My Thoughts on PetSmart's NEW Hamster Cages

[@JBunny7482]

Making our own cages is still the best option, and we can decorate them better, enrich them better, and have way easier access. I love being able to take the entire lid off my cages so I can clean it and decorate it for each season or holiday for my baby. They have a lot of work to do.

[@17andcountingarealityshow7]

yes, they do.

[@theregulararkandsonicfan5005]

Yes

[@Thenorthwesttails]

Yep!

[@maureenhiggins9618]

Many many hammies yes absolutely

[@VictoriaRaechel]

I agree! I just wish it was an option for everyone to do!

[@rachellequispe8403]

I work at “petshmart” and I agree completely that the cages they sell is so tiny. I always tell customers to make and bin set up and tell them to do more research about hamsters. I always recommend your videos lol!

[@brucerumph3786]

Thats so nice when i first got my hamsters the pets mart owner told me to buy tiney tales i got all the acceserys and cages and every thing until i saw victorias videos now my hamsters are so so so happy!

[@user-jt2ev8qv1y]

your an awesome worker!!

[@saturnitiez]

same here! :)

[@divine.siren0322]

Same!!!

[@edmundjimenez9136]

I always try and push customers in the bigger is better. I built my own guinea pig cage for my babies. Its hard when costumers are like I want him now and you just need to tell me everything I need to know now in 5 minutes. I do think full cheeks is getting better then before. But yeah I don't understand why they can't do fold up ones that are much bigger for everyone that just require some assembly. All of them are bad birds rabbits guinea pigs reptiles the starter kits are a joke

[@equiineediits316]

Pet stores could EASILY make big fold up enclosures and sell MORE of them on the shelves and give their clients the CORRECT care and teach them that having any animal takes learning and money and most times space. Edit: victoria i love ur new banner its amazing!

[@andrielisilien]

Them including the floor space square inches is the worst because it is proof they are aware of the correct info on hamster care but they still blatantly ignore the basics.

[@amyhunter3572]

Unfortunately the problem is not just shelf space at stores, but how much space consumers are willing to dedicate to an animal like a hamster. Part of the appeal of hamsters to the majority of the public is that they're an easy, small pet they can buy on a whim, keep in a smaller living environment or child's bedroom etc. The smaller the cages, the more people deciding a hamster is a good plan for them.

[@lexy10985]

@@amyhunter3572 your absolutely correct! I was at the pet store and saw a mom buying her child a hamster and they bought the smallest bag of bedding and the kaytee seed mix, a ball and the box with the hamster didn’t have a cage tho which was odd. I kindly approached her and tried to give her some basic hamster care and told her what the pet store employee was telling her was wrong and to please not buy the ball and told her why and she got very rude and said she doesn’t see me wearing a PetSmart t shirt and maybe I shouldn’t try to act like a employee I literally said I know more about hamster care than these employees laughed and walked away but it broke my heart knowing that this hamster isn’t going to have proper care

[@mindfortress105]

it's not about the stores it's about the customers, most people don't have a lot of space for a huge cage.

[@yuris.3167]

@@mindfortress105 But it is absolutely not reasonable to keep any animal if you don't have the space for it. Pet stores could sell the correct itens and inform their clients on the correct care, and people would realize caring for animals takes genuine learning, effort and responsibility. Pet stores choose not to do so because they would loose revenue, so instead they reinforce bad care.

[@aldogg2301]

Had an interview for a management position at a new Petsmart opening. Wanted a better income but decided to work at an animal shelter with lower pay. Why? I worked at a Petco and would deny anyone a hamster if they had one of those crap tiny cages and would inform everyone hamsters CANNOT live and thrive in such a cramped cage. Many people would get pissed and leave. I was proud of myself thinking I saved another hamster from suffering. Didn’t even call Petsmart back about the job bc I know I would’ve had to promote these new cages. Couldn’t go back to a job that prioritizes profits over the well-being of animals. Thank you so much for making these videos!

[@-afyx-]

Their goal is immeasurable profit. They don’t care what will actually happen to the pets. It was bad to even watch it at 4:00 as they suffer from the little wheel. They couldn't be serious ... Unfortunately, a lot of people think that what they buy in stores is definitely good ... and they take advantage of that. I am very glad that you are returning to this topic. I'm so grateful to you Victoria!

[@oliviaaaa5523]

OMG HOW AM I EARLY

[@cocothehamstar6087]

That was heart breaking ahhhh! 😭

[@jack-a-lopium]

@@cocothehamstar6087 Agreed man, this is tiring... tiring for people who just want to have a happy and healthy pet... you'd hope a *HUGE* multinational would have some expertise they could tap into.

[@BunnixUuU]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO LITTLE BUDDIES

[@reannavarga4760]

And then on top of that they mark these cages so high to make consumers feel they are making a quality purchase. “It has to be good for the hamster if it’s over 200 dollars! They wouldn’t sell it at that price if it wasn’t good quality.” It’s a really sad marketing tactic that will unfortunately suck some people in All for greed.

[@quentindaniel9541]

For over 2 years I was in charge of Pet Care at my store, I always encouraged in depth education about all the animals, I even made my own care guides for everything we sold in store (I watched all 67 or so of your hamster care videos while I was writing the hamster one). The issue isn't always the staff I would say. There are definitely staff members you'll find at any PetSmart who don't care or are just horribly ignorant. I would say the biggest problem isn't that PetSmart would need to make larger enclosures for other animals, its that they would need to admit they were wrong. I once had an interview with someone from corporate during their visit and I brought up the small enclosure sizes for all the animals and how PetSmart loses millions of customers spanning various communities because of this and his response was "no the vets are paid to know what they do." At one point vets thought a goldfish in a bowl was okay but as we learn care guidelines change "no the vets are paid to know what they do." That's not a genuine response, not to mention the fact that the two vets our store works with agree with me "no the vets are paid to know what they do." Every single thing I said he just said nonsense along the lines of the corporate vet is all knowing and perfect and can never ever be wrong and corporate would never do anything not perfect. Basically they've got their heads up their butts to a point where its going to take a long time for things to change. It's a damn shame. It took them how long to create this product line, how many more years until something 5% better?

