Socks: Mouseworks Dynamic Cardboard Redesign and Basic Tunneling

[Maz]

They are clever aren't they. Definitely intelligent.

 

[Socks Mum]

Preparing the corner shelf for its operation, to chop or not?
I used the Savic Plaza shelf to find out approximately where to draw the pencil line for sawing. Once the corner is off, though, it can never be used in a cage like the Hamster Heaven for example, as the gap in the corner created by sawing could be a hazard. Also, if the corner piece taken out is too big, another gap could come into existence. The corner shelf would need to be removed before taking the Savic P top off as the sliding panels might not work as easily as they do if they are bolted down in places. The lovely Happy Henry platform is just perfect. I think the solution is to get another one and keep them corner platform for another day.

 

[Maz]

I didn't realise you'd got one of the Happy Henry platform as well Can't wait to see your week in the life of later this month! I have to say, I have always "guessed" at the corner cutting and eyeballed it with the corner strut size rather than use the green shelf as a template. You can make it too large but I tend to go on the small side. I just draw a line with a ruler maybe about half an inch from the corner on each side. Sometimes I've done it slightly bigger than that, and yes there can be a very small gap then but not enough for a hamster to try and get down The hamster might sniff at the gap to check it out and then not bother with it. If I've had a slight gap I cut hemp mat to fit on the shelf and that covers up the gap. So if you wanted to use it in future and add it somewhere it shouldn't be too difficult But a good idea that it will fit the hamster heaven as it is and it's always good to have a spare cage for emergencies.

 

[Socks Mum]

Thank you. I've got it at the front of the cage as Socks likes to sit on it to see what is going on in the room. It has a small sand bath on it as he likes to lounge in the bath for a bit after using his wheel. I thought what about doing the week starting the 12th?

 

[Maz]

Yes that's fine. It's usually around the 18th but February is a short month so the 12th is fine Sometimes people do start it a bit early.

 

[Socks Mum]

I didn't realise you'd got one of the Happy Henry platform as well Can't wait to see your week in the life of later this month! I have to say, I have always "guessed" at the corner cutting and eyeballed it with the corner strut size rather than use the green shelf as a template. You can make it too large but I tend to go on the small side. I just draw a line with a ruler maybe about half an inch from the corner on each side. Sometimes I've done it slightly bigger than that, and yes there can be a very small gap then but not enough for a hamster to try and get down The hamster might sniff at the gap to check it out and then not bother with it. If I've had a slight gap I cut hemp mat to fit on the shelf and that covers up the gap. So if you wanted to use it in future and add it somewhere it shouldn't be too difficult But a good idea that it will fit the hamster heaven as it is and it's always good to have a spare cage for emergencies.

Yes, a bit of furniture for the other cage if needed wouldn't go wrong.

 

[Socks Mum]

I didn't realise you'd got one of the Happy Henry platform as well Can't wait to see your week in the life of later this month! I have to say, I have always "guessed" at the corner cutting and eyeballed it with the corner strut size rather than use the green shelf as a template. You can make it too large but I tend to go on the small side. I just draw a line with a ruler maybe about half an inch from the corner on each side. Sometimes I've done it slightly bigger than that, and yes there can be a very small gap then but not enough for a hamster to try and get down The hamster might sniff at the gap to check it out and then not bother with it. If I've had a slight gap I cut hemp mat to fit on the shelf and that covers up the gap. So if you wanted to use it in future and add it somewhere it shouldn't be too difficult But a good idea that it will fit the hamster heaven as it is and it's always good to have a spare cage for emergencies.

Thanks for the info, that is useful to know!

 

[Socks Mum]

Sock's pawprints with a little bum print and some fur brushing!

 

[Frida]

Sock's pawprints with a little bum print and some fur brushing!

Very cute

 

[RainbowBrite]

Aw, lovely to see Socks enjoying the sand.

