Hi everyone, I have my first real “rescue” situation as of Saturday. Spotted a hamster for free on gumtree and the pics were... concerning. So less than 28 hours later he’s in a very hastily pulled together bin cage in my spare room.
I’m keeping him quarantined just in case, and to let him settle. He wasn’t with any other animals that I could tell and has no obvious health issues but better safe than sorry? Not sure how long is appropriate, about a week? Advice appreciated.
This is the cage he was in, it was smelly and the door was tied closed because he can open it (a woodlouse could open it) and the lady I got him from had had him a month and said she was scared of him so I doubt he’s seen any outside cage time. The
previous owner apparently had him a year in the same cage.
I don’t think he could get up into that weird ball contraption, he’s quite big and struggled with the other tubes, and it was stiff as heck anyway so v little exercise there too. There is a lovely big Trixie wheel in the post for him as I didn’t have a spare but I think maybe easing him into exercise might not be a bad idea anyway? He’s a slow mover.
Usual getting-used-to routine is in progress, he put his feet on my hands to have a sniff at dinner but still flinches a bit at The Hand. He’s getting little bits of fresh veg, not full portions but the same as the others, and some dried apple bits and he’s being transitioned off Wagg onto Harry Hamster. Anyway, is there anything I’m missing about a ham that’s been confined his whole life or should I just treat him like a normal baby ham but a bit grumpier? He has a very grumpy little face
We’re calling him Goose. His name was Missy because both previous owners were blind as bats (not the most impressive set I’ve seen on a hamboy but still very much present and accounted for!)