How much should a Syrian smell?

[mealwormdevourer]

So I posted here a few weeks ago about my hamster who was having some very soft stool issues. I got some really helpful advice and he seems to be doing well now. I haven’t seen any more soft stool, but the only actual stool I see is the stuff in his wheel that he pees on and tramples.

Having never had a hamster before, I’m not familiar with what smell is normal or not. Sometimes, when I walk past his enclosure (he’s in a 90x45cm enclosure temporarily, I know it’s not large enough) I notice a very strong smell. It smells to me like a very distinctly male urine smell.

Is this normal? I’m used to guinea pigs and they are quite stinky creatures (particularly males) but didn’t think a hamster could smell so strong.

 

[Maz]

Hello - glad he is doing well It is only really their urine that smells. Most Syrians will use a "toilet" if you put it in the right place (ie their chosen pee place). So if/when you work out where he is peeing, you could put a litter tray there. They often choose a corner of the enclosure as a toilet, unless they have a large house, and then they can choose a room/corner in the house as a toilet (which is why some houses have rooms to fit corner litter trays inside) Baby Syrians can pee in their nest at first, until they learn better habits! Many do pee on their wheels as well. But generally they have a main toilet area.

You might need to feel around a bit in the substrate to find where he is peeing, and then you can "spot clean" that bit (ie take a handful of smelly substrate out and replace it with a handful of new). And maybe put a corner litter tray with sand in there. If they get toilet trained it gets a lot easier - you just need to empty the litter tray once or twice a week and the rest of the enclosure stays clean and dry. Some hamsters will also pee in a sand bath - because there's sand in it - as well as a litter tray. Then you can just scoop/sieve the wet bit out!

If he's peeing in his nest/where he sleeps it's a bit trickier as then it means removing most of his nesting area and probably most of his hoard as well if that is pee'd on and that really upsets them! So it's a good idea to leave a tiny bit of the nest behind that's dry (even if slightly whiffy!) and a bit of the old hoard behind that's dry, and add a big pile of torn up strips of plain white toilet paper in a pile near where he sleeps so he can rebuild his nest or burrow. And also replace any hoard with a handful of new food in the same place. That helps prevent them getting too stressed.

Once they've had to have their nest replaced a couple of times though, they tend to stop peeing in it!

 

[mealwormdevourer]

Hello - glad he is doing well It is only really their urine that smells. Most Syrians will use a "toilet" if you put it in the right place (ie their chosen pee place). So if/when you work out where he is peeing, you could put a litter tray there. They often choose a corner of the enclosure as a toilet, unless they have a large house, and then they can choose a room/corner in the house as a toilet (which is why some houses have rooms to fit corner litter trays inside) Baby Syrians can pee in their nest at first, until they learn better habits! Many do pee on their wheels as well. But generally they have a main toilet area.

You might need to feel around a bit in the substrate to find where he is peeing, and then you can "spot clean" that bit (ie take a handful of smelly substrate out and replace it with a handful of new). And maybe put a corner litter tray with sand in there. If they get toilet trained it gets a lot easier - you just need to empty the litter tray once or twice a week and the rest of the enclosure stays clean and dry. Some hamsters will also pee in a sand bath - because there's sand in it - as well as a litter tray. Then you can just scoop/sieve the wet bit out!

If he's peeing in his nest/where he sleeps it's a bit trickier as then it means removing most of his nesting area and probably most of his hoard as well if that is pee'd on and that really upsets them! So it's a good idea to leave a tiny bit of the nest behind that's dry (even if slightly whiffy!) and a bit of the old hoard behind that's dry, and add a big pile of torn up strips of plain white toilet paper in a pile near where he sleeps so he can rebuild his nest or burrow. And also replace any hoard with a handful of new food in the same place. That helps prevent them getting too stressed.

Once they've had to have their nest replaced a couple of times though, they tend to stop peeing in it!

Thanks!

It is definitely his pee that smells. He seems to do most of it in his wheel which is not helpful. He did dig a hole in one corner of his coco fibre patch and wee in there a few times, but he has since filled it in with a mixture of coco fibre and empty seed husks from some of the sprays he has around his enclosure. I will go sniffing to find the spot.

I did give him a sand bath hoping that he would use it as a toilet. But he never did and also never used it as a sand bath. Since he has such limited space I removed it as I felt the area could be put to better use with more enrichment. I have some willow sticks in his coco fibre area and I hide seeds in the fibre and then put the sticks on top so he has to dig but also move the sticks around. It keeps him busy for a while.

Also, while I’m here (instead of creating another post). I have bought a selection of sprays to put around his enclosure and have given him little bits of them. I’m wondering how often he can have them? Some of them he won’t touch, others he devours on sight, and millet he takes into his bed and sleeps on top of!

 

[Maz]

That is so cute that he sleeps on top of the millet I wouldn't worry about how much he can have as he'll probably hoard most of it, but the ones he devours on sight, maybe put out less often - or it could get expensive! Is that flax by any chance?

It does sound like he decided the corner of his coco fibre patch is a toilet and then tidied it up again. They can actually be quite clean little things! You could try putting a corner litter tray in that corner, with sand in, and see if he starts using it. I get these - they fit well in a corner, are cheap and the high back prevents any splatter. One of my syrians used to very neatly pee in the back corner and then sit in the front part for a wash Rodipet also do some nice ceramic ones, but the postage is expensive.

Trixie corner toilet

 

[mealwormdevourer]

That is so cute that he sleeps on top of the millet I wouldn't worry about how much he can have as he'll probably hoard most of it, but the ones he devours on sight, maybe put out less often - or it could get expensive! Is that flax by any chance?

It does sound like he decided the corner of his coco fibre patch is a toilet and then tidied it up again. They can actually be quite clean little things! You could try putting a corner litter tray in that corner, with sand in, and see if he starts using it. I get these - they fit well in a corner, are cheap and the high back prevents any splatter. One of my syrians used to very neatly pee in the back corner and then sit in the front part for a wash Rodipet also do some nice ceramic ones, but the postage is expensive.

Trixie corner toilet

I will have a look for a corner litter tray. The corner is right beside his wheel so I will have to find something that won’t interfere.

He has no interest in the flax or black sorghum sprays. He nibbles a bit at the wheat but isn’t bothered. The one he adores is oat.

I’m surprised he’s not interested in the flax as I am regularly giving him a punch of flax scattered around to forage for and he loves it, he will grab my fingers and lick the seeds off!

 

[mealwormdevourer]

He has got the most human expressions of any animal I’ve ever had. This was just after I made a noise and accidentally woke him up mid afternoon. He looks like a grumpy old man.

 

[Maz]

He's adorable! He looks curious and confused to me - and a bit sleepy I also love his right ear - is it always floppy like that?

 

[Maz]

Edit - I think you should enter that in this month's photo competition!

 

[mealwormdevourer]

He's adorable! He looks curious and confused to me - and a bit sleepy I also love his right ear - is it always floppy like that?

His ears range from completely upright like little pink satellite discs, to floppy and grey like that one is there. Sometimes, each ear does a different thing!

 

[mealwormdevourer]

Edit - I think you should enter that in this month's photo competition!

I will have a look.

 

[mealwormdevourer]

I meant to say. He has a name now. He’s called Stig, from the book Stig of the dump.

 

[Socks' Mum]

His ears range from completely upright like little pink satellite discs, to floppy and grey like that one is there. Sometimes, each ear does a different thing!

Adorable