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Old 05-05-2018, 06:21 AM   #21
YuisMumJo
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Default Re: New Chinese Mum

His new wheel has come today so I’ve had to take a platform out to fit it in
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Old 05-05-2018, 07:15 AM   #22
cypher
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Default Re: New Chinese Mum

I think your biggest problem there is just lack of substrate, you really need to completely fill the base, that might be difficult where the wheel is but you can fence that area off with bendy bridges if need be & fill the rest of the base as much as possible.
You do have a fair bit of stuff in there for him to explore & hideout in but the lack of substrate is making it look very empty & he must feel very exposed while in there.
I would suggest making him a nice house, you can use a cardboard box with no base & just a door cut in, no less than about 15cm maybe 20cm (the house not the door! ) & give him a ton of plain white toilet tissue torn into strips in a pile so he can use it to build a nest if he likes, some of my chinese just burrow into deep substrate under the house while others like the tissue.
They do like to keep the entrance/s to their nest well hidden so given the opportunity will usually make a great big mound of substrate over the door & you will often fine them making little burrow entrances all over the cage!

ETA this is my current HH set up, I usually have hammocks for my Chinese but don't in this one, although it looks quite open there's plenty of hideouts & lots of space to burrow, you can see the big mound outside Zeki's door at the back!

hh.jpg
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Last edited by cypher; 05-05-2018 at 07:57 AM.
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Old 05-05-2018, 08:09 AM   #23
Coco61
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Default Re: New Chinese Mum

Cypher knows about chinese hammies. I have only had Syrians. In my HH the substrate looks low around the wheel as it sits on the base for stability. The fitch is heaped up elsewhere but Maestro is not much of a digger so far. My boys have always liked to pile it up around their house inside and out. Plus a bendy bridge to darken the entrance to the house. If you don't want the expense of a zooplus wooden house, as cypher says, cardboard is great and easily renewed. I used a cardboard shoebox for a while with my last boy. Kept the lid to peep inside easily, cut out the floor, cut in a door on one side and filled with fitch and torn strips of while toilet paper for nest building. A tea bag box is more flimsy but will do as a short term measure.
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Old 05-05-2018, 12:21 PM   #24
YuisMumJo
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Default Re: New Chinese Mum

Thanks. There was loads of tissue in there for a nest but he pulled it all out of the house and just hides under the carefresh in the little green house. There is a full 10 litre bag of carefresh in there. The problem I’ll have with adding anymore is it’s quite expensive. He’s only been here a week and there is a smell already but I can’t spot clean as I don’t see where he is going to the toilet. I’ll have a look for something cheaper
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Old 05-05-2018, 12:35 PM   #25
YuisMumJo
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Default Re: New Chinese Mum

Would scattering loads of shredded paper be ok to burrow in?
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Old 05-05-2018, 12:46 PM   #26
cypher
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Default Re: New Chinese Mum

Carefresh is very expensive, if you want good quality economical substrate Fitch is the best, most of us get the 10kg bag which is quite easy to store & will last a while with just one ham.
Shredded tissue isn't substantial enough for burrowing, it would be better than nothing as a temporary measure but won't really work well.
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Old 05-05-2018, 01:00 PM   #27
YuisMumJo
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Default Re: New Chinese Mum

Thanks I’ll order some now. How do you spot clean for such a tiny ham? It was easy to tell with my last Syrian
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Old 05-05-2018, 01:26 PM   #28
cypher
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Default Re: New Chinese Mum

With difficulty there's not a lot to find!
Most Chinese will pee in the wheel so that's where most of it tends to be, don't over clean the wheel though, once a week is usually enough.
They will sometimes pee in or close to the nest too but it's usually very little, I check out their houses every few weeks & only clean if necessary, rarely find much that needs doing tbh.
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Old 05-05-2018, 08:02 PM   #29
Thin Lizzy
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Default Re: New Chinese Mum

Hello and welcome to HC. Yui is beautiful!
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Old 05-07-2018, 01:31 PM   #30
YuisMumJo
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Default Re: New Chinese Mum

Thanks for all the advice so far, it’s really appreciated. I didn’t realise how different it would be to have a Chinese rather than a Syrian.
Cypher you were right about peeing in the wheel. Yui has been awake since 4 pm and in his wheel for most of the time. I was watching him play and it’s been really nice to see him so active and not hiding. I just got him out for a bit of bonding and the wheel is definitely the new toilet lol. It’s also become his sleeping area despite me giving him a shoe box with plenty of bedding. Hoping the Fitch arrives soon but in the meantime I’ve added another bag of carefresh. I think he is feeling much more settled now, he isn’t freezing or darting for cover when he hears a noise.
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