[@Hellomeowmie]

that’s really sad PetSmart cares more about their image and stubbornness than the lives of many pets, hopefully there will be more change in their company soon

[@randiholbrook5849]

@@Hellomeowmie It's always all about the almighty dollar, and Petsmart is no different.

[@flowergirl9321]

I have been asking my parents for a hamster for a long time. I made a lot of different Google Docs and Google Slides and they told me yesterday that they were planning to surprise me and they made a desition at the beginning of March! When they told me I could get a hamster, we were all a crying mess. I’m getting one in June and I’m so excited! I really need to thank you because they only got me a hamster because I want one really badly and I know so much about them. You were the one to teach me, thank you so much for making my dreams come true. You are the best KZbinr ever with the best videos!

[@Allthingshamster]

Aw! Congratulations 🎉! Your future hammy will be so lucky ❤

[@noramaeve820]

I made a deal with my parents and I might get one in June too!!!

[@Allthingshamster]

@@noramaeve820 That's so cool, do you have any name ideas for your future hamster?

[@VictoriaRaechel]

Congrats! That's so exciting! 🥰

[@flowergirl9321]

@@Allthingshamster The name is going to be Coconut!

[@midnightcrafter1618]

For about $200, I made our hamster enclosure 2ftx4ft. Our hammie is living her best life thanks to you and your videos! We put a little over a foot of bedding in there and she is a total burrowing queen 🥰

[@VictoriaRaechel]

That’s awesome!

[@waltergrove2657]

If Petsmart label products 'quick' 'basic' 'easy' 'comfort' 'convenient' , you already know that its gonna be trash

[@17andcountingarealityshow7]

Yep

[@MyMiniZoo]

Lol I agree

[@RatLoverAndMother]

Even the pets on the boxes look sad

[@Emiology]

This has to be one of the worst cages I've seen compared to the scale of the syrian inside...it's like keeping them in a carrier their whole life. it's one thing to continue selling crappy old small cages in their stores, but someone, in 2022 has designed this and thought it was a good idea. Completely lost faith in the human race.

[@imperialthreat]

Bought a hamster for my daughter about a month ago and tried to determine what type of hamster we had after the fact by calling the store and they flat out denied all responsibility if knowing what type of hamster they sell. Telling me all they know is its short haired or long haired. Later I realized that this is so the can also exempt themselves from any responsibility of recommendation for size of cage they sell you. If they know what type of pets the sell they should not in good conscious sell products that are out right too small. Its infuriating as a first time hamster grandma who paid nearly $70 for only the cage that is TOOO SMALLL for a Syrian which i had to google and find out in my own. Grrrr!!!

[@VictoriaRaechel]

Wow, that's interesting they couldn't tell you the species of hamster they sold you- I would think that's an essential part in selling animals. Were you able to at least return the cage you had bought from them?

[@EarlTheDragonn]

I'm not sure how old the hamster is, but wait a couple months and if ur hamsters starts to grow longer hair it's a Longhair. If it stays short it's a shorthair. That completely sucks tho!

[@yuixan763]

Oh man, I remembered paying for $100 cage, only to replace it with a relatively cheap plastic storage bin(that works 100% better) just after a few weeks

[@r.4ignn]

Hey Victoria. My hamster Tori sadly passed away on March 1 I still think about her everyday but I was so lucky to find your channel for her to have a happy life and has the right enclosure and everything, I cried a lot even though she is just one little hamster but she generally had a really big spot in my heart, thank you so much Victoria for giving my hamster Tori a good life!

[@multibuttercup101]

I'm SO GLAD you're doing a video on these!!

[@losgur4954]

Ooo cool

[@juliacleven5893]

i fully agree

[@ethan8497]

Yes I seen these at the pet store recently and I couldn’t find any reviews so yes thank you queen ✨❤️

[@julietjones4400]

I’ll be honest I was stupid and did no research when I got my hamster, the lady at the pet store said here this is an amazing cage and it had like no floorspace. I then for Christmas got the ferblast cage and as she said it’s still to small. I then found Victoria and knew I was doing it all wrong. I then took off the the plastic top and filled the bedding up to 6 inches put in a cork log and gave him a sand bath. I still couldn’t give him the best life. But the moral of this story is do your RESEARCH! Great job to everyone who really cares for their hamster. And thank you Victoria for having me learn so much!

[@katescritters]

I got a 40 gallon aquarium for my hamster for $50 dollars and it’s working much better than the tiny cages they sell. These cages remind me of the “Omlet” hamster cages, just made cheaper.

[@Living_L1f3]

I also got a 40g gallon tank for my hamster for $50

[@mascaileag45]

@@User_Ale are you calling those tiny plastic prisons a "pleasant cage setup"?

[@mascaileag45]

@@User_Ale but you didn't imply that? you said that a hamster would prefer to live there when that's not the case.

[@rowdyrats7035]

@@User_Ale I doubt that your hamster likes living in that cage. You can't fit much enrichment in a cage that is small. Hamsters need so much space and enrichment. Kinda odd to be on a channel dedicated to proper hamster care when you aren't providing your hamster with proper care. You're most likely gonna ignore this and keep believing that your hamster is "happy" though. But at least I tried.

[@im_deathless]

@@rowdyrats7035 Yes you are correct. Also, @Alejandro, you don't live in your hamster's cage. Your poor hamster! THEY ARE HAMSTERS, NOT HUMANS!

[@mistereljae]

literally been consistently watching your videos since i first subscribed around early last year, and i just now believe i’m ready to commit to owning a hamster. you are seriously appreciated xx

[@kyleechristensen2217]

I met a little girl at my job a few weeks ago that was all excited about her grandma's plan to buy her a hamster. I asked her a few questions and then pulled out a paper and open, wrote down your name and asked her to watch your hamster related videos first. I wish everyone that was planning to adopt small pets would do research first on how to best care for them! Thank you for your expertise Raechel! 🧡

[@VictoriaRaechel]

That is so sweet! I hope she was able to learn more about hamster's so she could give one a good life!

