The pawhut has been ordered and will be individually reviewed from the Aleko, which is similar style to the Aleko if not exact same design. The title has been changed to reflect it's just Aleko cage, since I'm actually going through with the purchase of a Pawhut now to show the way to build it and my thoughts on the process. The cage I'm reviewing in this video was labeled as Aleko, and Aleko the company is in Kent, WA which locally sells their cages online, at their location or at home depot. As of now due to the price of wood and supply issues, they aren't producing any at this time. Why am I buying the exact same enclosure as reviewed here? To compare the two and to actually build it. Aleko VS Pawhut 3 tier cage. Cause it's caused a debate despite me still hating flimsy, crappy wooden cages that further need to be DIY'd to make it safe. Will i be proven wrong? We shall see. As some of you are aware, brands can purchase blueprints of designs for their lines. All Living Things had used Ferplast cages. Same with the company Midwest where the two were being marketed online as two different cages when they were identical in everyway. Now petsmart's using them as their own. My view on the cage design itself still stands. As a "Stand alone cage" without mortifying it, i don't recommend it at all. Great it's big but big cages can still come with flaws and due to the ledges/height and material of original cage, I don't like them nor would ever approve or recommend them at the rescue due to safety.
Glad you did this review. I bought this cage on marketplace for $50. The lady kept 3 poor guinea pigs in this. Anyway, I bought this with full intention to repair/waterproof/hamsterproof the entire thing. I have so far painted it to kill all diseases and let it air out for a month or so. I then coated it with a waterproof paint. I then bought a plexiglass type material to cover the bottom and each of the shelves, so I can easily wipe clean and further waterproof. I bought a rubber type coating for the ramps as they are too slippery and they needed a coat of something waterproof anyway. I have bought a new latch to secure that lower door, but have been told to move the latch to open it from the top so bedding won't fall out. I like the door, but might just seal it shut. I might remove 1 of the shelves to fill it with bedding. I haven't decided (I have a syrian), but very good to be aware of the falls/jumps. I plan to seal all of the glass panels and it came with a water bottle already installed. I really like this cage and am enjoying making it our own. However, I agree with Munchie. I would never pay full price for it to turn around and have to do all these things to it. I had almost all of the materials/paint, so this is mainly just my time and my kids and I are enjoying making it her "Hammie's dream house (like Barbie's dream house)". I will post pics when it's complete, but obviously don't spend your money unless you can get it used, cheap, and plan to do all the repair/hamster proofing yourself with love. I am not one who can build things, but I feel I am crafty enough to make things safe, so this just gave me a shell and a place to start. Plus, as with her bin cage and other cages and her care in general, we never stop learning, so I am sure there will be adjustments. Thanks again, Munchie, for helping a lot of people and animals. 💕
This is such a common and highly rated cage in the UK its strange to see it hated on for me haha. Most people don't use the levels and fill it full off deep bedding and never use the front door. Its also highly recommended to plasticoat the inside which makes it pee proof and smoother which obviously hasnt been done here haha. Im not saying its a good cage by any means, just that in the UK its often one of the top recommended cage. We however lack options such as the niteangel cages
I'm fairly sure this is a knock off of the original - the original is a much lighter colour, has a pull out drawer at the bottom, the shelves are slightly different (they can be screwed on and are a solid plank of wood, not separate planks glued together), and is generally much better quality.
@@Aimee0206 I really thought it was strange that so many faults where being found. Its not a cage ive owened myself so didnt immediately realise all that
@@Aspen_Husky I was surprised as well so I wanted to double check whether or not it was the original. You see the knock offs absolutely everywhere going for ridiculous prices (I once saw one going for around £700 on Etsy 😬).
I have this cage, I coated it with pet safe wood sealant, installed the front panel upside down, and installed latches to lock the lid. I also put velcro on the shelving so they wouldn't fall down if I bumped the cage. I have this on top of a table. With my modifications I'm able to put 10 inches of bedding. I also used the ramps to make a railing for the top level. Imo with some modifications and proper reinforcements this is a decent cage.
Same!! I took out the second platform, and filled it with bedding to the top. I coated it with a waterproof sealant. I know it’s a wooden cage, but your hamster is just as likely to chew through a plastic cage. I never had any issues. my hamster has plenty of room and plenty of chew toys. He even has a cat grass section where he can roam.
Honestly, this is a very very common cage I've seen. While they do have shelves, they are usually recommended to be taken out. The front panel can be turned upside down during construction so the door doesn't get in the way. The inside can be plastikoted or mod podged for waterproofing. While it may not be the best for female syrians or chewers, it definitely isn't that bad and is one of the cheapest, largest, and most readily available premade enclosures in the US. Even though it has flaws, that doesn't mean it's totally unusable and it can actually work very well for a lot of dwarfs and maybe even some male syrians.
With this cage in the hamster community, they take out the first level, fill bedding up to the next level, and modge podge/Elmer's glue the bottom drawer shut so they can't escape... It isn't chew proof but neither is any non glass enclosure
As I've seen a few "the original, not this knock off, is actually one of the best cages in the UK as we can't get niteangel here" comments, let me tell you guys something: there's a german brand called Rodipet that delivers to the UK and makes cages extremely similar to the Niteangel ones as well as cage items to fit it. I do not own this enclosure myself, but it seems to be pretty much the same cage and at least the wheels I've got from them are of great quality, I absolutely love them. Might be worth having a look into for those interested in the Niteangel enclosure, but not able to get one (for anyone wondering, they also deliver to a list of other countries "around" Germany, they have a list of that in their site)
The problem with rodipet is not only are shipping costs very high from Germany now we also have import fees to worry about since Brexit which can double the orignal cost of the enclosure together
If you're referring to the nagariums, besides the expensive price tag you are also charged extortionate customs fees on top of that for UK delivery. I saw one person a few months ago being charged £150 fee. The rectangular pawhut is completely different to the cage being shown on the video, and is secure.
@@kimmy9310 oh wow, that is an expensive fee, thanks for pointing that out, I wasn't aware its that much. That really sucks and definitely doesn't make it a good option unless you have the luxury of not having to care about money.. which isn't a thing for most here I'd assume
@@kimmy9310 I can imagine. Had that issue with other things too, as custom fees when ordering to Germany usually are high af too, so I kinda feel that pain :/
I still think this is a good cage, just needs some DIY to make it more secure. You can remove the ledges to make room, screw metal brackets over the areas the hamster is most likely to chew, use aquarium silicone to secure the front door shut and to secure the ledges in place, etc. I'm also pretty sure that the ledges are meant to be screwed in somehow, but I'm not 100% sure. Sure, it's not the greatest cage out there, but it's no more or less secure than the Niteangel cages imo (and it's also a very easy to access enclosure here in the UK - we don't have many pre-made enclosures that exceed our minimums). Also, quick note - the enclosure itself is around 845 sq inches. There's a specific way you have to measure it with it being an odd shape. EDIT: After looking into this further, it seems as though the cage you have here is a knock off of the hexagonal Pawhut enclosure. The original Pawhut is a might lighter colour, has a pull out drawer at the very bottom of the enclosure, the front door is a much tighter fit, the shelves are a solid plank of wood (the ones on this one look more like separate planks glued together), and the shelves can be screwed on. You see knock offs of these virtually anywhere so I'm fairly certain this is one of them.
The thing is, if you need to diy it in 8000 ways, it is not a good cage. A good cage is something you get, fill up with bedding, toys, hides, chews etc. and it's ready to go.
@@th3saur_13 Virtually all enclosures will need DIYing in some way shape or form to make them suitable. Besides, the things I mentioned aren't things you *need* to do, a hamster can live a perfectly safe and happy life without all of that. Like I said, too, I'm almost 100% certain that the one Munchie reviewed is a knock off of the original Pawhut, so it's going to be poor quality regardless.
I have the large pawhut too got it December it's made of birch ply and has a laminated floor it's a good cage. I don't use the shelves but they are pre drilled and secure when on. It's maybe an old pawhut on here
If it was cheaper I would agree with you but there are other options that need a lot less diy or none at all for cheaper or similar prices on the market, like rodipet cages
Nope. I'm still feeling like I'm dying sometimes, but I am mentally pushing through the physical pain. But ty for the love and support. ♥️ It makes me feel hopeful.
The other version thats rectangular over here cost me like £50-60 it was Pawhut branded and have used them for a few years without any issues for a lot of different rodents
Yes, it looks completely different to this one being shown here. It's definitely better made. Owned mine for 3 years and had syrians in it with no issues
Omg not the pawhut! Lol I have 2 and adore them. I have the levels in both and have the bedding filling between half and 75% of the entire thing w bedding and my hamsters don't chew the wood as I check every time I clean it. I love them it's so weird seeing the hate for them
Same. I hope this doesn't put people off getting them as I have the branded rectangular one and it's been amazing and is one of the largest enclosures you can actually get in the UK. I'd recommend it to anyone looking.
