Arcade Watchbox Underground Rodent House with Viewing Window

Arcade Watchbox: a glimpse into life underground

The Arcade Watchbox is a wooden underground house for mice, dwarf hamsters, hamsters, gerbils and dwarf rats. It gives your pets a sheltered spot in the bedding, while you can watch through the transparent viewing window. Place the house against the glass at the front of your terrarium and discover how your small rodents arrange their own little space.

The house has two entrances, a removable roof and a removable window. Choose Small or Medium to suit the space available in your enclosure. A lovely addition for owners who want something to discover beneath the bedding as well as above it.

A hideout you can observe up close

Much of what your pets do inside their house normally stays hidden. The Watchbox gives you a glimpse of it. For example, you can see where your pet collects nesting material and how it arranges its sleeping area. These little activities make it enjoyable to sit quietly beside the terrarium and watch.

The wooden design fits beautifully among bedding and other natural enclosure furnishings. Place the house within the bedding layer, with the viewing window facing the front. This makes it a visible part of your enclosure layout, while the rest of the house sits among the bedding. The removable roof is useful whenever you need access to the interior.

How to position the Watchbox in your terrarium

Choose a spot at the front of the terrarium where you can see the house clearly. Place the viewing window against the glass and spread bedding around the house. Take the position of both entrances into account when arranging the enclosure: your pets need to be able to reach them.

Check how much space the house takes up before placing it. The main difference between the two sizes is their length. Choosing the location first and then selecting the appropriate size makes it easier to combine the house with the rest of your setup. Allow space around the entrances and keep access to the removable roof in mind.

Our advice: leave both entrances open without tubes

Tubes can be connected to the two entrances. For use as an underground house, however, we recommend using these openings without tubes. Leave both entrances open so your pets can move directly between the bedding and the house.

You do not need to build a tube system to use the Watchbox. Arrange the bedding around the house and let your pets discover how to use both entrances. Once you have finished setting up the enclosure, check that no furnishings are blocking the openings.

Bedding and a nest of their own

Your choice of bedding affects how much material falls into the house. Cotton bedding generally falls through the entrances less readily than loose wood shavings or hemp bedding. This is useful if you would like to keep the interior a little clearer.

Has some bedding ended up inside? That is not a problem in itself. Your pets can use it to build their own nest. The Watchbox does not need to stay completely empty inside to be used comfortably. A nest may also cover part of the view: you are watching a house that your pet arranges for itself.

Add some nesting material when placing the house. This gives your pet something to work with straight away. Especially in winter, kapok nesting material makes a lovely, soft addition to the nest. Leave enough room for your pet to move through the house and use both entrances.

Material and dimensions

The Arcade Watchbox is a wooden house with a transparent, removable window and a removable roof. Both versions have two entrances. The measurements below are the overall product dimensions, shown as length × width × height.

This underground house is intended for small rodents such as mice, dwarf hamsters, hamsters, gerbils and dwarf rats. Choose the version that suits your pets and the space available in their enclosure.

Combine with bedding and nesting material

• Browse bedding for the area around the house
• Choose nesting material for the sleeping area
• View kapok nesting material

The Watchbox gives your pets an underground space to arrange for themselves, and gives you a lovely glimpse into their daily lives.