G
grommit217
That are lovely to watch. I love it when I get a glimpse of him. What are yours called ?
R
RainbowBrite
My first hamster passed away after just one year. I now have a hamster called Sprite. I adopted him just three months ago. He has a thread on here if you would like to see what he looks like. 
G
grommit217
Oh I'm so sorry 
I'm trying to navigate the forum. I've never used a forum before. I'm struggling a bit so may miss things.. I'll look now
I'm trying to navigate the forum. I've never used a forum before. I'm struggling a bit so may miss things.. I'll look now
R
RainbowBrite
Thank you.Oh I'm so sorry
Do not worry, it can take time to figure out how to navigate a forum but you will get there.
Most members have diaries on here were they post all about their hamsters just like your diary about Grommit.
G
grommit217
Hello. When you say you have tried sorting his cage, I am unsure what you mean? Would you like to post a picture of the cage so members can give you tips?
Many hamsters do not wake up before 11PM and Grommit is still settling in so perhaps he has not established a routine yet.
This is a great article all about taming your hamster:
How to tame a hamster
Hand taming a hamster can make life with your hamster very rewarding. Suddenly they will sit on you to be stroked or even go to sleep on you, and will be very easy to handle. It can take a bit of time and patience initially.www.thehamsterforum.com
Attachments
- Messages
- 18,942
- Reaction score
- 35,928
- Points
- 1,373
It is still very early days and they can take a couple of weeks to settle into a cage and get routines and habits. It looks like the Hamster Sky Metro cage you have, which is not a bad cage to start with for a young Syrian, although people are tending to go bigger these days. You have it set up nicely, but I wonder if he's feeling a bit exposed? It looks similar to my first set up and it took me a while to get things right!
Does he use the tubes at the top? I can see they have some bedding in. The external tubes are notorious for making hamsters antisocial! They nest in them and stuff them up with bedding and run and hide in them, and they can also get stinky! And need cleaning out a lot.
Most people remove the tubes and cap them off (the cage should come with caps) and have the main living area at floor area. So a good basic living area at floor area, would be:
The cage based filled with more substrate - at least to the top.
Some kind of house or nesting box that's dark inside. If they don't have somewhere dark to retreat to it can affect their behaviour (but maybe he's made a nest under the shelf?)
A suitable sized wheel
plenty of hidey places, cardboard tubes and hides etc at floor level
And ideally a shelf
Does he use the tubes at the top? I can see they have some bedding in. The external tubes are notorious for making hamsters antisocial! They nest in them and stuff them up with bedding and run and hide in them, and they can also get stinky! And need cleaning out a lot.
Most people remove the tubes and cap them off (the cage should come with caps) and have the main living area at floor area. So a good basic living area at floor area, would be:
The cage based filled with more substrate - at least to the top.
Some kind of house or nesting box that's dark inside. If they don't have somewhere dark to retreat to it can affect their behaviour (but maybe he's made a nest under the shelf?)
A suitable sized wheel
plenty of hidey places, cardboard tubes and hides etc at floor level
And ideally a shelf
- Messages
- 18,942
- Reaction score
- 35,928
- Points
- 1,373
The green shelf the cage comes with is ok but doesn't give a lot of shelter underneath it. Hamsters are basically ground dwellers and diggers, so they love to dig in deep substrate and a dark hiding place gives them normal behaviours.
I'd suggest a few tweaks. Both are quite easy. So the first thing would be to add more substrate (litter - the stuff on the bottom of the cage). You ciuld maybe get some Kaytee clean and cosy as that's nice and soft and holds their tunnels well. You can mix it in with the current substrate.
And you could make a hide out of a shoe box. Maybe that could go at the end opposite the green shelf. You just cut the base out of the shoe box and keep the lid as a lift off roof, and cut a hole for a door. I find the best place for the door is on the long side at one end. That way the other end is dark inside as light doesn't go round corners.
Then add a big pile of torn up strips of plain white toilet paper next to, but not inside, the housel. He will pouch some and take it to build a big cosy nest inside the house. If you have a bendy stick bridge, you could put that over the doorway, which makes it even darker inside And also provides a ramp onto the roof of the house, which makes another level.