I don't recommend them. It's cool you guys like them, but the potential to escape.and knowing beginner hamster owners or I guess even gerbil owners..., have unfortunately thought this was enough and safe and come to find out differently, like some commenters here have left. Which still makes my points valid for concern with this type of cage. It's great you guys enjoy it and found out how to modify as I mentioned people could do in the video, but take it from a girl rescuing these animals and hearing the story of ppl not knowing better in America vs UK with different laws and better care than us, this is a dangerous cage to unknowing people in my country.
@@MunchiesPlace I accept the points you made about the enclosure in the video though, my comments have been referring to the rectangle pawhut as you showed it at the beginning. That one is much better made imo.
I bought one in the rectangle shape like a monthish ago (the 2nd one shown in the slideshow at the start). I’ve taken the levels out and I’m trying to find cheaper better bedding to keep my hammie Jasper happy and able to burrow better. I bought it because it’s the cheapest I could get because I’m 16 and am still yet to get a job. It’s the quickest replacement I could get for his old pets at home cage, and I’m happy that he seems less stressed in there. When I get my next hamster/animal I’ll try find something better :)
For my rectangle pawhut cage I use teabag bedding to fill it to about 12 1/2 to 13 inches of bedding, you can find it on eBay for about £15-£20 and it lasts a while (and I use a bit of carefesh mixed in to give it better burrow stability).
I wonder if this could've actually worked if they made it one long solid, unbroken floor space-style wood enclosure instead of tiered. It might've been better, the construction is at least not a bunch of wire bars.
Erin's Animals has a good tutorial for that of which you're describing. Highly recommend checking her out. If only companies thought of these things, ya know? Cause it's for the safety of the pet you'd think.
@@MunchiesPlace Oh, pet safety should be paramount. I don't have any hammies or other small rodents of my own, but I do have a lizard and they have their own minimum space requirements for enrichment and roaming (and if those requirements aren't upheld, you get a stunted lizard that can more easily get overgrown nails and other health issues). At the end of the day, pet stores are there to sell product, and unfortunately, that often comes to the detriment of the animals they sell since it's cheaper short-term to sell gimmicky novelty enclosures at inappropriate sizes rather than tell the customers outright that they need a larger enclosure and better enrichment for their new pet.
Rescuing a hamster tomorrow from a small cage really sad situation I saw on a rehoming Facebook page so exited to give her the life she deserves. 😊 Update: just got her, worse then I thought dirty cage, smells, smallest wheel. But happily she seems friendly and came out to smell my fingers when I get her in the car.
The branded "Pawhut" rectangular cage 115cm x 60cm (the 3rd picture shown at the beginning) is one of the largest commercial cages available in the UK, & a popular choice at that. I have owned mine for 3 years & had no problems - from my experience it is one of the best cages available ar the moment. Removing the shelves allows for a very enriching set up. Bin cages in the UK rarely meet the 80cmx50cm minimum, glass tanks are extremely expensive if you're looking for larger or equal to the pawhut measurements & that doesn't leave many options for people who cannot DIY. For the commenter who suggested the rodipet cages, besides the expensive price tag, you are also charged over £100 import fees on the nagarium cages. The actual pawhut operates completely different to the example cage shown so I think the video is a little misleading. 💗
How is the video misleading? The cage was once only advertised in America as Aleko and now it's been rebranded to Pawhut and is now available on US Amazon while Aleko discontinued it via Amazon, you can only find their old listing in Google search itself. If you are talking about a different Amazon, please know I am in the US. I don't know what UK Amazon is listing right now. Those two are different and Pawhut makes multiple wooden cages and has increased their market in the US within these last few years. I assume that's what you meant, cause the I hate this cage part is an opinion, so I know that cannot be what you mean. If they truly are different, the Amazon Pawhut US version looks exactly the same from what's being listed online.
@@MunchiesPlace the 3rd picture you showed at the beginning is the exact design of the Pawhut here in the UK - I agree with you that the cage you're showing in the video has a lot of cons but it seemed like you were putting them under the same bracket of being unsafe as you said you do not promote them & hate them. That was the part I found misleading as the features & functions are different - I would hate to think people avoid getting the pawhut as they think it is bad or unsafe rather than it not being suitable for their particular hammy. Like I say, I personally have owned that cage & it is brilliant & most UK owners recommend it too.
@@MunchiesPlace Respectfully, that is NOT the ALEKO cage. I have seen versions of this cage that look very similar. One version even has a small bottom that slides out. My bottom door doesn’t have that gap and is rather snug. I flipped the top and bottom front compartment to allow for extra bedding. My enclosure also came with an unbroken piece of wood that fully covers the bottom pieces of wood. I did use animal safe waterproof varnish to coat the bottom. I easily have at least 18 inches of bedding. I DIY’ed the top ledge with extra large Lilly sticks preventing a fall. Currently, I removed the top ledge and switched it with the middle ledge and just filled the entire cage with bedding. My hamster builds amazing burrows. When I did have all 3 levels, it was still packed with at least 10 inches of bedding. I used the second level for a cat grass play area (the cat grass always seems to die because it can’t be watered. lol but I’m fine replacing it.), and a huge sand bath with either sand or fine coconut shavings, pieces of grape vine wood to explore, ect. I like this cage because it does have the appropriate unbroken floor space, and if you safely DIY the top platform than you have PLENTY of room to have many different areas for your hamster to explore. I think it would be great for a female Syrian hamster that’s restless and bored. My cage also came with 3 decent open bottom hides, two seesaws, a large food dish and a water bottle. It was $100 with shipping. My hamster has yet to chew any part of the cage or ledges, perhaps because I have appropriate chew toys. Perhaps this wouldn’t be appropriate for the rescue, as it would require so much bedding and slight modification. However, you mentioned Erin’s animals DIY’s. Many of her hides and tunnels wouldn’t be appropriate, or just plain dangerous if she didn’t have the appropriate amount of bedding to suit them.
@@MunchiesPlace It's a tad misleading because the title says that this is a Pawhut cage, but the one shown in the video is either a knock off or the one made by Aleko. I've made a few comments listing the differences between the Pawhut enclosure and the one shown in the video. Genuine question - you mentioned how Aleko rebranded into Pawhut, where did you get this info? I can't find anything regarding it anywhere online, and from what I can see, Aleko is still an active company, it just no longer makes/sells the hamster cages.
I agree with you. I have the rectangular 115x60 Pawhut and I can't fault it much. I left out the platforms, sealed it with plastikote and have honestly had no problems. It's really secure and sturdy for me. I'm also from the UK and it is one of the better options on the market. The one in the video doesn't seem like the best representation. No hate just an observation.
Munchie I have loved your videos since 2021 I think that you are so informative which is good because a lot of people need people to explain that that’s not bad thank you for being such a good hamster mouse and gerbil channel/rescue hope you feel better bye
Thanks for the video! Safety tip though, make sure you're wearing closed-toe shoes the next time you hammer a cage like this to pieces; I was so worried your feet would be sliced by the pieces!
Companies: *See from numerous sources that hamster enclosures should have 10+ inches of bedding* Also companies: *Make their enclosures three stories tall so nobody can fit any bedding in them*
It makes me question things too, seeing how they didn't need to have that opening door down there. The company claims door opens to make it easier to clean, which suspects they thought you'd stick only 3 inches of bedding inside of this thing. Rodipet and Niteangel are the only two companies of similar style enclosures where a plan was actually thought out when designing small animal enclosures.
I actually have this cage from a friend who gave it to me, the hamster chewed out of it within less than an hour so it's rotting outside rn where it belongs. Handmade cages for life! :D
I watched this video as I had this for my previous baby arlo and thought “oh god have I hurt him”. and little arlo had seizures and I also had to let him rest. and I really thought me having this cage was the best move for me and him and knowing this now I can’t even begin to think the reason he was in pain was cause I didn’t do my research (which I really thought I did :( ). I do have to thank you for making this video to prevent people from making the same mistake I did 😔😭
I love what you do! My family adored hammies. And have rescued hammies that were on offer up. We’re even in WA so if you ever need any assistance maybe north of Seattle let us know and we can help! Keep up the amazing work. Hammies are so underrated and mis treated and I’m so happy to see people like you educating the world!
I bought one of the cages, my hamster (Vodka) crewed her way out and started moving to the inside of the couch, after many times of repeatedly returning her to the cage from the couch I just ended up letting her live in the couch, now that she is older and doesn’t move around as much I have permanently returned her to the cage and covered her escape routes. Couch hamster.
Ikea makes numerous products suitable for a great DIY hamster cage. I built for my dwarf the 80x55x40 cm Platsa storage cabinet, which will provide around 680 square inches. Ikea sells four sizes up to around 2200 square inches. I had to DIY a lid, and buy a Ikea glass shelf which fit perfectly the front of this cage using aquarium silicone for installation. I also sealed all of the interior edge cracks as well. It almost literally slid together, although I did have to tap and tighten during assembly. No need to use any power tools. Easier to assemble than any Tiny Tales or Crittertrail TINY toy cage, and get this, for less moolah... Everyone including Munchie have difficulty building those TINY toy cages sold by pet stores, much less cleaning them. If I ever expand my house to add a pet room, that GIANT 2200 square inch Platsa, 180 cm/70 inches long, would be heaven for any hamster...
i had this cage as my very first hamster cage, my hamster chewed up the button, i ended up covering the whole thing is (pet safe) liquid plastic (the same thing they use in fish tanks). she lived 2 years and 2 months.
