Diagram of hamster burrows in the wild

[Maz]

This site shows a diagram of multiple underground hamster burrows. It's interesting to see they naturally plug a tunnel near the top, have separate nesting and food areas in one chamber, and have a toilet well away from the nest

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Typical-composition-of-Common-hamster-burrows-with-a-diagonal-and-vertical-tunnel_fig3_275340185

 

[elusive]

It is interesting how similar so much of their behaviour is to hams in the wild.
I’ve got a book somewhere that has a similar diagram to that.

 

[RainbowBrite]

That is really interesting. I would say this shows how important a multi-chamber hide is for pet hamsters.

 

[elusive]

That is really interesting. I would say this shows how important a multi-chamber hide is for pet hamsters.

Definitely but also just really deep substrate so they can do it themselves if the cage is large enough.

 

[RainbowBrite]

Definitely but also just really deep substrate so they can do it themselves if the cage is large enough.

That is so true. I remember reading a study with Syrians and they found they were happiest with 80cm bedding!

 

[Maz]

I think the multi chamber hides do enable them to revert to instinctive behaviours. And they probably would dig their own burrows in very deep substrate if there was no suitable hide instead. My only experience of a hamster digging a burrow was that it got very messy and the hamster wasn't that happy! And when emerging from the burrow would emerge under a small house in the cage. Presumably to feel secure. When I replaced the small house with a bigger one, he abandoned the burrow and set up home in the house!

 

[elusive]

My Chinese have all tended to make burrows but also use the house, I think the substrate probably needs to be deeper than is possible in the standard hamster cage for them to really make proper burrows.

 

[RainbowBrite]

My Chinese have all tended to make burrows but also use the house, I think the substrate probably needs to be deeper than is possible in the standard hamster cage for them to really make proper burrows.

I agree with this. I notice Orko uses his MCH and also makes many burrows. He has about 13 inches of bedding.

 

[Maz]

Robos are definitely tunnelers - of all the specious they are almost guaranteed to tunnel.