I'd suggest a few tweaks. Both are quite easy. So the first thing would be to add more substrate (litter - the stuff on the bottom of the cage). You ciuld maybe get some Kaytee clean and cosy as that's nice and soft and holds their tunnels well. You can mix it in with the current substrate.
And you could make a hide out of a shoe box. Maybe that could go at the end opposite the green shelf. You just cut the base out of the shoe box and keep the lid as a lift off roof, and cut a hole for a door. I find the best place for the door is on the long side at one end. That way the other end is dark inside as light doesn't go round corners.
Then add a big pile of torn up strips of plain white toilet paper next to, but not inside, the housel. He will pouch some and take it to build a big cosy nest inside the house. If you have a bendy stick bridge, you could put that over the doorway, which makes it even darker inside
And also provides a ramp onto the roof of the house, which makes another level.
G
grommit217
It's a savic cage around 80 cm. Yes, he is staying in the tubes atm. The substrate is as far up the plastic as we can get it, we've compacted it down. He has a boot shaped nest, there is a shelf in there, I need to put more in there, trying to change the plastic accessories to wooden. His wheel is 8inches. We'll upgrade to bigger when we get his bigger cage. We thought this size was good but we want to do more in there for him. He has a forage box in the corner and we have an old tissue box we can out in too.
G
grommit217
That sounds amazing. I'm going to sort all of that out. I love that idea! I'll take out the green and put in where that is currently. This forum is great!!The green shelf the cage comes with is ok but doesn't give a lot of shelter underneath it. Hamsters are basically ground dwellers and diggers, so they love to dig in deep substrate and a dark hiding place gives them normal behaviours.
I'd suggest a few tweaks. Both are quite easy. So the first thing would be to add more substrate (litter - the stuff on the bottom of the cage). You ciuld maybe get some Kaytee clean and cosy as that's nice and soft and holds their tunnels well. You can mix it in with the current substrate.
And you could make a hide out of a shoe box. Maybe that could go at the end opposite the green shelf. You just cut the base out of the shoe box and keep the lid as a lift off roof, and cut a hole for a door. I find the best place for the door is on the long side at one end. That way the other end is dark inside as light doesn't go round corners.
Then add a big pile of torn up strips of plain white toilet paper next to, but not inside, the housel. He will pouch some and take it to build a big cosy nest inside the house. If you have a bendy stick bridge, you could put that over the doorway, which makes it even darker inside
- Messages
- 18,942
- Reaction score
- 35,928
- Points
- 1,373
I think the tubes are the main problem It's affecting his behaviour. Loads of people have this issue which is why it's best to take them out and cap them off.
I was going to say it can really help his behaviour having those kind of changes If they can bury hoards under their nest, dig tunnels and move substrate around and move about freely in an open space (rather than restrictive plastic tubes which confuse them) they start having normal behaviours and he should seem more relaxed and confident quite soon.
I'd also get an 11" wheel as he will run better in it and that will make him happier too. The Trixie 28cm one is popular and inexpensive and it fits in that cage.
The tricky bit is that the cage is fairly low. This has pros and cons. On the one hand it reduces fall risks from a height, but on the other hand it means that once you have an 11" wheel in there, you need to have the substrate lower in the wheel area.
My first cage was almost identical to this (same brand and size, different model) and I used to slope the substrate up away from the wheel area so it was deeper in the rest of the cage.
You can actually get 6" of substrate in there although some might come out through the bars. Some people put cardboard strips inside the bars to prevent that (my current syrian chewed all the cardboard off though!)
Sorry! I've just given you a shopping list!
It's affecting his behaviour. Loads of people have this issue which is why it's best to take them out and cap them off.I was going to say it can really help his behaviour having those kind of changes
If they can bury hoards under their nest, dig tunnels and move substrate around and move about freely in an open space (rather than restrictive plastic tubes which confuse them) they start having normal behaviours and he should seem more relaxed and confident quite soon.I'd also get an 11" wheel as he will run better in it and that will make him happier too. The Trixie 28cm one is popular and inexpensive and it fits in that cage.
The tricky bit is that the cage is fairly low. This has pros and cons. On the one hand it reduces fall risks from a height, but on the other hand it means that once you have an 11" wheel in there, you need to have the substrate lower in the wheel area.
