[Emily Parp Parp]

Thank you all very much for all the advice guys, I really appreciate it. I can see I'm going to like it here, you all seem like a friendly lot.

I have included a few more pic's of Emily.

Originally Posted by freyashamsters

Unfortunately the soft 'n' safe bedding is deadly to hamsters and shouldn't be used. The long fibres can get wrapped round limbs and cut of circulation, and if it is digested (which most hamsters do with their bedding) it will cause life-threatening intestinal blockages

Thank you for the heads up on "soft 'N' safe" bedding, I have removed it. As well as plain toilet paper is it okay to use "Pets at Home's bedding recycled paper"? (basically thin strips of paper).

Originally Posted by cypher

I'd just add that salt/mineral licks aren't really necessary & aren't particularly good for them so she could do without that, your food is fine, you might want to find her a whimzee/antos dog chew (you can get them from P@H) to chew on, most hams love them & some won't chew wood blocks.

Thanks for the advice about the salt lick, it has now been removed. I'll also be getting some "Whimzee/Antos" dog chews.

Originally Posted by Coco61

Hi there and welcome to HC. The beautiful Emily is indeed a golden banded Syrian.
Please do take heed of the advice already given about the Kapok pods. Nice though they sound, they are a deadly risk and why take such a risk? Do use plain while toilet tissue. Put some up your arm for a couple of hours before tearing it into strips for her. Let Emily decide where to take it to make her nest. Hamsters love doing that. Then it will have your scent on it and she will get used to that too. Minimal cleaning for a couple of weeks or more while she makes her cage her home.

Thanks for confirming Emily's breed and the tip about leaving my scent on the toilet tissue. I have removed the Kapok pods.

Originally Posted by AmityvilleHams

Mineral chews of any sort are as mentioned unsuitable,as a proper diet is already giving enough minerals and vitamins so adding more isn't really necessary.

Instead of treat sticks,try offering fresh foods and seeds and grains instead as a lot of treat sticks do contain things like honey which aren't that great.Fresh foods,nuts,grains,seeds,and such also help to give extra vitamins and minerals by the way

Thanks for the tips, I've be been giving Emily a few tiny pieces of cucumber, carrot and melon as a supplement to her normal food, should that be okay? Would she be prone to diarrhoea if she ate too many watery vegetables or fruit?

Originally Posted by CMB

Welcome. Some hamster cages a suitable size. Zoo plus has large cages. The Alexander, Barney and Alaska cages of good for Syrian hamsters and wouldn't need mesh added. Syrians do need larger tubes, houses, wheels as they can grow large. All the best with your new hamster.

Thank you for the advice.

Originally Posted by AmityvilleHams

A good example of a 100 x 50 or larger indoor rabbit cage.Considerably cheaper than buying an 80 x 50 hamster cage,and probably still cheaper even when modified with mesh and zip ties for the bar spacing.Meshing isn't that difficult either though,so it isn't like having to mesh a cage would be the end of the world or anything

Indoor Square Cage Rabbit & Guinea Pig by Little Friends - Little Pet Warehouse This is another really nice rabbit/guinea pig cage in terms of sizing which could easily be modified as well.Considering the size and how similar in pricing it is to 80 x 50 and even 100 x 50 hamster spacing sized cages,and then the minor detail of having to mesh the cage,it might be even better to go for something like this!

Thanks allot.

Originally Posted by SKB_Hamsters

Hello and Welcome to the forum, your hamster Emily is adorable. Looking forward to hearing hearing more about her.
Your cage is a suitable size for a Syrian hamster, as long as there is plenty of erichment inside your cage to prevent boredom.
I also will agree that using toilet paper as nesting material is safer than kapok pods. Back 2 nature pellets are ok for cage substrate but are best when mixed with another substrate, I use Fitch bedding with back 2 nature pellets, which you can fill the cage base with so Emily can dig in the substrate, as hamsters love to dig (link for Fitch it come is a large bag but is such good value for money and last a while-Fitch Recycling - 10kg Single Bale Fitch Paper Bedding For Smaller Critters - Bedding - Rabbit,Guinea Pig & Hamster - Fitch Pet Store).
The best hamster chews are whimzees, which are dog chews, hamsters love chewing on them.
This forum is a great place to get hamster advice and we will be happy to offer you any advice that you may need.

Thank you for the advice on using the "Fitch bedding" as well as the "Back to Nature" pellets, would you suggest 50%/50% of each or have you found some other ratio more applicable?


Thank you all.