[Cyanic]

Hi Souffle, than you for replying.

Well, last night my partner and I decided to move his cage upstairs with us so we could listen out for him and see if he was remaining within his nest during the night. Within thirty odd minutes of us settling into bed and with the TV on playing gently in the background, we heard a little scuttle and low and behold Hershey came out of his nest and explored his cage. This was around 1030 pm and the first time he truly has done that. I'm normally up around that time of an evening anyway downstairs, but he has never come out like he did last night.

He went onto his wheel, he dug and scurried around, but he didn't empty his food bowl. We heard him eating, but the majority of his food is still there. I moved myself to sit by his cage and he actually came up to the bars, ears perked forward to see whats what. I don't know what happened or what changed last night other than the rooms environment, but this was a complete different behaviour since having him. It was lovely and incredibly reassuring to see him act like he was, and I am hoping he repeats this again this evening.

I'm however debating with myself whether the room I currently house him in is suitable temperature wise. Our house is naturally cooler than most due to it's position and the materials used but I have had the heating on in that room to keep it to a comfortable temperature. Our bedroom is right above it so it's naturally warmer so could this be playing apart in why he has been hiding away?

In terms of his hideout, it has a bottom secured to it but I do have another that is bottom-less that I could swap him into later tonight. I'll check over his bedding too as he still doesn't appear to be toileting anywhere else at the moment as their are no visible signs of this.

I do not have any of the tubes attached to the HH as I've had a bad experience with hamster tubes in the past. I've blocked the tube holes with those plastic latches (I cant remember what they are called).

Although I am incredibly happy to have seen him moving around last night, I do want to ensure that he is healthy before I move forward with anything else. Last night was truly the first night I've seen him so active so it's relieved me quite a bit, but I will swap out his hideout and check his bedding to see exactly whats going on in there as if he isn't going to the toilet or eating enough, then there could be something going on.