I'm sorry to hear you had to further DIY it, but glad you caught your hamster chewing it before they escaped or got hurt. See the more people are aware, the better we can protect the community and hamsters apart of it. That's why I made my reviews since everyone expects pet companies know everything. If you are being told the shelving unit needs to be taken out of this tank, fill it up past the door, or to seal it further, then it's not a good cage. But glad you made it safer.
I just ordered something like this. Detolf is massive and glass enclosures are so expensive. What do you mean by liquid plastic? I hope what I got can be made usable. I don't mind DIYing it a bit. That would need to be done in most cases anyway. The Detolf needs a lid for example.
I have the grey cage thing that was shown, but i put wood o. the sides to I could fill the cage with the proper amount of bedding I also did not pit any of the levels in it because it was not necessary. So far the cage as worked amazingly and ive had no issues with my hamsters showing boredom signs.
Oh my gosh!!! That review couldn’t have been posted at a better time!!!! I’m considering getting mice in the future (from my local rescue) and I was considering the 5 tier one! I won’t get it that’s for sure!!! Could you also review other cages from Pawhut?! There’s practically nothing about it on UA-cam
Not going to give Munchie static about burning this rattletrap, but I hope everyone makes sure to be careful when disposing of cheap materials via fire. Fumes are real, and wood/wood-adjacent material can be infused with some pretty nasty stuff.
i have a rectangular pawhut cage, took all the ramps out and the bottom is not wood which makes my life easier, never had a problem with it apart from the top doesnt close, it kinda just is open at both ends so i have to keep plant pots on them to hold it down, im i scotland so finding big enclosures is hard so i do really like the cage for its size!
Not gonna lie, one of my hams has found a way to chew on the Niteangel enclosure. Despite the flat surface on the walls, she found a way. I guess if there’s a will, there’s a way huh?
I've learned so much about hamster keeping from your channel and currently have 3 rescue hams (1 syrian in the NiteAngel bigger world medium, and 2 dwarves in bin cage enclosures (they live separately, of course) These, and any type of tier cage, give me anxiety especially for dwarves and their notable fall damage injuries. The poor materials for the price point is also wild. If this is the price point someone is looking in, i will recommend NiteAngel every time. I've seen so many people in hamster groups on FB asking about these 3 tier wooden cages - big yikes. I educate against them to the best of my ability but this is going to be a great video to link! I always take care to mention your wise words, hamsters don't need to be in the clouds haha
This cage is used a ton here in England. A lot of people like it, I personally don't like it because it's fully wooden, would be the next level of stress for 'is my hamster going to get out??' ... I know people tile wooden enclosures like 4ft vivarium (I have a tiled 4ft vivarium for one of my 4 hamsters) but... I feel because of the shape I'd just mess it up and not ever get it properly tiled.
When I looked for fun for hamster cages I always wondered why they suggested me this. It irritated me and thank you for showing me why it's exactly not good for a hamster because I couldn't put my finger on it.
A large tank or terrarium is the best!!! 40 gallon breeder tanks are a good size to start. Please no smaller!! If you live in the USA, NiteAngel enclosures are awesome, too!!
My personal opinion would be that this cage is OK as long as you fill it up pretty high with bedding and don’t use the ledges.DEFO NOT FOR RATS,CHINCHILLAS AND GUINEA PIGS.sadly it states that it’s suitable for those animals on amazon.I personally think it would be okay for Mice,Gerbils,dwarf hamsters and possibly Syrian hamsters.Sadly the uk don’t have niteangel cages or anything like that.although if anyone wants any good cage recommendations I would suggest to you the Alaska hamster cage,ikea bin cage,40g tank,not quite sure as to how many more cages are out there as I’ve only had experience with IKEA bin cages and the Alaska hamster cage .
I usually really love your videos but this time you seemed really ungrateful for someone’s donation- I understand your concerns but simple modifications could’ve made this enclosure more suitable. You are aware that hamsters aren’t massive chewers and with some close monitoring of a hamsters chewing habits you could evaluate if a hamster would be suitable for this enclosure But on the other hand you promote a “secure” cage by niteangel that keeps their cages together using rubber bands that snap just as easily. Hamsters have also been known to chew through plastic bases too. Then you hammered it which meant you wasted the time of your volunteer who collected it and their petrol. I would’ve happily found a use for it or made the modifications to make it suitable. Tightening the screws probably would’ve secured the cage and the ledges are optional if you were worried about fall damage Furthermore someone else’s comment claimed that this wasn’t the genuine enclosure made by pawhut. I noticed a few differences too aside from the DIY jobs Sorry munchie
I have three nite angel cages and they are not flimsy. Nor are they easy to chew through. They are made very well. Nothing like this cheap knockoff. Maybe the originals were decent but these are just cheap imitations and not very good. The materials feel so cheap.
We don't recommend this cage at the rescue and I would never resell something that has security issues written all over it. It's a used cage that caused Ceres and a deceased sister of hers, before making it to the rescue, to suffer from fall damage due to poor marketing for small animals, and design flaws. There's no point in telling me how I should have done better. I, at the end of the day, used this wood in my closed fireplace. It was repurposed. I'm sorry we don't agree, but it was my decision and I'm still feeling the same as the day I destroyed it. I would never recommend to keep this, despite large parts of the UK using it and that's okay! There's a difference in animal preference in our community and I spoke up about my thoughts on it. It's big enough for hamster people to use, but there's better options out there. It's up to the consumer what you wanna do with this information. For Pawhut, Aleko no longer sells this cage on Amazon. It's listed under Pawhut. I didn't see any differences in the Pawhut version vs Aleko, so I included both names as the US market is only listing Pawhut and the Aleko is only visible via Google search. Pawhut makes more than just one wood cage. I'm probably going to get another one to review in the future, but I did not when seeing their Amazon ads, see a difference. I could look again if I truly missed something during my research.
Hey! I have a question if anyone can answer me it would be amazing! I have a friend who has an hamster, she showed me her cage and it was that plastic type cage with slides and everything, It was SOOOO tiny and there was barely no bedding.. idk how to tell her that her cage is not appropriate for her pet. Can anyone suggest me ways to introduce it in the conversation without sounding rude? (sorry for my broken english)
Just say "Hey, maybe you should research more about hamsters. I don't think that's right for them." If she argues, she's stubborn and you just have to keep kindly pushing it on her. If all else fails, call the police for animal abuse. That should shut her up. Maybe show her a few Munchie or Victoria Raechel videos
Keep in mind rodents are far from claustrophobic. To be honest as long as it has a wheel to kill energy, it's not that big of a deal. I know a lot of stores like pets mart don't carry these extremely big cages and the small ones they have are for adult hamsters too. And notice a lot of these people who do have these huge cages fill over 59% of them with bedding anyway. To answer your question though I if you haven't figured it out, the next time you see it just ask them if it's big enough. You don't have to ask in an offensive way just ask them if they have to get bigger cages as they grow. They'll get the hunt
My suggestions would be to focus on the bad aspects of the cage itself, such as how difficult those things are to clean, or that hamsters can get stuck in some parts of them and get hurt. Then help them build a DIY bin cage. That's what worked on teenage me, and it might work on your friend too.
I would recommend starting the conversation by mentioning the hamster and how you don't believe the cage they're currently housed in is appropriate, then remind them you don't mean any offense, but you just want the best for their hammy. After you've introduced the idea of upgrading their cage mention the benefits the hamster and owner would have with a *much* larger cage that meets the bare minimum standards and above. For example, "Could we talk about (insert hamster's name). I don't mean to offend you I'm just concerned that the cage you have now isn't the best or safest for (hamster name) because (insert cons and dangers of the cage.)" Then mention how there are cheaper alternatives like a bin cage that will provide ample space and if they don't like the look of that/ other reasons then send them a link to Victoria Rachels Best hamster cages 2021 on UA-cam. After this be sure to provide the pros that come with a larger enclosure. Happier hamster, more enrichment, easy cleaning, bonding could be easier, more items can be added into the enclosure, burrows can be formed now etc. Don't forget to mention, "I know how much you love and care for (hamster name), but they'll thrive and be happier in a bigger cage. They deserve it." Something sweet like that will smooth things over if your friend is a little stubborn. Opening them up to the world of hamster care on UA-cam would benefit them too :) and sneak in the pros of adding more bedding. Good Luck!
I bought the PawHut Wooden 3-Tier Hamster Cage Hutch Box Center Openable Roof but I'm planning on getting acrylic to cover up the sides and the little hatch that comes with it and I threw out all the ledge that came with it My hamster right now is being house in a zoomed 40 gallon front opening enclosure
I really want a niteangel cage but the smaller size is 680 in canada and the larger one is over 800 :/ does anyone know where I can purchase it for a better price?
Literally I got a paw hut and it was a nightmare, would never use it for dwarf because they would 100% escape. Thankfully my little Syrian guy stoped chewing after I figured out that he just wanted a super busy area but would never recommend it to anyone.
