How to Make a Homemade Hamster Bin Type Cage?

As all of you know, bins are all the ‘rage’ in ‘Hamster Real Estate’ these days. These are inexpensive and easy to make if you are handy with tools, or have someone to lend a hand.
You are only limited by your imagination! Design the home of your hamster’s dreams. These are easy to clean and weigh little.
Just remember to measure twice, and cut once. Also, make sure to read the end notes for tips and other useful ideas.
I also want to point out that some of the cuts in the photos provided in this guide are picks of my very first attempt and to note that the dermal tool and Rota Zip tool are difficult to handle while cutting plastic for more details go to www.dishadvice.com. Having the Dermal tool after all the bins have been made has made available attachments to smooth out some of these ‘wobbly’ cuts you see.
You can also use a GOOD utility knife to make the cuts. It works nicely and is less messy than the power tools. It also makes nice smooth lines/cuts. I want to point this out because I am NOT going to go and buy another bin to cut up without needing it for any hamster.
These instructions are for Sterility brand bins with the locking tabs on the lid. The size depends only on your personal preferences. I use a 109 qt for Syrian hamsters and 66 qt for Dwarf hamsters. I like the locking lids for safety reasons. I have 2 bins with 3 dwarf hamsters in each living quite comfortably in there.
OK, let’s get the lid vented
See that ridge along the edges? That’s our guide. We want to cut along side the shape of that ridge. Keep the lid fastened to the bin while doing this. It gives some stability.
1- Take your 1/2″ drill bit and drill a hole about 2″ INSIDE the area you are going to cut out.
2- Take the jig saw and insert the blade into the hole you just made and start cutting. I use the guide on the saw to a) follow the shape of the ridge, b) it keeps a safe distance inside the ridge to keep the lid useable and sturdy.
3- Continue all the way around until you have a hole cut out of the middle of the lid.
4- Make 2 holes with a ‘brace’ in the middle for the large bins. [K]
Let’s add the wire mesh
1- Take your wire mesh and lay it over the upside down, cut lid.
2- With the marker, mark out the size & shape of the inside of the lid opening, include any obstacles’ that will need ‘nipping’ to make the wire fit snugly without any gaps.
3- Take the tin snips (2) & cut out the shape of the lid you just traced out on the wire. You want a tight fit with the mesh and lid so no sharp edges are sticking out. [D]
4- With the lid still upside down, lay the mesh over the lid and position the mesh in place over the opening. Take your 3/16″ drill bit & drill a hole on one spot on one of the short sides of the lid.
5- Take a screw, 2 washers & 1 nut & fasten the mesh through this hole.
6- Do the same on the opposite side of the lid.
7- Now, work your way around the opposite side. This ensures a tight fit! Use the small wire nips (#9) to cut wire away from any ‘obstacles’ left from the original shape of the lid.

France Faces Fine Over Lack of Hamster Love

Weird but true, France is being threatened with a €17 million penalty if it doesn’t clean up its act and come up with a strategy to save the European hamster, one of the continent’s most threatened species.

Last week the European Commission, the executive branch of the 27-member European Union, gave France a two-month deadline or else it would have to cough up the whopping fine for failing to comply with the Habitats Directive (yes we’re in Eurobabbleland here) to prevent the rodent’s extinction.

The Directive requires all member states to designate sites for conservation and to protect various listed species.

The little fellah at the centre of the warning is the Cricetus cricetus better known as the  “great hamster of Alsace” or the black-bellied Hamster, and as one of its name suggests is native to eastern France.

According to the Commission’s statistics – and don’t even begin to ask who does the counting, or how – the number of burrows for the rodent  have fallen dramatically in recent years, down from 1,100 in 2001 to just 167 in 2007.

The decline in population is put down to urban development and just as importantly increased levels of farming, both of which have led to the hamster’s loss of natural habitat.

In addition apparently the growth of profitable maize crops has left it with little to eat when it awakes from its winter hibernation in March.

It can’t be an easy job being taken seriously when such concerns are raised, but there is an important lesson to be learned from the decline in the hamster’s population according to the EU’s Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas. 

