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That's a wonderful sunflower seed head. She's really enjoying it
"Pip" Pipsqueak's Diary
- Thread starter Hamster Haven
- Start date
- Messages
- 653
- Reaction score
- 465
- Points
- 638
Update! Pip still comes out super late, meaning that even on nights when we'd love to give her some playpen time, we don't see her, but she has continued to get more comfortable and friendly with us.
I set up the large Omelet playpen that I ordered at the end of May. I think I need to put more stuff in it, but she enjoyed going around a bit. I filled a Niteangel dig box with coconut peat, but she seems to be less interested in it than sand, which is a definite change from Oaky, who loved both sand and coco peat.
I set up the large Omelet playpen that I ordered at the end of May. I think I need to put more stuff in it, but she enjoyed going around a bit. I filled a Niteangel dig box with coconut peat, but she seems to be less interested in it than sand, which is a definite change from Oaky, who loved both sand and coco peat.
- Messages
- 6,700
- Reaction score
- 3,521
- Points
- 1,798
She's looking well and nice and confident 
- Messages
- 25,107
- Reaction score
- 29,466
- Points
- 1,373
She has grown! She looked really comfortable and confident in the playpen and the photo is adorable! She looks so alert and pretty and very comfortable with your daughter there. Really glad things are going well.
- Messages
- 653
- Reaction score
- 465
- Points
- 638
We went on a 2 week trip soon after my last post, and we've had a lot of fun with Pipsqueak since we returned. While she only came out early ONE TIME for our neighbors replacing her food during our trip, we stay up later, and she's at least started to come out between 10:15 and 10:30PM now, which is way better than before. Additionally, she is so adapted to coming out. I've had to split time between her Omlet playpen (which I LOVE by the way- so much better than any of my cheaper options in the past) and supervising her running around a bedroom or bed, because she's just become so trusting with us and comfortable coming out, relative to how timid she was for the first 2 months we had her.
I also upgraded her wheel from the 10" Bucastate to our old 12" Silent Runner. I feel like the wheel part wobbles a little under her weight when she runs on it, but everything seems to be tightened properly and she doesn't seem to mind. In fact, since I brought that wheel out, she spends a LOT more time running on it. I even carry it to and from her playpen. However, when she decides she has a way out of the playpen and she's had enough of what we have in it, she will just repeatedly try to climb out
Of course, she can only do this when one of us is sitting in there with her. She also readily climbs on my hand and up my arm now if she wants assistance leaving her cage or another space, and that's now I know how comfortable she is with us! Of course, I still use a transport for long moves for safey.
Note: She really just wanted her wheel in the first few days we upgraded her wheel- she very much wants to explore still!
I also upgraded her wheel from the 10" Bucastate to our old 12" Silent Runner. I feel like the wheel part wobbles a little under her weight when she runs on it, but everything seems to be tightened properly and she doesn't seem to mind. In fact, since I brought that wheel out, she spends a LOT more time running on it. I even carry it to and from her playpen. However, when she decides she has a way out of the playpen and she's had enough of what we have in it, she will just repeatedly try to climb out
Of course, she can only do this when one of us is sitting in there with her. She also readily climbs on my hand and up my arm now if she wants assistance leaving her cage or another space, and that's now I know how comfortable she is with us! Of course, I still use a transport for long moves for safey.Note: She really just wanted her wheel in the first few days we upgraded her wheel- she very much wants to explore still!
- Messages
- 6,700
- Reaction score
- 3,521
- Points
- 1,798
It's lovely seeing Pip so bold and interactive. She seems to love company nowWe went on a 2 week trip soon after my last post, and we've had a lot of fun with Pipsqueak since we returned. While she only came out early ONE TIME for our neighbors replacing her food during our trip, we stay up later, and she's at least started to come out between 10:15 and 10:30PM now, which is way better than before. Additionally, she is so adapted to coming out. I've had to split time between her Omlet playpen (which I LOVE by the way- so much better than any of my cheaper options in the past) and supervising her running around a bedroom or bed, because she's just become so trusting with us and comfortable coming out, relative to how timid she was for the first 2 months we had her.
I also upgraded her wheel from the 10" Bucastate to our old 12" Silent Runner. I feel like the wheel part wobbles a little under her weight when she runs on it, but everything seems to be tightened properly and she doesn't seem to mind. In fact, since I brought that wheel out, she spends a LOT more time running on it. I even carry it to and from her playpen. However, when she decides she has a way out of the playpen and she's had enough of what we have in it, she will just repeatedly try to climb out
Note: She really just wanted her wheel in the first few days we upgraded her wheel- she very much wants to explore still!
