Help - Liquid in cage!

I meant to add that a bathtub should be dry if using it as a play/taming area :-) Hamsters should never get wet.
 
Oh my gosh I didn’t realise they could squeeze under doors!

I think he managed to get out the bucket trap as I put a towel in the bottom for padding when he fell but I think he used that and the ruler to get back out. He really is a ninja! 🥷

We’ve only had him 2 weeks but so far he has been really good with being handled. We started with the kids holding him in the bath. Now he will often climb on our hands to come out the cage rather than needed a taxi. I’m going to invest in a playpen next, any recommendations would be most welcome?

They Kaytee arrived today so when he wakes this evening he is getting a cage makeover, I’m going to throw away all the wood shavings. He has a bigger wheel now and im waiting for a delivery of lots of wooden hideouts, dried grass and flowers, ladders etc to arrive next. Christmas will be coming early for Nibbles the Ninja 🎅🏼🎄
 
Playpens can be expensive - the larger ones anyway, for Syrians. A new Omlet one came out recently, which I find the best one I've used for ease of putting up and folding away - providing you don't use the provided floor with it as it takes ages to clip in place (although you could maybe use it without fastening the clips. But it's nearly £80! Happy Henry Homes do a wood one for about £50. That comes apart reasonably easily and the pieces store under a sofa eg. You can get pop up type ones but they're fabric and a Syrian might chew through it.

Some people just use the hallway - close all the doors (and maybe block the stairs off as well) - if you have a hallway! We don't hence I use a playpen.
 
Omlet have 20% off at the moment, so the large one is £63 and the small square one is £47 at the moment - but to be honest the larger one is better for syrians - especially if you want to get in too. The Happy Henry one is between those two sizes and a good size too.

www.omlet.co.uk

Large Hamster Playpen With Floor | Omlet

Pop up and play with our expertly engineered Large Playpen. Its generous dimensions let little people join their pets within its walls.
www.omlet.co.uk www.omlet.co.uk

You want the 40cm height one of these as the 30cm one slopes down at the corners and isn't high enough at the corners.

www.happyhenryshomes.co.uk

Hamster Run Enclosure - Formaldehyde Free, Non Toxic, Wooden, Slot Together | Happy Henry’s Homes

Slot Together Wooden Hamster Run Enclosure - Available in 4 sizes- With or without 6mm floor bases- 9mm floor base version complete with grooves to retain the run in position and a hinge on reverse to allow the base to be folded for storage.- Made from pet safe poplar plywood, bonded with non...
www.happyhenryshomes.co.uk www.happyhenryshomes.co.uk

With any playpen, the important thing is to keep hides and other items away from the sides - otherwise they just climb out! Likewise people sitting in it need to be well away from the sides.

Whatever you do, don't get the Omlet plastic tubes they show in the playpen - they're not big enough for Syrians :)
Actually I forgot - if you need a multiroom/dark house for him, Omlet do a great cardboard one that's quite cheap! You actually get 3 for £8 so it can be replaced if it gets pee'd in. I was really quite impressed with those cardboard houses.

I think your hammy would love one of these and feel more secure in his cage :-)

www.omlet.co.uk

Compostable Hamster Chamber Hide - 3 Pack | Omlet

Our compostable and completely pet proof Hides simulate their natural burrows and tunnels, where they snuggle up, sleep and stash food.
www.omlet.co.uk www.omlet.co.uk
 
How is he doing today? :-) Is he miffed? 🤣 Having lost his freedom for a while!
 
Maz said:
How is he doing today? :-) Is he miffed? 🤣 Having lost his freedom for a while!
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Yes he definitely gutted to be back in his cage!

He is still brilliant at being handled, especially with the kids. I’ve noticed he has calmed down a bit when him put him back in his cage. He doesn’t speed round the cage, climbing the walls.

He is always wanting to be out of his cage. If I open the door he run straight to it and gets straight onto our hands wanting to come out. When we put him back he is still nibbles the bars but I’ve decided to stop going back to try and get him to stop as I’m not sure if he does it for attention.

He loves burrowing in his new Kaytee base which is very cute. He is still using his bed as a toilet which is annoying. I’ve noticed whenever I’ve given him a sand bath he always does a little wee in it. So I’ve got a little corner tray and I’ve put some sand in it and some of his bedding that had wee on it hoping he would start to use it as a toilet but no such luck!
 
Try putting the toilet in a different place :-) They are quite contrary. Is there a corner of the cage near his bed?
 
Thought I’d post a little update from Nibbles the Ninja 🐹

He is still being great with the kids, lots of holding and no biting 🙌🏼 Still bites the bars after being held 🙈

You’ll see he enjoys hiding in my daughters clog slippers, along with a snacking on some seeds and a carrot 🥕
 

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He's adorable :-) It's lovely he lets you hold him and is good with the kids. If that's the only time he bar bites, then it maybe is for attention. How long does he do it for? If he does it too much, he could damage his teeth unfortunately.
 
Maz said:
He's adorable :-) It's lovely he lets you hold him and is good with the kids. If that's the only time he bar bites, then it maybe is for attention. How long does he do it for? If he does it too much, he could damage his teeth unfortunately.
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He does it for about 20 minutes after we put him back. If we walk up to the cage he stops and follows us to wherever we move to.

I try stroking his nose or blowing on him to get him to stop bar biting, but he just continues once I move away. He even lets me stroke his hands whilst he bites the bars 😂 I really don’t want him to hurt himself. He is loving the Kaytee thats for sure, he burrows away and it hard to locate half the time!
 
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Aw yes it sounds like a signal to say he wants out. How long does he have out of the cage each time? I wouldn't blow on him though - to them that's a bit of a hostile thing to do. You could try weaving cardboard strips through the bars where he bites them - eg cut up a cereal packet. Although if he keeps going to different places that might not be effective. Does he have a chew stick in there as well?
 
Viking Lazer perspex screens are good, although a bit costly for an all round set. One or two in the front might help where he gnaws the most. They are custom made for Plaza cages and other models too. Blowing on gerbils can apparently make them have epilepsy. I'm not sure if hamsters would react the same way though.
 
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I'm not sure Viking laser make them to fit their cage Socks Mum :-) But something similar might help - although it would need to be quite high up the cage or even the full cage. Raffy used to stand on a log on his shelf and chew the roof bars! Only when he saw me and wanted to come out though.
 
God my female syrian (brown) Kashi used to bar chew like mad, even in the barney cage. She did calm down eventually. I wove cardboard strips into the bars every day at first and then every few days. She loved having cardboard toys to destroy and did eventually stop bar chewing. She did need a lot of enrichment though.
 
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By the way, just to let you know, you can start a personal/diary thread for him in the Syrian section if you want :-) It's a thread where you can post updates and photos of your hamster and others can follow his progress. They are fun thread :-)

www.thehamsterforum.com

Syrian Hamsters

www.thehamsterforum.com www.thehamsterforum.com
 
Maz said:
By the way, just to let you know, you can start a personal/diary thread for him in the Syrian section if you want :-) It's a thread where you can post updates and photos of your hamster and others can follow his progress. They are fun thread :-)

www.thehamsterforum.com

Syrian Hamsters

www.thehamsterforum.com www.thehamsterforum.com
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Ah that’s a great idea. I’ll do this later!
 
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