard! Some do some don't.

I would save your money towards a bigger cage. Your hammy will be fine for now (if you get an 11" wheel and possibly remove the wood log and add lots of toilet paper strips), but it might be better to save towards the bigger cage first.

You can get a second hand savic plaza 100 for £30 to £40 these days and there are usually some on ebay or gumtree or facebook marketplace

It's a similar cage - still has a big front opening door, which is good for interaction - but no external tubes to cap off - it's 100cm instead of 80cm and is a bit taller so an 11" wheel fits easily as well as deeper bedding. However there is still the same issue of bedding falling out unless you have cardboard or perspex round the inside bars. These days 8" deep bedding or more is recommended, so they can tunnel and burrow.

On here we say minimum 6" (ie fill the base) providing you also have a multiroom house, which mimics a burrow. But deeper is better.

Happy Henry homes makes a good multiroom house. But it won't really fit in your current cage as there wouldn't be much space left for a wheel and other things then or floor space. Which is why I suggested a shoebox house for now

This is the savic plaza cage (new price but they are available second hand as well)

Savic Plaza 100

Depending on your budget, the Bucatstate 100 is also very popular - you can sometimes find these second hand but not quite so easily. However it is expensive new, but doesn't have the issue of bedding falling out On the other hand, you can't screw a shelf to the bars so then you need to buy a platform or two - one as a general platform and one to stand the wheel on. So that can add to the cost.

Bucatstate 100

And this is the Happy Henry Homes multiroom house - it's quite lightweight compared to some which is a good thing, but even then, with a large house, you need to have it on "legs" or stilts, so it can't sink down into the substrate and squash the hamster as they will tunnel under it! Happy Henry Homes also sells legs for it in different lengths - so you need to do a bit of maths! Firstly work out how deep your bedding is going to be, then work out what length legs you need.

It can get quite expensive once you start buying this kind of enrichment, so I would focus on the cage first, and a shoebox house is fine and free! It isn't multiroom but it is still a large house with plenty of space for nesting and hoarding - and dark inside. That is what hamsters need - somewhere dark they can retreat to. Either inside a dark house or under deep bedding.

Happy Henry Homes Chamber House

Legs/stilts for chamber house

Here's our guide to a budget first set up!

Hamster cage set up on a budget

How to set up a hamster cage or enclosure on a budget in 2026 and give your hamster a good home. Hint - cardboard is your friend. Our hamster site and forum will give friendly advice on everything you need for your hamster enclosure or cage...

www.thehamsterforum.com

And the "Show us your cages" thread for inspiration

Show us your cages 2023 onwards

A new thread for 2023 to show cage set ups :) Some may have changed or be new but feel free to add your existing set up again. It's mainly so all current ones are viewable in the same place.

www.thehamsterforum.com