# The difference a new cage can make



## tinypixiexoxo (Sep 20, 2011)

Izzie and I always had an iffy relationship.. She wasn't a biter and she wasn't constantly huffy or rolling into a ball.. but she wasn't incredibly social and lovey either. She would always react to my hand by getting a little huffy, but then she'd settle down.. but she would then try to run away or hide.
So....
I upgraded all 3 of my hamster cages as per the recommendations on a hamster forum, and I started to feel bad that one of my hamsters had a larger home than my hedgehog. So I started to do some research on a new cage for Izzie.

I found a girl on CraigsList selling a 1 story Critter Nation for cheap, so I bought it. It is in excellent condition, as if brand new! 

I fixed it up a bit to be hedgehog safe for Izzie, and stuck her in there (still waiting for my pan liners to come in the mail...) she has a fleece blanket on the floor and a smaller "ferret" blanket to line the top pan for now.

The first day she was scared so she hid in her log. But the next day, and the following (yesterday) were when I saw signs that my hedgehog was in fact really happy in her new home!

Her old home was one of those large Super Pet cages where the bottom "tray" rises about 4 or 5 inches. This prevents Izzie from being able to see outside of her home at ground level. In this home, when she would catch sight of me from above, she would scurry away and hide.

But with her Critter Nation, there is no "tray" that blocks her sight from the ground. She can walk up to the bars and look out if she would like. And she does!

She's very curious about me now.. I can sit on the floor and my head is level with her on the ground floor of the cage. She comes right up, no huffing, no balling up. Last night, she even took treats out my my hand! Instead of running away, she kept standing there, sniffing, wondering what I"m up to. It was adorable. I'm slowing working on being able to put my arm in there to do things like clean poop or fix the blanket or refill food/water without her huffing at all. I just cannot believe how she's acting!!! And last night when I tried to leave her alone, she kept standing there looking at me as if to say "I'm still here! I still want treats and to play!"

<3 This is not the same Izzie I had before in the old cage. Perhaps there's something to be said about upgrading cages, allowing for more visibility... more room.. more love  ANd now that she's taking treats from my hands, it looks like she'll be gaining a little weight :3


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## ShutUpAndSmile (Mar 7, 2011)

Thats great news! I'm so happy that you and your girl are bonding. =) Yay ^-^


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

Yep, I've always found that too. I went from transparent bins to a cage condo with the cube grids as doors and found that many of them became more friendly and social. And like your Izzie, many would stand at the door of their cage and watch me.


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## tinypixiexoxo (Sep 20, 2011)

Thank you both  I love it she just stood there, inching closer, sniffing, curious eyes... soo cute 

I wonder if I can somehow transfer this good energy to nail-clipping time :roll:

I wonder if she likes the fact that there's no dusty bedding anymore either.


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## hanhan27 (May 12, 2011)

tinypixiexoxo said:


> I wonder if I can somehow transfer this good energy to nail-clipping time :roll:


Doubt it :lol:

It's so great that progress is being made between you two. It's interesting that a cage change can affect them so much!


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## GoldenEyes (Nov 4, 2011)

I was wondering how she is looking out at you? I am building a c&c cage and its going to have that white plastic around it, does your cage not have that? Is that safe?  JUst wondering, i would love for my hedgie to be able to see me too


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## tinypixiexoxo (Sep 20, 2011)

GoldenEyes said:


> I was wondering how she is looking out at you? I am building a c&c cage and its going to have that white plastic around it, does your cage not have that? Is that safe?  JUst wondering, i would love for my hedgie to be able to see me too


An interesting point you bring up. No, I don't have plastic lining the cage. I wonder if this is something I should look into.

My cage is the Critter Nation.. not a C& C although I know what you are talking about. But the difference between a Critter Nation and the Ferret Nation are that the bars of the CN are horizontal, and the FN, vertical. I wonder if this is a concern, that Izzie might try to climb with the bars and hurt or even pop off a toenail.

Thank you for the tip! Tonight when she gets up and hopefully does the same behavior, I'll try to snap a pic to post and show


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## tinypixiexoxo (Sep 20, 2011)

Lookie Izzie coming out for some hand-fed worms! She's shy at first, but then she comes RIGHT UP!!


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## beautsbelle (Jul 19, 2011)

I am sure I will get some flack for this, but when we first got Roxie, she was in a metal cage, and could see out. When we made her C&C cage, we had coroplast up the sides high so she would not climb. Approx 8 inches up the side. Well, I think the fact that she could no longer see stressed her out, because that was all she would do was try to climb the walls. So we cut it down to approx 3 inches and she stopped climbing immediately. She wanted to see out. It drove her crazy to not be able to see out. I know there is a minimum recommended height to walls, and I understand the reason, but she has not once tried to climb now. She has no reason. She can see and she is happy this way. The other thing is, I have white coroplast, and I am wondering if the color white bothered her? I am not sure what happened. 