Just be aware bin cages aren't escape proof either and plastic can be chewed up if you got a determined little monsta. Please highly reinforce your lid with galvanized steel and clean up the rim when cutting the bin. Don't add any sort of holes unless the holes are for zip ties to go through. And good luck. 🙏
The enclosure never made it to the US market, so i cannot review it. I would have to order it from UK and pay almost 300-500 dollars. I looked into it 3 or so years ago and have not made a review because it's so hard to get it into the US. Hammylux had it tho, I would check her channel out. She no longer uploads but you can see what she thought of it.
If you have this cage, there are so many ways to prevent your hammy from falling. You can remove the platforms completely, you can remove the bottom one and add bedding that reaches the top platform or you can diy "fix" it. Then with the flimsy parts you can get those fixed too and same with the mesh. You can get a different type that will be stronger. It is a lot of work but if you have the cage and don't want to replace it, you need to make some changes.
I am with Munchie on this, to NOT buy it... Ikea sells products so much better with a little DIY, from either two Billy height extensions, to one of four Platsa wardrobe storage cabinets...
oh my godd not THAT thing. I remember when I had that for my mice once, someone gifted it to me.. after that my mice were INFESTED with mites.. took me almost a year to get them back to normal health.. I tried disinfecting it multiple times but ended up throwing it away because there was nothing I could do to get the mites away, it was HORRIBLE
It looks really nice, the color and shape. I think something similar, and better, could be hand made for cheaper though. Have the little ledges from where it's screwed and nailed together on the outside, coating on the inside to help keep it smooth and to keep urine from soaking in, stronger mesh material, chicken wire might be strong enough? No weird doors, better top door that can latch and or lock, better plexiglass.. For that price, yeah, I think you could probably just make something better for around the same.
I'm sorry for the stupid question but why would you put a hamster in a wooden cage anyway? I mean wouldn't they chew through the wood and get out? That's just my opinion though maybe I'm wrong I don't know, I've had hamsters in my life but I'm no expert.
If a hamsters needs are properly met & theres enough enrichment to keep them from being bored, wood enclosures are not an issue. That being said you should still make sure its a heavy duty wood like the Niteangel brand.
Unrelated, but just today, somebody at work was talking about getting their 6-year-old daughter a hamster. I tried to impart that hamsters are a lot of work, and talk them towards something like a fish instead, but they said the girl wants a pet she can touch and interact with, rather than just look.
I actually considered buying one of these used bc someone local was selling it with supplies for $50. I just didn’t like the look of it or the shelves but liked the size. Glad I went with something else now after seeing it in a video.
i have somthing like that its not really bad when u get it when i got it i was LIKE NO WAY THIS IS BAD FOR THEM they will get hurt but cookie( my hamster) is really calm and i can trust her with anything
It's not actually an awful cage, I'd personally recommend it. This one looks like knock-off. with some water-proof sealant and leaving the platforms out it can be a very good option. They do a rectangular one (shown briefly in the video) which has no door at the front and is very secure for me. That being said D.I.Y is always the best option.
You're in luck, I ordered the pawhut and have never unboxed it, for the reason of people mentioning this wasn't a legit pawhut. It'll be a future video...someday. Hopefully in 2024.
I like paw hut wood cages. I use them for our dwarfed bearded dragons (they were neglected which caused their growth to be stunted). I did have to treat the wood and do a couple of other small things, but it is good and provides different levels and places to tuck under. Plus it is large enough for an automatic water dish/fountain. I do not see how people can put animals in it that are known chewers. That is just asking for trouble. What is horrible is people will put guinea pigs and rabbits in them too. Despite it clearly being way too small.
I'm so glade I decided to go with an open cage rather than buying this one. I'm sure it can be repaired & fixed up to be hamster proof but I would rather just spend a little more money for a good cage. Just be careful with that plastic/glass when cleaning it up
In the far future I plan to have mice again. I appreciate these cage reviews so I know what to avoid. I’m unable to have small pets right now because of where I live… I also have to prioritize owner training a service dog with a professional trainer’s help (that is legal in my state) and that will take a lot of time out of my day. It wouldn’t be fair to a small pet because I wouldn’t be around to socialize with it very much. Edit: I’m aware these reviews are focused on hamsters. I’m referring to avoiding enclosures that fall apart easily and/or are unsafe
The design has potential, I mean the size and depth just change.... Everything else.... The bottom door is why I never got this. You've shown me more reasons why I shouldn't have
I've been looking at these at amazon before and they looked interesting at first but the more I started to think things through, same points what u said came to my mind.. It's really bad designed cage. It could be so much better.. Sigh.
I had a hamster escape a plastic enclosure due to a slit to attach a wheel on the side. Of course it was smaller than this useless tiny thing and the wheel was so tiny and flimsy that it came off so the Syrian chewed the attachment area until it was big enough to squeeze through. I found him behind the fridge having chewed a hole in the wall. He was just sitting there in the hole looking weak & dehydrated. He recovered, but this was about 18 years ago, so I had no idea how to care properly. I didn't even know about them stocking food in their cheeks. When I first saw him with his cheeks full, I thought he was choking himself! I taped a metal sauce bowl over the chewed open area on the plastic shoebox enclosure that the petstore told me was appropriate. I hate that I was not able to get correct information back then. But now I know for the future for when I plan to get a hamster again soon.
I was looking for several cages. In the end i got my hamster the skyline Marrakesh one (i chose the largest one lol). And yes, i kept an eye on this Aleko as well. But reading the reviews I decided to not buy it. Reasons: cheap materials and, tbh, i didn't like the spot we could open to clean the bedding area. Someone even posted a photo of a hole made by his hamster 😆 The skyline instead is made with pretty strong wood and, well, glass panels. I'm just loving it and my hamster as well :)
I actually do have a DIY cage made out of wood that is really thick wood and has no grip we also have wire it's pretty strong wire and she doesn't really like to bite it so I think it'll be pretty safe but the wood is really safe and I don't think she can get out of it but yet she really has never tried to get out in her last cage that she was in she would bar climb she would bite you she would just try and get out but this cage she does not want to get so yeah.
The pawhut has been ordered and will be individually reviewed from the Aleko, which is similar style to the Aleko if not exact same design. The title has been changed to reflect it's just Aleko cage, since I'm actually going through with the purchase of a Pawhut now to show the way to build it and my thoughts on the process. The cage I'm reviewing in this video was labeled as Aleko, and Aleko the company is in Kent, WA which locally sells their cages online, at their location or at home depot. As of now due to the price of wood and supply issues, they aren't producing any at this time.
Why am I buying the exact same enclosure as reviewed here? To compare the two and to actually build it. Aleko VS Pawhut 3 tier cage. Cause it's caused a debate despite me still hating flimsy, crappy wooden cages that further need to be DIY'd to make it safe. Will i be proven wrong? We shall see.
As some of you are aware, brands can purchase blueprints of designs for their lines. All Living Things had used Ferplast cages. Same with the company Midwest where the two were being marketed online as two different cages when they were identical in everyway. Now petsmart's using them as their own.
My view on the cage design itself still stands. As a "Stand alone cage" without mortifying it, i don't recommend it at all. Great it's big but big cages can still come with flaws and due to the ledges/height and material of original cage, I don't like them nor would ever approve or recommend them at the rescue due to safety.
Glad you did this review. I bought this cage on marketplace for $50. The lady kept 3 poor guinea pigs in this. Anyway, I bought this with full intention to repair/waterproof/hamsterproof the entire thing. I have so far painted it to kill all diseases and let it air out for a month or so. I then coated it with a waterproof paint. I then bought a plexiglass type material to cover the bottom and each of the shelves, so I can easily wipe clean and further waterproof. I bought a rubber type coating for the ramps as they are too slippery and they needed a coat of something waterproof anyway. I have bought a new latch to secure that lower door, but have been told to move the latch to open it from the top so bedding won't fall out. I like the door, but might just seal it shut. I might remove 1 of the shelves to fill it with bedding. I haven't decided (I have a syrian), but very good to be aware of the falls/jumps. I plan to seal all of the glass panels and it came with a water bottle already installed. I really like this cage and am enjoying making it our own. However, I agree with Munchie. I would never pay full price for it to turn around and have to do all these things to it. I had almost all of the materials/paint, so this is mainly just my time and my kids and I are enjoying making it her "Hammie's dream house (like Barbie's dream house)". I will post pics when it's complete, but obviously don't spend your money unless you can get it used, cheap, and plan to do all the repair/hamster proofing yourself with love. I am not one who can build things, but I feel I am crafty enough to make things safe, so this just gave me a shell and a place to start. Plus, as with her bin cage and other cages and her care in general, we never stop learning, so I am sure there will be adjustments. Thanks again, Munchie, for helping a lot of people and animals. 💕
Those poor piggies! 😞
Sounds like you're super crafty to do all of that, but what monster would keep one guinea in that never mind 3 😥
This is such a common and highly rated cage in the UK its strange to see it hated on for me haha. Most people don't use the levels and fill it full off deep bedding and never use the front door. Its also highly recommended to plasticoat the inside which makes it pee proof and smoother which obviously hasnt been done here haha. Im not saying its a good cage by any means, just that in the UK its often one of the top recommended cage. We however lack options such as the niteangel cages
I'm fairly sure this is a knock off of the original - the original is a much lighter colour, has a pull out drawer at the bottom, the shelves are slightly different (they can be screwed on and are a solid plank of wood, not separate planks glued together), and is generally much better quality.
