Hamster has started monkey baring

[thespiffingbrit]

When looking at the footage of the camera set up for the hamster this morning I have noticed he has started monkey baring. Any ideas on how to stop this.

 

[thespiffingbrit]

this is his current enclosure. Due to space a bigger cage is not possible.

 

[Maz]

You mean across the roof? I had a dwarf hamster that did that. I would suggest you add quite a bit more bedding to start with. If you can't afford to change the wood shavings straight away, then add paper bedding on top of it for now and mix it in. Gradually, as you spot clean, you can replace with handfuls of paper bedding and there will be less and less wood shavings. Basically the more bedding you have in there, the less often you need to do a full substrate change. Kaytee clean and cosy and Fitch are good options.

This is the biggest pack of Kaytee Clean and cosy so you should have plenty left for adding more later/spot cleaning

Kaytee Clean & Cozy White Bedding 85 Litres - Porton Garden Aquatic & Pets

Clean & Cozy White Bedding 85L gives you a whole new standard in super-soft, absorbent bedding.Soft & fluffy to encourage burrowing or nesting.

www.portonaquapet.co.uk

This big bag of Fitch works out more economical - it will last you months. You'd have plenty to fill the cage base and plenty left over for the next year probably. The bag isn't too big to store and it can be squished into various shapes to fit under a chair eg or in a wardrobe. It's only available online. I've been using this for years and it's generally dust-free.

1 x 70LTR Fitch Paper Pet Bedding

Fitch 70L Paper Pet Bedding Bales size are 500mmx440mmx330mm Fitch Pet Bedding. It is very absorbent,may vary in softness and colour, our bedding is warm and is ideal for dogs,cats,rabbits,hamsters,guinea pigs and many other animals. The paper is shredded into small pieces of about 15-20mm...

www.fitchfirst.com

When they monkey bar they are often looking for a way out. The first couple of nights this could just be exploring and testing out the cage to look for an exit. If it continues, it can mean they just don't have enough to do and want to escape. So adding more enrichment is the way to go. More bedding so the hamster can dig tunnels and burrow down, and fill up the empty space so it's more cluttered. They can feel insecure about too much open floor space. I think I mentioned a shoebox house on the left would be a good idea I'd also remove the tubes and cap them off. You could use one of the short runs of tube as a floor tunnel for the hamster to run through at floor level. They love tubes or tunnels at floor level.

Even in a tank style cage, some dwarf hamsters will monkey bar across the mesh roof - they get up there by climbing on something. So the main thing is to have plenty of deep bedding so if they drop they just land on nice soft substrate and cushioning, and don't have far to fall.

I did have this issue with a dwarf hamster, even when I had perspex all round the inside bars - except for the door. She just climbed the door! When I put perspex on the door as well, she still managed to get up to the roof.

But the main thing to start with is - add more bedding. Add more clutter/a house that's dark inside, and check the wheel is spinning ok. If the wheel is stiff or not running well, the hamster will have excess energy and be trying to get out.

Dwarf hamsters also enjoy daily out of cage time? Is he awake during the day at all or early evening? If so try and create a hamsterproof area for out of cage time. Either a playpen or a sectioned off part of the room, or you could use the dry bathtub, with a fleece blanket on the base and a few hides and tunnels (cardboard ones are fine - eg tissue boxes and toilet roll inner tubes). And offer the hamster a "taxi" to get them from the cage to the playpen area. A tube can work well - just keep your hands over the ends while carrying them in the tube. Or a mug maybe (again keep your hand over the mug).

@Jain has a dwarf hamster who loves his out of cage time and playpen They can be very energetic! This is her thread for Pete and you can see what he gets up to

Just Pete

Its been a while since I've managed to get a half decent video of Pete but here he is having fun he has decimated his forage ring then demanded to be let out. Merry Christmas to one and all and a healthy New Year.

www.thehamsterforum.com

Pete at play

Hope this works its 1.24 minutes of Pete playing in 28 degrees and then he goes onto his wheel !!!

www.thehamsterforum.com

 

[Jain]

You mean across the roof? I had a dwarf hamster that did that. I would suggest you add quite a bit more bedding to start with. If you can't afford to change the wood shavings straight away, then add paper bedding on top of it for now and mix it in. Gradually, as you spot clean, you can replace with handfuls of paper bedding and there will be less and less wood shavings. Basically the more bedding you have in there, the less often you need to do a full substrate change. Kaytee clean and cosy and Fitch are good options.

