Dwarfhamster seems really fixated on his wheel

Baron · 05-20-2018, 07:42 AM

So, somebody I know has a dwarfhamster named Taco. Taco is around 5 months old and really fixated on his wheel. He apparently runs for hours straight in his silent spinner and doesn't use his toys. He ignores them and runs straight to the wheel.

Bit of background information:

Taco was kept inside a tiny plastic cage/bincage with only food and water, nothing else.
Not used to toys.
He was a rescue of some sorts.
He screams a lot.
Taco can't be handled. (Yet)
He doesn't bite.
His owner admitted she starts to get nervous because of Taco and his behaviour.

She has another hamster from the same place as Taco, but this animal seems fine. She can handle her and she does seem to play with toys.
There are multiple hamsters in the same, room. All in seperate cages of course, also guinea pigs. Not really sure if this bit helps.

I have included a picture of Taco's cage.

I know she has an Alaska cage lying around somewhere, so I have suggested a bigger cage, more bedding and even scatter feeding. But I am not really sure if these are valid options for Taco?

What can be done in this situation?

IKrines · 05-20-2018, 09:21 AM

The cage seems a bit small and don't have have the space enough for he can use he toys properly, also it is really stressfull for a animal to be next to a door and only one side of the cage is up to a wall. Maybe he is not used to the cage. Maybe he need a more quiet place
Maybe it is better for him to be in a bincage, because it was he was used to before. so he don't get these sides with "pontiental" predators. A big plastic bin is pretty easy to find.
He have only one place to hide, it could reduce stress with more than one.
A sand pit he could dig in? Bendy Brigdes? Maybe he etter like other kind of toys.
Maybe after tried everything and nothing has work, we can conclude he just likes his well.

Velle · 05-20-2018, 10:43 AM

I'd definitely go with a bigger cage and also maybe a digging box so he can burn off his energy a bit more, and he won't feel as stressed as being seen by predators. You could build up the base of his cage up really thick with bedding so he can dig in that but if you're taming you're not going to find him to do it so a digging box would be good.

Flora was pretty stressed and obsessed with her wheel, but now we've built up a good side of her cage for her to dig in and we hardly see her haha. She seems happier though. I don't think I'll get to a point where she's tame but she's a very nervous little hammy.

Baron · 05-20-2018, 11:00 AM

I have given her the suggestions. Thanks!

I hope she goes for a bigger cage. But it seems she isn't really convinced yet on this on it.
( I tried, believe me. Even offered her a spare Barney cage I have)

CMB · 05-21-2018, 12:30 PM

A platform and bendy bridges would be a good additions.

The house is a bit small.and plastic. Wood houses are better and they shouldn’t have a base to the house.

Dwarf hamsters often love a sand area. They roll in it and can pee in it as a toilet if it is big enough.

cookietiger · 05-21-2018, 01:19 PM

Yeah I think a bigger cage would be good but I don't know if the bar spacings on an Alaska would be too big for a dwarf(more experienced owners please help)?

I also noticed all the toys are tunnels. Although hammys love tunnels a variety might be good. An extra hideaway and/ or a platform maybe?

Also Taco is such a frickin cute name! I hope he manages to settle in well soon.

Baron · 05-22-2018, 05:03 AM

I have offered her one of the spare Barney-cages or my Hamster plaza for free. But she hasn't taken up the offering yet. She is looking for a new cage though, I still hope she accepts my offer.

I have given your suggestions, Cooktiger and CMB. Thank you

!

Razor · 05-22-2018, 05:53 AM

I might be sound a bit harsh here, but if the owner of is not willing to take responsibility of providing the best care possible for the hamster, then a pet hamster is not suitable for them. It is better that someone else who cares for the his wellbeing adopts it. I'm sorry but I tend to get extremely frustrated when people refuse to do what is best for the poor creatures. It does seem like Taco is pretty stressed despite having been there for over 5 months. A more roomy cage should definitely be the first step. Russian dwarfs and robos are very active and generally run alot! So more the space, the better for him.

I noticed a huge change in personality of Gaby when I moved her into a detolf. She basically transformed in to a little cuddle monster! Within a day or two of the new cage, she stopped nipping me when I reached inside the cage.

Baron · 05-22-2018, 07:15 AM

She's the kind of person to rescue hamsters. Right now she has eleven with a twelfth one on his way this week. I mean I get it, hamsters deserve a good life too but even I wouldn't want that kind of number in my home unless I had the space and budget for it. I can't rescue all of them, so I would rather provided about 1-4 hams a comfortable life at a time. Then adopt another one if there's a space free.

Taco came from a different home but has been with this person for over a month now. But I do agree with you in many ways, I have offered free big sized cages (100 cm area) but I think they won't accept it. There's also an Alaska she has she could use.

I do love the story about Gaby though! That's the kind of space all hamsters should have.