He insists that the drop in numbers is nature’s way of sending out a bigger message and it’s beholden to everyone to heed that fact.

Brussels issued France a warning last December but maintains that not enough has been done and is now demanding a bigger effort from the French government or else face a fine.

France is also in trouble over its plans to extend the port of Saint Nazaire in the west of the country – a proposal which would destroy 50 hectares of wetlands protected under another EU-wide scheme.

On the surface perhaps it would yet again appear that the EU is doing what its critics would say it does best – handing down seemingly daft orders that are totally out of proportion with many of the other issues it faces.

For example there’s a vital vote on the future of the EU itself on Thursday when Irish voters decide on whether to ratify the so-called mini-treaty. A “no” could scupper plans to revamp its institutions and appoint a permanent president.

It would also leave the French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, floundering to make his six-month rotating presidency of the EU effective, when France takes over in July.

Perhaps though among all the politicking, Sarkozy will spare a thought for the “cute” (in one Commission official’s words) little hamster and save the French taxpayer a hunk of money into the bargain.

After all “The man who saved the hamster” has a certain ring to it  – doesn’t it?

The Curious Case of the Happy Hamster Rolling His Wheel on a Moving Walkway

Folks, I have great news for you. Forget what astrology told you. You’re neither a taurus, a fish, a pig or a snake, you’re a happy hamster rolling your wheel on a moving walkway.

The Greek philosopher, Heraclitus, said that “you [could] never step in the same river twice” and so gave a timeless image of the linearity of life: time is always moving like the ever-changing water flowing in the riverbed.
But then rivers flow into the seas, water evaporates and condenses into clouds, the clouds bring back the fugitive under the form of falling rain. And that’s the circularity of life.

Stone monks from Tibet ODed one night and woke up the next day with the doctrine of reincarnation. That was the first cool attempt to combine the two perspectives. It was even cool enough to convince some of us sceptical braindead materialists to buy a tibetan dress and avoid walking on ground insects. The ant you nearly crushed could be Yitzhak Rabin’s second cousin and you don’t want to be called an anti-Semitic bastard, do you?

My metaphor of the hamster rolling his wheel on a moving walkway avoids such mishappenings and it has the advantage of depicting the whole life process. Two perpetual motions coexist without interacting. A first movement you can control (you roll your wheel at your own speed), a second movement you can’t control (that’s the moving walkway).
Rolling his wheel provides the hamster with an illusion of freedom, while the moving walkway sets the limits of this freedom, and gives to every hamster the same main tempo.

This fair combination of self-determination and bound temporality makes every hamster happy. The element of fun is brought by the race (the fit hamsters can try and overtake the unfit hamsters) and the fact that in the end there won’t be a winner or a loser (every hamster will fall and die at the far end of the walkway) ensures a friendly atmosphere.

So every hamster on his starting block: one, two, three, go!

Hamsters are Perfect for a Childs First Pet

Most parents naturally want to be able to give their children whatever they want. That’s not always possible though, and not always a good idea, either. At the same time, you still want your kids to have a fulfilled childhood, and most children always end up wanting a pet at some point during their childhood.

So what should a parent do when the child starts asking for a pet? The child will probably ask for a puppy or a kitten, or a pony (yikes!). Obviously these pets take a lot of responsibility and require a lot of care and attention, and many times it is the parent who takes over these responsibilities because it seems overwhelming to the child at the time. Probably you will tell your child about how having a dog will require taking the dog on walks, cleaning up after the dog, feeding it, bathing it, and more. Of course your kid will most likely promise to do all of that stuff, but in most cases, kids slack off in taking proper care of pets and the parents are then stuck with the chores.

So what should you do? Do you refuse to let your child have a pet? I hope not because I think pets and animals are an essential part of life and learning about the world around you. I believe the best idea is to start your child off with a small pet like a hamster. Hamsters are cute, small and furry little creatures and they are very easy to take care of, yet still help to teach a child about responsibility. Hamsters don’t have a very strong smell and are fairly clean animals, although they do require a little bit of care such as cleaning their cage every week, but that’s about it. Of course they need to be given fresh food and water on a regular basis.