This is the biggest pack of Kaytee Clean and cosy so you should have plenty left for adding more later/spot cleaning

Kaytee Clean & Cozy White Bedding 85 Litres - Porton Garden Aquatic & Pets

Clean & Cozy White Bedding 85L gives you a whole new standard in super-soft, absorbent bedding.Soft & fluffy to encourage burrowing or nesting.

www.portonaquapet.co.uk

This big bag of Fitch works out more economical - it will last you months. You'd have plenty to fill the cage base and plenty left over for the next year probably. The bag isn't too big to store and it can be squished into various shapes to fit under a chair eg or in a wardrobe. It's only available online. I've been using this for years and it's generally dust-free.

1 x 70LTR Fitch Paper Pet Bedding

Fitch 70L Paper Pet Bedding Bales size are 500mmx440mmx330mm Fitch Pet Bedding. It is very absorbent,may vary in softness and colour, our bedding is warm and is ideal for dogs,cats,rabbits,hamsters,guinea pigs and many other animals. The paper is shredded into small pieces of about 15-20mm...

www.fitchfirst.com

When they monkey bar they are often looking for a way out. The first couple of nights this could just be exploring and testing out the cage to look for an exit. If it continues, it can mean they just don't have enough to do and want to escape. So adding more enrichment is the way to go. More bedding so the hamster can dig tunnels and burrow down, and fill up the empty space so it's more cluttered. They can feel insecure about too much open floor space. I think I mentioned a shoebox house on the left would be a good idea I'd also remove the tubes and cap them off. You could use one of the short runs of tube as a floor tunnel for the hamster to run through at floor level. They love tubes or tunnels at floor level.

Even in a tank style cage, some dwarf hamsters will monkey bar across the mesh roof - they get up there by climbing on something. So the main thing is to have plenty of deep bedding so if they drop they just land on nice soft substrate and cushioning, and don't have far to fall.

I did have this issue with a dwarf hamster, even when I had perspex all round the inside bars - except for the door. She just climbed the door! When I put perspex on the door as well, she still managed to get up to the roof.

But the main thing to start with is - add more bedding. Add more clutter/a house that's dark inside, and check the wheel is spinning ok. If the wheel is stiff or not running well, the hamster will have excess energy and be trying to get out.

Dwarf hamsters also enjoy daily out of cage time? Is he awake during the day at all or early evening? If so try and create a hamsterproof area for out of cage time. Either a playpen or a sectioned off part of the room, or you could use the dry bathtub, with a fleece blanket on the base and a few hides and tunnels (cardboard ones are fine - eg tissue boxes and toilet roll inner tubes). And offer the hamster a "taxi" to get them from the cage to the playpen area. A tube can work well - just keep your hands over the ends while carrying them in the tube. Or a mug maybe (again keep your hand over the mug).

@Jain has a dwarf hamster who loves his out of cage time and playpen They can be very energetic! This is her thread for Pete and you can see what he gets up to

Just Pete

Its been a while since I've managed to get a half decent video of Pete but here he is having fun he has decimated his forage ring then demanded to be let out. Merry Christmas to one and all and a healthy New Year.

www.thehamsterforum.com

Pete at play

Hope this works its 1.24 minutes of Pete playing in 28 degrees and then he goes onto his wheel !!!

www.thehamsterforum.com

I'm afraid once Pete got used to out of cage time no where is big enough for him I sectioned off half a room he climbed and squeezed wanted to get beyond the barrier plus he genuinely seems to enjoy climbing he will spend ages up across and back down the bars in his cage he climbs his mesh playpen and even the curtains and is usually out at least an hour or two a couple of times a day he appears if he hears us so if we
go into another room we take him with us along with his playpen he has no excuse to climb his cage he just does.

 

[Lovelyness]

Blossom became a lot less hyper when I added a dig box to her enclosure…hers is just a too small wheel that I had, filled with shredded cardboard from a parcel, so didn’t cost me anything. I sprinkle some of her food in it every day for her to forage…she loves it! She also appreciated deeper bedding so she could dig and tunnel more in her bedding

 

[Tulsi]

Help help help. Cuteness overload.