[@eraticatorr]

Im not even planning on getting hamsters (Im getting rats woo) and Ive been binge watching any rodent type channel lol

[@ambidextrous-REX]

me, a petsmart associate, laughing at your reactions bc they’re valid 😂

[@odyssey.theoddity]

I wish pet stores valued the health of the animals over profit, these cages are just terrible, ugh! great editing on this video though, I really love how you edit! I picked up some full cheeks bedding the other day and I’m at least happy that on the package it says hamsters need 4”-6” of bedding, which still isn’t that great but better than the 1” from before 😑

[@VictoriaRaechel]

100%! Of course profit is somewhat important in order to stay afloat but I do think there are ways around that- I mean there are plenty of PetStores who don't even sell live animals that do just fine. Thank you!

[@mightyseagoat6874]

Yeah ...but they are not only bad but dumb... bigger habitats mean more profit More bedding, more toys, hidings, sand bath, bigger wheel ... this all means more money for the stores... They should at least think about selling more stuff to put inside bigger enclosures.

[@C6Wolves]

@@mightyseagoat6874 Sadly pet stores do not think that way. Smaller cages require less materials to make and will fit into more people homes, they already are seen as acceptable and fit into the narrative in people's mind which is why they continue to be popular and stay around.

[@lilyandlexislife]

I got a hamster about a year ago when I was 10 years old, I was so excited and I finally got my hamster and called her gizmo. We ended up getting a cage that had 340 square inches of floor space and gave my hamster pellets for a while. I had the full cheeks pet hamster town home, and I never added over two inches of bedding and I thought it was fine. She quickly started to chew the bars, which is when I got worried. I did lots of research and found out so so so many things from you. I realized that I needed a bigger cage, I should add more bedding, I should give her a bigger wheel, and I should give her seed mix and not pellets. I saved up my money and got a new cage with 1400 square inches of floor space. I can’t believe I fell for PetSmarts dumb trick. I soon started to put my hamster in a hamster BALL! I didn’t know they were bad at the time, and she would go into her ball every night for an hour. I then realized I needed to stop and I did. I am now 11 years old and know how to take care of my hamster, thanks to you!! Luckily she was only in a smaller cage for about 5 or 6 days and only went a hamster ball for 3 days. Thank you so much for your help! Your completely right about everything in this video. Petsmart is cruel to hamsters and I hope people understand what environment a hamster needs.

[@Eyelabear]

I was given a hamster a couple of days ago and he came in a tiny tales cage..with tubes that he could barely bring his savings up to the top without them staying there and him getting stuck.. We soon moved him to a much much larger cage and now he is thriving because the 19 year old didnt want him so we were given him because he was neglected of love so when you would handle him he would bite gently but as soon as he got more love he hasn't bit since.

[@VictoriaRaechel]

Honestly if they had just created one cage and it actually had 600 SQ inches of floorspace + discontinuing the Tiny Tales cages I think they would have gotten quite a bit of support from the community.

[@just4mybestiechar651]

exactly.

[@Frankenstein669]

Your channel has been so helpful to my partner and I. I had a hamster as a kid and definitely didn’t know enough to give her a fulfilling life. My partner and I got a Syrian yesterday and have a 75 gallon tank that she is in. Her name is Persephone and we are working on making sure she has a good life.

[@Victoria-kw1yd]

Thank you so much for this video on the "updated cage" I've been wondering :) P. S so glad I found you BEFORE I got my hamster 🐹🥰🕺

[@17andcountingarealityshow7]

Same here!

[@xkkitsu]

I love this. I work at Petsmart and never recommend "our" products, especially for buns, guinea pigs, and hammies, and customers are always shocked, even when i tell them they can get larger enclosures for cheaper/ same prices. I always recommend some youtube research before buying the animals, so I'll be sure to recommend your channel!

[@This.girl.likes.newjeans.kpop.]

You don’t work there you look 11😭

[@xkkitsu]

@@This.girl.likes.newjeans.kpop. 😭 I don't know if that's a compliment or insult lol

[@This.girl.likes.newjeans.kpop.]

@@xkkitsuit’s a complement😭

[@This.girl.likes.newjeans.kpop.]

@@xkkitsuyour also really pretty

[@xkkitsu]

@@This.girl.likes.newjeans.kpop. You're so sweet 🥲

[@KarterC]

I genuinely don’t understand why they don’t make cages that actually meet the minimum requirements? That can still make a ton of profit because as it is, other than bin cages, getting cages that are big enough is not overly accessible. They can have both profit, good pet care, and consumer accessibility. Why not do it !?!

[@VictoriaRaechel]

I wish a CEO or like someone higher up would at least give an explanation or statement with their reasons.

[@PastelShinobi]

I bet it's for the same reasons that people choose to buy fish bowls for bettas. A lot of kids want a "starter pet" like a hamster or a fish, and then their parent takes them to buy it but they don't want the animal to take up "too much room" or be "too big of a hassle" so they end up getting the shitty suggested enclosures. A second reason is because people are so used to these options that when presented with bigger ones they're most likely thinking "oh, I don't need the huge overkill enclosure, I'll just get the regular moderate sized one." when that 'moderate sized one' is like 200 square inches on a good day. It's honestly so depressing lol.

[@diannitaglez3268]

I spent 300.00 at petsmart because of my 17.00 hamster. 200.00 for the “ideal” full checks cage & then 50.00 for the 40 gallon tank - that was on sale that day.. ugh. Watch all of Rachel’s videos before getting a hamster! 💕

[@lyla759]

So glad you reviewed the “Townhouse”, the Ferplast Favola was my first cage and my hamster hated it because it was tiny. After watching you I now have an IKEA Detolf :)

[@rachaelraymond1311]

The first enclosure my friend bought for her very tiny hamster, I can actually say it’s pretty big in my opinion, not for a large hamster for sure, but her small hamster loves it! And the bin is like 7 inches deep 🤷🏼‍♀️, and u can honestly put whatever food you feel is right for it into it’s feeder tube, and she also added some clip-on bowls to also hold other foods that help enrich little Quazzy’s diet, and it was on sale for 40$ so for that price it was well worth it for her

[@openotaku]

Small hamsters need the same amount of space as a big hamster, the only difference is that a dwarf hamster can have a slightly smaller wheel.