One of the great things about hamsters is that they don’t cost very much to care for, especially compared to other pets like dogs and cats. They are fun to handle, the child can take the hamster out and play with it gently and then put it back in the cage when they’re done. Hamsters don’t shed like cats and some dogs, and they are quiet, except for the hamsters exercise wheel which might make a little bit of noise when the hamster is on it at night. So overall, I think when your child approaches you wanting a pet, I think you should suggest a hamster to start with and if the child shows it can be responsible for a hamster, maybe later they can have a dog as a pet!

Hamsters Will Rule the World

Is the end nigh? How will the world end? Are we all doomed? Ever since the dawn of time, we have been fascinated by the end of the world. Giant flaming meteorites seems to be the most common theory, but i think the answer lies where we dont expect. I think it lies with hamsters. Yes, those cute little fluff balls that some of us keep as pets. Sniffling away, going ‘eek’. Or are they?

When you are asleep, the hamsters head under the earths surface, into a giant lair. Full of hamsters, debating the end of the world. Or rather, how they will eventually take over the world. You see, I have a strong belief that these hamsters are engineering a super-hamster in the dark depths of the earths crust. Building super-hamsters that will one day crush us, and conquer the world.

Of course, people aren’t going to be scared of a little biddy hamster, trying to knaw off their small toe. The hamsters are cleverer than you think. These super hamsters are in actual fact over 10 feet high, with huge sharp teeth, a viscous streak that dwarfs the killer rabbit from the holy grail, and a really mean attitude that even a super hamster cant get elected of the united states.

Lock down the hatches, secure the windows, bolt the doors, the hamsters are going to get us soon.

You see, when the time is right, these super hamsters will rise up out of the ground, laser eyes vapourising people, giant knife like claws tearing up cars and buildings. Once everyone has turned into classic horrified b-movie victims, its then the real terror will begin. The rest of the hamsters will scurry from their lairs, forcing the human population into the oceans, where the cycle of evolution will begin again. The hamsters shall rule the earth.

A Rotastak Home For Your Hamster

Rotastak is a type of housing for hamsters, although it can easily be adapted for other small rodents.
When constructing a Rotastak you should put into consideration a hamster’s natural habitat. Their natural habitats are mainly underground burrows in the desert. The most common materials needed to make a Rotastak home for a hamster are plastics bottles of all shapes and sizes, the idea being to try and make a playing room and a resting place for the hamster. Try to make them as pretty as possible by using different colours especially attractive to children. This also makes it look beautiful and fit in with the home setting.

The resting room should have a diameter of around 15 centimetres and should be made up of two pieces of plastic that are dish shaped and that are able to twirl together. The piece at the bottom should be made of solid plastic. The other one should be made of coloured clear plastic that enables the owner to see the hamster. This also enables the hamster to see through as well. Make sure when making the homes that they have exercise areas on various levels so as to encourage mobility. Hamsters are known to love exercising, by running round in circles inside their homes.

Your hamster will adore discovering his new home and will have so much to do that he will never be bored. The bedrooms should have a hole for one tube on the bottom or on the side and connected to a tube that connects two rooms together. Another room is the maxi division. It is a tank in the shape of a kidney that is quite large and the hamster can use it to play around and rest as well. It can be made of clear plastic and should have a plastic lid with hinges for easy access for the pet. On the front part of the structure, two holes can be seen and three others on the lid. This allows one to build round rooms in an upward direction and another one in the part of the lid that has the hinge.

Other rooms include the dining area where the diameter is the same length as the one of the round room. It has two tubes on the side and one hole on the floor. One hole is used for putting a bottle of water. This allows the hamster to always have sufficient water available. Make sure this is topped up daily with fresh water. Make a sliding drawer on the dining room wall in order to make feeding times easy. Always make sure to plug in all the holes of the Rotastak, or the pet will easily wander off.

Since the Rotastak is small and portable, it can be placed in any room of the house. This will not hinder the hamster from exercising. Another advantage of the Rotastak is the material that is used for its construction. Hamsters would gnaw on wood and thus the manufacturers use a kind of plastic that the hamster cannot chew through, so your hamster home should last for many years.

