home · Other · Setting up a cage for a hamster. Where will the hamster live: features of cages for fluffies Homemade cages for hamsters

Setting up a cage for a hamster. Where will the hamster live: features of cages for fluffies Homemade cages for hamsters

Instructions

First, decide where you want to place the cage. It should not be placed in places where people smoke or are exposed to drafts. Straight lines should be avoided sun rays and humidity. It is also not recommended to place it on the floor, next to the air conditioner. Hamsters are 1.5 - 3.5 years old, depending on feeding. So that your little friend lived as long as possible, follow the recommendations.

The best option The cage will be made of wood. To do this you will need multi-layer plywood and wooden boards about 12-15 mm thick. The size should not be less than 40x50 cm, minimum height 50 cm - the more spacious, the more comfortable it will be for the hamster. The floor for the cage should be plastic. You can make it slide out. This will make it easier for you to remove it.
The rods should be metal and not thin, and the distance between them should not exceed 5-10 mm, so that the hamster cannot gnaw them or crawl between them. The door needs to be placed so that it is convenient for you to put food in, clean the cage inside and simply stick your hands into the cage. Please make sure that your pet cannot open it on his own. But it’s better not to place it on springs, as you might accidentally pinch something on the hamster. You can make the top open or install plexiglass.

If you have the time and desire, you can make floors inside the cage. The distance between floors must be at least 30 cm. It is very important that the floors in the cage are made in the form of plastic shelves and not iron bars. Do not forget that in addition to all this, you will need to install a wheel, drinking bowl, feeder and other equipment at your discretion in the house.

If you choose a hamster as a pet, then you need to prepare in advance for its life next to you. At the first stage, the question will arise of how to arrange a hamster cage in such a way that it becomes a real home for your pet. It is recommended to bring an animal into the house only after its home is as suitable for habitation as possible.

Specialists different countries There are several opinions about the size of hamster cages. If the American requirements are only 0.23 sq.m., then in Germany the area can reach 1 sq.m. per adult.

One way or another, the cage should be spacious enough for the hamster to move around in it as comfortably as possible. It is better to give preference to single-story cages, even if you plan to keep several animals.

You can purchase two cages: one large one for permanent residence a hamster and a small one into which you can transfer the animal while cleaning his house.
IMPORTANT. Only dwarf hamsters are so friendly to their fellows that they can live permanently in pairs. Djungariks are kept together when mating. Larger breeds are solitary. Therefore, if you want to become the owner of, for example, hamsters, buy them different cages.

The cage material must be durable. It is better to choose a cage with metal bars good quality so that the animal does not chew them. Pay attention to the distance between the bars - it should be small so that the hamster cannot crawl through the bars or get stuck in them. To avoid a situation where the animal intensively gnaws the bars, you can wipe them olive oil or lemon juice– these products are not dangerous for the rodent, but he does not like them.

Read more about why a hamster chews its cage.

Pay attention to the bottom of the cage. The monolithic bottom, which can be removed, is more convenient for pouring a lot of bedding. Therefore, when making a choice, it is better to give preference to this design.

The cage door should close well and tightly. In some cases an additional latch will be required. Because large species of rodents can push back a weak latch and escape.

Read how to catch a rodent if it managed to escape from its cage.

Glass or plastic aquariums (some of them are burrow-shaped) are not the best choice for a rodent. They are poorly ventilated, more difficult to clean and easy to break.

Used cells

If for some reason you are unable to purchase new cell, then pay attention to the cells that have already been used before. Disinfect and wash it thoroughly. A mixture of water and white wine vinegar will help you get rid of the other resident's smell. Suitable for pre-cleaning: children's detergents, special sprays or wipes for disinfection.

Where should the cage be?

If you have other pets, then first of all the hamster’s home should be located so that other pets cannot harm the new “family member”.
On the one hand, the hamster should live among other inhabitants of the house, on the other, the cage should be located where unnecessary sounds or light will not disturb it, especially during the daytime rest.

IMPORTANT. The animal's house must be insulated from drafts, sunlight, heating and electrical appliances. If these recommendations are not followed, your pet's health may be at risk.

To avoid debris around the cage, it can be placed inside a cardboard stand about 10cm deep.

