Playpens

Chiela · 09-24-2015, 04:04 AM

Yesterday I put Poro in a metal bars playpen.
That didn't quit go as I expected

Poro is the reason I fell in love with hamsters, I honestly didn't get this hamster obsession before as I were into guinea pigs. But Poro really melted my little hamster heart .p she has the best temper in the world, she always want to talk, even if you wake her up. If she hears you she will come and check if you are coming to get her or with a treat and so on.

So yesterday I thought I would spoil her with a little time in the playpen.
I put some of her things in there and some treats. But Poro didn't want to stay there at all. She was acting like she was in panic, trying to find a way out of there, biting the bars, moving really fast. I picked her up to calm her, and then put her down again but the same result, so I toke her and put her back in her cage. Here it even toke a couple of minutes before she relaxed.

Can it be she really don't like the playpen? that she gets scared in there?
I was so surprised to see her reaction.
Cypher I remember you telling something about yours not liking boxes, but metal bars playpens was okay/fun, right?
Have you seen this before, a hamster not liking to be in one?

Anyone else having any experience with this, please share

Bertiebobbins · 09-24-2015, 04:12 AM

I always thing slowly slowly with with these things. I think they'll always be wary of a new space and starting little by little is the way to go. Is she a Syrian? If she is I think you will fin she manages to climb of of it pretty quickly, at which point it's useless!

I made a big playpen for Bertie out of cardboard boxes and he spent his whole time trying to climb or jump out. Bertie hated playing in the bathtub, so did Nibble. For Nibble I have ascertained that my hallway is hamster proof with the aid of a few paperback books blocking off one gap under a door, and Nibble is enjoying using that space. I put different things out for his entertainment each time but he still spends much of his time trying to get at the front door to chew his way to freedom (more books will be deployed this evening!) But he's safe and secure and it gives him some freedom each day. The first time I let him run around there he got really overexcited and had to go back home quite quickly but a few sessions later and he's waiting for me to collect him for his playtime each evening.

Chiela · 09-24-2015, 04:18 AM

Bertiebobbins >>
Thank you for your reply.
Sorry I should have said, no she isn't a syrian, she's a winter white.
So you think she is rather getting overexcited than being scared?

Bertiebobbins · 09-24-2015, 04:28 AM

I'd try again a few times and see if she calms down. Nibble ran round like a lunatic his first time checking out all the possible escape routes, and now first thing he does is find a nice place for a through groom and a stretch, then explore some, then usually goes and scrabbles at the door to the room his cage is in when he's ready to go home.

Gemma_xo · 09-24-2015, 04:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bertiebobbins

I put different things out for his entertainment each time but he still spends much of his time trying to get at the front door to chew his way to freedom (more books will be deployed this evening!)

"More books will be deployed" made me giggle.

When I first got Pixie into her play pen she HATED it.
So here's the timeline that I did things to get her used to it - worked for me.

I started taming properly on a Monday, so on the Friday before, I put Pixie's ball in the cage and left it there for her to sniff and scent, did that until the Sunday and on the Monday I started the following->

Day 1: Start putting the ball into the cage for a few minutes, walk away, if I saw Pixie in it, would praise her.
Day 2: Put ball in with sunflower seeds in, let Pixie go in and sit in there to eat the treats- praised her for being in there
Day 3: Pixie sat in the ball of her own accord, I picked it up, then put it back down in the cage (get her used to the fact she will move in it)
Day 4: When Pixie got into the ball, I lifted her out, walked her around the front room for a few minutes, then put her back into the cage.
Day 5: Put Pixie in the ball in the play pen, no toys or anything, just her in the open ball in the play pen, she sniffed around, got back in the ball when she was ready to leave.
Day 6: Put Pixie in the play pen, with the ball but some of her cage toys so the smell was familiar
Day 7 - 10: Put Pixie in the play pen with cage and non cage toys, put the ball in the corner, she would go in not long after going round once or twice.
Day 10 - 15(ish): Introduced my hand into the playpen slowly, she would sniff and walk over, never stayed, gave her treats from my fingers, if she didn't take them after a minute I would take my hand away.
Day 17: Continue the above, put my hand flat in the play pen, she started to sit and stay, sometimes start trying to climb up, would lift her up and out slowly, increasing the distance each time
Day 18: (until present): Pixie goes into her playpen without the ball staying in there, climbs, and sits on my hands, she lets me pick her up, comes up to my nose (and face) for kisses and loves crawling around on me.

That was my plan on paper, things didn't go to plan on said days, but I just went at Pixie's pace and she's now never terrified of her play pen and loves her time in there.

Hope this helps

x

cypher · 09-24-2015, 05:50 AM

Some do seem to take longer to get used to the playpen than others, all of mine have been nervous to some extent to begin with.
I agree with the others that it's best to just take it slowly, a couple of minutes at a time to begin with then gradually build up.
My little Ziggy was really scared to begin with, so much so that I got him a nylon one thinking he might feel safer in there but he hated that even more so I went back to the metal one & persevered with that & it wasn't long before he was literally spending hours in there every day!
Flynt on the other hand has never got used to it & prefers a little out of cage time in a small spare cage, you never really can tell for sure you just have to go slow & let them guide you.
Have you tried scattering a couple of handfuls of substrate from the cage in the playpen so it smells familiar? I do find that helps.
Always put a wheel in if you can as they often use that to run off a bit of anxiety as it were if they're nervous at first.
A hideout or two is good as well so there's somewhere to feel safe.
Treats or just some food scattered around do help even though they may be a bit too nervous to be interested the first few times don't give up on that.
Give her a while yet, maybe just try it every other day at first if she's that scared but you do have to persevere & try to keep to some kind of routine if you can so they become used to it.
Good luck!

Chiela · 09-24-2015, 05:57 AM

Thank you both

Yes that really helps.
I will try and take it more slow, and Introduce the playpen for her several times (days). Hopefully she will learn that its a good place.

I'm glad that you both (from what I understand) say that she might learn to love it.
I will give it a go^^

Now we are talking about playpens....
Racinghamster >> what is your experience, when it come to robo's?
Do they like this? I am thinking it gives them a larger place to run (really fast)

Chiela · 09-24-2015, 06:04 AM

Thank you Cypher ^^
No I didn't try scattering a couple of handfuls of substrate from the cage in the playpen, I will try that
Yes she had her wheel in there ^^ and a couple of hideouts.
I hope Poro could learn to love this, as I believe she could, but lets see.
I will try the way you say, and we will see in time what Poro really thinks

Gemma_xo · 09-24-2015, 06:07 AM

I didn't think Pixie would like her play pen at all after the first time I tried to put her in the bath she had a total freak out, but she's over time learned that they're both safe, and fun.

So yes, I feel that in time your hamster will learn to love the play pen too

x

Piebald · 09-24-2015, 12:13 PM

I imagine that, until the hamster is able to mark his scent in the play pen, it is just a place that is not home. So I think scattering some used substrate is a good idea, and lots of holes and tubes to explore. Try putting a couple seeds in the tubes and hidey places for him to find. You could scatter a few more about as what a wild hamster is doing mostly on his evening forays is looking for food. Once he gets the idea there might be food IN the play pen he might be more interested. Not that he won't try to get out--it's in his nature to explore and he will try. I'm sure he will get used to it and enjoy play time.