New syrian wont sleep in house

PicoloChelsea · 01-14-2016, 10:59 AM

Hey,

So I have 5 hammies now and never experienced this, my new Syrian Fofa won't go in her house, at all. I could tell the bedding hadn't been moved at all and she's had it there since Sunday when she came home. so I tried putting it in her other cage where she likes to sleep and she didn't like it so I returned it back to normal. I have placed bedding where she likes to sleep so she can keep warm, is this just a thing? I'm not sure it is the same house as my other Syrian has who is bigger and is good size for her and she has extra space so it's not small for her. Should I be worried ? She is very good, takes treats from me already has been sitting in my hand to eat whilst doing some taming in the bath tub. I'm just not sure why she won't go inside ?

Stay safe x

Pebbles82 · 01-14-2016, 01:14 PM

Hams are funny about houses sometimes and where they build their nest. Our hamster wouldn't use the house I got him, so I got him a bigger one and put a tunnel over the door - he went straight down the tunnel and built a new nest! So you could maybe try a bigger house and/or putting a bendy bridge tunnel over the door. (Makes it nice and dark inside plus it's a tunnel and they like going down tunnels.

As it's winter, it might be that she wants a bigger house to fit a bigger nest in, to keep warm. You can make a hide/house out of an upturned shoe box with a door cut out - or guinea pig sized houses are good for Syrians too.

xbuttons94 · 01-14-2016, 02:52 PM

Lexi won't sleep in her house if I make her nest in it. I have to leave it in the cage and she makes it herself. If I make her nest she will move it behind her wheel. She might be a little fussy is all

Amys_Mum · 01-14-2016, 04:18 PM

Has she come from a pet shop? Maybe she's not used to sleeping in a house, so has simply made her nest where you left the bedding?

Or has the cage/house been used with a hamster previously? I'm wondering if there is a smell that she doesn't like.

If you've only had her a few days, I'd be inclined to leave her where she has settled for now. Give her plenty of tissue so she can make a lovely cosy nest and snuggle down, especially as it's turning colder now (assuming you're in the UK!). Has she made it under the plastic shelf? Harvey did that - I'm not sure what happened but one morning I found the plastic house in two bits and she'd set up home under the shelf and refused to move back into the house - I tried twice to move the bedding back in but by morning she'd relocated again so I gave up. I put a bendy bridge over the top to give her a bit of darkness/privacy but she was so well snuggled down, you couldn't tell she was in there anyway!

Pebbles82 · 01-14-2016, 04:21 PM

You could also pop a house over the top of her nest! If you have something big enough to cover the nest.

PicoloChelsea · 01-14-2016, 04:32 PM

I tried with having it in the house then I left it just near it but she still set up camp right next to the door but refused to go in even to get more nesting material, so I just put more in for her to keep warm, it's almost like she doesn't understand that it is a house kinda thing.

Stay safe x

PicoloChelsea · 01-14-2016, 04:36 PM

I put the bedding inside the house but she took what was poking out and made her nest opposite it, so I tried to put the house where she set up her nest, left the bedding exactly how she had it as its an open bottom and its big, but she just again took what was poking out and set up opposite the entrance, so I just put it back in the other cage with some extra bedding and left her bedding as it were, it's brand new and cleaned with hamster safe cleaner but so is everything else in her cages. Yeah it is under the platform, she seems happy enough but I am worried about her getting cold, so ive just put extra extra bedding and theres also still a bed in one of the cages aswell, as a bendy bridge that is in shape to be used as a hidey aswell. Poor thing, I don't think she gets the concept of the opening is to go in haha.

Stay safe x

PicoloChelsea · 01-14-2016, 04:42 PM

I have a house exactly the size of what she made but she made it opposite it haha, I tried placing it over the bedding whilst not interrupting the way she had laid it out, but she then set up right next to it haha, so I put the bed back where I first put it and put extra bedding in, there's about 3 spots for her to make camp that would be warm for her but also we work in the night, so when they are most active is when the house is colder, when we are in is when they are asleep and its warmer for them so I guess that's a bit better.

Stay safe x

PicoloChelsea · 01-14-2016, 04:43 PM

I checked on all of the hammies before i left ( as usual lol ) and she has completely submerged herself in bedding so atleast I know she is covered up well.

Stay safe x

Amys_Mum · 01-16-2016, 12:55 PM

She sounds like she's cosy, so I'd leave her be. We've had Harvey for 9 months now, she recently moved into the Barney cage and has been happy to live in the house in that, but she'd spent about 8 months prior to that with her nest under the plastic shelf, with the nest expanding as she got bigger.

Keep adding some torn up tissue, especially with the weather having really turned cold. If she's able to snuggle right down, then she'll be fine - having a house over the top isn't going to make that much difference to having a shelf over the top really!

Just had a thought ... is she using the house as a toilet?