@@Aimee0206 I really thought it was strange that so many faults where being found. Its not a cage ive owened myself so didnt immediately realise all that
@@Aspen_Husky I was surprised as well so I wanted to double check whether or not it was the original. You see the knock offs absolutely everywhere going for ridiculous prices (I once saw one going for around £700 on Etsy 😬).
totally agree im in scotland and i have a pawhut cage! Really like it for its size!!
@@alexfitz8402 how do you clean the pee from the wood? And how often?
I have this cage, I coated it with pet safe wood sealant, installed the front panel upside down, and installed latches to lock the lid. I also put velcro on the shelving so they wouldn't fall down if I bumped the cage. I have this on top of a table. With my modifications I'm able to put 10 inches of bedding. I also used the ramps to make a railing for the top level.
Imo with some modifications and proper reinforcements this is a decent cage.
I took a video I can send you the link if you want to see.
Same!! I took out the second platform, and filled it with bedding to the top. I coated it with a waterproof sealant. I know it’s a wooden cage, but your hamster is just as likely to chew through a plastic cage. I never had any issues. my hamster has plenty of room and plenty of chew toys. He even has a cat grass section where he can roam.
"Let's get a hammer!" BANG BANG BANG! I loved seeing you hammer it to pieces XD It was so flimsy, after all.
Honestly, this is a very very common cage I've seen. While they do have shelves, they are usually recommended to be taken out. The front panel can be turned upside down during construction so the door doesn't get in the way. The inside can be plastikoted or mod podged for waterproofing. While it may not be the best for female syrians or chewers, it definitely isn't that bad and is one of the cheapest, largest, and most readily available premade enclosures in the US. Even though it has flaws, that doesn't mean it's totally unusable and it can actually work very well for a lot of dwarfs and maybe even some male syrians.
With this cage in the hamster community, they take out the first level, fill bedding up to the next level, and modge podge/Elmer's glue the bottom drawer shut so they can't escape... It isn't chew proof but neither is any non glass enclosure
As I've seen a few "the original, not this knock off, is actually one of the best cages in the UK as we can't get niteangel here" comments, let me tell you guys something: there's a german brand called Rodipet that delivers to the UK and makes cages extremely similar to the Niteangel ones as well as cage items to fit it. I do not own this enclosure myself, but it seems to be pretty much the same cage and at least the wheels I've got from them are of great quality, I absolutely love them. Might be worth having a look into for those interested in the Niteangel enclosure, but not able to get one
(for anyone wondering, they also deliver to a list of other countries "around" Germany, they have a list of that in their site)
The problem with rodipet is not only are shipping costs very high from Germany now we also have import fees to worry about since Brexit which can double the orignal cost of the enclosure together
If you're referring to the nagariums, besides the expensive price tag you are also charged extortionate customs fees on top of that for UK delivery. I saw one person a few months ago being charged £150 fee. The rectangular pawhut is completely different to the cage being shown on the video, and is secure.
@@kimmy9310 oh wow, that is an expensive fee, thanks for pointing that out, I wasn't aware its that much. That really sucks and definitely doesn't make it a good option unless you have the luxury of not having to care about money.. which isn't a thing for most here I'd assume
@@tezzanoia I know its very annoying as it would be a good option for us here to have that cage accessible 😫
@@kimmy9310 I can imagine. Had that issue with other things too, as custom fees when ordering to Germany usually are high af too, so I kinda feel that pain :/
I still think this is a good cage, just needs some DIY to make it more secure. You can remove the ledges to make room, screw metal brackets over the areas the hamster is most likely to chew, use aquarium silicone to secure the front door shut and to secure the ledges in place, etc. I'm also pretty sure that the ledges are meant to be screwed in somehow, but I'm not 100% sure. Sure, it's not the greatest cage out there, but it's no more or less secure than the Niteangel cages imo (and it's also a very easy to access enclosure here in the UK - we don't have many pre-made enclosures that exceed our minimums).
Also, quick note - the enclosure itself is around 845 sq inches. There's a specific way you have to measure it with it being an odd shape.
EDIT: After looking into this further, it seems as though the cage you have here is a knock off of the hexagonal Pawhut enclosure. The original Pawhut is a might lighter colour, has a pull out drawer at the very bottom of the enclosure, the front door is a much tighter fit, the shelves are a solid plank of wood (the ones on this one look more like separate planks glued together), and the shelves can be screwed on. You see knock offs of these virtually anywhere so I'm fairly certain this is one of them.
The thing is, if you need to diy it in 8000 ways, it is not a good cage. A good cage is something you get, fill up with bedding, toys, hides, chews etc. and it's ready to go.
@@th3saur_13 Virtually all enclosures will need DIYing in some way shape or form to make them suitable. Besides, the things I mentioned aren't things you *need* to do, a hamster can live a perfectly safe and happy life without all of that. Like I said, too, I'm almost 100% certain that the one Munchie reviewed is a knock off of the original Pawhut, so it's going to be poor quality regardless.
I have the large pawhut too got it December it's made of birch ply and has a laminated floor it's a good cage. I don't use the shelves but they are pre drilled and secure when on. It's maybe an old pawhut on here
🙄
If it was cheaper I would agree with you but there are other options that need a lot less diy or none at all for cheaper or similar prices on the market, like rodipet cages
It’s so nice to see you regularly again! I hope this means your feeling better!
Nope. I'm still feeling like I'm dying sometimes, but I am mentally pushing through the physical pain. But ty for the love and support. ♥️ It makes me feel hopeful.
@@MunchiesPlace you have always been in my prayers!
The other version thats rectangular over here cost me like £50-60 it was Pawhut branded and have used them for a few years without any issues for a lot of different rodents
Yes, it looks completely different to this one being shown here. It's definitely better made. Owned mine for 3 years and had syrians in it with no issues
Omg not the pawhut! Lol I have 2 and adore them. I have the levels in both and have the bedding filling between half and 75% of the entire thing w bedding and my hamsters don't chew the wood as I check every time I clean it. I love them it's so weird seeing the hate for them
Same. I hope this doesn't put people off getting them as I have the branded rectangular one and it's been amazing and is one of the largest enclosures you can actually get in the UK. I'd recommend it to anyone looking.
I don't recommend them. It's cool you guys like them, but the potential to escape.and knowing beginner hamster owners or I guess even gerbil owners..., have unfortunately thought this was enough and safe and come to find out differently, like some commenters here have left. Which still makes my points valid for concern with this type of cage. It's great you guys enjoy it and found out how to modify as I mentioned people could do in the video, but take it from a girl rescuing these animals and hearing the story of ppl not knowing better in America vs UK with different laws and better care than us, this is a dangerous cage to unknowing people in my country.
@@MunchiesPlace I accept the points you made about the enclosure in the video though, my comments have been referring to the rectangle pawhut as you showed it at the beginning. That one is much better made imo.
I bought one in the rectangle shape like a monthish ago (the 2nd one shown in the slideshow at the start). I’ve taken the levels out and I’m trying to find cheaper better bedding to keep my hammie Jasper happy and able to burrow better. I bought it because it’s the cheapest I could get because I’m 16 and am still yet to get a job. It’s the quickest replacement I could get for his old pets at home cage, and I’m happy that he seems less stressed in there. When I get my next hamster/animal I’ll try find something better :)
ik bedding is so expensive for this cage! to fill my rectangular one with aspen its over £70?! anything for my baby
For my rectangle pawhut cage I use teabag bedding to fill it to about 12 1/2 to 13 inches of bedding, you can find it on eBay for about £15-£20 and it lasts a while (and I use a bit of carefesh mixed in to give it better burrow stability).
I wonder if this could've actually worked if they made it one long solid, unbroken floor space-style wood enclosure instead of tiered. It might've been better, the construction is at least not a bunch of wire bars.
Erin's Animals has a good tutorial for that of which you're describing. Highly recommend checking her out. If only companies thought of these things, ya know? Cause it's for the safety of the pet you'd think.
@@MunchiesPlace Oh, pet safety should be paramount. I don't have any hammies or other small rodents of my own, but I do have a lizard and they have their own minimum space requirements for enrichment and roaming (and if those requirements aren't upheld, you get a stunted lizard that can more easily get overgrown nails and other health issues). At the end of the day, pet stores are there to sell product, and unfortunately, that often comes to the detriment of the animals they sell since it's cheaper short-term to sell gimmicky novelty enclosures at inappropriate sizes rather than tell the customers outright that they need a larger enclosure and better enrichment for their new pet.
I have this, I don’t use the levels and filled it half full with bedding. Hamster loves it!
Rescuing a hamster tomorrow from a small cage really sad situation I saw on a rehoming Facebook page so exited to give her the life she deserves. 😊
Update: just got her, worse then I thought dirty cage, smells, smallest wheel. But happily she seems friendly and came out to smell my fingers when I get her in the car.
