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09-17-2020, 07:25 AM
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#1
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Newborn Pup
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 8
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Should I check on my hamster?
Hello! I just got my first Syrian hamster, and I am absolutely in love with her! Here is the situation:
I just added her to her enclosure and she has instantly started to burry into the sand I provided. It's a chinchilla bbath tub and about 6 inches deep. The sand used is children's playsand.
The sand is very mildly damp and moldable. I am fully away hamsters are burrowing creatures.
I've noticed there is no opening for my hamster where she burrowed, and my fear is that she's suffocated herself under the sand. It IS the daytime and it has been about 5 hours since I've heard from her.
Should I be concerned? Should I gently dig up the sand, or is she okay?
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09-17-2020, 08:14 AM
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#2
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Dwarf whisperer
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Wales UK
Posts: 24,789
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Re: Should I check on my hamster?
6 inches is pretty deep for a sand bath, it’s unlikely that she’s going to suffocate, I think she would naturally come up for air if that was happening really, I think I would be a bit concerned though if there was no visible opening anywhere in the sand bath.
Children’s play sand should always be dried in the oven before use, you really don’t want anything damp in the cage.
Does she have plenty of deep substrate & a large dark house with no base sat on the substrate so she can burrow underneath?
She may have gone into the sand if it was the first safe place she found, I think I would try to temp her out & encourage her to go into her house provided she has a suitable one, then take the sand out & dry it before putting it back in the cage & maybe just use a few inches.
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Slave to Zak.
Always loved, never forgotten, forever in my heart
T'ycor, Ziggy, Zephyr, Flynt, Mickle, Little Whisp, Zen, Zeki, Tinwë, Zylvan, Míriel, Calyanwë, Gusto & Meri ❤️
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09-17-2020, 08:21 AM
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#3
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Newborn Pup
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 8
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Re: Should I check on my hamster?
@cypher
------
She does! I have added many hiding homes from a fake hollow skull (she seems to really like sitting in there), a baseless wooden cabin, a coconut home, various tunnels,
The regular paper bedding I've provided is also 6 inches deep
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09-17-2020, 08:39 AM
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#4
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Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Yorkshire, UK but my heart lies in Scotland!
Posts: 28,192
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Re: Should I check on my hamster?
I would get her out that sand and then change it to dry sand and much less deep. Ours have a lasagne dish with around 1cm of sand to bathe in then they use it as a toilet! If the sand is deep and damp it will be heavy so yes she needs checked out! They can also get a bit cold if the sand is damp.
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09-17-2020, 09:43 AM
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#5
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Newborn Pup
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 8
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Re: Should I check on my hamster?
Thank you all for responding! As she is only young and the sand was damp and cold to the touch, I made the decision to dig her out. I found her motionless but breathing. I picked her out the sand and she sprung to life,
I put her back in the cage and she seems better. I am now baking sand, and I will be sure to make the sand very shallow! Thank you all for your advice!
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Tags
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sand, hamster, shes, burrowed, fear, burrowing, hamsters, creatures, noticed, opening, daytime, gently, concerned, dig, heard, hours, suffocated, deep, situation, added, enclosure, started, instantly, love, check |
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