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 02-08-2020, 05:03 PM   #1
peculiarplanets
Hamster Pup
 
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Netherlands
Posts: 170
Question How to cater an energetic hamster?

So today I made major progress with Jupiter. Most updates are in her thread, for anyone interested. But I've noticed she doesn't use her wheel much. She'll run for like two seconds, get out, and then later run again for three seconds. She loves climbing (she recently escaped, even) and digging (I bought her a new digging bowl but it's apparently not big enough for madame, so I'm looking for a new one).

I'm also looking for a playpen at the moment, but what could I do to help her get rid of the energy? Because right now she keeps climbing onto her water bottle and biting the bars of the cage lid. I'm not sure if investing in a different wheel would help? And what kind of things can I put into the playpen that will wear her out?

I let her explore the couch just now but she's really fast and I kept having to catch her because she would attempt to jump off the couch (which is a little stressful for the both of us). I just want to make sure she's happy and gets the enrichment she needs and deserves.
__________________
parent of jupiter and sock
peculiarplanets is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-08-2020, 07:56 PM   #2
Dessi
Hamster Pup
 
Dessi's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 133
Default Re: How to cater an energetic hamster?

Have you tried different types of wheel ? My dwarf’s favorite is the flying saucer. He will go on the regular ones too but has a lot more fun on this one !
Dessi is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-08-2020, 09:20 PM   #3
LunaTheHamster1
Cosmic Hamsters
 
LunaTheHamster1's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 2,593
Default Re: How to cater an energetic hamster?

I've just checked the pics out of your cage on your other thread. One suggestion is you could make some boredom breakers, on jute or sisal string and dangle them down from the cage lid. .you could try hamster clean/safe pine cones or wicker chew toys, i will link a video to what i mean.

https://youtu.be/-Tpl5SlmAjg
__________________
Cosmic Hamsters YouTube Channel
LunaTheHamster1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-09-2020, 04:24 AM   #4
LunaTheHamster1
Cosmic Hamsters
 
LunaTheHamster1's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 2,593
Default Re: How to cater an energetic hamster?

In answer to some of your other questions, until you get a playpen have you got a big cardboard box you could use? I put a spare wheel, tubes, small boxes, anything really that I think my hamsters will have fun running over and in and out of.
I also find that sometimes all my hamsters want to do is come out of their cage and they have been ignoring their wheel inside their cage, but as soon as i get them out, the first thing they hop on is their spare wheel - go figure. So you might want to try that with your hamster.
__________________
Cosmic Hamsters YouTube Channel
LunaTheHamster1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-09-2020, 04:57 AM   #5
peculiarplanets
Hamster Pup
 
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Netherlands
Posts: 170
Default Re: How to cater an energetic hamster?

I will try and look into getting a different wheel! I have just made her a boredom breaker so I'm curious to see how she reacts to it when she wakes up. I'll see if I can find some boxes to make a playpen with!
__________________
parent of jupiter and sock
peculiarplanets is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-09-2020, 07:24 AM   #6
Jo 17
Newborn Pup
 
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: England
Posts: 32
Default Re: How to cater an energetic hamster?

Also idea for playpen, perhaps you could take tour hamster into the bathroom... I can imagine no cables in there to chew on. Just secure any areas that you would not be able to get to him if needed, other then that, He can run around, put some hamster toys around, things to climb etc, maybe worth trying...
Jo 17 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-09-2020, 09:48 AM   #7
peculiarplanets
Hamster Pup
 
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Netherlands
Posts: 170
Default Re: How to cater an energetic hamster?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jo 17 View Post
Also idea for playpen, perhaps you could take tour hamster into the bathroom... I can imagine no cables in there to chew on. Just secure any areas that you would not be able to get to him if needed, other then that, He can run around, put some hamster toys around, things to climb etc, maybe worth trying...
I would, but there's a washing machine and a small floor cabinet in there where she could hide behind and that are difficult to seal off. But it's a good suggestion! Maybe I can seal it off somehow
__________________
parent of jupiter and sock
peculiarplanets is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-12-2020, 12:11 AM   #8
peculiarplanets
Hamster Pup
 
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Netherlands
Posts: 170
Default Re: How to cater an energetic hamster?

So I set up a cardboard playpen for her, got another wheel and put some toys in the playpen. But whenever I put her in the playpen she just walks around for a bit before digging at the corners and trying to escape. When I put her back in her cage she then again climbs her water bottle and stars biting the bars of the cage lid. I don't know what I can do to make her happy
__________________
parent of jupiter and sock
peculiarplanets is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-12-2020, 01:23 AM   #9
Dalis_mum
Adult Hamster
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Yorkshire
Posts: 369
Default Re: How to cater an energetic hamster?

Is the cage large enough to incorporate a plastic storage box? Sounds like hammy wants to dig. I use one in my Viv, filled with layered substrate for digging. With a large bendy bridge to get in and out. sometimes they crave a deeper burrow than what a cage can manage to hold.
Dalis_mum is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-12-2020, 02:02 AM   #10
peculiarplanets
Hamster Pup
 
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Netherlands
Posts: 170
Default Re: How to cater an energetic hamster?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dalis_mum View Post
Is the cage large enough to incorporate a plastic storage box? Sounds like hammy wants to dig. I use one in my Viv, filled with layered substrate for digging. With a large bendy bridge to get in and out. sometimes they crave a deeper burrow than what a cage can manage to hold.
I recently got a bigger digging container. Just waiting for the coconut fibre soil to come in (because she didn't seem to like digging in substrate much). I can always get a bigger bin and fill it with the coconut fibre and just put that in the playpen so she can dig around there.

I'm planning to change her cage setup anyway so I'll add even more substrate for her to burrow in (because she already has a lot and burrows in there).

I was thinking to maybe let her free roam in my hallway because it's quite big and there's not really anywhere she can go. Also allows for me to properly interact with her.
__________________
parent of jupiter and sock
peculiarplanets is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
couch, run, seconds, playpen, digging, shes, climbing, wheel, make, lid, cage, investing, happy, bars, enrichment, water, bottle, biting, deserves, kind, jump, explore, attempt, catch, fast

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 05:23 AM.