The branded "Pawhut" rectangular cage 115cm x 60cm (the 3rd picture shown at the beginning) is one of the largest commercial cages available in the UK, & a popular choice at that. I have owned mine for 3 years & had no problems - from my experience it is one of the best cages available ar the moment. Removing the shelves allows for a very enriching set up. Bin cages in the UK rarely meet the 80cmx50cm minimum, glass tanks are extremely expensive if you're looking for larger or equal to the pawhut measurements & that doesn't leave many options for people who cannot DIY. For the commenter who suggested the rodipet cages, besides the expensive price tag, you are also charged over £100 import fees on the nagarium cages. The actual pawhut operates completely different to the example cage shown so I think the video is a little misleading. 💗
How is the video misleading? The cage was once only advertised in America as Aleko and now it's been rebranded to Pawhut and is now available on US Amazon while Aleko discontinued it via Amazon, you can only find their old listing in Google search itself. If you are talking about a different Amazon, please know I am in the US. I don't know what UK Amazon is listing right now. Those two are different and Pawhut makes multiple wooden cages and has increased their market in the US within these last few years. I assume that's what you meant, cause the I hate this cage part is an opinion, so I know that cannot be what you mean. If they truly are different, the Amazon Pawhut US version looks exactly the same from what's being listed online.
@@MunchiesPlace the 3rd picture you showed at the beginning is the exact design of the Pawhut here in the UK - I agree with you that the cage you're showing in the video has a lot of cons but it seemed like you were putting them under the same bracket of being unsafe as you said you do not promote them & hate them. That was the part I found misleading as the features & functions are different - I would hate to think people avoid getting the pawhut as they think it is bad or unsafe rather than it not being suitable for their particular hammy. Like I say, I personally have owned that cage & it is brilliant & most UK owners recommend it too.
@@MunchiesPlace Respectfully, that is NOT the ALEKO cage. I have seen versions of this cage that look very similar. One version even has a small bottom that slides out. My bottom door doesn’t have that gap and is rather snug. I flipped the top and bottom front compartment to allow for extra bedding. My enclosure also came with an unbroken piece of wood that fully covers the bottom pieces of wood. I did use animal safe waterproof varnish to coat the bottom. I easily have at least 18 inches of bedding. I DIY’ed the top ledge with extra large Lilly sticks preventing a fall. Currently, I removed the top ledge and switched it with the middle ledge and just filled the entire cage with bedding. My hamster builds amazing burrows. When I did have all 3 levels, it was still packed with at least 10 inches of bedding. I used the second level for a cat grass play area (the cat grass always seems to die because it can’t be watered. lol but I’m fine replacing it.), and a huge sand bath with either sand or fine coconut shavings, pieces of grape vine wood to explore, ect. I like this cage because it does have the appropriate unbroken floor space, and if you safely DIY the top platform than you have PLENTY of room to have many different areas for your hamster to explore. I think it would be great for a female Syrian hamster that’s restless and bored. My cage also came with 3 decent open bottom hides, two seesaws, a large food dish and a water bottle. It was $100 with shipping. My hamster has yet to chew any part of the cage or ledges, perhaps because I have appropriate chew toys.
Perhaps this wouldn’t be appropriate for the rescue, as it would require so much bedding and slight modification. However, you mentioned Erin’s animals DIY’s. Many of her hides and tunnels wouldn’t be appropriate, or just plain dangerous if she didn’t have the appropriate amount of bedding to suit them.
@@MunchiesPlace It's a tad misleading because the title says that this is a Pawhut cage, but the one shown in the video is either a knock off or the one made by Aleko. I've made a few comments listing the differences between the Pawhut enclosure and the one shown in the video.
Genuine question - you mentioned how Aleko rebranded into Pawhut, where did you get this info? I can't find anything regarding it anywhere online, and from what I can see, Aleko is still an active company, it just no longer makes/sells the hamster cages.
I agree with you. I have the rectangular 115x60 Pawhut and I can't fault it much. I left out the platforms, sealed it with plastikote and have honestly had no problems. It's really secure and sturdy for me. I'm also from the UK and it is one of the better options on the market. The one in the video doesn't seem like the best representation. No hate just an observation.
Munchie I have loved your videos since 2021 I think that you are so informative which is good because a lot of people need people to explain that that’s not bad thank you for being such a good hamster mouse and gerbil channel/rescue hope you feel better bye
Thanks for the video!
Safety tip though, make sure you're wearing closed-toe shoes the next time you hammer a cage like this to pieces; I was so worried your feet would be sliced by the pieces!
It's plastic. XD it wasn't glass, toes were fine but I did hit my hand on the wood like an idiot. Ha ha.
Companies: *See from numerous sources that hamster enclosures should have 10+ inches of bedding*
Also companies: *Make their enclosures three stories tall so nobody can fit any bedding in them*
It makes me question things too, seeing how they didn't need to have that opening door down there. The company claims door opens to make it easier to clean, which suspects they thought you'd stick only 3 inches of bedding inside of this thing. Rodipet and Niteangel are the only two companies of similar style enclosures where a plan was actually thought out when designing small animal enclosures.
Galvanized steel mesh is the best kind of wire for rodents.
I actually have this cage from a friend who gave it to me, the hamster chewed out of it within less than an hour so it's rotting outside rn where it belongs. Handmade cages for life! :D
I watched this video as I had this for my previous baby arlo and thought “oh god have I hurt him”. and little arlo had seizures and I also had to let him rest. and I really thought me having this cage was the best move for me and him and knowing this now I can’t even begin to think the reason he was in pain was cause I didn’t do my research (which I really thought I did :( ). I do have to thank you for making this video to prevent people from making the same mistake I did 😔😭
When I (in Germany!) searched for hamster cages, this exact enclosure was like 70% of all Ive seen
I love what you do! My family adored hammies. And have rescued hammies that were on offer up. We’re even in WA so if you ever need any assistance maybe north of Seattle let us know and we can help! Keep up the amazing work. Hammies are so underrated and mis treated and I’m so happy to see people like you educating the world!
I bought one of the cages, my hamster (Vodka) crewed her way out and started moving to the inside of the couch, after many times of repeatedly returning her to the cage from the couch I just ended up letting her live in the couch, now that she is older and doesn’t move around as much I have permanently returned her to the cage and covered her escape routes.
Couch hamster.
Amazing
Ikea makes numerous products suitable for a great DIY hamster cage. I built for my dwarf the 80x55x40 cm Platsa storage cabinet, which will provide around 680 square inches. Ikea sells four sizes up to around 2200 square inches. I had to DIY a lid, and buy a Ikea glass shelf which fit perfectly the front of this cage using aquarium silicone for installation. I also sealed all of the interior edge cracks as well. It almost literally slid together, although I did have to tap and tighten during assembly. No need to use any power tools. Easier to assemble than any Tiny Tales or Crittertrail TINY toy cage, and get this, for less moolah... Everyone including Munchie have difficulty building those TINY toy cages sold by pet stores, much less cleaning them. If I ever expand my house to add a pet room, that GIANT 2200 square inch Platsa, 180 cm/70 inches long, would be heaven for any hamster...
i had this cage as my very first hamster cage, my hamster chewed up the button, i ended up covering the whole thing is (pet safe) liquid plastic (the same thing they use in fish tanks). she lived 2 years and 2 months.
I'm sorry to hear you had to further DIY it, but glad you caught your hamster chewing it before they escaped or got hurt. See the more people are aware, the better we can protect the community and hamsters apart of it. That's why I made my reviews since everyone expects pet companies know everything. If you are being told the shelving unit needs to be taken out of this tank, fill it up past the door, or to seal it further, then it's not a good cage. But glad you made it safer.
I just ordered something like this. Detolf
is massive and glass enclosures are so expensive. What do you mean by liquid plastic? I hope what I got can be made usable. I don't mind DIYing it a bit. That would need to be done in most cases anyway. The Detolf needs a lid for example.
I have the grey cage thing that was shown, but i put wood o. the sides to I could fill the cage with the proper amount of bedding I also did not pit any of the levels in it because it was not necessary. So far the cage as worked amazingly and ive had no issues with my hamsters showing boredom signs.
Don’t use wood at ALL.
Please use bins or tanks!
Oh my gosh!!! That review couldn’t have been posted at a better time!!!! I’m considering getting mice in the future (from my local rescue) and I was considering the 5 tier one! I won’t get it that’s for sure!!! Could you also review other cages from Pawhut?! There’s practically nothing about it on UA-cam
Not going to give Munchie static about burning this rattletrap, but I hope everyone makes sure to be careful when disposing of cheap materials via fire. Fumes are real, and wood/wood-adjacent material can be infused with some pretty nasty stuff.
Oh no, I wouldn't recommend an open fireplace. We have a closed off one, and I wasn't thinking about that. So ty for saying something.
