How to Set up a Natural Hamster Cage - Upgrading HAMSTER's German Inspired Enclosure! 🐹🍄🌿, by Pancake's Pets on YouTube. 8 min 13 s.
- Video length
- 8 min 13 s
- Time to do it
- 45 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Pick a cage with at least 100 x 50 cm of floor space and a solid base. Skip cages with wire floors or narrow tubes.
Spread 15 to 20 cm of paper-based bedding over the whole base. Press it down lightly so tunnels hold their shape.
Place a shallow sand bath in one corner and fill it with chinchilla sand. Keep the layer thin so your hamster can roll.
Set the wheel on a solid, flat area of bedding. Choose a 20 to 28 cm wheel so your hamster's back stays straight.
Add two or more hides, such as a wooden house and a ceramic hide. Bury one partly in the bedding for a burrow.
Scatter food and sprays around the cage instead of using one bowl. This keeps your hamster busy and foraging.
Fit the water bottle near a hide and check that the spout works. Add safe wood chews for the teeth.
Put the cage in a quiet spot away from direct sun and drafts. Leave your hamster alone for a day to settle.
Tips and common mistakes
Never use pine or cedar shavings, as the fumes can harm a hamster's breathing.
Spot clean wet bedding every day and do a full bedding change every 4 to 6 weeks.
Keep the cage lid secure, since hamsters are strong climbers and good at escaping.
Questions
How deep should the bedding be?
Aim for 15 to 20 cm across the cage. Deeper bedding lets your hamster dig tunnels and feel safe.
Can I use sawdust from the pet shop?
Only use paper-based bedding or unscented wood shavings sold for hamsters. Avoid pine, cedar and dusty sawdust.
How long before my hamster uses the new cage?
Give it a day or two of quiet. Your hamster will explore at night once it feels settled.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
