Jas, the hamster formally known as Jasper

[Hank]

I think the posts overlapped a bit. The only reasons I left the blue House in, is because she has a bit of a food store in there, and I didn't want to upset her too much.
If she stops uses it, I will find something better

 

[Maz]

I think there is plenty of space to run around - I was thinking you meant overhead space. Another option is an egg box hammock like the one I had in Raffy's cage. It was hung fairly low just in front of/partly over the large house - it wasn't that useable because it wobbled but he liked having it there and it was a bit of overhead cover. The only reason he doesn't have it now is he has an extra rat sputnik and the roof tube, after I had to change things to add his multiroom house. So it didn't fit any more.

To make that you just need - half an egg box! And some sisal rope.

 

[Maz]

I think the posts overlapped a bit. The only reasons I left the blue House in, is because she has a bit of a food store in there, and I didn't want to upset her too much.
If she stops uses it, I will find something better

Sorry I must have missed that - yes better to leave it then if she uses it as a special store! You could still hang a chew stick next to the shelf though.

 

[Hank]

I know I'm supposed to let Jas settle, but she really wanted out yesterday, so I let her out for a bit. She seems like she wants to come out again, her play pen hasn't changed, I'm assuming, I just let her guide me? If she wants to come out, let her out for a little while?

 

[Maz]

Yes that's fine if she's showing she wants to come out Some hamsters will want to during a settling period, some won't. The main thing is to not clean or making other big changes during a settling period. They weren't huge changes so she may only need a few days re settling.

 

[Hank]

Yes that's fine if she's showing she wants to come out Some hamsters will want to during a settling period, some won't. The main thing is to not clean or making other big changes during a settling period. They weren't huge changes so she may only need a few days re settling.

Thank you, luckily she hasn't seem fazed yet. She hasn't moved yet, actually all the additional bedding I left for her to build her new nest, she's taken under her shelf. I don't think she will fit under there soon

 

[Maz]

Ah right - so she's still nesting in the same place? Do you think she's using the larger house? I think I might have removed the older house at the same time as adding the new one so she has more incentive to move in! You could try putting a smelly treat inside the new house and a bit of food in there and a trail of food up to the door.

I did have one hamster who couldn't decide for a few days but then eventually moved into the multiroom house. He had another house in the cage too and was a bit indecisive for a while between the two. I know Jas isn't using the other house as a house but it's making a kind of enclosure for the nest.

Also have you got a litter tray with sand in, inside the house? She might be tempted to move in if that's there, and some food.

 

[Hank]

I did add a couple of treats and she has been in there, but just went back to her burrows last night. I did order a litter tray, but got the wrong size, it's huge! I'll have to get another one

 

[Maz]

Maybe try putting nesting material inside the new house now then, rather than outside it. That might make her think - hmm it's nice in here! When she goes to get it. Or she might just take it all under the shelf again! If she does that, then after a few days you could maybe think about removing the smaller house - then she might want to move her nest somewhere more enclosed.

 

[Hank]

Random question can hamsters squeak at any age? We have set up our camera and were testing it out. Sitting where we normally do, I couldn't help but watch the camera and she did a couple of squeaks, she's never done that before. I was watching her so I know she didn't hurt herself, she was just running at the bottom in the cage?

 

[Maz]

Yes they can squeak at any time. I wonder what she was trying to say!

 

[Maz]

So was this at night and you watched the recording afterwards? I'm not sure what you mean by running in the bottom of the cage?

 

[Maz]

They can sometimes do it when they're dreaming/asleep as well.

 

[Hank]

I don't know, We've taken her out, just to check. She seems a little skittish, but happy to sit and be stroked, so checked and can't see or feel anything.

 

[Hank]

So was this at night and you watched the recording afterwards? I'm not sure what you mean by running in the bottom of the cage?

Sorry, it's now, the camera only came today

 

[Maz]

Aw that's lovely she's happy to sit and be stroked. Maybe she is getting more verbal about wanting to come out

 

[Hank]

I'm okay with that, cute little squeaks or biting the cage. I'll take the squeaks any day

 

[Member ID2]

Hamsters can be surprisingly vocal. Our lot here has quite a good range with Clive as the chief squawker.

 

[Hank]

That is so good. Jas has never done it before, she's pretty quiet. Sometimes there is intense sniffing, usually when she thinks she has found a gap to escape her playpen. Does Clive squeak all the time?

 

[Member ID2]

He used to squeak and squawk a lot when he was younger but has quietened down as he got older.

I had a female foster Syrian who used to run around squeaking. She wasn't distressed or anything like that.