Dwarf Hammies in Luxury: Marchioro Lux 2 Two-Story Cage

My 7 year old son was asking for a pair of Dwarf Hamsters since Spring. We own 3 large dogs, his brother has two hermit crabs, and his good friend had a Siberian Hamster. So finally my son decided he’d like a pet of his own. I went to the library and checked out a few easy-to-read hamster books. Then I told him to read up to learn about their care and behavior. If he still thought hamsters were the pet for him, we would consider it.

Well, he read and then I read. I’d had gerbils before, and had been bitten by a hamster before but didn’t know anything about Dwarf Hamsters. Finally we all decided that these would make good pets for my youngest – with our guidance, of course.

We have a wonderful small animal rescue in our area (Small Angels Rescue). They have a very informative web site. From this site I was able to print pages if recommended equipment and supplies to get started at the pet store.

If HIGHLY recommend looking online for expert information on small animal care versus that of your local pet store. There is a wealth of information there. Other good resources are local rescues/shelters and veterinarians.


What you get

At the time of writing this review, the photo Epinions currently has posted is NOT of the Marchioro Hamster Cage Lux 2 (It’s the single story Lux 1). To see the correct photo, search for “Lux 2 All-Inclusive Hamster Cage”. There is no Epinions page for this. It is a PetSmart link.

The Marchioro Hamster Cage Lux 2 is a two-story cage that measures 16x11x13.75. It retails around $30 in pet stores. In addition to the cage itself, included there are a small wheel, second story platform, ramp, water bottle, two plastic food dishes, and a plastic house.

You will, of course, need bedding and food. Warning: do NOT buy any bedding with cedar, which is a hamster/gerbil allergen.

Opposed to other two-story cages I’ve seen, the Lux 2 has two access doors. One on the front side, and one on top. This provides handlers easy access to either story.

Modifications

Every pet, large or small, has different needs. The rescue site recommends for hamsters to dispose of the plastic food bowls and buy a small ceramic one. We did so for an additional $6. Our Dwarf Robo Hamsters have so far needed no other modifications.

For other small pets, the wheel may actually be too small. This of course can be changed out, but I’ve read is sometimes a little difficult to fit.


Putting it together

Marchioro does not provide very good directions for the Lux 2. It’s just illustrations that are not entirely clear. Luckily, everything is pretty intuitive. My husband and I got it in less than 10 minutes. The cage itself is pre-assembled.

The water bottle provided is a good size. But it does not attach very easily and leaks at the least bit pressure. There is a flip top at the top of the bottle. So it’s best to attach the bottle first, then fill it. It doesn’t leak if we leave it alone.

Cleaning

To clean, we take everything apart. This allows us to thoroughly wash and dry everything. Re-assembly takes less than 5 minutes now that we are familiar with the cage. Since just about everything is plastic, we clean weekly.


Overall Impressions

The Lux 2 has rungs close together enough to deter escape. The doors are also easy enough for my 7 year old to close properly. The two Dwarf Robos seem to be content with the amount of room provided.

The downside to any wire cage is tossed-out bedding. Their first week home, my son’s dresser top was a m-e-s-s. I placed a large cover from a storage bin underneath. This now catches 98% of anything tossed out. (Aquariums and plastic homes, like Habitrails and Crittertrails, do not allow enough air flow for rodents.)

We also bought a very large, plastic storage tub for our hammies to play in during cage cleanings. We next plan on also buying a small Crittertrail to put in the storage bin and make a “playpen” for them. The Marchioro Hamster Cage Lux 2 was an excellent start for our Dwarf Robo Hamsters.

Update 7/31/08:
In the past month our smaller Dwarf Hammie has escaped from this cage twice! We are no longer using this cage. I can no longer, in good conscience, recommend the Marchioro Lux 2 Two-Story Cage for Dwarf Hamsters. At this time we are borrowing a friend's wire cage. The brand is currently unknown. A review of the borrowed cage, and link here, will be posted if I can correctly identify it.