Additional accessories

Setting up a hamster cage also means equipping it with a full set of accessories for the hamster, such as a running wheel, various tunnels, hammocks, installing a house, and arranging places for feeding and drinking the rodent.

You can support the active lifestyle of the animal with the help. The choice of diameter depends on the size of the animal itself. So, for large breeds it is recommended to install wheels with diameters up to 30 cm, for Djungarian hamsters - 20 cm is enough. You may have to change running wheels during the life of your pet, because for babies the size should be smaller than for adult. Treadmill the wheels must be solid. Using a net can injure your hamster.

A good option are tunnels that not only entertain rodents, but also help them be physically active. Make sure that the tunnel is spacious enough for your view and has good ventilation.

To develop coordination of movements, you can hang special hammocks for hamsters in the cage. It is better to choose hammocks in the form of plastic or metal tubes large diameter. They should be hung so that the animal can easily climb on and off without injury. Textile hammocks are not recommended - your hamster can easily get entangled in them and suffocate.

If the animal is hot, then you can put a ceramic saucer or ground marble tiles in the cage.

Drinking container

Every day the animal needs a clean drinking water. Rodents can drink liquid both from bowls and from special drinking bowls.
When using a bowl, it must be covered to prevent bedding and pieces of food from getting into it.

The best option would be an automatic drinker, which is attached to the outside of the cage and has a ball inside the spout. In this case, the animal can lick the tip of the spout, thereby moving the ball and receiving water.

Food container

Pieces of food can be scattered around the cage. Then the hamster will satisfy the instincts of searching for food. This is also convenient if you keep a couple of dwarfs - when they are busy digging for food, they will not have time for skirmishes.
For large species, it is recommended to use a bowl that is resistant to turning over. When using this container, you will be able to see how much your pet is eating.

Houses

Some rodents prefer to build "nests". But even in this case, you can install houses in the cage - plastic or wooden. They must have a removable roof and entrance. Windows are unnecessary - the animal can get stuck in them. In addition, light will enter through the windows, which will prevent the hamster from sleeping during the day.

The house itself should be quite spacious - rodents often store their food supplies there.
Flexible bridges can be used as housing. They will resemble caves if they are well covered with substrate.
You can also prepare the house with your own hands. An empty dried coconut is suitable for these purposes. You need to drill a larger hole in it and sand the edges.

Litter

You can use compressed sawdust or wood filler. The sawdust should not be too small - otherwise they may get into the animal’s nose or get tangled in its fur. Wood pellets must be odorless and dense enough - loose granules will quickly turn into dust, which will harm the animal.

An excellent option is shredded corn cobs with leftover grain. This is safe for the animal, allows it to bury itself easily and not harm itself.

IMPORTANT. The animal may be allergic or have breathing problems to pine or cedar sawdust. Do not use cotton wool, bandages or other materials that disintegrate into individual threads– the hamster can get entangled in them and damage its paws.

Fillers should be avoided cat litter– they often contain clay, which will stick to the animal’s paws when wet. There are also mineral fillers, which are toxic to small pets.

It is worth pouring bedding at least 6 cm deep - the pet will be able to burrow into it and play. If your apartment is cold, then during this period it is worth increasing the volume of the filler so that the hamster can warm up.

It is acceptable to use napkins or unscented white toilet paper, torn into pieces, as material for the house.
You can give the animal pieces of non-wool fabric.
Some pet stores even sell special nesting material.
You should always have a supply of bedding and nesting material on hand. Cleaning can be done spot-on once a day. Major home cleaning is usually done once a week.

Additional entertainment

To prevent the animal from getting bored, you can put it in its cage cardboard boxes or rolls from toilet paper– he can play with such things for a long time, gradually gnawing them.

There must be a mineral stone for grinding teeth. For the animal this is both entertainment and benefit.

Thus, all of the above accessories will help you set up a hamster cage. Stock up on them in advance, and only after the future house has been completely arranged, add a hamster to it.

