Little help required for a 1st time hammy parent

[Jennie F]

Hi everyone. I brought my little 8-9 week old girl, named Khaleesi, home on 31st Jan. The first few days I couldn't get the wheel working and noticed she was chewing the bars a lot. I also noticed one of the bars at the top of her cage had come away from the underside (looked like a cage fault rather than her chewing) and i was worried she might escape. Even though I'd only had her since Tuesday, she was brave enough to come onto my hand for a few seconds on Thursday (when i noticed the bars). I managed to get her into her ball for the first time that night as well by putting the ball into her cage, letting her climb in then removing the ball and letting her roll about like a crazy being while i fixed the wheel. She went back in to her cage from the ball on my hand fine and then has been obsessed with the wheel ever since. And the chewing has stopped too.

I managed to talk the shop into giving me a new lid for the cage, as I had only bought it the Friday before and she had only been in for 3 days by the time i went back to the shop. However, I havent been able to change the lid as she seems to have gone backwards and isnt interested in mummy anymore now her wheel is working haha. I did have the washing machine on on Friday night and I think that has scared her a bit to be honest. (In my flat the kitchen/living room is open plan).

I am leaving her to do her own thing now for a couple of days, but I need to change her substrate on Tuesday ( been in for a week) and want to change the lid so I know its secure. I also have ( what i think is) a bigger wheel for to play in.

My question is whether or not to give her a bit longer and not change the substrate after a week. She doesn't seem to be using any of the substrate for potty purposes, I think she does it in her house. Ive changed the bedding in her house twice already (which i think might be wrong of me to do) as there was lots of poop in there as well as a small harvest. But now Im getting a whiff of pee pee from there too.

Any advice?

Khaleesi and I thank you in advance 🐹❤

[CMB]

You don't want to clean too much as it can stress the hamster.

Poop is dry so can be left longer. Hamster sometimes eat their poop and get extra nutrients out of it. To encourage her to potty elsewhere put the pee smelling bedding from the house in a corner of the cage (in a potty or small container). The smell should attract her to that corner to go again. The house can be cleaned to get rid of the pee smell. You may need to get a pet cleaning solution that removes the pee smell.

Young hamsters may not potty in one place to start with, but usually learn quickly.

[Jennie F]

I'll try moving the pee bedding to another place and see if that help, thanks for that. Do those little hamster potty things work or are they a waste of money/ can make one of my own?

[CMB]

I only used on when I had a dwarf hamster. But it was used. I could have used one with all my Syrians because they all had a pee corner within their cage.

You can use something else if you didn't want to buy a potty/litter tray. A jar is quite good. You need something with a high back as they lift their tail up when going and the pee may go over the side of the container. Tesco have a glass jar that is quite large and stands as an angle. I will see if I can find a link or photo.

Link isn't Tesco, but it is same style.

Glass Storage Jar

[AmityvilleHams]

If you buy a potty tray from a store,make sure your hamster will fit into it.Also,don't use the potty litter from stores as it isn't safe.You can use sterilized children's play sand instead,or a high quality chinchilla sand,but never a clay based litter of any sort

[Drago]

I'd leave the bedding in as was said before, changing the cage out too often can be stressful for your ham, especially if they don't like their things being moved. A hamster potty can work but it's a waste of money in my opinion. A small ceramic, steel, or plastic dish filled with sterilized aquarium/play sand OR chinchilla SAND (not dust) works well as litter. As a matter of fact, using sand will encourage them to toilet there and little or no extra interference may be necessary. Hope all continues going well with your little khaleesi!

[Thin Lizzy]

Too much cleaning will stress your little one out. Try and leave the cage clean for about 4 weeks, but, do daily spot checks on her toilet area, remove any soiled substrate and place some fresh in with the old. I've had pottys in the past but, they weren't used and I found they took up space. Your little ham will be marking her cage and toys with her scent by rubbing herself against them. I know 4 weeks sounds a long time but, when it comes to cleaning her toilet area, I do this every 2 to 3 days and use warm water only. Your ham will be able to smell her scent. I find doing these things helps them settle in and adjust.

[Jennie F]

Thanks for all the tips everyone. I think she is either using her house as a potty on the spot directly underneath the house under the shelf as i have seen her go there a few times. I'll keep an eye out and when she isbhappy to come out snd play, I'll check the other corner ��❤

[climber008]

I use THIS as a potty for all my hamsters. I got one on sale for about 5 US dollars at my local pet shop.

I'm not quite sure if this will work for you, but for the first bit of potty-training my hams I use a clean Chinese take-out plastic container for my hammie's potty. Even though it doesn't have a high back, it was easy for them to go into. Also it's practically free if you eat take-out, and you can just throw it away.

Something like this. I get these things all the time when I get take-out.

And I line my whole cage with brown paper bag that I get with my groceries at Publix so the wee doesn't get all over the cage. (They'll give you several paper bags even if you used plastic or cloth bags.)

[Jennie F]

Thanks everyone. I'll be picking up another cage on Thursday which comes with a sand box thing. I'll see how I get on but may put that where her house/pee spot is and move the house