Socks: Mouseworks Dynamic Cardboard Redesign and Basic Tunneling

[Socks Mum]

Socks has a Happy Henry dual chamber hide along with his big wooden MCH. I rather like the compostable houses and Socks has taken to the one in his cage, so we'll keep that in. But he didn't use the dual chamber one much, so as you say, it will be very nice for the playpen. He is fond of his three way seagrass tunnel, but it won't fit in easily. It's a great play pen item acting as a junction between his other tunnels and a place to relax in. He has a small Boots shoe box he likes and a new carrot cottage. I might cut another door in the CC and put it amongst the play pen tunnels, or if it fits, into the cage.

 

[Socks Mum]

Progress so far.
Socks: Hello everyone, I've come out to pouch my veggies and to have a drink. Then back to bed in my compostable MCH.
Mom: I've rinsed and aired Socks new bottle and will start using it tomorrow. It smelled a bit plasticky, but is fine now. At the weekend I'll put Socks' wood MCH in and see how it fits

 

[Maz]

It's looking very nice Does he seem ok? Is that the two room house in there at the moment then? I'm sure the multichamber hide will fit sideways on at one end, but probably not the wood house at the front as well.

 

[Socks Mum]

Thank you! Yes, Socks came out and knew where to find his water bottle. After having a drink, he located his veggies bowl and sorted out pouching veg. He left behind a walnut and a piece of bell pepper The two room house is in the cage. The big MCH is a good thing to have, but yes, I think the 2 room hide will be too much. The latch on the door is nice. It needs to be checked to make sure it's gone right in to the bracket though. Small children could perhaps leave it unlocked by mistake. But for me, it is a nice lock.

 

[Socks Mum]

Socks seems to be fine. The perspex should help alot to prevent monkey barring and bar biting, two of the main reasons people complain about their hammy friends and should help to prevent hamsters from ending up in rescues Socks is less prone to climbing and biting the bars now. The deep bedding helps alot too.

 

[Maz]

It is a lovely lookimg cage and quite spacious I think he will want his multichamber hide, yes

 

[Socks Mum]

The bowl is nice looking. Socks dug through it with his fore paws, rather cute. At first, I fed him some grains from his muesli by hand and then he got to work pouching the rest. I think he was a bit confused by a new bowl in a different shape. He likes to cling into his bowl and sit in it to do his pouching, so I have given him his old shallow bowl back. The Omlet bowl is very good as an extra water bowl, being unspillable and shallow, so I'll use it for that along with his bottle, when I'm out.

 

[Socks Mum]

The bowl is nice looking. Socks dug through it with his fore paws, rather cute. At first, I fed him some grains from his muesli by hand and then he got to work pouching the rest. I think he was a bit confused by a new bowl in a different shape. He likes to cling into his bowl and sit in it to do his pouching, so I have given him his old shallow bowl back. The Omlet bowl is very good as an extra water bowl, being unspillable and shallow, so I'll use it for that along with his bottle, when I'm out.

Cling should be climb

 

[Maz]

I must admit I was imagining Socks clinging onto the side of the bowl ha ha. Climbing makes sense now.

 

[Socks Mum]

Subterranean goings on

 

[Maz]

Looks like Socks is digging a tunnel

 

[Socks Mum]

Yes, I took out two bendy bridges after he had pouched and retired. They were stopping him from digging bedding away from the front door of his card house. Then the bedding started to move Perhaps he was moving his hoard to a different location where Mom wouldn't find it

 

[Socks Mum]

Socks: Mom had the bank card out just now. I wonder what is in the way to Socks' Cage
Mom: I wonder if Socks would enjoy a tunnel on his cage. For safety I can close the tunnel when I'm out.

 

[Maz]

Do you mean attaching one to the outside?

 

[Socks Mum]

Hi Jill by

Do you mean attaching one to the outside?

Yes, overhead, with a platform and ramp in the cage. I'll need to monitor his use to make sure it's safe.

 

[Maz]

I can't quite imagine So not like a roof run inside the cage? Do you mean the Omlet extension tubes that attach to the cage? They're a bit narrow in the middle. Especially if it went round a bend. I've always liked the idea of being able to add an external tube leading into a playpen so the hamster could get in and out of the cage and playpen when they want - with someone there obviously. But for Syrians, most connecting tubes are too narrow. Unless you could adapt a larger tube to fit maybe?

 

[Socks Mum]

Hmm, I will have to let Socks try out the tunnel and see if he struggles with it. I don't want him to get hurt. The platforms and ramps may be all we need to allow him a bit more exercise while I am sleeping

 

[Socks Mum]

Hmm, I will have to let Socks try out the tunnel and see if he struggles with it. I don't want him to get hurt. The platforms and ramps may be all we need to allow him a bit more exercise while I am sleeping

I could keep the tunnel for use in the playpen.

 

[Maz]

It's annoying about those Omlet Tunnels. They say they are 6.7cm wide at the ends - but they are only 5.3cm wide in the middle. Which is too narrow for a Syrian. The 6.7cm would be ok if it was also 6.7cm all the way along. It might be ok, depending on Socks size. The main issue is they can get stuck in tunnels - especially the ones that go round corners. If they have full cheek pouches, a hamster can be 7cm wide! So most tunnels for Syrians need to be rat sized tunnels. About 7cm wide. I think even the hamster heaven tubes are 6cm wide and they're a bit narrow.

 

[Socks Mum]

It's annoying about those Omlet Tunnels. They say they are 6.7cm wide at the ends - but they are only 5.3cm wide in the middle. Which is too narrow for a Syrian. The 6.7cm would be ok if it was also 6.7cm all the way along. It might be ok, depending on Socks size. The main issue is they can get stuck in tunnels - especially the ones that go round corners. If they have full cheek pouches, a hamster can be 7cm wide! So most tunnels for Syrians need to be rat sized tunnels. About 7cm wide. I think even the hamster heaven tubes are 6cm wide and they're a bit narrow.

Hmm, not much good then. The straight bits would be OK in the playpen as long as there's no pouching involved. I will look for a rat tunnel to go from platform to platform. That should be safer.