[@suilcandy]

im sorry but WHAT?! 200 usd for a cage that small?! you can buy bigger cages than that for half the price

[@VictoriaRaechel]

Exactly!!! 😳 my DIY cage was $184 CAD and it has 1,152 sq inches of floorspace!

[@samanthaa4216]

It cost me under 200 to make a large bin cage and buy all my hamster supplies plus my little hammie

[@LeLu1616]

Three years ago, I made the mistake of purchasing a Tiny Tales cage from PetSmart. Two weeks later my daughters hamster was missing and one of the tubes had been chewed thru. Luckily we found Coconut quickly. That day, I found your channel, binged watched all your videos, and set up an appropriate cage for Coconut. Thank you for the wonderful videos.

[@Johnsons1268]

Me & my daughter really enjoyed this video! We hadn’t heard of Full Cheeks before. A few years ago I would’ve been the sucker buying the little $200 cage🙄 my daughter, 9, started showing me your videos & soon we became addicted😂😂 once you learn more about hamster care it blows my mind that someone would even consider those over priced cages. There are so many other options these big chain stores could offer, and this is their best😑 thanks for doing what you do!❤️

[@VictoriaRaechel]

Aw I love that! Seeing parents care about hamsters really makes me happy because too many often treat them like nothing or refuse to listen to their children on their care 😢

[@chloe-louisehutchins6571]

Your an amazing parent 💖

[@uftc1324]

I actually really like the concept of the first, and if it were around 500-600 sq inches (and decently priced) I would probably consider buying it. I think they’re starting to get the right idea, they have made them a bit bigger and added burrowing space. They just need that final kick away from what they are used to.

[@randiholbrook5849]

Hate to say it, but in my opinion, even a 50 gallon bin is too small for a Sirian. They only measure 30" long, and 650 sq. in., and my hamster was very unhappy in there. The VERY MINIMUM size enclosure I would use for a Sirian would be about 39" long. I mean, if you put a hamster in a 50 gallon bin, its only about six times his body length! Think for a minute about spending your life in an area that was only six times bigger than you! It doesn't take a lot of brains to figure that one out!

[@uftc1324]

@@randiholbrook5849 I get your passionate about this, but you don’t need to be rude. I’ve had 7 Syrian hamster in anywhere from 500sq in to 1,152sq in, and I do believe that bigger is better in most cases. However, I’ve had hamsters that were perfectly happy in the 500sq in cages. It depends heavily on the individual hamster and the environment they are in as to weather or not the cage size will be adequate for them. Minimums don’t always work, that is very true. They are meant as a starting point that you then expand upon IF needed. So, as in my original comment. If they made the cage at least the minimum or close to it I wouldn’t mind trying it out/using it (depending on the hamster). I understand where you are coming from though, and I do agreeing/see your point. I will say this however, animals are not people. This is not to say they should be treated with any less respect, but they do not think, live, survive, etc. with the same needs/mind sets as people (it would not be accurate to compare one another’s living spaces, mind sets, and preference).

[@SveMilton]

Seeing so many terrible cages made me cringe so much. When I went to get my hamster I saw sooo many kids throwing tantrums wanting their parents to get a hamster and you know the parents got the hamster for these kids. I’m 99% sure some parents aren’t aware of what a hamster need to be happy/doesn’t care (Of course I’m not saying every parent does this) And that made me sad to see so many worth lives forced to live in small ass cages only because a kid wants it and is going to be forgotten in some months-

[@VictoriaRaechel]

So sad :( I'm glad the only thing I pick up at PetSmart is bedding (or sand when I can't order) so I'm not in there too often and thankfully don't have to see people buying the small animals.

[@mateabogdanovic330]

I just got my hamster a 12” wheel and he has never been happier!! I also am beginning to make a custom cage for him inspired from your video!!

[@vivianwhee]

I bought that cage in the beginning and my syrian hamster would run on the wheel and fall into the bottom bedding, returned the cage after getting a bin in a day. After my first bin, I had to get a bigger bin 700sqft after a month. Bin only cost me $50 compared to the cages Petsmart is selling

[@danikag5424]

Hi again Victoria, just wanted to tell you I am going to get another hammy! This time he is going to 100% get a bigger cage. (Most likely a bin cage or a DIY), a better diet, more bedding, and 100% love. Thanks for educating me properly, making sure I dont make the same mistakes again! 💕

[@danikag5424]

Found a cage with 858 square inches of floorspace. Could be bigger but it is still a major improvement! Thanks again Victoria

[@madyhester5]

I was in pet smart the other day getting hay for my bunny, and there was this family with there little girl getting a hamster and I was just like “aw cool” or whatever And then I saw them checking out and they had all the supplies and a cage and when I tell you the cage was small it was extremely small it was so sad to see I wanted to say something so bad but my social anxiety stopped me from doing so. After they checked out and left though they came back in after like 5 minutes and they said they said they were gonna pick out a different cage so I really hope they got a bigger one. 🤞🏼

[@VictoriaRaechel]

Ooh I really hope something dawned on them! 🤞🏼

[@LumeanTV]

You'd think after twenty+ years of shifting/new information about hamsters coming out, and backlash from terrible products that are Years old at this point, Pet Smart would learn that listening works. But, no, they don't want to actually listen. So they continue to get scrutinized under the public eye and wasting money on their end. You could argue that they're still making money off of pet owners who don't know any better and will still buy their undersized or unfit cages, because they technically are. But if they followed some company's example ~~cough NightAngel cough~~, imagine how much better they could do... In general. It doesn't make sense from any angle you look at it. It's just thoughtless greed.

