I Fixed a $50 Problem for $4

My hamster’s cage broke.

Author: Koutian Wu; GitHub: ktwu01

ASI is a Syrian hamster, and Syrian hamster housing standards are not a joke. At least 600 square inches of unbroken floor space. A wheel 11 to 12 inches across. Bedding deep enough to dig in. Bar spacing no wider than half an inch, or the tenant leaves through the wall.

So I priced the proper fix, the full new-cage build:

• A 200-quart plastic bin, about $32, big enough to meet the floor standard
• A roll of half-inch hardware cloth, metal mesh, about $8 to $15
• Cut a window in the bin lid, cover it with the mesh, tie it down for air

Total: over $50, plus an afternoon of cutting and drilling, plus the risk that my DIY lid looks like a crime scene.

Then I looked at the old cage again.

The cage is not too small. It is not the wrong cage. One part of it broke. Everything else about it works, and the hamster has strong opinions about his current address and no interest in moving.

So I bought a pack of zip ties for $3.99. It arrives tomorrow. The broken part gets tied back together, tight, and the cage is a cage again.

The $50 plan bought the hamster a new house. The $4 plan fixed his door.

Most “replace it” problems are “repair it” problems wearing a shopping cart. I almost paid the difference.