I’m not going to lie; one of the biggest reasons I decided to be a devoted hamster parent is the result of hours and hours of browsing beautiful hamster cage themes online. From natural hamster cage theme, beach theme, holiday themes like Halloween, Christmas, and Easter to season themes like Spring, Summer, and Winter themes. Check out this natural/jungle-themed cage setup from Reddit.
Ikea Detolf Hamster cage DIY (link to album in comments)
by u/mmonnn in hamstercare
I was never good at being artsy and creative but seeing these beautiful big hamster cages. Perhaps I found my niche in the art world. I couldn’t stop thinking about how cute and pretty my hamster’s cage would be in the future.
Making it not only very spacious but also designed to be an active environment for my hamster and a nice to look at for me. If you are planning or using a 40-gallon glass tank, it’s one of the best cages to do a theme.
ALSO READ: Hamster cage inspiration from Reddit
WHAT TO REMEMBER WHEN CREATING A THEMED HAMSTER CAGE
While I can’t make all my hamster theme cage ideas into reality, I’ve decided to share some of them with you. But first, you should know not to change too much interior design in your hamster’s cage too often because significant changes can cause stress to them.
Theme ideas
If you plan a season or holiday theme, you can add noticeable yet straightforward changes like banners outside the cage, change the bedding colour (green and white for Saint Patrick, white and red for winter and Christmas, etc).
These things can easily be removed (bedding has to be changed every six weeks – change gradually). While if you place a heart-shaped hideout for Valentine’s day or a coconut shell for a summer theme and plan to remove them right after your hamster starts getting used to it, this change may be a source of stress for your hamster.
Don’t change too much or too often
When making massive changes in your hamster’s cage’s interior, you will have to give them enough time between placing them and removing them. Hamsters cannot see correctly; hence they use their memory to remember where things are.
If one morning, suddenly, the hideout placed next to the water bottle were gone, they would feel lost inside their own cage.
We don’t recommend doing massive changes too often. if you make an upgrade or downgrade or any form or change, make sure to keep the setting the same way for 5-6 weeks, which is the same timeframe for deep cleaning of the cage.
Inspect for mites or sharp objects
Toys, cages, or even bedding that are made of wood can be carrying mites and have sharp features. For wooden shaving for bedding, make sure to freeze them before using them to kill mites. You should also check the bedding inch by inch to make sure they are no pointy and sharp sticks in the mix.
For toys and cage, take a moment and inspect every inch of the toy and the cage to make sure no nails or wood are poking out that can injure your hamster. It’s best if you buy a toy or a cage that is put together with edible blue instead of nails. You can also run your finger on the surface to feel if any splinter-like wood on them.
NATURAL HAMSTER CAGE THEME SET UP
Now to the fun part. This section will show you what you can buy or create (DIY) accessories for your natural hamster cage theme. From the cage itself, water bottle, sandbox, bedding, tunnel, running wheel, and more.
Niteangel Cage
This cage is fantastic. It is large (the medium size also meets the required floor space), which means this hamster cage is excellent for all hamsters species. It has a glass wall and excellent ventilation on top of the cage.
The only problem is that it’s almost always out of stock. You can definitely say it’s so popular and well-received by the hamster community. If you want it now and cannot find a brand-new one, your best bet is to hunt for a second-hand one.
Now, if you really can’t find one, it’s not the end of the world. You can choose a tank breeder or a glass bookshelf if you are really keen on a glass-type cage. While a bin cage or ready-to-use hamster cage is not a bad option either.
Niteangel Acrylic Wheel and Wontee Silent Wooden Wheel or Trixie Wooden Wheel
I love that this wheel has a soft cork on the track, giving a hamster an excellent grip on their feet, which will also help them break the momentum when stopping the run.
It comes in two sizes, the small is 8.6 inches, and the medium is 9.8 inches. Obviously, it’s too small for a Syrian hamster who needs 12 inches. In that case, I recommend a large size from Wontee wooden wheel, which is also a silent wheel.
Aspen Bedding
For natural-looking hamster bedding, it’s pretty easy. All you need to do is to find brown coloured ones. You can choose from wooden shaving (only the safe kind of wood like Aspen) and paper bedding like Aspen or Kaytee.
If you want a wooden like but are afraid of mites or buying a dusty shaving, then you should go for Aspen. It’s paper bedding but looks like wooden shaving. As usual, do not use scented or bleached bedding, which is dangerous for your hamster.
Niteangel Natural Coco Bedding
If you don’t want to use paper bedding, this natural coco bedding is a great choice too. However, I do recommend you try both types of bedding and see which one your hamster like the most.
Niteangel SandBox
For the hamster sandbox, I always have this dilemma of getting the sand everywhere. My dwarf hamster would kick all the fresh sand out of the box, which is obviously now a waste. At first, I tried to place kitchen paper on top, but my hamster would shred that to pieces.