[@elisaf6147]

I've been doing research for like a month to give my first hamster the best possible house (he's now happily sleeping in his first ever burrow inside a 80x60x48cm bin cage) and it physically pains me to see these cages after all the enclosures I keep seeing in my "for you page". I've grown used to people actually doing their research and giving their hamsters a decent enclosure and it's so weird to think that these companies come up with a cage the size of a shoebox and give themselves a pat on the back

[@mightyseagoat6874]

Mine lived each for some months in such bins ( the biggest from homedepot) and after a while both started showing stress signs . I ended building a 155x50 x 50 cms for the syrian and 100x 50x50 for the russian. He then moved to the syrians enclosure when she crossed the rainbow bridge (after cleaning it and 2 weeks waiting period) What I learned ...is that no matter what, they always want more space. And that ... I should have built the big enclosures before getting the hamsters. I also spent a lot of money buying small enclosures and then upgrading like 5 times. My bad.

[@yuixan763]

@@mightyseagoat6874 dude same, bought a $100 cage only to replace it few weeks later. I just think of it now as a learning mistake, and thank f god i know better now

[@randiholbrook5849]

@@mightyseagoat6874 You learned your lesson though and did the right thing! Sadly most people don't.

[@MyDogIsABean]

It amazes me that even as more and more people realize that hamsters need large cages, Petsmart still continues to make inproper sized cages

[@pawsters2695]

Very interesting, thank you for all the good notes and hamster care you have helped us with!

[@joyfpontanar]

I know I’m 2 years late from when this video was uploaded. But since following you and many other hamster owners, I’ve wished that we were given a detolf-sized/type enclosure for our Campbell dwarf. Today we’ve bought 2 largest transparent deep boxes for him to upgrade from his original cage from pet store where we got him from. And find out some more here that we can actually get him a detolf ikea one. But we’ve spent already so much and wish we knew of better options right from the start. And now we have his first cage that’s sitting idly and we don’t want to donate to anyone 😢 But thank you for what you do in this channel to help hamster owners like us ❤

[@peanutbutterhammy8005]

Hello Raechel! i have two Syrian Hamsters, peanut & butter. I've learn so much from you, keep up the good work! you're helping me and the other starters! ♥️

[@your.local.theaterkid]

I love their names!

[@17andcountingarealityshow7]

I love your hammies names! So adorable!

[@peanutbutterhammy8005]

@@your.local.theaterkid :OO thankyou!!

[@peanutbutterhammy8005]

@@your.local.theaterkid thankyousomuch!!

[@hogrider206]

The 1st cage you talked about is the one that I got . But I started watching you’re videos and I switched to a bin cage thanks you

[@UHOHMCRAE]

your amazing!!! thanks for bringing attention to important topics like this

[@VictoriaRaechel]

Thank you for the sweet comment ❤️

[@jacalyn1233]

The first cage used to be my old cage but when I watch your videos I was worried about my hamsters back then I watch the video about how big should your cage be? And then I got the Nite angle bigger world cage and a new 11 inch woodent wheel and I was much happier! Thank you Victoria for all you did to make the world a better place! Keep working hard!

[@StephLa]

Pet smart had a chance to really do it right. Imagine the money they would have made had they actually created larger cages. The overall designs are good they are just not big enough. Had they just said hey this is great but lets mimic a large bin set up so large wheels and more bedding can be incorporated. I don't understand why they didn't just go the extra mile.

[@MajorMel]

Unfortunately, because most people wouldn't buy them. Of course us people in this community would, but there's a whole demographic of impulse buyers who walk into the store just looking for a "small pet" that "doesn't take up much space". A desktop pet, if you will. But we all know that what they actually need takes of the space of the whole desk. My best guess is that that kind of buyer is a big enough portion of total sales that they are scared to go too big and lose them. So instead, they marginally improve their design, but market it to seem like its actually an ideal hamster cage. Even going so far as to add the square inches to seem like they know what they are talking about and this is exactly what your hamster needs. Sales are their priority, not animal welfare. It's disgusting really, shouldn't be that way, but that's how they stay in business.

[@bmn]

I’m my opinion, niteangel is the BEST brand for hamsters. They have enclosures easy to setup and well over 450+ square feet! Their products, like sand baths are very deep and wide. It’s a little expensive, but worth every penny!

[@iloveuu1]

Wait feet or in

[@connorhuynh5319]

Hi, My female Syrian hamster is showing signs of boredom (wall scaling in bin cage) it is a 50 gallon bin cage but the dimensions they say it is is not really as it gets smaller near the bottom compared to the top of the lid. I was looking into upgrading her cage and giving it some more accessories. Right now I only have chew toys, sand bath, wheel, 6 chamber hideout, and a strawberry ceramic hideout thing. I feed her sunburst and Mazuri bites, and have a water dish. I have 2 questions: 1.Which cage do you recommend with good size? I've thought about the Nite angel bigger world (large of course) but that's super expensive at $240 USD and some people say the rubber bands are a pain.. For DIY cages, I am the complete opposite of handy and I don't want to mess up and waste $100 USD or so. What cage would you recommend? 2. What enrichment ideas would you recommend to me? And if you can, tell me where to get them from. Thanks! Sorry for the long message. Victoria help lol or someone else please respond/give your advice!

[@sarasthoughts]

Try looking for used/cheap aquarium tanks maybe? Ones that have water leaks and so drop in price but are perfeftly fit for hammies

[@arteech0kee]

When we got our first hamster, we got one of those cages without hesitation because we thought it was what's good for them. That same night, we binged your videos and felt SO bad. We went out the next day to buy the largest plastic bin we could until we could organize building our hammy a proper home.

[@laratomoon1837]

my theory is that petsmart heavily relies on parents buying hamsters for their children as toys, so if they started selling such big enclosures they would lose this income. even tho it would be a good thing if people actually realized that a hamster requires lots of care, it’s not a good economic move for them. now they’re definitely trying to compromise between that type of buyers and the pets community, with scarce results💀

[@EyelessJacksRealWife]

When I bought my hamster around a month ago, me and my parents didnt know too much about how big the cages need to be. We knew they needed to be big but we didnt know what ones to choose. On the day we bought him, we bought the cage. The woman who helped us was nice and all, but she recommended the 2nd cage you reviewed, and the hamster we got was literally a syrian hamster. She knew that, but still told us to get that cage. So we did. We then realized in a few days that the wheel was way too small for him and his back was curved, so we wanted to get a new wheel, but no other wheel could fit in that cage. So we wound up doing some more research and we bought him a much bigger cage and a bigger wheel so his back isnt bent at all now, and my dad is planning on building him a new cage, kind of like the ones you use, just not as huge. (still a perfect size for the hammy though) Thank you for these videos to help people better their hamsters environments and lives.