That opening I LOVE IT 😂😂
Sameeee!!!!! Lol 😂🤣
Munchie. You are honestly incredible😂! That hammering part was the best thing I have seen in a while. Love your channel, keep up the hard work❤️
Omg I was considering this! Thanks! my detolf is not deep enough. Ill look into niteangel
i have a rectangular pawhut cage, took all the ramps out and the bottom is not wood which makes my life easier, never had a problem with it apart from the top doesnt close, it kinda just is open at both ends so i have to keep plant pots on them to hold it down, im i scotland so finding big enclosures is hard so i do really like the cage for its size!
Erin's animals is an awesome channel to watch! She is so funny and creative.
I love her sock puppet shows...
Just an update, he goes by Ollie now.
Not gonna lie, one of my hams has found a way to chew on the Niteangel enclosure. Despite the flat surface on the walls, she found a way. I guess if there’s a will, there’s a way huh?
Q______Q Was it on the side, top of lid? Bottom?
Glad to see more content from you and yassss Praise the Erin! \o/
I've learned so much about hamster keeping from your channel and currently have 3 rescue hams (1 syrian in the NiteAngel bigger world medium, and 2 dwarves in bin cage enclosures (they live separately, of course) These, and any type of tier cage, give me anxiety especially for dwarves and their notable fall damage injuries. The poor materials for the price point is also wild. If this is the price point someone is looking in, i will recommend NiteAngel every time. I've seen so many people in hamster groups on FB asking about these 3 tier wooden cages - big yikes. I educate against them to the best of my ability but this is going to be a great video to link! I always take care to mention your wise words, hamsters don't need to be in the clouds haha
my hamster does live in the pawhut. i have taken out the levels and my hamster doesnt chew. but that doesnt mean all hamsters wont.
This cage is used a ton here in England. A lot of people like it, I personally don't like it because it's fully wooden, would be the next level of stress for 'is my hamster going to get out??' ... I know people tile wooden enclosures like 4ft vivarium (I have a tiled 4ft vivarium for one of my 4 hamsters) but... I feel because of the shape I'd just mess it up and not ever get it properly tiled.
The hammer time made my day 😁 Your enthusiasm never fails to make my day a little better 😁
When I looked for fun for hamster cages I always wondered why they suggested me this. It irritated me and thank you for showing me why it's exactly not good for a hamster because I couldn't put my finger on it.
My hamster has this cage although it's been greatly modified without ledges and has a plexiglass bottom :)
The only wood enclosure I trust are the one's Erin's animals make.Edit: Aaah you mention them haha! yes!
Can you point me in the direction of the best hamster cage to get. I only have one hamster but i want the best one for my little guy
A large tank or terrarium is the best!!! 40 gallon breeder tanks are a good size to start. Please no smaller!! If you live in the USA, NiteAngel enclosures are awesome, too!!
Niteangel for sure! They sell on Amazon. Or you can make your own with an IKEA Detolf cage. Theres many videos on youtube
I have a hamster cage this shape and size dunno if it’s an Aleko one but my hamsters love it and so do I it’s great size for them!
My personal opinion would be that this cage is OK as long as you fill it up pretty high with bedding and don’t use the ledges.DEFO NOT FOR RATS,CHINCHILLAS AND GUINEA PIGS.sadly it states that it’s suitable for those animals on amazon.I personally think it would be okay for Mice,Gerbils,dwarf hamsters and possibly Syrian hamsters.Sadly the uk don’t have niteangel cages or anything like that.although if anyone wants any good cage recommendations I would suggest to you the Alaska hamster cage,ikea bin cage,40g tank,not quite sure as to how many more cages are out there as I’ve only had experience with IKEA bin cages and the Alaska hamster cage .
Niteangel is cheap MDF cages with terrible fasteners
Exactly, not everyone lives in America :/
I usually really love your videos but this time you seemed really ungrateful for someone’s donation- I understand your concerns but simple modifications could’ve made this enclosure more suitable. You are aware that hamsters aren’t massive chewers and with some close monitoring of a hamsters chewing habits you could evaluate if a hamster would be suitable for this enclosure
But on the other hand you promote a “secure” cage by niteangel that keeps their cages together using rubber bands that snap just as easily. Hamsters have also been known to chew through plastic bases too.
Then you hammered it which meant you wasted the time of your volunteer who collected it and their petrol. I would’ve happily found a use for it or made the modifications to make it suitable.
Tightening the screws probably would’ve secured the cage and the ledges are optional if you were worried about fall damage
Furthermore someone else’s comment claimed that this wasn’t the genuine enclosure made by pawhut. I noticed a few differences too aside from the DIY jobs
Sorry munchie
I have three nite angel cages and they are not flimsy. Nor are they easy to chew through. They are made very well. Nothing like this cheap knockoff. Maybe the originals were decent but these are just cheap imitations and not very good. The materials feel so cheap.
We don't recommend this cage at the rescue and I would never resell something that has security issues written all over it. It's a used cage that caused Ceres and a deceased sister of hers, before making it to the rescue, to suffer from fall damage due to poor marketing for small animals, and design flaws. There's no point in telling me how I should have done better. I, at the end of the day, used this wood in my closed fireplace. It was repurposed. I'm sorry we don't agree, but it was my decision and I'm still feeling the same as the day I destroyed it. I would never recommend to keep this, despite large parts of the UK using it and that's okay! There's a difference in animal preference in our community and I spoke up about my thoughts on it. It's big enough for hamster people to use, but there's better options out there. It's up to the consumer what you wanna do with this information.
For Pawhut, Aleko no longer sells this cage on Amazon. It's listed under Pawhut. I didn't see any differences in the Pawhut version vs Aleko, so I included both names as the US market is only listing Pawhut and the Aleko is only visible via Google search. Pawhut makes more than just one wood cage. I'm probably going to get another one to review in the future, but I did not when seeing their Amazon ads, see a difference. I could look again if I truly missed something during my research.
Hey! I have a question if anyone can answer me it would be amazing!
I have a friend who has an hamster, she showed me her cage and it was that plastic type cage with slides and everything, It was SOOOO tiny and there was barely no bedding.. idk how to tell her that her cage is not appropriate for her pet. Can anyone suggest me ways to introduce it in the conversation without sounding rude? (sorry for my broken english)
You could just mention how much they run, and how many miles they travel at night. Maybe that would make her/him think about it
Just say "Hey, maybe you should research more about hamsters. I don't think that's right for them." If she argues, she's stubborn and you just have to keep kindly pushing it on her. If all else fails, call the police for animal abuse. That should shut her up. Maybe show her a few Munchie or Victoria Raechel videos
Keep in mind rodents are far from claustrophobic. To be honest as long as it has a wheel to kill energy, it's not that big of a deal. I know a lot of stores like pets mart don't carry these extremely big cages and the small ones they have are for adult hamsters too. And notice a lot of these people who do have these huge cages fill over 59% of them with bedding anyway.
To answer your question though I if you haven't figured it out, the next time you see it just ask them if it's big enough. You don't have to ask in an offensive way just ask them if they have to get bigger cages as they grow. They'll get the hunt
My suggestions would be to focus on the bad aspects of the cage itself, such as how difficult those things are to clean, or that hamsters can get stuck in some parts of them and get hurt.
Then help them build a DIY bin cage.
That's what worked on teenage me, and it might work on your friend too.
I would recommend starting the conversation by mentioning the hamster and how you don't believe the cage they're currently housed in is appropriate, then remind them you don't mean any offense, but you just want the best for their hammy. After you've introduced the idea of upgrading their cage mention the benefits the hamster and owner would have with a *much* larger cage that meets the bare minimum standards and above.
For example, "Could we talk about (insert hamster's name). I don't mean to offend you I'm just concerned that the cage you have now isn't the best or safest for (hamster name) because (insert cons and dangers of the cage.)" Then mention how there are cheaper alternatives like a bin cage that will provide ample space and if they don't like the look of that/ other reasons then send them a link to Victoria Rachels Best hamster cages 2021 on UA-cam. After this be sure to provide the pros that come with a larger enclosure. Happier hamster, more enrichment, easy cleaning, bonding could be easier, more items can be added into the enclosure, burrows can be formed now etc.
Don't forget to mention, "I know how much you love and care for (hamster name), but they'll thrive and be happier in a bigger cage. They deserve it." Something sweet like that will smooth things over if your friend is a little stubborn. Opening them up to the world of hamster care on UA-cam would benefit them too :) and sneak in the pros of adding more bedding. Good Luck!
Thank you for doing this video I was actually to buy one for my mice
I bought the PawHut Wooden 3-Tier Hamster Cage Hutch Box Center Openable Roof but I'm planning on getting acrylic to cover up the sides and the little hatch that comes with it and I threw out all the ledge that came with it
My hamster right now is being house in a zoomed 40 gallon front opening enclosure
I love the look of it!! What would it be better suited as?? Maybe a cat bed? Snakes? Funkopops?
me and my dog love watching ur videos :)
Hey, can you explain how to find a reputable gerbil breeder? Or refer to a video that talks about this??
I really want a niteangel cage but the smaller size is 680 in canada and the larger one is over 800 :/ does anyone know where I can purchase it for a better price?
Can you get it shipped to the us? And drive it up?
What do you think about the ikea linnmon?
