We're making 2026 The Year Of Laundry Hamper!

[aFunnyThingHappened]

Oops, sorry all, didn't see your well-wishes from before! I'm okay, I just have a lot of chronic stuff going on

 

[Maz]

Aw I can just imagine. So sorry you’re having health issues. Take it steady.

 

[Socks' Mum]

Cute little stand off for peanuts. Well, you can't have all his stuff for free, you have to pay

 

[aFunnyThingHappened]

So last night the adjacent counties to my city went under tornado warnings so I put Laundry in his carrier as a precaution (took about two minutes for my hands to chase the squirmy wormy around his enclosure). He was more or less chill in the carrier, he once again fell asleep (looking like a carcass as per usual lol), but when the storm passed and I put him back in his enclosure he was huffy and immediately began burrowing down in the opposite corner of his usual sleeping spot. He never burrows, so I was a little alarmed i stressed him out, but he came out a few hours later and is now carcassing in his normal spot behind his wheel

 

[Socks' Mum]

So last night the adjacent counties to my city went under tornado warnings so I put Laundry in his carrier as a precaution (took about two minutes for my hands to chase the squirmy wormy around his enclosure). He was more or less chill in the carrier, he once again fell asleep (looking like a carcass as per usual lol), but when the storm passed and I put him back in his enclosure he was huffy and immediately began burrowing down in the opposite corner of his usual sleeping spot. He never burrows, so I was a little alarmed i stressed him out, but he came out a few hours later and is now carcassing in his normal spot behind his wheel

Sweet I'm glad everything is OK now and the tornado is gone

 

[aFunnyThingHappened]

So I'll admit last night I got a little worried since he didn't come out of his sleeping spot all day and didn't rouse himself at feeding time, so I poked his little head (he will let me pet his back but hates having his head touched) which made him do a jolt and a grumpy hand push, but he accepted his snacky treat as compensation

 

[Maz]

That must have been really worrying, the tornado warnings. He is probably just a bit out of sorts now, having been in the pet carrier and out of his enclosure. So maybe just give him a few days on his own to adjust again Put a few special treats out in different places for the next few days perhaps, so he finds them and that might help distract him out of it as well.

 

[aFunnyThingHappened]

[Photo of the corner of a hampster enclosure , showing nothing but bedding]

And here we do NOT see the elusive Laundry Hamper, for he has once again thrown a temper tantrum upon having his stinky sand pit cleaned out and has buried himself deep down in protest

 

[Maz]

Aw I bet he is all snug and cosy and comforting himself

 

[aFunnyThingHappened]

Aw I bet he is all snug and cosy and comforting himself

I don't know why he tantrums when I clean the sand. Little Buddy, that can't be pleasant to breathe in

 

[Maz]

Some hamsters just don't like a hand in their cage at all Does he have out of cage time? If so you could do his sand when he's out of the cage next time so he doesn't see you do it Obviously he'd need to be in a secure area like a playpen and you be either close enough to keep an eye on him or someone else keep an eye on him.

 

[aFunnyThingHappened]

Another tornado warning, this one legit for us. Laundry Hamper was NOT having it last night, big guy kept actually pushing my hand away as I tried to grab him, managed after a good two minutes while my phone siren was going off.

Also apparently word got around my complex I got a hamster, down in the basement one of my neighbors gasped in delight and said "Is this the hamster??"

 

[Socks' Mum]

I'm glad you got him. It's great that your neighbours love hamsters too Yes, the noise of the siren probably spooked him. I hope everything is OK and the tornadoes don't come your way

 

[Maz]

Lots of tasty treats and a bit of cucumber in his pet carrier might help distract him I also put a fleece blanket over the pet carrier so it's dark inside for them and they seem to settle better and it helps block noise and distractions a bit - but keep an eye on it too as Higgins managed to chew the blanket through the holes in the pet carrier! Which is why I prefer a fleece blanket to a towel. Less risky than cotton.

 

[aFunnyThingHappened]

Lots of tasty treats and a bit of cucumber in his pet carrier might help distract him I also put a fleece blanket over the pet carrier so it's dark inside for them and they seem to settle better and it helps block noise and distractions a bit - but keep an eye on it too as Higgins managed to chew the blanket through the holes in the pet carrier! Which is why I prefer a fleece blanket to a towel. Less risky than cotton.

Unfortunately me, Laundry, and the rest of my country are on a fresh produce fast because of a parasite outbreak of unknown origin. The two of us haven't had anything fresh in weeks, and I don't know if I should give him cooked produce. He gets roasted (unsalted) peanuts tho

 

[aFunnyThingHappened]

[Laundry half-extended from an oversized and overturned coffee mug, munching from his food dish as he does so]

He scooted his dish over to his mug overnight so he can be cozy as he stuffs his cheeks

 

[Socks' Mum]

Unfortunately me, Laundry, and the rest of my country are on a fresh produce fast because of a parasite outbreak of unknown origin. The two of us haven't had anything fresh in weeks, and I don't know if I should give him cooked produce. He gets roasted (unsalted) peanuts tho

You can feed him cooked frozen plain veggies if you want to. Peas and cooked and cooled squash are good

 

[aFunnyThingHappened]

You can feed him cooked frozen plain veggies if you want to. Peas and cooked and cooled squash are good

Excellent, thank you!

 

[aFunnyThingHappened]

[Laundry Hamper curled up half asleep in a long burrow he's dug against the side acrylic wall of his enclosure]

Little Big Boy has been DIGGING. I'm relieved, I thought his reluctance to burrow except when annoyed with me meant he didn't like his enclosure

 

[Maz]

So cute Very impressive tunnel and burrow.