[@Sarah-po7ik]

I got a job at petco last month and I feel like an undercover hamster advocate lol- I already convinced 8 customers to go buy a bin cage at home depot instead of a crittertrail (or a similar sized cage)

[@VictoriaRaechel]

👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 we love it

[@C6Wolves]

Yes we need more pple like you.Pple are always gonna work there anyways so it is better you an educated helpful advocate takes the job instead of just an ordinary person. Customers can also avoid buying the unsafe and too small cages because of you and this helps to stop the cycle of misinformation and unethical profit.

[@briennehennessy8040]

Because of your brilliance, when we got our first hamster 9 months ago, we found your vid’s just in time (returning the wire one we’d bought) & made a wonderful homemade enclosure. My daughter and I totally would love you to create your own products for sale! We’d definitely purchase! Thank you for all you do, we have learned everything about how to care for Celestio (winter White Russian dwarf) in the best way possible! 🐹 💜😄

[@VictoriaRaechel]

That's amazing to hear!! I would love to make my own hamster products but it definitely is more complicated than I thought, hopefully one day!

[@Allthingshamster]

Aw, yes, I just learned abt petsmarts rebranding. I litterally never shop at petsmart so I didn't know. Excited to see you react to their new cage 😒 :)

[@pancakespets]

So sad that companies care more about the money they make from the cages than the well-being of the hamsters. Thank you Victoria for making this video! Your have really helped me with my hamster care! 🐹💕

[@VictoriaRaechel]

I'm happy I could help!

[@adrianunderwood5573]

I'm really glad for all the research I've been doing, When I first had the thought of getting a hamster, I thought these 2 story apartment looking cages would be perfect because of the space I would save, I am very glad I kept watching videos and reading around, because it would have sucked to have bought it and only learned after. The more videos I watched and reading I've done, i found an actual cage that I know will not only give my hamster enough space but help me keep it safe.

[@Jessnpaul3]

We bought a 200qt. Christmas tree storage bin for my daughters dwarf hamster for $40. It equals out to I believe 980 sq. In. , FOR $40 BUCKS. I honestly can't believe people are spending this outrageous amount of money for total junk.

[@isabeltavizon5513]

After watching a lot of your videos we got rid of our hamster cage and made him a bin cage following your tutorial. Best decision we’ve ever made and our chubby boy (he’s a Syrian) loves it 😊

[@TessesKingdom]

For the first cage you reviewed it can hold 6” of bedding I’ve done it but my mom told me I put to much so when I wasn’t home she took some bedding out. And when she wasn’t home I added more. Edit: I’m currently trying to convince her to buy a bigger cage. Since I still live in her house I really can’t just go buy it. I’am an adult but I’m a adult with autism and other disabilities so I really don’t have much of a say but I feel bad because my DeeDee deserves better.

[@rowdyrats7035]

Hopefully you can upgrade soon if you haven't already, this cage is still way too small for a hamster. 🙂

[@EnglishBulldogMama]

🤣🤣👍

[@TessesKingdom]

@@rowdyrats7035 I made an edit to my original comment. I’m really working on it

[@TessesKingdom]

@@EnglishBulldogMama she just won’t listen to me so I have no choice but to go behind her back in the long run I’m trying to provide what I can for my hamster. I did so much research and I was so excited to share what I found out to my mom but she didn’t care nor did she listen I tried to tell her we have to get a 40 gallon tank, I told her hamsters like to burrow so they need at least 6” of bedding, I told her everything I learned and it went through one ear and out the other. It’s just so frustrating all I’m trying to do is make a living breathing animal the best care and she refuses to learn.

[@rowdyrats7035]

@@TessesKingdom Have you tried showing her some of the care videos from Victoria? Even this video about these terrible cages is a good one to show her.

[@JW24928]

We got a hamster and watched all your videos and found your videos incredibly helpful! We upgraded to a detolf!

[@mmusser19]

I almost clicked "Dislike" on this video because those cages make me sad and angry! ;) I got my two hamsters from a shelter after a litter of 9 was found abandoned in a cardboard box, so the most diplomatic thing I can say is those cages are better than that situation. For real though, it's so ridiculous that I spent less than $60 to construct two 850 sq inch cages for my Syrians.

[@harveyabel1354]

What kind of evil skunk abandons baby hammies?!?!? :(

[@jahnaehenry4982]

I have the first one, the base is definitely 6 inches. The thing with the ramp is you can lift it up to clean the drawer.

[@jordyn87]

I dont understand why they can't just make a suitable cage?? Like whys it so hard?? I literally don't get it...

[@jordyn87]

And then the ignorant people just buy them bc petsmart told them to and the poor hammy suffers ☹

[@margalothegreat_hams]

well, PetSmart ONLY cares about sales, not the hamsters at all, and they know that people are more likely to be a pet if it's promised to be "easy" and fit on their nightstand... it's really a horrible situation for the hamster :(

[@adamlreiner]

I wish I had seen this before buying the "easy clean apartment" (the "easy clean" tagline sold me--I'm LAZY!) But as soon as I saw our new Syrian run on that wheel I could instantly tell it was too small. I threw away the box already, so I am not sure if I can return it. Great video! My daughter and I will be watching more!

[@DragonFox84]

i have the townhome and i replaced the wheel to a bigger one. the two floor thing with the hole, actually made it easy to do so. i do with it went a bit deeper and had a better door on top, but overall it seems fine with how my hamster is. its a good one till i can get a bigger one when i have space etc. i do take him out for a playpen fun so its not like hes stuck. ive had him a month at this point and he seems happy.

