My name is Mallory. . .

[Hamsters82]

Sorry Robin I don't know the answer to the first question as I don't know what Chinese ham's fur is like. But maybe it is because she has to lose some weight.

But I do know the answer to number two and I find it a tad strange as well because not only does Chewie do it, but Sophie did it as well! They'd go for the place where my bed hits the wall but still has a bit of an opening where they may fall, so I put Shadow (my stuffed dog) there to block their way. Sometimes they'll attempt to climb over him, but other times Chewie's just "well okay fine" kind of attitude.

I only find it strange that they keep going back to that spot, but as far as it being abnormal, I don't think it really is.

[pinky]

So I'm not crazy! ;D

Photos are forthcoming--I pick them up tomorrow. Fuzz HATED the flash, but Mallory didn't seem to be bothered in the least. Bad vision CAN be a virtue!

Discovery of the Day: Mallory loves toilet paper!
Discovery Two of the Day: CT cages are much harder to clean than aquariums!!

[Die Fledermaus]

>> CT cages are much harder to clean than aquariums!! <<

Try one of those old big Habitrails! I suppose that is why they got discontinued.

[Hamsters82]

I always found CT cages easy to clean, but maybe it's because I'm used to it. I've been cleaning them since '99 when we had the dwarfs.

[pinky]

If you'd ever cleaned an aquarium, you'd recognize the difference! No nooks and crannies there! No parts to crack. But I also think this cleaning was a bigger deal to me than it should have been because I was doing it for the first time and was afraid that somehow the apparatus wouldn't go back together again properly!

[Hamsters82]

I see what you're saying, sometimes CT cages are a bugger to clean. I once was so fed up with a CT3 I had, this was with Sophie, that I threw it and broke it. Then another time it just suddenly broke on me, but other than that I like them.

I'm not sure if Mallory is strong enough to do this, but some hamsters can push up their top to their petting zone (aka attic as I call it), so what I do is I tape the lid to the cage.

Lol--other than that they're not that bad of a cage.

[Die Fledermaus]

I keep a five pound barbell plate on the PZ lid! Easier than tape. If you don't have barbell plates use a book.

Aquarium tanks do have their issues: the corners and under the plastic lip. Beware tiny bugs hiding at the bottom inside the plastic stuff between it and the glass.

[pinky]

The part of the CT1 I am most suspicious of is the door. It seems secure but I wire it shut with a twist tie. The PZ seems secure. I could see where a Syrian might be able to push it open, though.

[Die Fledermaus]

Why I bent the bars a little with a pliers to make them hard for me to open unless I use two hands.

But beware squeeze outs!