Oh this was so funny! Love you Munchie and your channel! 💜🌟🌟😊
I bought this and hammy chewed through it in a night. Smelled so strongly of pine just not a good enclosure at all
Where would I get a tank lid with strong metal screen lid then? If I shouldn't use a reptile screen lid?
People make their own using hardware cloth.
It looks too complicated. They need ground space not ledges.
Literally I got a paw hut and it was a nightmare, would never use it for dwarf because they would 100% escape. Thankfully my little Syrian guy stoped chewing after I figured out that he just wanted a super busy area but would never recommend it to anyone.
Whats your opinion on the diy linnmon and the diy platsa cage?
I was actually gonna get this cage for my Syrian Hamster but we got a large bin cage instead.. Thank goodness
Just be aware bin cages aren't escape proof either and plastic can be chewed up if you got a determined little monsta. Please highly reinforce your lid with galvanized steel and clean up the rim when cutting the bin. Don't add any sort of holes unless the holes are for zip ties to go through. And good luck. 🙏
@@MunchiesPlace Ye, that's what we did, the monsta is securely contained and very happy. Thank you
my favorite part was 100% when u broke it! love you so much keep going
I am probably the only one looking at this thinking what a great chick brooder one of these cages would be if acquired second hand.
What’s your opinion on the wooden living world cage called green eco habitat?
The enclosure never made it to the US market, so i cannot review it. I would have to order it from UK and pay almost 300-500 dollars. I looked into it 3 or so years ago and have not made a review because it's so hard to get it into the US. Hammylux had it tho, I would check her channel out. She no longer uploads but you can see what she thought of it.
I use the other pawhut which is rectangle as well as big and took all the levels out i believe is 115×60 cm
If you have this cage, there are so many ways to prevent your hammy from falling. You can remove the platforms completely, you can remove the bottom one and add bedding that reaches the top platform or you can diy "fix" it. Then with the flimsy parts you can get those fixed too and same with the mesh. You can get a different type that will be stronger. It is a lot of work but if you have the cage and don't want to replace it, you need to make some changes.
I am with Munchie on this, to NOT buy it... Ikea sells products so much better with a little DIY, from either two Billy height extensions, to one of four Platsa wardrobe storage cabinets...
oh my godd not THAT thing. I remember when I had that for my mice once, someone gifted it to me.. after that my mice were INFESTED with mites.. took me almost a year to get them back to normal health.. I tried disinfecting it multiple times but ended up throwing it away because there was nothing I could do to get the mites away, it was HORRIBLE
It looks really nice, the color and shape. I think something similar, and better, could be hand made for cheaper though. Have the little ledges from where it's screwed and nailed together on the outside, coating on the inside to help keep it smooth and to keep urine from soaking in, stronger mesh material, chicken wire might be strong enough? No weird doors, better top door that can latch and or lock, better plexiglass.. For that price, yeah, I think you could probably just make something better for around the same.
Oh I was so worried about your bare feet and the broken glass! I love your channel I just have anxieties about glass. Thanks for all you do!
I'm sorry for the stupid question but why would you put a hamster in a wooden cage anyway? I mean wouldn't they chew through the wood and get out? That's just my opinion though maybe I'm wrong I don't know, I've had hamsters in my life but I'm no expert.
It depends on each and every hammy mine lives in the big rectangle one he doesn’t chew much and the cage is untouched x
If a hamsters needs are properly met & theres enough enrichment to keep them from being bored, wood enclosures are not an issue. That being said you should still make sure its a heavy duty wood like the Niteangel brand.
Unrelated, but just today, somebody at work was talking about getting their 6-year-old daughter a hamster. I tried to impart that hamsters are a lot of work, and talk them towards something like a fish instead, but they said the girl wants a pet she can touch and interact with, rather than just look.
I actually considered buying one of these used bc someone local was selling it with supplies for $50. I just didn’t like the look of it or the shelves but liked the size. Glad I went with something else now after seeing it in a video.
i have somthing like that its not really bad when u get it when i got it i was LIKE NO WAY THIS IS BAD FOR THEM they will get hurt but cookie( my hamster) is really calm and i can trust her with anything
Thanks for talking about this. I was planning to buy this cage for when I get a hamster one day, but now I know ❤
It's not actually an awful cage, I'd personally recommend it. This one looks like knock-off. with some water-proof sealant and leaving the platforms out it can be a very good option. They do a rectangular one (shown briefly in the video) which has no door at the front and is very secure for me. That being said D.I.Y is always the best option.
@@georgiaevephillips3496 oh ok
I think it is a rip off paw hut remake that some random brand copied cuz I own the paw hut 3 tier and it’s very good quality!
You're in luck, I ordered the pawhut and have never unboxed it, for the reason of people mentioning this wasn't a legit pawhut. It'll be a future video...someday. Hopefully in 2024.
@@MunchiesPlace Oh well looking forward to the future vid thanks for replying :))
Oh my god you make me laugh munchie.
Here's johnny !!!!! Hahahah
:)
I like paw hut wood cages. I use them for our dwarfed bearded dragons (they were neglected which caused their growth to be stunted). I did have to treat the wood and do a couple of other small things, but it is good and provides different levels and places to tuck under. Plus it is large enough for an automatic water dish/fountain.
I do not see how people can put animals in it that are known chewers. That is just asking for trouble. What is horrible is people will put guinea pigs and rabbits in them too. Despite it clearly being way too small.
Why aren't the floors and walls just solid wood? That would solve so many of the flimsyness issues with this cage!
I'm so glade I decided to go with an open cage rather than buying this one. I'm sure it can be repaired & fixed up to be hamster proof but I would rather just spend a little more money for a good cage. Just be careful with that plastic/glass when cleaning it up
With everything munchie is dealing with, I’m sure breaking that enclosure was very cathartic.
In the far future I plan to have mice again. I appreciate these cage reviews so I know what to avoid. I’m unable to have small pets right now because of where I live… I also have to prioritize owner training a service dog with a professional trainer’s help (that is legal in my state) and that will take a lot of time out of my day. It wouldn’t be fair to a small pet because I wouldn’t be around to socialize with it very much.
Edit: I’m aware these reviews are focused on hamsters. I’m referring to avoiding enclosures that fall apart easily and/or are unsafe
What product is your hair colour ???
The design has potential, I mean the size and depth just change.... Everything else....
The bottom door is why I never got this. You've shown me more reasons why I shouldn't have
Is varnish hamster safe?
You can use plastikote to coat hamster cage wood
@@Hamster_Joy Good to know :)
Why was the best part of this video is when Munchie took a hammer to it 😆🤣
Hahahaha “my wood my destruction” ❤️ 🐹
Hi munchie I made a homemade bin cage!
Am I the only one who panicked at her bare feet as she scattered glass?
I've been looking at these at amazon before and they looked interesting at first but the more I started to think things through, same points what u said came to my mind.. It's really bad designed cage. It could be so much better.. Sigh.
Watching this right after I ordered my gerbils one🤦♀️
Tanks are the safest for gerbils. 40 gallon breeder, 75 gallons, etc. 👍 Or Ikea detolfs.
I had a hamster escape a plastic enclosure due to a slit to attach a wheel on the side. Of course it was smaller than this useless tiny thing and the wheel was so tiny and flimsy that it came off so the Syrian chewed the attachment area until it was big enough to squeeze through. I found him behind the fridge having chewed a hole in the wall. He was just sitting there in the hole looking weak & dehydrated. He recovered, but this was about 18 years ago, so I had no idea how to care properly. I didn't even know about them stocking food in their cheeks. When I first saw him with his cheeks full, I thought he was choking himself! I taped a metal sauce bowl over the chewed open area on the plastic shoebox enclosure that the petstore told me was appropriate. I hate that I was not able to get correct information back then. But now I know for the future for when I plan to get a hamster again soon.
I had to re-home Syrian to Miami Rescue last year because airline don’t allowed hamster on International flight only dog and cat
I was looking for several cages. In the end i got my hamster the skyline Marrakesh one (i chose the largest one lol).
And yes, i kept an eye on this Aleko as well. But reading the reviews I decided to not buy it. Reasons: cheap materials and, tbh, i didn't like the spot we could open to clean the bedding area. Someone even posted a photo of a hole made by his hamster 😆
The skyline instead is made with pretty strong wood and, well, glass panels. I'm just loving it and my hamster as well :)
A hamster dont need gimmicks ffs. Apt floor space and depth,chew toys,a bath and water. Wont cost 190$ if these companies had some common sense
Munchie VS 3-tier hamster cage!
BRO GUINEA PIGS IN THAT CAGE! NOOOOOO!!!!! WAYYYYYYY TO SMALL FOR ANY ANIMAL AND WAY UNSAFE FOR ANY ANIMAL!
@@Rynn21 ik right!!! I have a hamster & 8 guinea pigs and all lf them get correct care and love!
I actually do have a DIY cage made out of wood that is really thick wood and has no grip we also have wire it's pretty strong wire and she doesn't really like to bite it so I think it'll be pretty safe but the wood is really safe and I don't think she can get out of it but yet she really has never tried to get out in her last cage that she was in she would bar climb she would bite you she would just try and get out but this cage she does not want to get so yeah.