[@cianna952]

I have the first hamster cage in case anyone is looking. The wheel is fine for my robo dwarf hamsters but they kept fighting over it so I bought a medium size saucer wheel as well and it fits fine behind the ramp on the bottom bit. The bottom bin pulls fully out which is nice and the ramp can stay up or down so u can keep your hamster in the top bit while cleaning and filling the bottom bit. The bottom bit is also about 6-7 inches deep which is nice so they cant climb out and the food feeder works fine for seed mixes as well you just have to pour is slowly or tilt it so it doesn't immediately fall out, however my hamsters always shove the food out and use it to climb in as a hide hole so I just use a bowl anyways. This cage is actually one of my favorites because its so easy to clean, my only complaint is that the top floor is not easily removable so it's much harder to clean if your hamsters are constantly pooping upstairs. Hopefully this helped yall but yeah.

[@VictoriaRaechel]

It unfortunately still is not large enough for a hamster.

[@Chris-vb1id]

Petsmart needs to pay attention to your videos they're so educational.

[@professorraptor389]

The funny thing about working at Petsmart is that I remember when they had a poster saying that Full cheeks was going be better and have new improved enclosures and stuff which I thought was nice since Petsmart was probably doing better. The day we got the shipments, there were some better cages for some small animals, but the hamsters unfortunately weren’t much different, especially the apartment one, if I’m correct, the apartment from the full cheeks brand is literally the same as the all living things apartment, color and all. Because of that, I still have to try and tell customers who ask about cages to look on Amazon or elsewhere, since our cages practically suck for any hamster

[@myndystiner7023]

When I got my winter white, Nibbles, (he loves to chew.) the lady at the pet store suggested the quick clean biggest they had. so I got it watched one of your videos 10 months later. I was so upset my poor baby didn't have enough room for almost a year😥. I did grab one of my huge totes that wasn't being used and set it up for him. Bought some tubes and now he has his original cage and the huge totes. He has never been happier. Thank you so much on educating me on Nibbles care. He will climb the side of the door when he want to come out and play on the couch. He's almost an old man now but still so much energy I heard my neighbor kid has a hamster I'm collecting treats to give it and let the mom know to watch your videos.

[@magiikk5]

i have the third one that is the cage it was 70 or 80 dollars when i bought it because it was already used, we tried getting a much bigger cage because we have a fancy bear and i’ve only owned a small one that was a chinese dwarf but unfortunately he passed away rest in peace, i had to put some tape near the box where the cage is at because i knew my hamster could escape, i might be getting a new bigger cage and new wheel, wouldn’t really recommend for 200, its a very cramped cage

[@kimhorton9836]

My daughter (11) has wanted a hamster hamster the last two years. I admit that I was really ignorant at first re: info. I've watched your videos and have learned so much. We're going to make our own cage based on one of your videos. Thank you so much!! 💓

[@presentpossible]

thank you for all you do. my hamster's luxurious quality of life (i wouldn't have it any other way) is largely thanks to your advice, when the right information is so hard to find anywhere else. you are a hamster guardian angel. also, lovely manicure!

[@VictoriaRaechel]

I’m so happy I could help! & thank you 😄

[@thatoneginger77]

I love your videos! I can’t believe before I found your channel, I had a hamster living in a critter trail. And now I have a cage that is 600 sq in! And my hamster is happier than ever! Thank you :-)

[@VictoriaRaechel]

it's great to hear the improvement you've made!

[@rainingfrogs1141]

Hi Victoria! You haven’t posted yesterday or today. I cannot live without watching your new vids one a week! Love your vids!

[@Evelyn-ec3ty]

I went to petsmart to buy food for my hamster and I noticed that petsmart actually added a hamster care box containing a better enclosure for hamsters. The box has a large aquarium like enclosure, a pack of paper bedding, a 8.5 inch wheel, wooden chews, and a good seed pellet and fruit mixture. Unfortunately I was not able to get it because I am under 18 and still live with my parents but I was just happy they were selling something worth our money.

[@PumpkinHammy]

Hi Victoria! I just want to say you helped me with my hamsters sooooo much. Just one example of that is I got pumpkin a new 12 inch wheel for my birthday (before she had a 9 inch one!) so thanks 😁💗

[@VictoriaRaechel]

I’m happy to help!!!

[@lizmaqueira3683]

I watched your videos for a while and I just wanted to say you have helped me so much thank you

[@niataylor7833]

I work in a pets store. And I always, always mention bigger cages, and that our own cages are way too small. Thankfully people listen and buy either the massive cages we sell or make their own. So, dont hate the people working there. I love my hamsters and advocate for better cages in our store, maybe one day it'll happen. But for now, it's about advising people the right stuff. I even tell them to watch your videos 😂 so yeah, I promise there are some people fighting for better cages! I'm one of them x

[@trashpandas_9302]

I recently just got a hamster and I have switched out her cage 2 times. This was the first cage I had for her and she started to bite on the medal bars. After watching a couple of your videos I learned that she was too anxious in the cage. I switched to a bin cage and got her a new wheel that was too small for her. After I realize this I bought her a silent runner wheel and she loves it. The wheel is too big for the bin cage sow now I’m building her the best cage she could possibly have. I kept the first cage to use as a travel cage and I will keep the bin to use as the travel cage once I am done building her new enclosure! Your videos really helped me figure out what to do with hamsters and what not to do. I used to use a hamster ball but stoped because I watch your videos and realized the danger of hamster balls. I now have a hamster proof room where she can run around and have fun!

[@mysticbodysoul4612]

This was the cage I got when I first got my hamster, before I knew the actual care, they said it was the best. Honestly maybe the first month is was okay, he used wheel all the time, ran around and tried to burrow, that when I knew he needed more space, and he stopped using the wheel when he got bigger. For the price, buying a tank is the bigger option. Buddy has now 40 gal now and I can tell he is definitely happier. They get way too big for this cage

[@GoldfishTherapy]

I personally don't like wire cages. They tend to have entrances (for tunnels) that become easy escape areas for the hamster. Also, they do not make viewing the hamster easy or enjoyable. It hurts my eyes to stare through tiny bars to get a good look at my hamster. Lastly, anything with a plastic flooring is going to get ruined by the urine eventually. I just prefer plexiglass and glass enclosures.