My first cage was almost identical to this (same brand and size, different model) and I used to slope the substrate up away from the wheel area so it was deeper in the rest of the cage.
You can actually get 6" of substrate in there although some might come out through the bars. Some people put cardboard strips inside the bars to prevent that (my current syrian chewed all the cardboard off though!)
Sorry! I've just given you a shopping list!
G
grommit217
I agree about the tube, it's smelly and I think his hair is damp too
- Messages
- 18,942
- Reaction score
- 35,928
- Points
- 1,373
It skews their instincts. Yes hamsters like tunnels, but not long enclosed plastic ones. They think it's a burrow so they nest and pee in it. They do better at floor level with a house that's open underneath and on top of substrate, then they can have normal behaviours. The house that's dark inside, mimics a burrow.
G
grommit217
I dont mind, I needed guidance. Maybe if he sleeps better he'll be awake more in the evening. We want a better cage, do you have a cage you'd recommend. If I get this tube off I do think he'll use his cage more. We're going to order some things from amazon tomorrowI think the tubes are the main problem
I was going to say it can really help his behaviour having those kind of changes
I'd also get an 11" wheel as he will run better in it and that will make him happier too. The Trixie 28cm one is popular and inexpensive and it fits in that cage.
The tricky bit is that the cage is fairly low. This has pros and cons. On the one hand it reduces fall risks from a height, but on the other hand it means that once you have an 11" wheel in there, you need to have the substrate lower in the wheel area.
My first cage was almost identical to this (same brand and size, different model) and I used to slope the substrate up away from the wheel area so it was deeper in the rest of the cage.
You can actually get 6" of substrate in there although some might come out through the bars. Some people put cardboard strips inside the bars to prevent that (my current syrian chewed all the cardboard off though!)
Sorry! I've just given you a shopping list!
R
RainbowBrite
This is a guide to choosing a cage. It depends if you like a barred cage or a tank style.
www.thehamsterforum.com
Best Hamster Cage
Everything you need to know about choosing the best hamster cage - such as what size cage do you need, and a list of all suitable, available hamster cages
www.thehamsterforum.com
G
grommit217
We wanted a savic plaza. We'll get whatever is best for him xThis is a guide to choosing a cage. It depends if you like a barred cage or a tank style.
Best Hamster Cage
Everything you need to know about choosing the best hamster cage - such as what size cage do you need, and a list of all suitable, available hamster cages
R
RainbowBrite
In that case the Savic Plaza is ideal.
G
grommit217
Ahhh ok. Once the tube caps come the tubes will be gone. I'm already cutting the shoe box as we chat...
- Messages
- 18,942
- Reaction score
- 35,928
- Points
- 1,373
Once he's happy in his environment I think you will see him out and about more enjoying things - especially a big wheel! And then he may be more keen on coming out Hamsters are actually very good at letting us know when something isn't quite right for them. At least he isn't bar chewing!
The Savic Plaza is a great cage for a Syrian - I have those. There are actually quite a few available second hand for about £40 or £50 - ebay and gumtree etc. Or they're £80 new from pets at home. Unfortunately they don't come with much - apart from a big green shelf. But you can use the same shoebox house and wheel.
Hamsters are actually very good at letting us know when something isn't quite right for them. At least he isn't bar chewing!The Savic Plaza is a great cage for a Syrian - I have those. There are actually quite a few available second hand for about £40 or £50 - ebay and gumtree etc. Or they're £80 new from pets at home. Unfortunately they don't come with much - apart from a big green shelf. But you can use the same shoebox house and wheel.
G
grommit217
Yeah, he's gonna love it. No, he doesn't bite bars but that's because there's a few woody things in there to wonder around in. I'm already looking 
- Messages
- 18,942
- Reaction score
- 35,928
- Points
- 1,373
One tip. I wouldn't clean him out for a while now, while he's scent marking and settling in. You can just spot clean his pee area. That is taking a handful of wee'd on substrate out and adding a new handful. Their pee is the only smelly unhygienic thing as they're quite clean little things and groom a lot (although if he was nesting and peeing in his tube he will have got whiffy but that will wear off!).