Communication with your pet

When the animal gets used to its new place of residence, you can. Regular interaction will keep your hamster healthy and happy.
But do not forget that you need to handle the rodent correctly to avoid stress for the hamster and for you. The rule good manners in this case, it is considered when you clasp the rodent on both sides with your palms - this will help prevent it from jumping out of your hands. Grabbing the paws, picking from the back or touching the head can lead to aggression in the animal.

Examinations of the animal

Examine your pet at least once a week to promptly contact a veterinarian.
It is necessary to check the condition of the teeth and fur, whether there is moisture on the tail and butt, whether there are any wounds, and whether the eyes are clean.


Some experts recommend weighing the animal to monitor whether it is eating properly - whether there is a loss in weight or, conversely, a gain in grams.
If you notice an upset stomach or bleeding in your hamster, contact a specialist immediately.


Hamsters are nimble animals that need a house that meets all their requirements. The necessary paraphernalia is quite expensive. Therefore, rodent owners often think about building their own housing for their pet. It is rarely possible to make a hamster cage with your own hands from available materials. But having made an effort and bought necessary materials you can build a real palace. The cost of a homemade cage will be lower than a ready-made cage purchased in a store.

Homemade hamster cage

Building an “apartment” for a pet is a task that requires certain skills and abilities. Don't be afraid of failure, even if you haven't done similar things before. Sometimes, even if you act strictly according to plan, you have to make adjustments to the project, and the cell turns out to be a completely different look.

To make a pet cage at home you will need:

  • Metal mesh with a small distance between the rods.
  • Narrow-point pliers.
  • Metal cutters.
  • Aluminum wire.
  • Paints for metal surfaces or enamel.
  • Stiff wire for hooks.
  • Solvent (for example, white spirit).
  • Paint brushes.
  • File.
  • Plywood.
  • Fasteners for plywood.

Instead of plywood, you can use PVC. Then you will need not fasteners, but glue. Both materials are intended for making a house pallet.

A house made of wood is more environmentally friendly and safer for a pet, but is difficult to assemble. When using PVC sheets for the pallet, you should remember that the glue will take at least a week to dry, since it is poisonous to rodents.

To cut plywood or PVC you will need a jigsaw.

Before you start building a cage, think over the layout of your home. Draw a drawing, think about the location of toys, feeders and drinking bowls.

The principle of assembling a homemade iron cage:

  1. Create a cage frame from mesh.
  2. Cut out all the necessary openings - windows and doors.
  3. Treat the edges of the grill to prevent your hamster from cutting himself. Bend them using pliers and file them.
  4. Treat the grille with solvent and paint. Use only rodent-safe paints.
  5. Connect all parts with aluminum wire.
  6. Make hooks for closing the door from stiff wire.

When the frame is ready, start making the pallet:

  1. Calculate the required parameters of the pallet. Cut out the necessary blanks.
  2. Fasten the sides and bottom together.
  3. Inside the pallet, attach plastic beams that will cover the joints between parts of the product.
  4. If the cage is very heavy, make stiffening ribs at the bottom so that the pallet does not sag.
  5. To ensure reliability of the structure, stick plates on the corners that additionally support the pallet.
  6. Make the legs for the cage from the same material as the tray. Place them on the bottom of the tray in the corners.

Don’t forget, you need to dry the pallet for at least a week after assembly to toxic substances evaporated.

How to make a hamster cage with your own hands from a box

The rodent house is not made from ordinary cardboard box. Cardboard is a fragile material. Such a cage will not be able to hold the animal. The hamster will quickly gnaw through the walls and run away. A do-it-yourself hamster cage can be made from household plastic containers. These items are perfect for both Dzungarians and Syrians. Container required size easy to pick up at a regular hardware store.

The animal's cage must be well ventilated; for this, part of the wall and lid is cut out. A fine grille is installed in this place. It should be carefully processed so that the rodent does not get injured.

The plastic is easily cut with scissors or a knife. The mesh is attached with self-tapping screws or screws with nuts. It is better to prepare holes for fastenings in advance. Make holes with a hot awl or use a drill. The sharp ends of the fasteners should not point into the cage, otherwise the animal may be injured. Insert the fasteners with the cap facing inwards.

A container house can be made two-story. This design looks like a rack. The second floor can be used as a house for another pet. When installing one container on another, it is necessary to additionally install a wall with grilles for ventilation.