[@alisonpopelka455]

I would just like to say that when I first started out wanting a hamster, I was planning on a PetSmart looking hamster cage. I have learned so much now though, so my hamster will have a very good life. Thank you so much.

[@VictoriaRaechel]

That is awesome!

[@garflover2788]

i have the first cage (saving for a bin cage) and the pullout mechanism is, you can literally take the whole bottom out. and the ramp, you can adjust is so it stays up

[@AWS_artist]

My class pet hamster, same breed as mentioned, has the 1st cage, he dose cage bite (which has caused him problems) , rarely uses the wheel, the ramp gets stuck ALOT. When the cage was first got, he pushed out the water attachment and escaped so theres zip ties keeping it secure. Its winter break so i got to take him home for 2 weeks and did more research about keeping a hamster. I did what i could and gave hime chews, and more enrichment as well as spreading his food around. He cage bites less but still bad enough. At the end of the school year someone gets to keep the hamster and if i get to keep him im defently getting a better home keep for him aswell as better diet and enrichment.

[@tigerrrr._.jordyn3859]

The third cage also looks IDENTICAL to a petsathome cage

[@florriewallace9688]

Hi it would mean a lot of you answered this because my Long haired Syrian hamster is 1 ish and he has a big wheel but I don’t see him use it often can you tell me what I should do ? 😊

[@lloydgarland4667]

That Living World Eco tank you mentioned at the end there - the good thing about those is that if you're handy with a screwdriver you can fit them together, either side by side or end to end. My hamster has three of them side by side giving a floor space of 1M by 1.5M (2325 Sq Inches) and although that doesn't sound like much, it's actually quite a fair size. Munchkin seems to be happy, running on his wheel (12") and playing peek-a-boo. I doubt you'd remember but Amazon now have these Living World Eco tanks back in stock but they are silly money (almost 300 CAD). If you like I can easily send a few photos :)

[@VictoriaRaechel]

That's awesome! I really wish they hadn't discontinued the cage or at least given me a chance to show how many people are still interested in it :/

[@coco_bean102]

Pet stores should get rid of all there bad cages and replace them with bins or tanks, then after you get the bin you can go to a little room and make it into a hamster cage yourself! And get all the right sized wheels and nice bedding and toys

[@spongebobsquarepants9001]

I can’t imagine the day we’re Petsmart makes a good cage

[@alvin8703]

love your videos, and you are a lovely person

[@Kat-pg2bn]

Hi there! PetSmart manager here! The townhome and quick clean apartment are not new we had those with the all living things brand. The only new one is the dream house starter kit. In fact they made the townhome smaller from what I can tell!

[@VictoriaRaechel]

Yep!

[@rosequartz9640]

I was at petsmart a few days ago and I overheard a small child talking their mom into buying a hamster. By the end of this i gently inserted myself into the conversation and let them know about the Full Cheeks 239 dollar (fellow Canadian) cage I saw and that would be the most suitable one size wise. The mom was very happy and even relieved to hear me out because she didn't know anything about hamsters. I started explaining the needing for bedding and told her the little tiny colorful plastic ones were literal prisons for them, and she listened. She balked at the price of the Full Cheeks one and told her about bin cages and your channel. They were originally going to buy those tiny little toy cages. The mother and her child made the decision not to get the hamster that day. I am hoping very much that they are now doing research about hamsters before purchasing one. Full Cheeks also has released an 8 square foot guinea pig cage which is a big deal in some ways, but they still have the tiny cages for sale which imo is absolutely criminal to market as anything but a travel carrier. It also wasn't lost on me that my petsmart sells only male guinea pigs, and an 8 square foot cage isn't big enough for 2 male pigs, period. I argue that they don't offer enough as it is, but even more so for males.

[@audreyasfendis1783]

My old hamsters (RIP miss u guys) were always in fish tanks I wanted them in "fun cages" aka these type of cages I now regretting wanting them in these cages thanks for opening my eyes :)

[@brucerumph3786]

i love how real you are! i have watched your videos for like 2 years now I hate pets mart because after i watch your videos and go to get bedding wile seeing hamsters trying to escape and haveing no bedding, toys,hides or good food they treat their hamsters horably Thanks to you i am now knowlagable on the subject and have changed my and my fiends hamsters lives!

[@dbmegui]

VICTORIA RAECHEL USING THE BRAZILIAN NAZARÉ MEME IS EVERYTHING! HAHAHAHA! Thank you for the laughter! Love you, Victoria!

[@Lizbut42]

I have the quick clean cage and my hamster seems to love it

[@KatieBurgi]

Hey Victoria, I have 2 rabbits that free roam in my bedroom and 1 Syrian hamster that lives in a 1000 sq in natural themed enclosure. I love your videos so much and I think that you are so amazing at what you do. Also, all your animals are so adorable!

[@VictoriaRaechel]

That’s so so awesome!!! Thank you Katie 😄❤️

[@chinguunbayard7930]

You always make my day I used to watch your vids with my hamster but I had to put her down yesterday

[@VictoriaRaechel]

I’m sorry for your loss!

[@void2627]

i got an ad for this line of enclosures during this video !! and they showed the hamster using a wheel that was way larger than the ones that come with the cage. they know its not right and they straight up just dont care. :) nice

[@samturner6061]

First got my robos, the plastic wheel that came with the cage was like 12 inc and since i got the horizontal wheels, was their favourite wheel. i did get 2 diff sizes of the silent runner wheels and one of the robos is a tad smaller and still enjoys the larger of the two wheels. but they both HATED using the first silent runner i got. I HAD NO IDEA what i was doing dude i was just buying things and watching them play with them during the night and then going out and buying more things then trying those.... i am doing research - dedicated - on their diet and living requirements, but didnt even think about the wheels. im so glad youtube showed me ur channel first cos you really care for hamsters as little people like i am doing. im not laughing when they fall over so much as i am planning how to make better environment for them so they dont risk falling at all. i dont get a lot of these videos where people put them in bad situations. theyre blind, not stupid....