Register FAQ Calendar Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read
Navigation
Front Page
Forum
Gallery
Wiki

Ads by Google


Go Back   Hamster Central > Hamster Central Forum Topics > Behaviour

Notices

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 11-06-2019, 04:05 PM   #1
Pin
Newborn Pup
 
Pin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2019
Posts: 17
Unhappy New Owner with questions

Hi all!

Figured this was probably the best place to ask about my new Ham because I'm a first time owner and every little thing has me fretting like a new mother honestly. About 3 weeks ago I got a male syrian Hamster I named Banana Bread and he seems to be settling in pretty well.

Currently he's housed in the Savic Plaza rat and hamster cage, I piled up his bedding high under the platform so he can burrow which he looooves to do. His wheel is 12 inches and honestly I can't get him off it even to clean it. he's got several homes, chews and toys to explore and i've noticed he's started to get comfortable actually playing with them now. He's a little skittish of me still but has started taking food from my hands/climbing onto them briefly to get food.

however I do worry that he bar bites sometimes, he doesn't seem to do it constantly (He stopped for 2 weeks but has been doing it tonight again) and I can't decide whats causing it. He doesn't get time out of his cage because he's no where near close to tame, do you guys think it would calm down once he is? Unfortunately I don't have room for anything bigger so am considering replacing it with a cage I found thats the same size just without bars. I wanted an aquarium but am having trouble finding one big enough in the UK thats not £300+. Any pointers?

Sorry this is a long post, I just really wanted to be as specific as possible.
Pin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-07-2019, 01:08 PM   #2
Ria P
House of Hamsters
 
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Wiltshire, UK
Posts: 7,103
Default Re: New Owner with questions

Hi and welcome!
The Savic Plaza is a big cage and there should be plenty of room for him. You could post a photo of your set up to see if anything could be improved or not but your set up sounds pretty good.
Do you have a play pen you could use for out of cage time?
Maybe your hamster wants out of cage time and is trying to tell you.
I have a dwarf who isn't tame but he likes time out in his play pen. I transfer him in a mug because he won't let me handle him but he hops into the mug when he wants out.
People also use bath tubs with a blanket and toys for out of cage time but put the plug in without water.

3 weeks is not a long time and Banana Bread may still be settling in.
Ria P is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-07-2019, 04:34 PM   #3
Pebbles82
Hamster Antics
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 23,533
Default Re: New Owner with questions

Hello. I know that Hamster Mum fretting feeling! I was just the same with out first one. It sounds like you are doing all the right things. I agree there may be something in his set up needs tweaking - sometimes they can feel a bit exposed and need more overhead cover type things or a bigger house (especially now it's getting colder, so they can build a big nest). The other thing that could cause it is stress - from cleanouts or changes. Not sure if you've been cleaning him out or not but it's usually recommended not to clean anything for the first two weeks, or make big changes to the cage set up (adding new things is usually accepted ok but moving or taking thngs out can upset them).

If you add a photo we can have a look and maybe suggest something. I have that cage as well. I added extra shelving to mine and have a couple of rat sputniks hanging from the roof next to the shelves. This isn't just for a hanging hammock thing but it provides overhead cover as well.
Pebbles82 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-08-2019, 12:05 PM   #4
alpacassei
PM Fluffy for custom title
 
alpacassei's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Cornwall, UK
Posts: 1,109
Default Re: New Owner with questions

Hopefully he just needs his setup adjusting a bit, as Serendipity said, a photo would be really useful!

If he does need an upgrade, I recommend building an ikea linnmon hack using the 120cm tabletops for the base and back. Much cheaper than a tank of the same size!
__________________
<3 Sunflower Custard, Bigfoot, Petal, Stormy, Flurry, Vanilla <3
___________
Angel hamsters: Francisco, Marcello, Peppermint, Mishka, Stephano, Sundae, Peach <3
alpacassei is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-08-2019, 02:28 PM   #5
Pin
Newborn Pup
 
Pin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2019
Posts: 17
Default Re: New Owner with questions

Hey guys, I appreciate you all getting back to me

I cleaned out bbs cage today (Removed the top layer of bedding and left unsoiled stuff in so it smells like him) he's on a mix of safe wood shavings and care fresh.
These are the pics of his set up right now, I made some tweaks to how it was before https://i.imgur.com/Y7oJCe8.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/i8YYhrw.jpg
(Moved the wheel and some toys around etc) Normally I keep the room pretty low light when Im in there, its bright so you guys can see. Don't worry about it being near the radiator, its only ever on for about an hour around 6pm just before he wakes up/I get home from work to heat the room up a tad.
He doesn't much care for his houses, he likes the blue igloo but other than that he tends to just sleep in the tunnels he makes for himself on the right side where the beddings high.
It might be a little too open for him on the left maybe?
Pin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-09-2019, 08:57 AM   #6
LunaTheHamster1
Cosmic Hamsters
 
LunaTheHamster1's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 2,593
Default Re: New Owner with questions

Hi, before looking at buying another cage I would try a few things first to see if it can help. I would maybe lower the green shelf down a bit, and /or put a bendy bridge in that back right hand corner.(looks like empty space?) Instead of buying a bendy bridge you could also use an egg carton box or other box type and make a little bridge/tunnel with that and place in his cage. Anything he can sit under or run through might help him. Maybe even a small shoe box with a hole cut in the front as it looks like you have plenty of room for something like that. I also like the chew mats you can get, you can attach these to the cage with bits of jute, you can use these to add more bedding or even put in the area that he chews, if it is just one spot he seems to be fixating on. Cardboard toilet tube boredom breaker toys are also good/quick easy options to try and give him things to do.Let us know how you get on. Also he may just be wanting to come out and explore. Do you have a bath or a big box you can do some taming sessions with him?
__________________
Cosmic Hamsters YouTube Channel
LunaTheHamster1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-09-2019, 12:06 PM   #7
Pin
Newborn Pup
 
Pin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2019
Posts: 17
Default Re: New Owner with questions

ooh noted! I do have plans to add one of the large rabbit bendy bridges to the corner so I can stack bedding even higher without it going literally everywhere.

He now has a bendy bridge under the platform and I have a purple bendy tunnel that he likes that I'm going to but back in tonight (it needed a rinse and to dry) so he can hide there too.

I saw an improvement last night though only one instance of bar nibbling.
Pin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-12-2019, 06:56 PM   #8
Pebbles82
Hamster Antics
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 23,533
Default Re: New Owner with questions

That's good if the bar chewing is settling. I would suggest getting a hanging rat sputnik as well to hang next to the shelf - it gives some overhead cover

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Savic-Ferre...3610166&sr=8-2

Cage looks very nice I tend to put the wheel at the back of the cage so you can have another shelf or large house on the end opposite the shelf. But it may not fit if the green shelf is too big to allow it to fit.
Pebbles82 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-22-2019, 09:38 AM   #9
Pin
Newborn Pup
 
Pin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2019
Posts: 17
Default Re: New Owner with questions

Will do! Honestly I really want a sputnik anyways, theyre adorable.
Ive not heard/seen a single instance of bar biting since i last cleaned his cage so I think he's settling in more!! Thank you for helping put me at ease guys!
Pin is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
cage, weeks, started, wanted, hamster, owner, honestly, time, food, bites, close, stopped, tame, bar, guys, decide, causing, constantly, tonight, big, finding, trouble, aquarium, specific, pointers

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Search Engine Optimisation provided by DragonByte SEO v2.0.43 (Pro) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.
Copyright © 2003-2022, Hobby Solutions
All times are GMT -7. The time now is 03:47 AM.