To arrange a two-story home for one pet, the “elevator” problem is solved by installing a tunnel from the first floor to the second. This method of movement will please the animal and is safe for health. Hamsters are active pets who love to run in tunnels, wheels and just around the house. The construction of a second floor will allow you to expand the rodent’s habitat, accommodate additional entertainment and make your pet’s life richer and more interesting. Tunnels are sold in various stores. Sometimes they are made from scrap materials at home. Usually tunnels are made from plastic bottles.

To create the tunnel, cut off the bottom and neck of the bottle so that the diameter of the remaining part is the same at all ends. Wrap the edges of the bottle with electrical tape. Connect the bottles together with electrical tape and check the strength of the connection. Choose the width of the container according to the size of the hamster. For Djungarian hamsters, a 1.5 liter container is sufficient.

Additionally, plastic and corrugated pipes are used for the “lift” for installing washbasins. Their disadvantage is the opacity of the product.

Hamster cage made from plastic bottles

For temporary keeping of an animal, a homemade cage made from plastic bottles. Use three 6 liter bottles. Cut off top part containers so that a container of the same diameter remains. Separate the threaded neck from the cut part. Cover the edges of all parts with electrical tape. Make a hole in the lid so that one threaded “washer” remains.

Start assembling your three-room home. Place the containers in one row, bottom down. Cut holes not high from the bottom with a diameter that matches the size of the neck. These are future tunnels between rooms. Make holes in the remaining rooms at the same level.

Place the bottles next to each other. Insert the neck into a specially made hole on one side, and secure with a “washer” on the other side. Proceeding similarly, connect all the rooms with improvised tunnels.

Fill the bottles with hay or sawdust, install the necessary equipment for feeding and entertaining the animal. The “apartment” can be expanded by adding additional bottles. Broken parts can be easily repaired by simply replacing them with new ones.

DIY hamster terrarium

The glass terrarium provides odor insulation and reduces noise penetration. It is more interesting to observe a rodent through glass. Disadvantages of this housing:

  1. The heaviness and fragility of the house.
  2. Difficulties in attaching a special drinker and wheel.
  3. High humidity inside the pet's home.

For terrariums, glass containers are usually used, covered with mesh for ventilation. If the aquarium is quite high, the material of the grate is not important, since the pet will not reach it with his teeth.

Glass houses can be cold for your pet. It is recommended to line the bottom big amount hay or sawdust. Plexiglas cages are warmer and lighter, but visibility is impaired due to the quality of the material. Scratches quickly appear on plexiglass.

What else can you make a home for a hamster from?

You can use cabinets and bookshelves. To do this, replace the top of the furniture with a ventilation grille, make several holes for air, and attach the wheel and drinking bowl. This home looks quite unusual. Equipping a cage for a comfortable stay for an animal is quite simple.

It is impossible to make high-quality and reliable housing for a hamster using paper or cardboard. The animal will chew through the material and run away.

You can use coconut as additional “houses”. Such accessories look unusual and cute. Fluffy pets will wear down their teeth and get useful material. Making such a house is quite simple: remove the milk and... Cut off the “lid”. Drill some holes for ventilation.

There are many ways to make hamster cages at home. The most interesting and safest are wooden houses and structures. But making them yourself is quite difficult. The most economical, lightweight and interesting house will be made from plastic containers. Show your imagination when building a pet house. It will be much more interesting for a hamster to live in a high-quality, spacious home, and for the owner to watch the nimble animal.

You decided to get a pet and chose a hamster. The cost of its maintenance includes many factors. You need to buy a cage, accessories, food and the rodent itself. Largest quantity Of course, finance takes away the home. Depending on the type and size of the pet, choose between an aquarium, terrarium and cage. Since these things take more money, you can save just as much on them. To do this, you should ask yourself: how to make a hamster cage with your own hands?! This will cost several times less, and for some it is even free (when everything you need is available).

Tools and materials

There are many options for cages for a hamster; photos of almost all of them are freely available on the Internet. You can make a huge home with many floors with your own hands, but today we will look at a kind of minimum. The result is a small home that will not serve to expand the pet’s area, but only to save on the purchase of a full-fledged cage.

