Ceramic toilet

[RainbowBrite]

As ceramic hides need to be on a platform, how does it work with a ceramic toilet? I have the Rodpiet MCH and toilet so it will fit in perfectly but what happens if a hamster decides to dig underneath it?

I was also wondering what to put in the toilet? Do I leave it empty, add sand or bedding?

I did not use one with Orko but decided to try one this time round.

 

[Member ID2]

Do you have the S size? This one is quite small and not too heavy when a hamster digs underneath it. I put a little substrate or aspen in. Sand gets chucked out and ends up everywhere. Eddie has that one in his house.

 

[elusive]

Those aren’t too heavy & I’ve used them in the house without any problems just sat on the substrate.
It might depend on the hamster but sand has worked for my Russian hams, you could try just putting some substrate in though.

 

[RainbowBrite]

Do you have the S size? This one is quite small and not too heavy when a hamster digs underneath it. I put a little substrate or aspen in. Sand gets chucked out and ends up everywhere. Eddie has that one in his house.

Yes, that is the size I had as it is meant to match the dwarf size MCH. Thank you for the tips about not using sand. I have aspen so I could add some to the toilet.

 

[RainbowBrite]

Those aren’t too heavy & I’ve used them in the house without any problems just sat on the substrate.
It might depend on the hamster but sand has worked for my Russian hams, you could try just putting some substrate in though.

Thank you for the tips. I am pleased to hear it will just sit on the substrate.

 

[Member ID2]

Sand worked for elusive's hamsters so probably depends on the hamster. All the messy ones seem to be here. Just try and see what works best.

 

[Maz]

I've always used sand in the toilets. Our robos have used them with sand in. They seem to see sand as a place to pee. As people say, they are not too heavy if dug under. I like to think Robos are too clever to dig under their own toilet! Neither of mine have. It also helps if the toilet is in the right compartment - they tend to tunnel out forwards or sideways. Depending where you place the house. Syrians however will sometimes dig under a potty/toilet and I have had to occasionally support the larger ceramic ones (or use a plastic one instead) if they do that. Robos seem a lot more organised somehow!

Sand soaks up the pee and reduces odours. I find if it's substrate in it, it can get quite smelly and need cleaning out daily (but that's with a Syrian - I've only used sand for the robo toilets).

If it's for a Russian dwarf hamster - I don't know but imagine it would be similar).

 

[RainbowBrite]

I've always used sand in the toilets. Our robos have used them with sand in. They seem to see sand as a place to pee. As people say, they are not too heavy if dug under. I like to think Robos are too clever to dig under their own toilet! Neither of mine have. It also helps if the toilet is in the right compartment - they tend to tunnel out forwards or sideways. Depending where you place the house. Syrians however will sometimes dig under a potty/toilet and I have had to occasionally support the larger ceramic ones (or use a plastic one instead) if they do that. Robos seem a lot more organised somehow!

Sand soaks up the pee and reduces odours. I find if it's substrate in it, it can get quite smelly and need cleaning out daily (but that's with a Syrian - I've only used sand for the robo toilets).

If it's for a Russian dwarf hamster - I don't know but imagine it would be similar).

Thank you. I will try sand then. I am having a sand bath too so hopefully that will not confuse the hamster.

 

[Maz]

I don't think it does confuse them. The toilet with sand is in their house, where they do their sleeping, eating and toiletting. But they may pee in the sand bath as well sometimes.

 

[RainbowBrite]

I don't think it does confuse them. The toilet with sand is in their house, where they do their sleeping, eating and toiletting. But they may pee in the sand bath as well sometimes.

Oh great. Thank you for explaining that.

 

[Zara]

I use sand in the toilet tray and Hams does kick it around some of the time but I find it so easy to clean, I literally scoop the peed bits out and they come away in little clumps. I then just give the tray a wiggle to redistribute what’s left of the sand and top it up from week to week. This keeps it clean but at the same time keeps some of the wee smell there, so they easily recognise it as the toilet.

 

[RainbowBrite]

I use sand in the toilet tray and Hams does kick it around some of the time but I find it so easy to clean, I literally scoop the peed bits out and they come away in little clumps. I then just give the tray a wiggle to redistribute what’s left of the sand and top it up from week to week. This keeps it clean but at the same time keeps some of the wee smell there, so they easily recognise it as the toilet.

Thank you for the tips. They are very helpful. I used to sieve wee out of the sandbath anyway so that will be easy enough.

 

[Member ID2]

I also use sand in the big corner toilets for the Syrians and scoop the pee clumps out.

It's the dwarfs who kick it about so i use substrate or aspen in a small en suite toilet.

 

[Riven]

If the toilet is light i wouldn't worry too much. For peace of mind, could you add dowels or sit it on something?

For all my hamsters I have offered sand in the toilet which has been used. Only time it's been kicked out is by a robo, but that's not really a problem now as the 'toilet' aka sand-bath, takes up 1/3 of the cage. They will always make another toilet (or 2) in their burrow anyway so you don't need to use a different substrate if you don't want to.

What type of hamster are you thinking of getting?

 

[RainbowBrite]

If the toilet is light i wouldn't worry too much. For peace of mind, could you add dowels or sit it on something?

For all my hamsters I have offered sand in the toilet which has been used. Only time it's been kicked out is by a robo, but that's not really a problem now as the 'toilet' aka sand-bath, takes up 1/3 of the cage. They will always make another toilet (or 2) in their burrow anyway so you don't need to use a different substrate if you don't want to.

What type of hamster are you thinking of getting?

Thank you. I am thinking of getting a robo. I will have a separate sandbath but have the ceramic toilet to pop in the MCH.

 

[Riven]

Aww lovely. I'm sure whatever you do will be fine for the little one Rainbow.

 

[Hamster Haven]

Keep us posted! I had a plastic toilet with a bit of sand that I put in our Syrian's hideaway. He ended dragging bedding into it and turning it into his actual bed! He stuck to a combination of corner sand bath and a separate chamber in his hideaway for his toilet. Even though he repurposed my intended toilet, he still made it easy for me by choosing a designated room in his home for the toilet. It still cracks me up that he made it into a bed though.

 

[Maz]

They can turn it into a food store sometimes as well Sometimes it's a case of moving the toilet to the place they've chosen to pee. Or adding a second toilet so they can keep using the first one as a food store!

 

[elusive]

I don’t usually put the toilet tray in straight away but wait until they’ve chosen a pee corner or room in the house then put it there with a little bit of peed on substrate on top of the sand.

 

[Riven]

I don’t usually put the toilet tray in straight away but wait until they’ve chosen a pee corner or room in the house then put it there with a little bit of peed on substrate on top of the sand.

I did this with one of my syrians...they then moved to a new toilet area in disgust