Jas, the hamster formally known as Jasper

Jas update. She has a right little personality, she can be the cutest, but also has loads of energy and does bite the bars some times (I think maybe in heat). They really do find ways to communicate, I mostly know when she is finished in the playpen, although she does one thing to let me know but something different to my partner?
I really think the camera has put our minds at ease a little (great idea everyone) she doesn't really bite if we are not there, so I am thinking it is to get our attention, she is much better than she used to be. She does however use her wheel a lot at night. Need to find more things to entertain her.
The diary was a good idea, I can see some trends emerging, but think it needs a bit more time.
She is becoming more and more trusting. She doesn't actively seek us out, but she has no problem with us stroking her and walks over/under our hands, mainly because she has decided they are in the way 😊 I don't think she will ever want a lot of attention, but I think she trusts us enough, if we need to touch her and she hasn't initiated it, she doesn't run away or seem upset by it.
I also added a dig box to the playpen, she loves it, when she isn't running like crazy!
Thanks again for all the advice.
 
What a lovely update! Do not worry about her using her wheel a lot at night. Hamsters do that.

How cute she has different ways of communicating to you and your partner. That is so clever.

Feel free to post videos of Jas if you would like to.

You have given Jas lots of lovely enrichment. The dig box was a great idea. 🙂
 
When I say doesn't want a lot of attention, I mean, happy for the taxi to the playpen, but once she is out she doesn't want to be handled. She still comes out every day, most days twice😀. It's become such a habit, it's strange when she doesn't ask for a second outing, I have to check she is okay 😂
 
That's a great update - so glad she is doing so well. She sounds like she's keeping you on your toes! :) I do think they respond differently to different people sometimes. Some like or dislike men more as well ha ha. Our first one always chose to sit next to OH on his end of the sofa. Mind you that might have been because it was darker there as he's bigger.

Did she ever move into the new house?
 
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She does seem more comfortable with us, and she will come to the front of the cage to see people, she even took a treat from my friend, it was Cucumber, she was never going to ignore that😀. She hasn't moved into her new house, although she does go in it. I added some food and treats and added bedding in there for her, she took the food and bedding and took it to her burrow😀. She seems happy in her burrow, so I'm going to leave it up to her. It hasn't been that long, she may well still move
 
They certainly don't do what you want sometimes! I've tended to move the house to the nest when this happens - if their nest is in a certain place. It's the darkness they look for when nesting but once they have a cosy nest ................I tend to pop the house over the nest then and then they use the house! But there is no rush, and if she seems happy and settled ..............I'm sorry you bought that expensive house and she's not using it! Is there a litter tray inside the new house?
 
Maz said:
They certainly don't do what you want sometimes! I've tended to move the house to the nest when this happens - if their nest is in a certain place. It's the darkness they look for when nesting but once they have a cosy nest ................I tend to pop the house over the nest then and then they use the house! But there is no rush, and if she seems happy and settled ..............I'm sorry you bought that expensive house and she's not using it! Is there a litter tray inside the new house?
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It's not a problem and she does go in it. She might be very slowly moving in, as she does use one of the chambers as her bathroom, and I noticed she did leave some food in it yesterday. I think the thought of moving all her hoards is too much, slow and steady 🙂
 
Weighed Jas again tonight, not sure if the previous ones were wrong, last one Apr 17 (162), it said 176 tonight. We weighed her twice to check? Should I be worried? It's not a great picture, but the most recent one, which shows her fully.DSC_0656~2.JPG
 
I didn't think she looked overweight, she does get a piece of fresh veg almost every day, and a piece of fresh fruit twice a week (no veg on that day). She does get a lot of exercise though.
I think her colouring is changing still, she looks much browner than the picture looks
 
I feed a tiny piece of fresh food daily to my hamster too. I think it is nice to give them something to look forward to plus it is nutritious.

It is interesting her colour is slowly changing. You could keep records of pictures to have a record of the colour change. :)
 
I do have a few photos, 1 or 2 hundred😂, mostly empty sand baths and wheels though🙂. When we first got her, she seemed really dark and it was a real contrast between the markings, but now she looks a bit browner. I think also as she has grown, it does make her look different.
 
That's not uncommon for hamsters to change colour and nothing to worry about. Jas looks very healthy with lovely fur which is the main thing.
I used to get different readings on flat scales but now have one with a bowl on top which is more accurate.
176g is a good healthy weight.
 
That sounds fairly normal that she's gained in weight - they still keep growing for the first few months. How old is she now? 176g is average and certainly not overweight. You can get bigger and smaller hamsters too. I've had a couple of large ones that were over 200g. I think with black and white hamsters, some of the black can go a bit brown and that's fairly normal. I had one like that :) . It was probably never fully black. It's quite interesting.

She looks lovely.
 
Wow, she's nearly 6 months now. I can't believe it. I thought it was quite a big gain, but I think it was mentioned before that she probably reaches her full weight at 6 months.
 
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