Jas, the hamster formally known as Jasper

[Maz]

I'm not sure how the stilts fit on with that one, but when I had that issue with a different one I just stuffed a bit of toilet paper in to the fixing slots on the stilts and they fitted firmly then.

 

[Maz]

I've got a multi chamber one from Henry homes, I could order the stilts from that site as well, I believe I saw a recommendation on here for that site before

Which one did you get? I was just looking at those the other day - they seem quite adaptable in that you can put the partitions where you want. The one I have has fixed partions but they seem about right - our hamsters have always nested in the front left largest compartment, which is round two corners from the front door so must be pitch dark in there.

 

[Hank]

It's the rectangular one, without the open sections, only because I thought it had more covered space. There are so many to choose from, and I have looked at this one before.

 

[Maz]

It is indeed a bit nerve wracking possibly - hoping things will be right for the hamster. Every little helps. When you add the house I'd put all the current nest inside it in the compartment you think she's most likely to sleep in. You know you can put a litter tray inside them as well?

You can just glue dowels on for legs if you didn't get the legs. With a cage base I tend to either rest the back of the house on the lip of the cage base and just have front legs and maybe two side ones about half way along (any further back and they foul up with the curved cage base). Or if I don't want it at that height, and use supplied legs, I do more or less the same - two at the front and two half way along the sides - it stays up perfectly well without support at the back then, due to all the substrate as well. Sometimes I've just put the front legs on and one in the centre - if legs at the side would fall foul of the curved cage base underneath.

 

[Hank]

I was thinking that, where do you measure from, if it's in a corner it will be different who knew it was so complicated

 

[RainbowBrite]

Setting things up always puts me into a panic!

 

[Maz]

I was thinking that, where do you measure from, if it's in a corner it will be different who knew it was so complicated

You don't really need to measure - I just plonk it where I want it and jiggle around a bit until it's looking in the right place and stable. What I did find a fiddle was cutting dowels the right length to glue on, so ready made legs can make it a lot easier. I find it does save on cage space if the back is resting on the lip of the cage base - but then the front legs need to be the same height (if you're making them). If using the bought ones, easier to just have the house as far back as possible and have the side legs further forwards.

 

[Hank]

Setting things up always puts me into a panic!

Glad it's not just me

 

[Hank]

You don't really need to measure - I just plonk it where I want it and jiggle around a bit until it's looking in the right place and stable. What I did find a fiddle was cutting dowels the right length to glue on, so ready made legs can make it a lot easier. I find it does save on cage space if the back is resting on the lip of the cage base - but then the front legs need to be the same height (if you're making them). If using the bought ones, easier to just have the house as far back as possible and have the side legs further forwards.

They have lots of different sizes for the stilts, that's what I was trying to measure, I like the idea of using the cage, let's see what arrives

 

[Maz]

15cm is usually about right Then the house sits at substrate level and is tall rnough to make a shelf as well.

 

[RainbowBrite]

I think you can measure how much bedding you want to give, then measure the height of the MCH and get stilts that make up the remaining measurement. I did not know this before. I bought the size for the amount of bedding I wanted and then found the MCH was higher then everything else. It worked out okay in the end though.

 

[Hank]

15cm is usually about right Then the house sits at substrate level and is tall rnough to make a shelf as well.

That's what I went for

 

[Maz]

They have lots of different sizes for the stilts, that's what I was trying to measure, I like the idea of using the cage, let's see what arrives

Good point - if the 15cm stilts aren't long enough to match the height of the cage base lip .............I think on one occasion I found the stilts were too long at the front and had to saw a bit off.

 

[Hank]

I'm really confused. Jas has started biting the cage again. I haven't changed anything yet, the house hasn't come, so I was going to change all at once.
She comes out to play and is fine with us, doesn't try to bite us and interacts, she even got onto my partner's hand, without any coaxing, no treat in it or anything. She takes treats from us, let's us stroke her and seems generally happy. She is active and doesn't hide from us. She is eating and drinking, with no problem. We have checked her and can't see anything obviously wrong.
If she didn't bite the bars, I wouldn't be concerned, but I know it's a huge sign of stress and unhappiness.
Are there other signs of stress or unhappiness that I should be watching out for?
Btw, I've just checked and she started to chew in the previous cage at 3.5 weeks, she's been in the Plaza about the same time, not sure if that is a coincidence or not?

 

[RainbowBrite]

When she bites is she doing it to ask to come out? I was just wondering if it was her way of asking to go in the playpen.

Female Syrians can be very hard to please and you are doing so well trying to keep Jas happy. It is wonderful she went onto your partners hand.

 

[Maz]

Oh no I'm sorry to hear this. Is there a particular time of day she starts doing it? It all seemed to be going so well. I've just seen Rainbow's post above as well. Raffy isn't a bar chewer but he will do it to get my attention when he wants to come out late at night. Maybe when you do the changes she will settle down again as there'll be more enrichment in there and the nice big house. But I can see your concern that she might always do this. It has been said that for some female Syrians, no cage is big enough! However the more enrichment, the more likely she is to have more to do. Eg the house and more bedding maybe. I guess there are the perspex panels as an option but that can work out expensive. Maybe see how she is after the changes you were going to make. The house has maybe been held up due to the bank holiday post.

 

[Hank]

When she bites once she has woken up, I do think it is to let us know she is ready to come out. She wakes up and has a bit of a routine, get some food, have a drink, quick wash, that sort of thing. So we will say hello, if we see her, but we let her wake up, before getting her out. I think she then bites to say, I'm ready to come out now. It's not aggressive, more of a communication and she stops when we get to the cage.
However, yesterday after she had been out for quite a while, 30 mins later she started to chew. We left her for a bit, wanted to see if she would settle, but then she started to get a bit more intense with it. Opened the cage, and she jumped into her taxi box, but then didn't want to leave the taxi box to go in the playpen. She didn't seem all that happy in her playpen either, was chewing everything in there

 

[Hank]

Oh no I'm sorry to hear this. Is there a particular time of day she starts doing it? It all seemed to be going so well. I've just seen Rainbow's post above as well. Raffy isn't a bar chewer but he will do it to get my attention when he wants to come out late at night. Maybe when you do the changes she will settle down again as there'll be more enrichment in there and the nice big house. But I can see your concern that she might always do this. It has been said that for some female Syrians, no cage is big enough! However the more enrichment, the more likely she is to have more to do. Eg the house and more bedding maybe. I guess there are the perspex panels as an option but that can work out expensive. Maybe see how she is after the changes you were going to make. The house has maybe been held up due to the bank holiday post.

I am thinking about the perspex, I think a little too soon and want to try the cage set up first

 

[elusive]

Have you got a camera set up or anything so you can tell if she’s doing when you’re not around?
I’m still thinking it may be more of an attention seeking thing than stress.

 

[Hank]

Just to add, she sleeps all day, just popping out to drink. Then she is awake all evening from around 7ish.
The camera is a good idea, we have tested a little, i.e. turning the lights out and leaving, and she does usually stop. I'll set something up, to have a proper look.
Maybe it's where the cage is?