Socks: Mouseworks Dynamic Cardboard Redesign and Basic Tunneling

Socks Mum said:
Hamsters are smart! Apparently dogs can't rotate a stick to get it through a doorway, but hamsters will put it down, adjust his or her hold and pull and push the stick through the door! Rodents can be quite smart animals.
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Very true. I have seen my hamster manage to get dandelion root in a hide. :)
 
They can be very intelligent in some ways and very stupid in others! I think they have a kind of emotional intelligence. And most have a degree of caution. About heights - but not all!
 
Hmm, I'm tempted but when I see him running around his 120cm playpen I think it's worth investing in a Savic 120. It should save a trip to the vet for his teeth at least. I've got Exotic Direct starting in 14 days but dental issues don't get full coverage. Socks would like bigger cellar and to be able to do more tunnelling. I cleaned his cage today and left him sleeping on his nest in a box. Then I couldn't find him, oh dear! But of course, he had gone off to his beloved Quaker Oats box, which now felt a bit heavier and curiously warm. I was very relieved when I saw his little nose poking out of the toilet paper in the cereal box!
 
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When I had my first hamster I considered registering him with Exotic Direct but experienced hamster people advised against and said it would be better to have a vet fund. I remember they do not cover dentals so did not see the point.

If you cannot get the Savic 120 then there are tanks that have the same measurement. Jungle Pets do one and I have seen quite a few on Etsy now. I found one recently and put the link on the forum.
 
RainbowBrite said:
When I had my first hamster I considered registering him with Exotic Direct but experienced hamster people advised against and said it would be better to have a vet fund. I remember they do not cover dentals so did not see the point.

If you cannot get the Savic 120 then there are tanks that have the same measurement. Jungle Pets do one and I have seen quite a few on Etsy now. I found one recently and put the link on the forum.
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Thanks, I'll have a look. What did people say about cover? I believe it is quite controversial.
 
Socks Mum said:
Thanks, I'll have a look. What did people say about cover? I believe it is quite controversial.
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They just told me it was a waste of money and best to just have a vet fund. My first hamster never needed a vet which was very lucky. I also checked with my vet and was told I would have to pay anyway and then claim from the insurance. It just did not seem worth it to me.
 
I looked into vet insurance - can't remember why I decided against it but I think there were quite a few exclusions. With all my hamsters, they have never needed to see a vet until old age. And then maybe needed the cost of a vet visit and some meds (maybe £50). A "final" visit for pts is quite a low fee usually. I have had to have surgery done before on one hamster and that cost about £250. It was partly due to the cost of surgery that I looked into vet plans but I'm not sure everything was covered. Male Syrians tend to be healthy throughout life and any "lumps" etc tend not to appear until old age, when they are too old for surgery usually. So putting the £15 a month away into a vet fund is probably a better option.

I looked into a few and there was only one that I thought was any good. I'll check and see which one it was, but like all things, there is small print!
 
Can't find it sorry. But I seem to remember that while it covered "vet fees" it may not have covered anaesthetic or medicines. If a plan had good coverage it might be worth it for a female Syrian as they can get pyometra and need quite a bit of treatment, or even a hysterectomy, for that, at a younger age.
 
It is a minefield. It's £15 something a month for ten months and then you have the option of renewing, but the insurer can review your fees, and what they exclude, as by then your hamster is older. As you say, sadly, hamsters age faster than many other pets that we are familiar with, although they are just as nice (if you put in the work of course). Also the new contract might not take on issues that precede it.
 
Just went through the quote process with Exotic Direct. I think it was the £65 excess that put me off! Apart from surgery, most bills would be less than £65. I've read through the terms and conditions. So treatment for torpor might not be covered (animals who aren't supposed to hibernate), nail or tooth clipping isn't covered. Only 50% of necessary dental treatment is covered. Illness related to pregnancy or breeding isn't covered.

On the other hand, the cost of any x rays or scans that might be needed is included and that can get expensive. So it could be worth it for peace of mind or in case surgery or investigations are needed. Bearing in mind general vet checks aren't covered and anything costing less than £65 isn't covered. So it's really only for expensive things like surgery, scans and x rays.

There is another element to that though. I'm aware of someone who had all the investigations and treatments available (scans, x rays, biopsies etc) and hamsters are creatures who suffer a lot from stress. So there's always that balance weighing up how much treatment is actually beneficial for them in the long term.
 
Socks Mum said:
It is a minefield. It's £15 something a month for ten months and then you have the option of renewing, but the insurer can review your fees, and what they exclude, as by then your hamster is older. As you say, sadly, hamsters age faster than many other pets that we are familiar with, although they are just as nice (if you put in the work of course). Also the new contract might not take on issues that precede it.
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I didn't realise that. So when you renew they wouldn't cover any pre-existing conditions? As it stands I could take one out now for Raffy, who is nearly two, as he has no pre existing conditions. Although didn't go through with the process so it's possible the application might have been rejected based on his age.
 
Ultimately it's personal choice though as it could be helpful for high unexpected costs in the future. I think I decided against it as I have never needed vet treatment until older age and any checks and meds appointments would have needed to be paid for in addition (as less than £65). But for someone living in London, vet fees might be a lot higher and that could still be worth it.
 
It does make you think. Sorry, Socks is grabbing food through the bars like a he's having a hypo😀. Some of his cellar stash was weeded today and he's stocking up. Yes, £2000 sounds like a lot, but most of the expenses are around the excess.
 
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It is okay to leave Socks hoard if there is not any mould on it. I have never removed my hamsters hoard.😊
 
Socks Mum said:
It does make you think. Sorry, Socks is grabbing food through the bars like a he's having a hypo😀. Some of his cellar stash was weeded today and he's stocking up. Yes, £2000 sounds like a lot, but most of the expenses are around the excess.
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I think I'll keep the plan but will give it some more thought. It's really helpful to hear about other people's experiences!
 
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I tend to prune the hoard from underneath and remove the bottom half, when doing a substrate change or big spot clean (only about every 4 months or so).
 
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