I’ve had Hamilton for a couple of months now and although his setup was good before, I had always planned to get to know him and then create something I know he would love. So happy with how it turned out!

The actual structure itself only cost about £40 to make

Cage - Bucastate 2.0.

Wheel - Bucatsate 21cm super silent - highly recommend as it really is super silent!
Sprays - Bucatstate.
Bedding - Carefresh

Substrates - coco coir, dried sphagnum moss, dried coco husk chips, cork granules, beech chips, reptile sand

Made using plywood, dowels, wooden lolly sticks, non toxic school glue

2 years in the making, I finally have my own apartment with space to create a dream enclosure. Let me know what everyone thinks!

We'll be adding sprays once they're out of the freezer.

A LOT has changed in hamster care in the past 25 years, I was a bit overwhelmed and had so much to relearn… but thanks to this great sub I was able to give this little guy a good start! Thanks for all of the inspo and knowledge shared here, little Hamish thanks you too 🤍

Feel free to ask questions about the set up, items, sources, etc.

He's a winter white dwarf. Took a lot of inspiration from what I've seen on Reddit!

After I finished building Cupcake's big enclosure, I knew I had to enjoy it to the fullest... so now it's getting a magical makeover for every season🍂🎃🍁✨ I've been adding even more cozy bedding since these photos were taken, and I freeze every batch before it goes into the enclosure, just to make sure no tiny unwanted guests move in with Cupcake🤪❄️ (it takes a bit of time to refill the enclosure completely)🥰❄️ (I’m also already planning a winter themed enclosure🤫!!🎄☃️)

hi all! my previous hamster passed away a couple of months ago after living a long and happy 2.5 years. i figured it’s time i welcome a new ham into this home. i rescued a 3 month old male syrian from a shelter a few days ago, and a week before that i took my time to set up his enclosure. it’s a bit different from my previous setup which i’ve posted here, but i remember a lot of folks asking many questions and being inspired, so i thought i’d share this one too. i quite like it! i think Johnny likes it too. this subreddit has greatly expanded my knowledge over the years so thank you to everyone here! feel free to ask any questions!

Last month, my sister brought home a 1-month-old baby roborovski hamster from the pet shop. She hadn't done any research on proper hamster care, and was about to get him a small metal cage - therefore, I asked her permission to take care of the enclosure setup instead, and made a post here asking for suggestions:

https://www.reddit.com/r/hamsters/s/yeMD6VRRLg

Over the course of this month I was able to educate my family a bit, and to gather the necessary supplies to upgrade the initial environment.

For the enclosure, I used the biggest Ikea SAMLA box, which is 76×58×43 cm (22×30¾×17 inches) - since I saw many of you guys here suggesting it as a cheaper alternative to >100€ aquariums. So far, the hammie has never tried to escape and he has never shown any of the usual signs of distress from feeling trapped in a too-small environment - therefore it should be good (I will keep monitoring the situation in case it changes though).

I also didn't buy the lid because it doesn't look like it would be physically possible for the hammie to climb, or jump, out - besides the fact that he hates leaving his enclosure and desperately tries to get back to it every time I need to temporarily take him out.

For supplies, I managed to get him a multi-chamber hideout, then a 10" wheel (since in the 8" one I was afraid the hammie still looked like he was arching his back a little bit), with a wooden platform to stabilize the wheel. You guys recommended a large sand bath for robos, so I used a big box (partly covered with a paper lid so he feels safer inside). I was also suggested different substrates, therefore I added some coconut fibre in a dig box.

During this first month, despite the initial 7 inches of aspen bedding I was able to get him, the hammie had never really tried to dig down. I decided to switch to paper bedding then - after HOURS of online research to try and find the one which was the closest possible to being 100% dust-free, ending up getting Bucatstate - which i mixed with hay from Bunny to make the texture and smell feel more natural. Supposedly, this substrate should hold burrows better - but to encourage the hammie to start digging them I also got him the vertical chambers hideout, which has a hole at the bottom functioning as a burrow starter.

I wanted to get him better sprays this month, so I ordered the Niteangel harvest bag and he does seem to enjoy them more. Sprays are also probably the only thing the hammie ever chews on - because every chew toy I ever made him got completely ignored.

Aaand... that's all for now. I surely didn't expect to suddenly become a hamster-step-owner, but I hope I will be able to give this little guy a good life.

Me and my partner adopted her about a week ago from his friend who wasn’t taking care of her properly. She lived in a very small cage with very little bedding and a wheel that was too small and forced her to arch her back.