Hamster First Aid Kit- How Does a Complete Hamster First Aid Kit Looks Like?

Don’t be selfish! You have one for you, don’t you? Well, your tiny hamster needs one too. You don’t have to buy it, you can put some things together and voilà… a home made first aid kit.

Here is a short list with some of the things you ought to have in your first aid kit.

* First and most important, you should always keep your veterinarian phone number and address handy. Make sure the vet you know treats hamsters because even if the hamster is commonly kept as pet, there aren’t many vets out there for them.

* Adhesive plasters of various sizes and shapes to put on your hamster wound. You can use adhesive plasters to bandage the injured leg (broken bones, twisted ankle) of your hamster by wrapping it tightly.

* Syringes and a dropper to administer various types of drugs

* Antiseptic, antibiotic and antihistamine pills and lotions. You should use only what the vet recommended you. Remember that what lotion could be great for you when you have a scratch could be deadly for your hamster because he has the habit of grooming -continuously licking his body.

* Cotton-tipped swabs to clean the wound or even the ears of your hamster( you should try to clean your hamster only if he is sick, otherwise he doesn’t needs you because he makes such a great job)

* Scissors and nail clipper

* A bag of luck so that you will never need the first aid kit!

Feel free to add to this first aid kit everything you need that is helpful and necessarily for you hamster health.

Now, that your first aid kit it’s up and running, there are some things you may take in consideration.

1. Make sure that the first aid kit isn’t hidden in some corner of the room. It should be as close as it can of the hamster’s cage. When you need it you should be able to have it handy.

2. Make sure that every member of your family knows where the first aid kit is and knows how to use it too.

3. If you have small children, make sure that the first aid kit is out of their reach.

4. Make sure you take all the precaution methods before treating your sick hamster: use gloves and wash your hand a couple of times after handling the hamster.

How to Buy a Healthy Hamster ? 7 Steps Guide

Heading for the store to buy a hamster? That’s great! But did you do your homework? Here is 7 Steps Guide on how to choose a healthy hamster.

Check the fur: Look for parasites, bald patches, sticky areas and make sure the fur looks normal, shinny and equal. The hamster grooms himself many times during the day so any abnormalities in the coat are because of the poor health condition.

Look at his eyes, nose and ears: Eyes should be clear and lively, the nose dry and free of discharge and the ears soft. Any abnormality in these is a sign of a disease and improper care, so be very careful. Bites signs mean that the hamsters has some altercations because they were kept in a small cage or just cause one hamster is more aggressive.

Look at his cage mates: If the other hamsters show signs of sickness or are aggressive, go to the next pet shop on your list because it’s most likely that the hamster you liked has the same problems.

Check his behind: A wet and messy behind probably indicates that the hamster has Wet tail, a common disease among hamsters. If the pet shop assistant tells you that this is due to the bedding and to the fact that the hamster didn’t groomed himself well, leave the pet shop because this is a big sign of ignorance from them. They are only interested in selling their pets, unfortunately.

Look for bumps or lumps: These clearly indicate health problems, most often an abscess.

Ask about his age: 4-5 weeks it’s the best age because they are smaller and easier to tame.

After you make sure that the hamster you intend to buy has no health problems, pick him up, put it on a table and see how he reacts. Does he come to you, smelling you or he runs in the opposite direction, quite scared? If he came to you, great! You just found yourself a great hamster. If not, do not worry. It’s quite normal for him to react that way. Maybe you woke him up or interrupted his meal and he is upset. If he doesn’t bite you, this is a good sign and you can take the hamster home.

Tips:

* Go hamster shopping late in the evening to see the little hamster in action! He is crepuscular so he kind of works in night shifts!

* If you can do this, buy from a breeder to avoid any problems with your hamster’s health.

* Buy from a pet shop were pets are well treated.

Do Hamsters Bite?

When hamsters are comfortable and content, they will not bite. Hamsters are quite docile creatures whose top priorities are eating and sleeping. When they do bite, it will be for two reasons, they are either scared or the owner has food like peanut butter on the fingers.