I just recently got her a critter nation cage, and I am going to get that cleaned up and try it out. But I know what you mean. Roxie is SOOOO much happier in her new cage, as I am sure your little one is too. It does make a difference. Roxie is more active too. Guessing she has more room now, so it is easier to run about.


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## tinypixiexoxo (Sep 20, 2011)

beautsbelle said:


> I am sure I will get some flack for this, but when we first got Roxie, she was in a metal cage, and could see out. When we made her C&C cage, we had coroplast up the sides high so she would not climb. Approx 8 inches up the side. Well, I think the fact that she could no longer see stressed her out, because that was all she would do was try to climb the walls. So we cut it down to approx 3 inches and she stopped climbing immediately. She wanted to see out. It drove her crazy to not be able to see out. I know there is a minimum recommended height to walls, and I understand the reason, but she has not once tried to climb now. She has no reason. She can see and she is happy this way. The other thing is, I have white coroplast, and I am wondering if the color white bothered her? I am not sure what happened.
> 
> I just recently got her a critter nation cage, and I am going to get that cleaned up and try it out. But I know what you mean. Roxie is SOOOO much happier in her new cage, as I am sure your little one is too. It does make a difference. Roxie is more active too. Guessing she has more room now, so it is easier to run about.


Thank you for sharing!! I def think it's a matter of them being able to see out at the world. Instead of scurrying away, Izzie COMES TO ME. it's amazing.

Where did you read about having a minimum height for a wall?


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## beautsbelle (Jul 19, 2011)

That is what other members here recommended as far as walls. There is a great discussion here http://hedgehogcentral.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=7

There are pictures of other members set ups. I found it very helpful when building Roxies cage. Hers looks like this http://i1219.photobucket.com/albums/dd428/beautsbelle/Roxie/DSC05394.jpg


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## tinypixiexoxo (Sep 20, 2011)

Hmm first link doesn't work, says it "doesn't exist".. but that's okay. I'll watch her over the next few days to see if a wall is something she needs or if she's okay without it. She might have been stressed from the move, so any new changes I make to the cage will be done slowly and not all at once.

Wow what a great cage!! What did you use for the tunnel? Is that the ferret tunnel thingie?


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

The only reason walls are needed is to keep hedgie from climbing or to help hold heat in. If a C&C has a lid, there is no need for walls. Low walls can also keep poop and litter from being knocked out of the cage.

With a C&C, smaller hedgies can squeeze out the squares, so walls will prevent that also but IMO, small hedgies should not be in C&C's for safety reasons because of the risk of them climbing.


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## for the <3 of quills (Aug 21, 2011)

Chia is a fairly hissy hedgie and she has an extra large Super Pet cage. I wonder if she would benefit from a new cage with lower plastic walls. She NEVER comes out of her house to see me when I come in the room, I always have to extract her from her igloo which creates a huge hissy fit. And if she was running before I walked in the room she instantly freezes and puffs up.


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## tinypixiexoxo (Sep 20, 2011)

i wonder if that wouldn't' do a great benefit for you.

Izzie was the same way. She would run from me when she caught sight of me looming over her cage. And she was never able to greet me, or explore her cage, in the same way that she is able to now with no "walls" to contend with.

But now, she either is busy sleeping in her hide away, or comes to me for treats and attention. She loves coming out!

I kid you not, this is an ENTIRELY new hedgehog after the cage change. And I believe I had the same cage as you have now. It was life-changing to put Izzie in a cage at which she could decide when to look about and when to hide. Plus, the amount of space she has to explore and exercise..... I really recommend it. I'm no expert. but I seem to have gotten extraordinary results. It's worth a shot, eh?


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## for the <3 of quills (Aug 21, 2011)

I tried out making a shelf with a ramp and it didn't work out very well haha so I may try a few more ideas for shelves and ramps and if those don't work out either then I think I'll look into getting a new setup for her.


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## casxcore (Jul 28, 2011)

I find this really interesting because Walter isn't very friendly & he hisses at my when I reach into his cage or go near him at all. I have a C&C cage that currently has white sides and I'm considering changing the coroplast to plexiglass.. But, he also loves to torment me & go under his fleece liners and I was going to make liners that go over the sides so he cant get under them :/


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## tinypixiexoxo (Sep 20, 2011)

Yeah I just got new liners and she likes to sleep under them :/


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## casxcore (Jul 28, 2011)

He runs around & poops under them. Not only did he keep me up all night last night but it also makes my clean up a lot harder =( I dont know how I can find away to try having it so he can see me before I make any extreme changes. I'd love to make him happier, even if it means more of a mess for me to clean. :/


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## ShutUpAndSmile (Mar 7, 2011)

I noticed in the video the ramp isn't enclosed? Hedgies have bad depth perception and can easily hurt themselves if they fall. You should enclose it. :3


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## TeddysMommy (Apr 24, 2011)

Awwie! That sounds so cute ^.^ She sounds like a spoiled girl


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