- Messages
- 653
- Reaction score
- 465
- Points
- 638
Yes! She definitely does. She'll sit in our hands (fairly) patiently, and she'll climb all over us if she thinks it will help her explore more.It's lovely seeing Pip so bold and interactive. She seems to love company now
- Messages
- 653
- Reaction score
- 465
- Points
- 638
So much for "A Whole Playpen and She Wants Her Wheel." 
Pip has become an expert at finding her way out of the Omlet playpen. She once found her way behind our bed,which I don't like, not because it's not safe, but it's a bed that is only open in the back- the sides have built-in shelf storage- so if she (or one of our rabbits) gets back there, they often enjoy it so much they don't want to come out and it's difficult to lure them out without moving the whole bed.
SO, now that I've done a better job of plugging up the way to behind the bed, and she's thoroughly explored the rest of the bedroom, all she tries to do recently is escape the pen and work to get back behind the bed. (see video)
She doesn't get up until late, so on school nights we can't consistently take her out, but today I did take her out briefly at 5:30AM. Funnily enough, she behaved very differently in the play pen than she does at night. She went all over, not trying to escape, but pouching all types of seeds that have been there for weeks and ignored by her when she's more interested in exploring at night
Pip has become an expert at finding her way out of the Omlet playpen. She once found her way behind our bed,which I don't like, not because it's not safe, but it's a bed that is only open in the back- the sides have built-in shelf storage- so if she (or one of our rabbits) gets back there, they often enjoy it so much they don't want to come out and it's difficult to lure them out without moving the whole bed.SO, now that I've done a better job of plugging up the way to behind the bed, and she's thoroughly explored the rest of the bedroom, all she tries to do recently is escape the pen and work to get back behind the bed. (see video)
She doesn't get up until late, so on school nights we can't consistently take her out, but today I did take her out briefly at 5:30AM. Funnily enough, she behaved very differently in the play pen than she does at night. She went all over, not trying to escape, but pouching all types of seeds that have been there for weeks and ignored by her when she's more interested in exploring at night
- Messages
- 653
- Reaction score
- 465
- Points
- 638
More recent pics
- Messages
- 6,700
- Reaction score
- 3,521
- Points
- 1,798
Beautiful girl 
It's best not to let her chew on the metal as, although rodents' teeth grow back all the time, a damaged tooth can cause a malocclusion where the surfaces don't meet as they should and the teeth can grow unevenly potentially making it difficult to chew
It's best not to let her chew on the metal as, although rodents' teeth grow back all the time, a damaged tooth can cause a malocclusion where the surfaces don't meet as they should and the teeth can grow unevenly potentially making it difficult to chew
- Messages
- 653
- Reaction score
- 465
- Points
- 638
I know! I figured she would stop on her own, as it wasn't a case of cage bars or her being restricted- but no, she was obsessed with getting in. I'm going to have to find a new way to bar that entrance.Beautiful girl
- Messages
- 25,107
- Reaction score
- 29,466
- Points
- 1,373
I laughed so much watching that video! Typical Syrian hamster. I've had similar experiences - however much space there is, all they want to do is get past the barrier 
I had pieces of wood all over the place blocking things (from an old playpen). Raffy still mananged to shimmy up the wall between the piece of wood and the wall to get over the other side a few times So I put another piece of wood there. The living room started to look like game of building blocks in one corner. I bet she's loving being out and trying to get past the barrier though.
And yes I think they are in a different mode at 5.30am That is like the end of a long day for a hamster, nearly ready for bed and slowed down a bit. The most mad active time seems to be between 8pm and 3am IMO. During the night they have little patches of foraging, wheeling and napping.
She is adorable on the photos and looks like butter wouldn't melt ........ Although I detect cheekiness on the second one.
I had pieces of wood all over the place blocking things (from an old playpen). Raffy still mananged to shimmy up the wall between the piece of wood and the wall to get over the other side a few times So I put another piece of wood there. The living room started to look like game of building blocks in one corner. I bet she's loving being out and trying to get past the barrier though.And yes I think they are in a different mode at 5.30am
That is like the end of a long day for a hamster, nearly ready for bed and slowed down a bit. The most mad active time seems to be between 8pm and 3am IMO. During the night they have little patches of foraging, wheeling and napping.She is adorable on the photos and looks like butter wouldn't melt ........
Although I detect cheekiness on the second one.
- Messages
- 653
- Reaction score
- 465
- Points
- 638
Yes to all of that! If I recall correctly, I think in the second one she may have been distinctly standing up there, like, "but I really am not interested in all this around me. Are you really going to stop me if I go back to that corner again? Should I test you? "I laughed so much watching that video! Typical Syrian hamster. I've had similar experiences - however much space there is, all they want to do is get past the barrier
And yes I think they are in a different mode at 5.30am
She is adorable on the photos and looks like butter wouldn't melt ........