Hamster Central - View Single Post - Suggested enrichment/boredom breakers for Syrian

Shannonmcn · 05-01-2019, 12:53 AM

Some hams (the ladies in particular) are just always looking for something to do. And even though 800sq inches is not "small" by any means there are some hams that are always going to want more space. If that's not possible then it's not possible so I think you're doing the right things already.

If she's bored of toilet roll tubes try egg boxes or any small cardboard box (do you still have easter egg boxes?) or google "DIY hamster puzzle" and there are ideas out there. You can also use sisal string to hang these from the roof to add another level of difficulty. You can give her whole nuts too so she has to work for a treat.

I do a mix of forage and puzzles most days for my syrian girl, she doesn't have a food bowl so if she doesn't work for it she doesn't get dinner. She knows exactly where I leave things by now so it's not real work but it keeps her busy for a bit. She shreds her own nesting material too, I leave the end of a toilet roll hanging from the roof so she can pull it through the mesh and shred it. I'm going to start taking "donations" of almost-finished toilet rolls from my partners house for this soon as well. You could also do a sandbath? I know you said she has a litter tray but both my syrians will sit in a big glass jar filled with sand and wash themselves or dig (and spray sand everywhere), they prefer it to any of the actual hides they have.

Does she get out-of-cage time?

05-01-2019, 12:53 AM
Shannonmcn PM Fluffy for custom title Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland Posts: 3,192	Re: Suggested enrichment/boredom breakers for Syrian Some hams (the ladies in particular) are just always looking for something to do. And even though 800sq inches is not "small" by any means there are some hams that are always going to want more space. If that's not possible then it's not possible so I think you're doing the right things already. If she's bored of toilet roll tubes try egg boxes or any small cardboard box (do you still have easter egg boxes?) or google "DIY hamster puzzle" and there are ideas out there. You can also use sisal string to hang these from the roof to add another level of difficulty. You can give her whole nuts too so she has to work for a treat. I do a mix of forage and puzzles most days for my syrian girl, she doesn't have a food bowl so if she doesn't work for it she doesn't get dinner. She knows exactly where I leave things by now so it's not real work but it keeps her busy for a bit. She shreds her own nesting material too, I leave the end of a toilet roll hanging from the roof so she can pull it through the mesh and shred it. I'm going to start taking "donations" of almost-finished toilet rolls from my partners house for this soon as well. You could also do a sandbath? I know you said she has a litter tray but both my syrians will sit in a big glass jar filled with sand and wash themselves or dig (and spray sand everywhere), they prefer it to any of the actual hides they have. Does she get out-of-cage time?