Hamsters can get scared when a new owner is bringing the hamster home. The ride back will be nerve-racking as most of the time they are put into a small box for transport and this will cause the poor hamster to become claustrophobic. At that moment is when the hamster is most prone to purposely biting someone’s finger. The new owner will have to take great care in taking the hamster out of the box and putting it into the hamster cage. Even in the first few hours in its cage, the hamster might still bite as it is in unfamiliar surroundings. It is best to leave the hamster in the cage for a day with food available at all times. Let the hamster eat and take a nap. The hamster will calm down and will come to know that the hand that feeds it is not an enemy.

The second reason why most hamsters might bite the owner is because the owner has food or condiment covering the fingers. A hamster will think the finger is food and will bite on it, but it won’t hurt nearly as much as a hamster biting out of fear. If you feed your hamster by hand, use your palm to hold out the food. As long as the owner keep the hands clean from jams and anything sticky, the hamster will not bite.

Last but not least, female hamsters are generally more aggressive than their male counter-parts. So if you want to take all precaution in not getting bit by a hamster, then consider purchasing a male hamster.

Rotastak Hamster Cage Buying Guide

Rotastak units for hamsters

Each of the Rotastak hamster cages comes with its own full colour assembly instructions. These plastic hamster cages are not as hard to put together as it may first look!

Rotastak units is based on a modular system which allows you to build on and create palace for your hamster pet friend.

Rotastak for hamsters

Each of the Rotastak hamster cages comes with its own full colour assembly instructions. These plastic hamster cages are not as hard to put together as it may look!

Dwarf hamsters, baby Syrian hamsters and mice may find it difficult to climb vertical tubes. You can adapt Rotastak fo hamster cages by fitting ‘mouse’ ladders to the inside of the tubes.  Securing these to the cage with wire is recommended

The Basic Units

The ‘Original Unit’, well known, round unit. Has been available for three generations. The ‘Starter Home’ is a single round unit with an attic bedroom – suitable for a single hamster, gerbil or mouse. These popular easy clean plastic hamster cages have a large easy access in the roof. Starter Delux illustrated.

The ‘Maxi Unit’, nearly double the floor area of a single original round unit. The smallest unit in this range is the ‘Maxi Mansion’ which comes complete with hamster exercise wheel, water bottle and attic bedroom. Suitable for a single hamster, gerbil or mouse.

Pod Units

The ‘Pod Unit’, a triangular sectional cage on two levels with a combination of plastic and wire bars. The smallest, also suitable for a single hamster, gerbil or mouse, is the ‘Cosmo Pod’ which includes feeding bowl and water bottle.

These are clear plastic with multi-coloured accessories in primary colours, red, blue and yellow.

Combination Units

All Rotastak hamster cages can be connected together with special sectional tubing. To help protect the ends of these tubes it is recommended that you use protective anti-gnaw rings.

Above are larger ‘Combination Units’ and ‘Themed Units’. i.e. Pink Palace (iIllustrated), ‘Adventure Zone’ and ‘Creepy Castle’. These are clear plastic with multi-coloured accessories in primary colours, red, blue and yellow or the theme may have a different colour scheme. 

Alot of people always ask the question are the stickers permanent?  No they are not they are transfers similar to the type you get on a tax disc.  They can stick anywhere on the clear plastic but just as easily be removed.  All the units start off without any stickers and its upto you where to put them or not!

All these units are available at net pet shop brand new and boxed with all packaging.  

Combination units are by far the most popular

Add on units

To keep adding and make your living space and fun space for your hamster even better rotastak has many add-on units and connecting tubes to do this.  Whether you want to combine main housing units or just add an extra wheel runner to your hamster home rotastak has the products. 

Spare and Accessories

To help you aaccomplish your rotastak ‘buckingham’ palace and to keep it in ship shape so that you always have the perfect safe home, Rotastak provides lots of spare parts and accessories, wheels, bottles, ladders (for dwarf hamsters), gnaw rings, covers, spare clips to keep hammy in.

Bowls and Bedding

Rotastak also provides bowls and bedding from luxury ceramic bowls to eco-friendly made from recycled materials  bedding.

Enjoy creating your hamster homes

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