SnuggleHam
02-21-2007, 05:56 AM
I had this idea about connecting Muffin and Cupcakes ten gallon tanks together to offer each of them more cage enrichment and room. I also was playing with the idea of seeing how they would do back together living in the same environment. A few times I had set up a play area for them on the floor where I could place them together and watch them closely to see how they interacted. Most of the time they ignored each other, but once and a while one of the sisters would give chase to the other.
It occurred to me that I had only ever seen them box, I have no account of them actually biting each other. I'm sure some amount of occasional squabbling is normal. I felt I should give them another chance and see how things go.
I figured that perhaps changing their bedding and linking both cages together and offering a fun environment to explore would be a good starting place. So thats what I did. Here is a picture of how I fixed the cage up for them both.
Tubes connect each. On each side there is a wheel, water and food. I thought that if ever one was being grumpy the other would have lots of places to go. The cage on the right has a very big shallow dish (from a robo's perspective) filled with sand. The other side has a fun two story house to play in. I tried to mix things up a bit.
http://www.hamstercentral.com/images/myhammies/roboextendedcage.jpg
At first they kind of stayed apart and ran away from each other when they came nose to nose. I was nervous about keeping them together all night, but they sleep all day! I wanted them to have a chance to try the new living arrangements together.
As soon as I woke up I went to check on them. Eventually, to my great surprise I found them both sleeping together in a cozy nest under a tissue box I cut in half for them! I didn't expect this much progress so fast! here is Muffin poking her head out, probably thinking "hey who turned on the lights!?" I had to take the tissue box off them to get the pictures heh
http://www.hamstercentral.com/images/myhammies/robosisters01.jpg
Here they both are snuggling to keep nice and warm :)
http://www.hamstercentral.com/images/myhammies/robosisters02.jpg
And snuggling still! I really am astonished! I cant believe they were sleeping together, sharing a nest!
http://www.hamstercentral.com/images/myhammies/robosisters03.jpg
I will be checking on them regularly, to make sure they are getting along. But this time rather then being possibly a bit to paranoid I wont seperate them again unless I see physical evidence of extreme aggression.
Now if only I could toss Pichu in the mix! I fear he would impregnate them both! so he must live alone. :(
It occurred to me that I had only ever seen them box, I have no account of them actually biting each other. I'm sure some amount of occasional squabbling is normal. I felt I should give them another chance and see how things go.
I figured that perhaps changing their bedding and linking both cages together and offering a fun environment to explore would be a good starting place. So thats what I did. Here is a picture of how I fixed the cage up for them both.
Tubes connect each. On each side there is a wheel, water and food. I thought that if ever one was being grumpy the other would have lots of places to go. The cage on the right has a very big shallow dish (from a robo's perspective) filled with sand. The other side has a fun two story house to play in. I tried to mix things up a bit.
http://www.hamstercentral.com/images/myhammies/roboextendedcage.jpg
At first they kind of stayed apart and ran away from each other when they came nose to nose. I was nervous about keeping them together all night, but they sleep all day! I wanted them to have a chance to try the new living arrangements together.
As soon as I woke up I went to check on them. Eventually, to my great surprise I found them both sleeping together in a cozy nest under a tissue box I cut in half for them! I didn't expect this much progress so fast! here is Muffin poking her head out, probably thinking "hey who turned on the lights!?" I had to take the tissue box off them to get the pictures heh
http://www.hamstercentral.com/images/myhammies/robosisters01.jpg
Here they both are snuggling to keep nice and warm :)
http://www.hamstercentral.com/images/myhammies/robosisters02.jpg
And snuggling still! I really am astonished! I cant believe they were sleeping together, sharing a nest!
http://www.hamstercentral.com/images/myhammies/robosisters03.jpg
I will be checking on them regularly, to make sure they are getting along. But this time rather then being possibly a bit to paranoid I wont seperate them again unless I see physical evidence of extreme aggression.
Now if only I could toss Pichu in the mix! I fear he would impregnate them both! so he must live alone. :(