 

[Socks Mum]

Socks' carefully prepared greens and freshly sprouted sunflower seed were untouched last night, so I did what every concerned hamster mom does (at some time) and went to bed, read and fell asleep. Sure enough, about half an hour later, I heard the sound of his Savic Rolly going full speed That's nice, I thought and went back to sleep.
We had a nice get together at about 3am, his greens were partly eaten, partly flattened against the bottom of his bowl, but after some running, pats and nose rubbing through the bars while he lounged in his sand bath, he climbed into his watermelon bowl to finish them, munching happily. He makes delightful little noises with his teeth while relaxing in his sand bath, perhaps expressions of contentment, I hope so. I'm on leave today, and the parrots are about. But just after this picture, one of them sounded an alarm and as one, they fled as far and fast as they could. Perhaps a sparrowhawk is hunting here today.

 

[Maz]

It sounds lovely, your interactions with Socks. How come there are parrots about?!

 

[Socks Mum]

It sounds lovely, your interactions with Socks. How come there are parrots about?!

Thank you, he is a sweetie. They are ring necked parakeets. People buy them as pets and some have escaped, possibly in pairs, and also probably been abandoned over the years and have formed successful feral flicks. I have heard that in the 70s and 80s fear of parrot lung disease, psitticosis, caused people to abandon birds unfortunately. These fairly large sized parakeets managed to adapt and are thriving in London and probably other areas by now too.

 

[Socks Mum]

Flicks should be flocks

 

[Socks Mum]

Parrots and parakeets are noisy, often bite and can be quite a lot of work. They need homes that are smoke, paint and Teflon free, no perfume, air freshners and so on. Not easy to keep. If they are unhappy they sometimes pull their feathers out.

 

[elusive]

That does sound like a nice interaction & it sounds like Socks thoroughly enjoyed his greens & sprouts.

There are parakeets in Surrey too, my aunt has had them in her garden for years now, I think they’ve spread out quite a bit from London now.

 

[Socks Mum]

That does sound like a nice interaction & it sounds like Socks thoroughly enjoyed his greens & sprouts.

There are parakeets in Surrey too, my aunt has had them in her garden for years now, I think they’ve spread out quite a bit from London now.

Thank you! He's a good boy, is Socks
Interesting to hear that parakeets have been in Surrey for a long time.

 

[Maz]

Goodness I didn't know there were flocks of parrots on the loose. I'd have thought animal welfare charities would have tracked them down and taken them in.

 

[Socks Mum]

Goodness I didn't know there were flocks of parrots on the loose. I'd have thought animal welfare charities would have tracked them down and taken them in.

Some species of feral parakeets have a running battle at times unfortunately. I think the ring necks are probably OK as they nest in single pairs in old woodpecker holes and such, but communal nesting parakeets can be more of a problem and are sometimes killed, which is sad. The ring necks don't seem to do much harm, although they might possibly be competing for some kinds of food with native birds, but no one is really sure, and killing them in the middle of urban areas would be difficult, messy, nasty and public. They have their admirers. I have seen them going in and out of ventilation under rooves and I suppose some householders have their nests, and possibly the birds themselves, destroyed. I doubt if they have much legal protection.

 

[Socks Mum]

Some species of feral parakeets have a running battle at times unfortunately. I think the ring necks are probably OK as they nest in single pairs in old woodpecker holes and such, but communal nesting parakeets can be more of a problem and are sometimes killed, which is sad. The ring necks don't seem to do much harm, although they might possibly be competing for some kinds of food with native birds, but no one is really sure, and killing them in the middle of urban areas would be difficult, messy, nasty and public. They have their admirers. I have seen them going in and out of ventilation under rooves and I suppose some householders have their nests, and possibly the birds themselves, destroyed. I doubt if they have much legal protection.

I think they are happy, the ones that have adapted and survived. The ones I see here are all in couples, it's very sweet. One will sit in a tree and keep watch while others feed. I think the females have less of a ring. The pairs hang out together within their group of parakeets.