Syrian Bar Biting on cage

You are so caring and it is clear you love Jasper very much. I find my hamster really enjoys the cardboard boredom breakers and they keep him busy. :)
 
I think it surprises them a bit when the cardboard appears but it also distracts them chewing it. If it keeps him happy chewing cardboard .....:-) Sometimes they just move on to a different section of the bars then you have to add more cardboard. Cereal packets come in very handy for cutting up to thread through bars I think.
 
Hello Hank and Jasper. Welcome to the forum. I've just been catching up on your thread. You've joined a great forum here. Everyone is friendly and helpful. 🙂🐹
 
Zara said:
Lots of great advice above. You mention that Jasper has a large wooden house sat on the substrate, that he had previously been sleeping in. Did you remove any of his food hoard from here when cleaning? I removed just a little from my hamsters nest (he has an open bottomed shoebox) and he moved out almost the next day I’m guessing because I’d disturbed his home. I started hiding little treats in it, to entice him back and he did move back eventually, but it took around 3 weeks.

Our male Syrian lives in the Savic hamster heaven. I also had to remove the tubes as he was sleeping in them and using them as his toilet. I think ideally he could do with something bigger but once I managed to set it up with some different levels he seemed happy and I didn’t want to disturb him with a move. If I’d found the forum first I’d have brought a different cage too.

Definitely worth checking out other forum member set ups on the “show us your cages“ thread and keep doing some scatter feeding which keeps them occupied and encourages their natural forage instincts. Maybe in the mean time weave some cardboard between the bars where he tends to bite most frequently. Look forward to hearing more about Jasper as he settles in 😀
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Thanks for the suggestions. I've found some stoppers for the tubes, just wondering how secure they are, have you had any problems with them?
 
I use the stoppers that come with the cage & they are secure, never had a problem with them but I haven’t had a Syrian in the cage so can’t say if they could move them or not.
 
Hi all,
Do you have a recommendation of good sites for accessories, I.e. shelves, houses. I am looking at the tank style as well, but aware that I need to get a lot to go in it
 
Amazon sell basics - potty litter trays, some toys, tubes etc. I like rodipet too but they're not cheap and the postage is extra. I like their cork logs as they're the right size to fit in a hamster cage (the ones from reptile places are often huge and not very good shape or quality). I also use their multiroom houses - but there are a lot more options these days with multiroom houses.

I think it depends what cage it's going to be for - some things fit in one style of cage better than another.

How is the little hamster doing anyway? :-)
 
Jasper seems okay, but still chewing. Got some more things for the play pen today, to try to entertain him a little more when he is out. The tubes are coming out, so I really hope it doesn't cause more stress. Thank you for asking
 
He may be miffed or have a hissy fit fit a day but he’ll make a new nest and then his routine will change and he’ll settle.
 
Hi Hank, our Hamster had been living in the tubes for nearly 3 months when I removed them. I was advised to remove them also and it did make sense to me as we were struggling to do any taming as we could never reach him and he was using them as a toilet too, but I was completely new to hamsters and was so scared I kept putting it off.

Initially, I got a shoebox that I was hoping he would make his nest in and I used this every night in the playpen for at least a week and he would go in and out pushing it around, which was funny and generally leaving his scent on it. A week before I took the tubes away, I popped the shoebox in a corner of his cage full of bedding and with a tasty treat inside and watched him for a few more days. He was still sleeping in his tubes but would always visit the shoebox each evening and then when I felt brave earlyish one eve, I popped him in the playpen and removed the tubes.

I’ll be completely honest and say he was quite put out when he first went back in as he was obviously looking for the place he new as home to hide out in and kept looking around for the entrance to the tubes, but I also felt it was for the greater good and that I’d tried my best by giving him a new place to hide out in that he’d kinda got used to in advance. He moved into the shoebox almost immediately and it’s become his permanent nest.

Whatever you do, it will always be because you are doing the very best for your pet. Look forward to hearing how it goes, I’m sure Jasper will settle in quickly to the change as he’s only young and you’ve lots of new enrichment in there for him and he’ll make a new nest in one of the cosy hides 🙂
 
Zara said:
Hi Hank, our Hamster had been living in the tubes for nearly 3 months when I removed them. I was advised to remove them also and it did make sense to me as we were struggling to do any taming as we could never reach him and he was using them as a toilet too, but I was completely new to hamsters and was so scared I kept putting it off.

Initially, I got a shoebox that I was hoping he would make his nest in and I used this every night in the playpen for at least a week and he would go in and out pushing it around, which was funny and generally leaving his scent on it. A week before I took the tubes away, I popped the shoebox in a corner of his cage full of bedding and with a tasty treat inside and watched him for a few more days. He was still sleeping in his tubes but would always visit the shoebox each evening and then when I felt brave earlyish one eve, I popped him in the playpen and removed the tubes.

I’ll be completely honest and say he was quite put out when he first went back in as he was obviously looking for the place he new as home to hide out in and kept looking around for the entrance to the tubes, but I also felt it was for the greater good and that I’d tried my best by giving him a new place to hide out in that he’d kinda got used to in advance. He moved into the shoebox almost immediately and it’s become his permanent nest.

Whatever you do, it will always be because you are doing the very best for your pet. Look forward to hearing how it goes, I’m sure Jasper will settle in quickly to the change as he’s only young and you’ve lots of new enrichment in there for him and he’ll make a new nest in one of the cosy hides 🙂
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Thank you so much for this reply. We've taken them out and he keeps going back to where the tunnels were with his pouches full. I hope he picks somewhere soon
 
Did you decide on which cage you are going to buy?
 
Hank said:
Thank you so much for this reply. We've taken them out and he keeps going back to where the tunnels were with his pouches full. I hope he picks somewhere soon
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That could take a day or two until he works out a new routine. I had to change a few things in our Syrian's cage to fit his new house in, which meant moving a rat tube tied to the bars at the back of the cage, which he used a lot. And Tying it to the roof instead, He got used to the new arrangement within a day but for about a week he would occasionally go to the spot where the old tube was as if looking for it.

In some ways they are no different to us in this respect. I used to keep bumping into the sofa on the way to feed the hamsters, after we moved the room around! Because it didn't used to be there on my feeding route between the kitchen and hamster cages!
 
RainbowBrite said:
Did you decide on which cage you are going to buy?
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I'm really torn about which cage, I do like the Plaza, but I'm quite drawn to the tank style. Both have good benefits. Part of me is thinking that the plaza will a least be similar, but then the bars will still be there. I just need to make the decision really.
 
Which tank style were you thinking of? Choices can be difficult! I personally like the Plaza for the big front opening door. But it is quite a bit taller than the HH so set up needs to be careful to avoid fall risks. That is usually got round by having plenty of substrate in but it can mean needing to buy extra things or extra shelves as it doesn't come with a lot. It does have that big green shelf but with that and the ladder it restricts what you can fit in.
 
Hank said:
Thank you so much for this reply. We've taken them out and he keeps going back to where the tunnels were with his pouches full. I hope he picks somewhere soon
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Maybe for a day or two pop something he really likes to eat into one of his larger hides where you’d like him to nest and he may just settle in there. When it’s all quiet tonight he’ll no doubt hamster around and decide on a new place to sleep. Perhaps also tear up some toilet paper into strips and leave them near an entrance to one of the hides as this may help his decision to move into one as a new nest.
 
There doesn't seem to be a lot of choice for the tank style, I was looking at the maxi Duna and Bucatstate, but I can find the larger version anywhere. I think I would prefer the plaza, but after yesterday's chewing, I think he would be better in the tank style. Just need to ensure there is enough climbing available
 
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