Dwarf pees in tube tunnel

[Pebbles82]

Sorry for misunderstanding I do think getting rid of the external tubes is the best way. It doesn't necessarily mean you need a larger bin either, that very much depends on the personality of the hamster, and Fluffagrams on here, who breeds dwarf hamsters is always saying that. Yes ideally something the size of an Ikea 78cm bin is considered the minimum size for a dwarf hamster. However some dwarf hamsters are happier in something a little bit smaller, providing it is set up right for them. Some dwarf hamsters are very shy and nervy - others more active,

So I wouldn't get rid of your beloved books. I did have to rearrange our room with our first syrian, to fit an 80cm x 50cm cage in. I'd say that is about the minimum for a Syrian but slightly less can work as well. For some syrians no cage is big enough! I have one Syrian in a 100cm by 50cm and another one who was a bit freaked by the height and is happier in an 80 x 50 slightly lower.

Anyway the pee is what's strsssing you,so yes just take the tubes out and see how he goes in his current cage. Substrate or sand will soak up the pee and you can spot clean the substrate and replace sand now and then (some people scoop the pee out of the sand as it soaks it up and don't change all the sand at once).

I think what is very significant is his age. Four weeks is really young for him to go to a home. And baby hamsters do take a while to get into good pee habits. Even syrians. Initially they may pee in their nest, but once they get to a few months old they get into better habits - especially when they end up having to have their nest removed! That tends to get the message through as they hate that!

Whereas syrians will tend to choose one place to pee, as a toilet - either the corner of a cage or the corner of inside a large house - dwarf hamsters can pee in a number of places.

I'd go with at least 5" deep substrate (the more you have the longer it lasts basically), a sand bath and try a litter tray with sand in as well. You can also use two different substrates for variety - either mixed or an area of different substrate. You might find he chooses one of the substrates to pee.

If it's any consolation our robo used to pee all over the place and while initially it smelled it then stopped smelling. It sort of evaporated! Either that or he started doing it at the bottom of the cage under the substrate.

If he doesn't have a good sized dark house though - I'd add that - it'll help him develop normal burrow behaviours with nest hoard and pee area. A child's size shoe box is ideal. Cut the base out, keep the lid as a lift off roof, cut a hole for a door at one end of one of the long sides (that means the other end is darker and they tend to choose that end for nesting). If you have a bendy stick bridge you could also put that over the entrance hole - it not only makes it darker inside but provides a ramp onto the roof which can double up as a shelf.

If he starts peeing in the house (with syrians it is usually the corner opposite the entrance - furthest away from the nest) then you could add a little corner litter tray there and a cardboard box house is easily replaced. Cardboard is definitely your friend with hamsters. It's also safe to chew.

I think he will settle down and it won't smell bad, especially without the tubes. He might also dig some of his own tunnels with more substrate. They often like to tunnel in and out of the house. Our robo had a tunnel between his house andhis second nest/burrow near his wheel -I suspect he often pee'd down there as it stopped smelling for long periods.

Yes you will get varying views on here. Very large cages versus what suits the hamster. Connecting cages versus not connecting cages. All natural versus plastic stuff being ok. We are a friendly forum though and it is a lot of scope for what individuals find works. But the big thing in recent years is enrichment of the cage, regardless of how big it is - so they can have variety and normal behaviours. I am of the camp that believes one space works best to have all their habits in. Some people find interconnecting cages work ok - but others have found they stick to the main cage and don;t go in the other one much. I think it's important to have all their main things in one cage - eg house, wheel, water bottle and food - because otherwise they have no option but to use a tube to get to their wheel - if it's in the other cage eg whether they want to or not, Interconnecting tubes can be an escape risk as well.

So yes we just agree to differ on some things! But one area tends to make a good habitat for a hamster. If you are short on space then yes some people do have two bins - one on top of the other, connected with a tube, but dwarf hamsters aren;t always good going uphill in tubes and may start nesting in them again.

Tubes and tunnels inside cages are ok - just external ones tend to the problem. How big is his current bin cage again? It might be ok for him.