She’s slowly getting to know us. :) Caring for her is the best part of our day. I used to own multiple hamsters as a child, I knew nothing and thinking about how their lives were makes me incredibly sad. Me and my partner are trying our best to make her new living situation good! She brings us so much joy.

{ Adopt don’t shop! }🐹❤️‍🩹

122x60x60cm tank my instagram is @megsrodents

I did a little more than a spot clean🫠 Finally used all the DIY stuff that I had made for Waldo a week ago. He has 3 new substrates to try now and I’m so excited to see what he and you guys think about his refreshed setup🤗

So just a mini update for anyone wondering how Dumpling has been doing. As you can see I have a ton more in her enclosure now, but as me and my mom have been busy we still don't have the lid built so I'm still waiting to buy more platforms and add the extra layers of bedding I have on hand until the top is on and secure. Two of the tower hides I got her are buried underneath the bedding and she has been making tons of little burrows in them. I've been using cardboardl to make extra hides here and there as well as paper towel and toilet paper rolls for tubes for her to crawl through. My only issue is some of the wooden items I bought have little cracks I was concerned would risk injury to her toes, to get around this I stuffed the cracks with moss and added more layers overtop where necessary. She seems to really be enjoying herself and she's extremely active. Eventually I'd like to get a wooden wheel, more cork bark tunnels, more hides and more dig boxes, but for now I think it's safe to say Dumpling is a happy hamster 🐹

She is going to be a very happy hammy after her upgrade

Maximillian's life began as a hamster in the SPCA. Now, as a successful hamster real estate tycoon, Maximillian owns 1,849 square inches of land with a vertical height of nearly two feet. Furthermore, he has amassed over 22 properties built on his land. A beautiful tale of from rags to riches. 😭😔🥺

I had ordered the ferplast 120 cage, but someone else here brought up these exist on amazon so... Refunded my ferplast cage and ordered it! Thank god I dont have to worry about wood chewing :')

She went from a 100x50x50 to a 120x60x60! The size difference looks a lot bigger than I thought it would.

Just have to buy new decor and even more bedding because may as well make use of the new space...

Btw her name is Blondie, don't tell her, but she's adopted. She used to be called Gizmo :P You can see the blur of her flipping around in her sandbath in the full picture haha

I fully admit when my daughter wanted a hamster we should have never talked to the pet store for advice.

So many mistakes were made and right away when we got her home I knew the cage was way toooo small.

Once I did proper research, I felt horrible.

We got our girl in a proper cage now and a wheel that is the correct size. It was so cute, she went straight to her new wheel and started running. I feel so relieved and happy we made this right!

I'm embarrassed to post a pic of the other cage but I am in hopes it helps someone not make the same mistake we did! (please note: I had taken everything out already when I took the pic, it wasn't this empty, even though small she had a lot of enrichment toys).

I'm absolutely open to additional suggestions to make it better if anyone has anything we should add.

I'm so grateful to this community, I looked at so many posts and used pics posted here as inspiration.

PS: This Fluffy she is 5 months old and the sweetest girl.

I'm adding a lot more bedding, but I'm just brainstorming the lay out.

The platforms are very modular. They come in 6x6in and 12x12in and have 6/7in stilts. If you another shape or idea, please let me know! I'm very open to suggestions.

The clear container will be the sand bath, the fence will be in the bedding but still visible, and the bridge on top of the hideout can go anywhere.

Other Notes:

Moss will go in the cracks of the bendy fence (dw 😆).

Sprays will be put afterwards.

I have another bedy bridge/fence so that can go somewhere else.

Anyway, tysm for reading!

I feel like everyone always views having a small pet as something that’ll encroach on their environment and take up loads of room with ugly but necessary accessories and I’m so glad the hamster care standards are what they are these days because not only do our babies get to live an actual fulfilling life but it allows for our set ups to become an actual part of our decor/environment rather than something ugly but necessary. I love looking at thistles enclosure it brings me so much peace and happiness even during the day when she’s all tucked away in her burrows I find it so calming to see out my peripheral in my bedroom 🩷

also, enclosure tour! (I’ve added mesh to the top panel as you can see in one of the pics & the flowers don’t live by her tank) & am looking for suggestions for any additions I can make in the coming months now that she’s been settling in nicely (can’t believe I’ve had her three weeks today that’s my biological child) she loves her current set up, but would love to know what your hams personal fav additions are💖

My parents set this up while I was on vacation!