We will take a regular container or box as a basis. It is this that will serve as a cage; you just need to arrange everything correctly.

To work you will need:

  • Myself Plastic container , the bigger, the better.
  • Superglue to glue everything together without using sharp or cutting objects.
  • A mesh, plastic is suitable, but metal is better, since the pet can chew through the plastic.
  • Scissors . To work with the container itself.
  • Marker for marks.
  • Ruler . To stick to the correct sizes.

When you have everything from the list, you can start making a hamster cage with your own hands. Everything will take up to two hours, unless of course you have at least minimal experience.

Instructions for making a cage

To make a good cage, do everything point by point:

  1. On the back side of the container lid you need to draw a rectangle of a certain size. We will cut it out in the future. In its place we will glue our mesh. Therefore, take the sizes that suit your container. We draw 40 by 15 centimeters. I measure with a ruler and draw with a marker.
  2. Now cut out a slightly larger rectangle from the mesh, approximately 2 cm on each side. We take 44 by 20 centimeters. The enlarged cutout of the mesh is needed so that there is something to attach to the edges.
  3. Next, simply glue the cut mesh to the roof of the container. That's all, the DIY hamster cage is ready. You can make similar cutouts on the sides.

Such housing is suitable for almost all types of rodents, from the smallest to the largest. Not even Roborovsky's hamster can fit through the holes.

Now you have a cage, you need to design it correctly. 3-5 centimeters of litter and that’s it necessary accessories. Can I have some more

A hamster house is a mandatory piece of interior design for a hamster. But how to make it yourself? Since in the wild these fluffy creatures dig holes in which they hide, then in captivity they they need places where no one will disturb them and they can rest peacefully.

It is extremely simple to build a shelter for an animal yourself, and a variety of available materials are suitable for this role.

From coconut

Such a cozy hut will undoubtedly please the furry tenant, and it is also pleasant to chew on, since it is made from a natural substance. You will need: coconut, spoon, engraver, wood saw, marker. First of all, you need to choose a coconut that is suitable for the size of your hamster.

Cracked and damaged material must not be used.. Using a hacksaw, carefully saw off the top of the nut. Empty the container of liquid and remove the white pulp with a spoon. Rinse thoroughly future house and dry it dry. Using a marker, we outline a round entrance. Using an engraver, we cut out the opening and grind all the cut edges. It is not forbidden to make windows if desired.

Watch the video on how to do this.

From a plastic container

Now we’ll find out how to make one for your hamster from a plastic container with your own hands. This material is perfect for this purpose. You can buy a new one or use an old one, the main thing is without damage. Heat up the soldering iron and cut out front door. It is advisable to use the same hot tool to make several holes around the circumference of the container, so that nothing will prevent the air from penetrating into the fluffy’s shelter. We place the resulting blank with the open side on the bottom of the cage, and pour filler inside.

Made of wood

For wooden house You will need a lot of ice cream sticks, a rubber band, and glue. Initially, you should prepare the blanks: 3 walls and a floor. We glue the sticks together so that we get flat rectangles or squares as desired. Using glue, we connect the floor with three walls. We fix the building with an elastic band until the adhesive hardens.

The fourth wall is not needed completely, but only half of it. Let's make it in the same way as the previous ones. Glue it to the workpiece so that there is a hole at the bottom for entry. Now it's time for the roof. Using glue, we connect the sticks as supporting rafters. We glue the remaining parts crosswise. We assemble the structure together, fastening it with adhesive.

From plywood

If you have ever made a birdhouse, then you will not have any problems with the construction of such a shelter. We cut out 4 pieces from plywood: 2 are 13 cm long, the remaining ones are 15 cm long. The height of the parts is at least 7 cm. Carefully sand the plywood pieces. We cut a hole in one part, it will serve as an entrance for the fluffy.

We assemble the structure in the form of a parallelepiped and secure it with nails. The connecting elements should not stick out from the plywood, otherwise the animal will not be protected from injury. All that remains is to cut out the roof in the form of a 13x15 cm rectangle. We also secure this part with nails.