I found this Niteangel sandbox that has a lid on it. It comes in different sizes; a circle with half of it with a roof, a triangle with a small hole for entering and exiting, and a rectangle with 3/4 of its size has a roof.
The good thing about the rectangle and the circle is that it’s excellent for all hamster species when it comes to size but still leaves the chance of getting the sand kicked out. Still, triangle one has a significant disadvantage; the entrance/exit hole is too small for a Syrian.
The top of this natural-looking sandbox is removable, making it easy to clean. While the rectangle one has an additional removable food bowl which means no need to buy an extra one.
Niteangel Water Bottle with Stand
If you use a bin cage, aquarium tank, bookshelf, or the Niteangel cage, you will need a water bottle with a stand on it since you can’t hook them using a screw through the mesh wire.
This product is perfect, the stand is stable, and the water bottle fits perfectly. The water bottle comes in different colours, but I’d choose the white one suitable for the natural-looking theme.
Niteangel Wood House
I know this article is starting to look like a Niteangel-themed hamster cage. While browsing other natural-themed hamster cage and looking through the online stores, I eventually realised Niteangel have the best product for this theme.
The colours are great and uniform plus very affordable. Not to mention the reviews are all great, and the prices are excellent too. This wood house is simple yet very good in design.
I like choosing products designed for guinea pigs or chinchillas because they are always big enough for a Syrian hamster.
Niteangel Climbing Bridge
If you are planning to create a platform in the cage or thinking to use the sandbox, you might as well add this climbing ladder to help your hamster get on top of the platform.
This ladder looks very cool and will fit well in the theme, plus it’s not like those metal stairs that are dangerous for your hamster’s feet.
Penn-Plax Step Ledge
The nature-inspired hamster cage is not complete without its wild side; it is a stone ledge for climbing for nail care. Placing a stone or rocks inside a hamster’s cage will trim those nails that don’t stop growing.
You can clean this ledge by running mild hot water and scrubbing it using a toothbrush with mild soap to remove dirt, bacteria build-up, and the smell of urine and rinse thoroughly.
Niteangel Hamster Tunnel
This tunnel comes in three types; straight, T-shape, and straight with holes. You can buy all of them and make a pleasant maze. I love this product to add to your natural hamster cage theme; first, they are made of materials that are safe to be chewed and ingested by your hamster. Second, the holes’ diameter is big enough both for Syrian, Dwarf, and Chinese hamsters. Lots of tunnels are too small for Syrians.
Eco Earth Soil
You can either use this soil in the parts where you will add the stones for nail trimming or any live plants you want to add to the cage.
It will add a great nature vibe inside a natural hamster cage theme. Make sure to bake this first to kill all mites before using.
Reptisand
We all know that you can’t just use any kind of sand for your hamster’s sandbox. Dust-like or powder-like sand are a big no-no because they are too fine, which can irritate your hamster’s nose and lungs.
These reptile sand are calcium-free, and the texture of the sand is big enough and doesn’t cause a cloud of sand to fly up the air like a cloud of dust. These sands also come in different colours, but for this natural theme cage for your hamster, we would go for a brown one.
Ethical Stoneware Food Bowl
I couldn’t find a wooden-made food bowl (only the ones for dogs or cats); in this case, I’d look for a ceramic bowl instead and choose an off-colour. Any brownish, greyish, or even plain white would do, unlike a plastic one.
CLEANING A NATURAL HAMSTER CAGE THEME
Cleaning a hamster cage with lots of stuff made of wood can be a lot of trouble if you don’t know what to look or think of beforehand. Hamsters like to pee everywhere, especially while on their running wheel, den, and sandbox.
Using a hamster accessory with a wood base, like a running wheel or sandbox, remember that when your hamster pees on it, it will absorb the liquid and moisture, which will be impossible to remove. The dampness on the wood can cause bacteria to build up, which is dangerous for your hamster’s health.
In this situation, if you still want a natural-looking hamster cage theme, we recommend choosing water-resistant or water-proof wooden products. These kinds of wood often have plastic or acrylic covers to prevent water seeping.
You can use scent-free wipes when cleaning the accessories of your hamster’s cage. If made of glass or plastic, you can easily wash them with mild soap, then rinse and dry them properly before putting them back in the cage.
FINAL THOUGHTS
My favourite themes for a hamster cage are natural-looking, forest or jungle theme, and a summer or beach theme. I will be writing an article that features these themes as soon as possible to give you more inspiration for fun hamster cage themes.
If you have experimented or made your own Do-It-Yourself hamster cage theme, let us know which ones you liked or if you have an idea, tell us below, and we’ll see if we can help you make it happen.
TO READ THIS LATER, SAVE THIS IMAGE ON YOUR PINTEREST:
