Very nervous new ham

[mikew]

My ham Charlie passed recently & I got myself a new male Syrian, Bertie.

Initially he was really nervous & jumpy but I figured that was normal.

I thought I'd made some progress with with him coming over to see me & taking treats but as of yesterday he didn't come out in the evening. I think I was up to 1am-ish but in the time I only saw him dart between his bed & where he toilets.

I wonder if I have made a mistake getting a larger cage for him or whether he's going to be a ham that's not around very long.

He looks too big for his old cage. Too big for the pipes & the bed & space in general. He went from a Pets at Home standard wired hamster cage to a Barney cage from Zooplus. My other hams liked the roomy Barney cage but something's not right this time round.

[Shannonmcn]

Has he only been in the Barney a short time? It can take them a week or longer to settle into a new space, particularly if it's very different to what they're used to. Make sure he had enough hides and doesn't feel too exposed and just let him be for a few days. You can pick up making friends again once he's comfortable in his new space.

The Barney is big but it's not ridiculously big, I don't think it's going to be too big for many hams, given they have time to get used to it.

What do you mean by not knowing if he's not going to be around for long?

[Ellie Bee]

Originally Posted by Shannonmcn

Has he only been in the Barney a short time? It can take them a week or longer to settle into a new space, particularly if it's very different to what they're used to. Make sure he had enough hides and doesn't feel too exposed and just let him be for a few days. You can pick up making friends again once he's comfortable in his new space.

The Barney is big but it's not ridiculously big, I don't think it's going to be too big for many hams, given they have time to get used to it.

What do you mean by not knowing if he's not going to be around for long?

I would second this. Leave him a little longer and provide lots of bedding so he feels he can make a safe, deep burrow.

[mikew]

Thanks. I added some more hidey-holes & tubing in what were some exposed places. More bedding too. I'll see how he reacts.

Ref some hams not being around for long I mean a couple of hams I had many years back got sick & passed quite quickly.

[Ellie Bee]

Originally Posted by mikew

Ref some hams not being around for long I mean a couple of hams I had many years back got sick & passed quite quickly.

I know what you mean - often Pets at Home (and Seapets when it was still running) get the cheapest hamster 'stock' they can find, meaning that they're very overbred/inbred and can have very limited lifespans. The best way to avoid that in future is - after exhausting all options of adopting e.g. RSCPA, Gumtree, adoption sections within P@H - go to a shop that cares about its breeders' quality. Pet's Corner in the UK are very diligent in making sure they get their critters from ethical breeders only.

[mikew]

My ham had a wander round his cage last night. Eating, drinking toileting etc but he didn't go anywhere near his wheel still. Just seems really odd for a young ham.

[Pebbles82]

Have you go a photo of your set up? I find our current syrian doesn't like to be too exposed from above in the Barney cage, but he likes the floorspace. I have this large cork tunnel in the centre of the cage leading under the shelf - he often runs through that from one side of the cage to the other, and it makes the wheel area a bit "cosier".

Or it may be that he's just contented and a bit lazy Our last syrian spent most of his time in his house and only used his wheel at night. You could try putting a bit of substrate on top of the wheel each night and see if it's gone in the morning - to see if he's using the wheel at night.

I hope it is just something like this and not some health issue.

The tunnel also makes something to climb over - I use it instead of the wooden ladder, near the front of the cage so it also makes a ramp up to the shelf and one of the little side doors (for getting in and out) and a tunnel leading under the shelf.

https://www.rodipet.co.uk/accessorie...-diameter.html

Also he might be different out of the cage in a playpen area with a few toys and a wheel maybe? And some treats or food dotted about to forage for.

You could also do some food scattering in his cage. I put some in the food bowl and scatter some on the floor of the cage as well - they like foraging for it.

[mikew]

Was just wondering what 'substrate' is ? I remember long ago being told by a vet sawdust was not a good base for a hamster & that shredded paper was better (eg. PAH shredded paper that I think is primarily meant just as bedding)