From cardboard

It’s not difficult to make such a simple house, and you only need 2 cardboard tubes from paper products and scissors. We flatten one of the tubes as much as possible and cut out two semicircles in the middle from different sides opposite each other. We repeat similar manipulations with the other bushing.

We straighten the blanks and connect them, inserting each other into the resulting holes. You can assemble many such shelters in the form of cardboard labyrinths. The rodent will definitely like such toys, because he will sleep in them and play enough.

From paper

This construction will not take much of your time, but, alas, it will not last long for your pet. We'll stock up on a balloon, white toilet paper and a container of water. Let's inflate the balloon the right size so that the baby can fit in there quietly. We divide the paper products into pieces and moisten them in water. Place the soaked material evenly on top of the ball. 8 layers are enough. Move the workpiece to a warm place and let it dry. We pierce the base with a needle and remove it from the frame. Cutting out the front door.

From the box

Any box from under food product. Cut off the closing edge of the workpiece and cut a semicircular hole at the base. We place a cardboard roll left over from toilet paper into the hole. It is better to secure the structure with hot glue.

From plastic bottles

To build such a hut, you can use one or two bottles. Let's consider these options. Worth finding plastic container, the width of the bottom of which is suitable for a fluffy. Bottom part cut it off, as it will serve as a shelter for the rodent. Turn the cut side down and cut out the entrance. We heat up a thin metal tool and pierce the workpiece around the perimeter. This way the hamster will not suffer from lack of air. We cover the sharp cut edges with electrical insulating tape so that the baby does not get hurt.

For the next option you will need 2 bottles, preferably 5 liters in volume. We remove the containers from the necks using a knife. We cut a hole in the wall of the bottle equal to the diameter of the neck. Repeat the procedure with another container.. We wrap the cut edges with electrical tape. We apply the blanks to each other so that the cut holes coincide and connect them with the neck.

It will be easier to equip a hamster cage due to space if your pet lives in an aquarium or a plexiglass dwelling.

How else can you equip a terrarium for a dzhungarika?

A homemade house for Djungarian hamsters may look something like the photo below. You can complement it with other accessories for a comfortable, full and energetic life for the animal. How to properly equip a cage for a dzhungarika so that it contains additional interior items that the rodent needs? You can equip your furry's apartment:

We attach the boxes so that the end result is a labyrinth. To keep the baby interested new toy, we lay out treats in the “rooms”.

  • Toilet. It is worth finding a suitable container from durable plastic, always with a lid. We make a hole in the side of the vessel, stepping back about 2 cm from the edge. Use sandpaper to smooth out all the irregularities. We install the toilet in the cage with the lid down and fill it with filler.

Don't forget to attach a hamster wheel to the cage. These rodents are very active!

How to make a second floor in a cage?

The second floor in a hamster cage is additional territory, which means joy for the pet. You can also do it yourself.

To do this you will need roll sticks, a marker, wire, a ruler, wire cutters, and a heat gun.

  1. We measure the length and width of the planned site.
  2. We adjust it to the size of the site Chinese chopsticks using wire cutters.
  3. We leave two sticks of standard length, they will be load-bearing.
  4. We place two cut sticks on one and the other edges transversely, and lay the rest horizontally on them.
  5. Using glue we connect the structure.
  6. When the platform is dry, we place it in a cage on supports and secure it with wire around the entire perimeter.

How to build a warm home for a Syrian hamster?

To keep your Syrian hamster warm in your apartment, you don’t need to resort to any tricks.

The main thing is not to skimp on hay, sawdust or other fillers in order to insulate your home as much as possible. White paper will also help your baby cope with the cold..

Place a couple of leaves in the cage, and the pet will independently tear the “building material” into pieces and drag it into the house, forming a kind of “nest”.

By the way, in winter time You can decorate the rodent’s cage yourself for the New Year or Valentine’s Day. And read about that in this article.

Where to put the housing?

Since hamsters frolic in the dark and gain strength during the day, it is not difficult to guess where to place his apartment. Place an aquarium for a hamster in a quiet and cozy corner without direct sunlight.. The hamster will get a chance to get a good night's sleep during the day, because he will not be disturbed by the sun or human fuss. Also, do not forget to avoid drafts so that the tiny creature does not catch a cold.