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[RainbowBrite]

Why do you freeze sprays and forage?

Maz has already explained the reason. I would freeze food, sprays, forage. I cook things like cork logs and grapevine wood in the oven on a low heat for about 45minutes, switch the oven off and leave them until they go cold. I do this to prevent any bugs in the wood.

 

[elusive]

I never put anything in the oven (I don’t have one!) you only need heat for bacteria & freezing is for any tiny creatures that might be in there so I just put cork & wood in the freezer same as food.
Moths eggs in prepared hamster food is one problem, in more natural foods, sprays, hay etc the problem is more likely to be any of a multitude of teeny tiny mites that could be living in or on it.

 

[Frida]

Thank you everyone for the info. Perhaps it might be a good idea for a thread on this subject. What to freeze and for how long? What to heat, temperature and time. I think it would be very helpful for everyone. I don't have the knowledge so I'll leave it to someone who does.

 

[RainbowBrite]

Thank you everyone for the info. Perhaps it might be a good idea for a thread on this subject. What to freeze and for how long? What to heat, temperature and time. I think it would be very helpful for everyone. I don't have the knowledge so I'll leave it to someone who does.

I think the only issue with that is everybody has different opinions on this. Some say freeze, some say heat and then people have different ideas on temperature and time. I did lots of research on this to find what I felt comfortable with for myself.

 

[Member ID2]

That is true, opinions and procedures vary.
I can tell you what i do though.

I freeze all hamster food, forage mixtures, millets, mealworms, seeds etc and anything natural for at least a week. I don't freeze processed treats like yippees, yoghurt drops etc. I store all food itmes in airtight glass jars and sometimes sit there staring at them. I don't care if family members think i've gone senile because i was the one who dealt with the pantry moths a couple of years ago.
I bake cork and wooden items for an hour at 100C but it can also go in the freezer.

After a hamster dies i reuse any usable natural items providing i can wash and disinfect them before baking or freezing. Baking is more effective for damp items because it dries them at the same time.

 

[Frida]

That is true, opinions and procedures vary.
I can tell you what i do though.

I freeze all hamster food, forage mixtures, millets, mealworms, seeds etc and anything natural for at least a week. I don't freeze processed treats like yippees, yoghurt drops etc. I store all food itmes in airtight glass jars and sometimes sit there staring at them. I don't care if family members think i've gone senile because i was the one who dealt with the pantry moths a couple of years ago.
I bake cork and wooden items for an hour at 100C but it can also go in the freezer.

After a hamster dies i reuse any usable natural items providing i can wash and disinfect them before baking or freezing. Baking is more effective for damp items because it dries them at the same time.

Thank you

 

[Maz]

Thank you everyone for the info. Perhaps it might be a good idea for a thread on this subject. What to freeze and for how long? What to heat, temperature and time. I think it would be very helpful for everyone. I don't have the knowledge so I'll leave it to someone who does.

Good idea. I'll start one. Doesn't matter if people have slightly different ways - all info is helpful.

 

[VyCanis]

Got wheel replacement and went on a shopping trip, I definitely like this more

 

[RainbowBrite]

Got wheel replacement and went on a shopping trip, I definitely like this more

That looks fantastic! I like the additions of the carrot cottage and coconut hide. I would personally remove the swing just because I think a nail could get caught in the metal chain but that is just my opinion. You have done such a great job of setting everything up.

 

[Maz]

That looks good He'll enjoy the wheel. I agree about the swing - or you could just swap the chains for sisal string or have it hanging lower so if he did get caught in the chains he can still be at ground level and try and free himself.

I wonder where he will nest. Just to warn you, our syrian ignored all houses for nesting unless they were guinea pig sized ones! If there's one you think would be good for a nest you could try putting a bendy stick bridge over the door. That gives a tunnel entrance so tempts them in - and also helps make it dark inside - they go for darkness for nesting.

 

[VyCanis]

That looks good He'll enjoy the wheel. I agree about the swing - or you could just swap the chains for sisal string or have it hanging lower so if he did get caught in the chains he can still be at ground level and try and free himself.

I wonder where he will nest. Just to warn you, our syrian ignored all houses for nesting unless they were guinea pig sized ones! If there's one you think would be good for a nest you could try putting a bendy stick bridge over the door. That gives a tunnel entrance so tempts them in - and also helps make it dark inside - they go for darkness for nesting.

He's already moved into the coconut in the corner! Seemed pretty eager too, daw him bringing stuff into it only an hour or so after I put it inside

 

[Zara]

He's already moved into the coconut in the corner! Seemed pretty eager too, daw him bringing stuff into it only an hour or so after I put it inside

That’s cute, he no doubt feels cosy and enclosed in there, nice

We have the Trixie wheel for our Syrian, he loves it.

 

[Member ID2]

Alaska cage set up for Syrian hamster.

 

[Member ID2]

More detail.

 

[elusive]

That looks great Beryl.

 

[Maz]

It really does look great! Where do you get the mats from by the way? Locally or online? I could never find the chill n chew mats easily any more.

 

[Member ID2]

I buy them locally in small, independent pet shops. They sell three different type of mats.

 

[Tulsi]

That looks wonderful.

 

[Member ID2]

Thanks. I've exchanged the corner toilet with Rory's enamelled sandbath but can always swap it back again.