Playpen/freeroam ideas for a very determined Syrian female

[Annette22]

Hi guys so making good progress with taming my little Miss Mindy but she is determined to get out of her barrier/playpen.

It’s is storage grids connected with cable ties which worked really well keeping my last 2 girlies away from dangerous areas but this girl my god she is just crazy she uses her whole body to lift it up and slide under.

Last night I had to distract with cardboard but she kept going back like she did nothing else in her playpen except try and get through. She had a sandbath, wheel, dig box hides and bridge even some treats and such but was fixated on this area. It’s around my recliner couch so I really can have her getting under there.

Any idea much appreciated. I am thinking of changing free room area to my bedroom which has less for her to get to at least.

 

[Socks' Mum]

The Songmics playpens can be put together to have a floor. If you put a fleece blanket into them, hammy can't get her nose under the side of the playpen. But of course she could still wiggle under the blanket Maz has the Omlet playpen which is tightly put together. That might keep her where you want her It is strange how Syrians often only want to escape whatever is confining them. When Socks was free roaming in his youth he would concentrate his attack on a brick wall. He did run around, but a potential tunnel through a foot of masonry was very compelling

 

[Maz]

Is she free-roaming as well Annette? If so she will probably never settle in a playpen area lol! Or are the grids to block off the room? Changing the free roaming area sounds like the best option, if you can secure the room. I have one free roaming at the moment in the living room, I have to put trays across the stairs to stop him going upstairs, because the stairs go off the living room. And I used one side of a playpen to block off the door to the kitchen, and like our previous Syrian who free roamed he has just got to the stage of being obsessed with trying to get past the playpen panel into the kitchen! I'm sure he will soon work out that if he pushes hard enough it will move because it's only held in place by a Wellington boot and I need to find something heavier!

 

[Annette22]

yeah think it’s a case of there is a way through here I know it and I must get to it. It’s more free roam with the grids to stop her getting to recliner but tried smaller area last night so she didn’t go under tv unti. She is hilarious. Last hamster was not fussed about tv unit in the slightest. Mindy worked out there was a way under in almost 5 seconds. I was giving her cardboard to chew as a distraction at the bit of the playpen but I think in her mind she thought chewing it was a way through. Yeah bedroom might be better. Will let you know how it goes

 

[Annette22]

The Songmics playpens can be put together to have a floor. If you put a fleece blanket into them, hammy can't get her nose under the side of the playpen. But of course she could still wiggle under the blanket Maz has the Omlet playpen which is tightly put together. That might keep her where you want her It is strange how Syrians often only want to escape whatever is confining them. When Socks was free roaming in his youth he would concentrate his attack on a brick wall. He did run around, but a potential tunnel through a foot of masonry was very compelling

This is hilarious I’m just envisioning the little guy trying this

 

[Maz]

They certainly keep you on your toes! I bet she's having great fun. Let us know how it goes in the bedroom

 

[Hamster Haven]

Our current female Syrian is the same way. I had a large playpen set up with plastic grids for a bit, and it was a larger surface area than her enclosure, filled with dig boxes, hides and a wheel, and she would just get obsessed with trying to chew her way out (chewed through plastic or chewed at a fabric flooring that she must have thought would get her out). Now I vary between the bathtub (she also often wants to get out of that, but at least I can give her a mini-free roam experience if I don't have time to monitor her constantly) and a bedroom. If she's in the bedroom it's safe, but I follow her around a bit or at least close myself in there with her to do chores so that I can keep an eye on her. I think she loves the full free roam of the bedroom, but I don't feel like I can leave her there unattended, because she could manage to get around the door barrier I set up or who knows what...but I try to let her out in the bedroom about once a week. Since I've started doing that she's settled a little bit and she doesn't always seem as desperate for free roam time. Like doing those big sessions satisfies her for a bit...or maybe it's just because she's almost a year old now and is mellowing.

 

[Maz]

I can’t believe she’s almost a year old now! And yes I do think they start to mellow a bit

 

[Socks' Mum]

Socks is about two years and is very keen on getting out every night for a run in his play pen. But he is getting old now and sits patiently and meerkats. He seems to know when I am in a light sleep and sometimes at about 4am I wake up because I have heard him giving about four squeaks, or four quick scratches. I could be dreaming, but when I open my eyes, Socks is at the door waiting for the tube to the playpen