M
Member ID2
Rory asked to come out and run to the bathroom bin. I don't know why the hamsters have this fascination with that bin.
R
RainbowBrite
It is so cute and funny how they love the bin.
Lovely to hear Rory wanted his free roam time, he likes his cosy bin corner 
. Maybe there is a water pipe near the bin that when they have been out previously (say last year) when you may have already had the heating on could it be warm through the floor which is why they chose to sit there?
. Maybe there is a water pipe near the bin that when they have been out previously (say last year) when you may have already had the heating on could it be warm through the floor which is why they chose to sit there?
M
Member ID2
No, they all go there with or without the heating on. Good thought about a hot water pipe though. The bin is between bath and sink. Will check on that. You may have solved a riddle, Zara.
Some try to climb the bin via the pedal and they all eat seeds behind the bin.
Rory snoozes behind it and Jack sits behind it when he wants picking up. Clive scents, eats and poops there. I have unscented babywipes handy to clean the area inbetween each hamster.
Clive is the only one who, very rarely, gets caught out and i find a tiny paddle, near the bin.
Robo Scottie always heads for the bin as well to eat his pouched seeds.
Some try to climb the bin via the pedal and they all eat seeds behind the bin.
Rory snoozes behind it and Jack sits behind it when he wants picking up. Clive scents, eats and poops there. I have unscented babywipes handy to clean the area inbetween each hamster.
Clive is the only one who, very rarely, gets caught out and i find a tiny paddle, near the bin.
Robo Scottie always heads for the bin as well to eat his pouched seeds.
M
Member ID2
Like youngsters hiding behind bins smoking.
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It may be he is letting you adjust to the idea gradually. Or maybe he is just feeling a bit mellow. Glad he had his porridge and metacam and foraged. He sounds like he is hamstering along at his own pace.
M
Member ID2
Rory's house was getting a bit smelly and damp but he can't help that. At his age things aren't working as well as they used to.
He has a spare, identical house so i always have a clean one ready on top of his cage.
I woke him and took him out for a quick health check (can only do that in day light)
and put him in Clive's transport box.
Unknown to me Clive had left half a biscuit in there which Rory tried to pouch but it was too big.
I put the clean house, fresh substrate and a clean toilet in, then replaced the hoard with fresh, scattered food around the house and left new treats as well.
Then i got the half biscuit (i'll get Clive a new one next time he needs to go in the box) and placed it amongst the new treats.
I put Rory back in his cage and he made a beeline for Clive's biscuit and carried it into his house ignoring all the new treats!
I listened to him crunching inside his house.
Why does a stolen treat taste so much better?
He has a spare, identical house so i always have a clean one ready on top of his cage.
I woke him and took him out for a quick health check (can only do that in day light)
and put him in Clive's transport box.
Unknown to me Clive had left half a biscuit in there which Rory tried to pouch but it was too big.
I put the clean house, fresh substrate and a clean toilet in, then replaced the hoard with fresh, scattered food around the house and left new treats as well.
Then i got the half biscuit (i'll get Clive a new one next time he needs to go in the box) and placed it amongst the new treats.
I put Rory back in his cage and he made a beeline for Clive's biscuit and carried it into his house ignoring all the new treats!
I listened to him crunching inside his house.
Why does a stolen treat taste so much better?
R
RainbowBrite
Aww that is so cute! I wonder if he could smell Clive on the biscuit and it was more of a victory for him.
M
Member ID2
I think he must have. A trophy biscuit.
M
Member ID2
Tomorrow i have to completely level Rory's set up. He was struggling just now to walk up a very shallow ramp and he seemed disorientated and unsteady while walking around. I wonder if he had another mini stroke. He's gone back in his house now with his fresh food. There are no fall risks in his cage because i've always adjusted it to his changing needs.
I'm considering to set up the bin cage with his spare house and try him in there because everything he needs would be closeby and it would be draft free.
Just now, even walking around seemed too much for him.
It can be so very difficult sometimes to know what to do for the best.
I'm considering to set up the bin cage with his spare house and try him in there because everything he needs would be closeby and it would be draft free.
Just now, even walking around seemed too much for him.
It can be so very difficult sometimes to know what to do for the best.
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It is difficult. I've had older hamsters get to this stage, but they can be very happy just zipping around on one level once you remove any ramps and shelves and add a few more things at floor level. And they can have worse days and better days. I think they feel more confident doing something they can do, rather than struggling to do something they used to be able to do. What cage is he in at the moment again? I've always kept them in the same cage and just adjusted it. Unless you have one with more floorspace for more ground level type things?
Once a shallow ramp is too much, then you are right that the time has come for a single level set up. If walking around is difficult for Rory then a change to a bin cage might be too disorienting. Moving things closer to his nest entrance in his current set up might be enough to solve it.
M
Member ID2
Yes, moving everthing closer may be the solution. He's in an Alaska.
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I think he'd be fine staying in the Alaska. When I made a cage into a retirement bungalow, I put the platform right up at roof level - literally attached just under the roof bars. That way they can still sit "under" it! So they don't feel so exposed. And the tube I had higher up I tied to the side bars at floor level so that was still familiar. And added a cork log - it was something low level to climb over (if they feel like it) and also something to sit under.
But you've done this before so I'm probably teaching granny to suck eggs there! but with a cage change, something as simple as a different door placement can really bother them sometimes, when they're used to coming out a certain way.
I hope he comes round again a bit. Raffy staggered a bit the other night climbing up a ramp and he is young and fit - I think the cold was bothering him and he'd only just woken up.
But you've done this before so I'm probably teaching granny to suck eggs there! but with a cage change, something as simple as a different door placement can really bother them sometimes, when they're used to coming out a certain way.
I hope he comes round again a bit. Raffy staggered a bit the other night climbing up a ramp and he is young and fit - I think the cold was bothering him and he'd only just woken up.
M
Member ID2
What worried me the most tonight was that he couldn't find his water. He has two bottles and a bowl. He needs a bottle right opposite his house. Also, i need to be able to easily access his house because he pees so much and it gets smelly very quickly. I don't want him to sleep in a damp nest. He hasn't used his wheel in a long time. I need to figure out how to best set up his Alaska. A top opening cage like a Grosvenor would be very practical just now.
It's the position of the house and his water that's important and then fit the rest round it.
For now i needed to set him up so he can reach everything hence moved his spare house, some substrate and things from his Alaska in the bin cage.
Rory sniffed around, pouched some food and went into his house.
Now i need to decide whether to adjust his Alaska tomorrow or get a top opening, barred cage.
It's the position of the house and his water that's important and then fit the rest round it.
For now i needed to set him up so he can reach everything hence moved his spare house, some substrate and things from his Alaska in the bin cage.
Rory sniffed around, pouched some food and went into his house.
Now i need to decide whether to adjust his Alaska tomorrow or get a top opening, barred cage.
R
RainbowBrite
Rather then get Rory a new cage perhaps your idea of a bin cage would be better and easier for you to access to clean his nest.
M
Member ID2
Rory has been very up and down for a while and hasn't been out the last few nights. He sleeps a lot.
I'm not even sure if i did the right thing tonight by temporarily moving him into another cage.
Sometimes there's no right or wrong.
I think he was too tired to get upset about being moved. He can get to his water now, his food is right by his house and he has a clean, dry and warm nest in his house.
I'm not even sure if i did the right thing tonight by temporarily moving him into another cage.
Sometimes there's no right or wrong.
I think he was too tired to get upset about being moved. He can get to his water now, his food is right by his house and he has a clean, dry and warm nest in his house.
M
Member ID2
He is in the bin cage at the moment but it is too small. A Grosvenor would be a better size and i could attach a little shelf to the bars to sit under, providing he picks up again. His ears were down tonight.
R
RainbowBrite
Oh I see. I understand what you are saying now.