Out of cage time?

[Holly]

I wasn't sure which forum to put this in but basically I'm interested to know how other people - especially those of you with more than two or three hamsters - handle your *out of cage* time? Basically I'm trying to work out if we can handle any more hamsters than the three we already have - including giving them quality out of cage time and plenty of individual attention.

At the moment we have three Syrians and we are currently looking after a fourth for two weeks (good practice methinks!). Mocha comes out every morning so he's a separate issue - he gets about 20 minutes in his ball and then Will and I spend about 10-15 minutes each playing with him in the playpen, on the stairs etc. Occasionally, if he's awake, he'll have a brief run with us in the evening too.

In the evenings we get Treacle and Custard out. As they are both tame and easy to handle we get them out together but on opposite sides of the room, Will has one while I have the other. We do various things like stairclimbing, playing in the tubes and on the stairs etc. Then they have a run in their balls for 20 mins or so while we are watching tv/reading etc with one eye on them too. They probably get a good hour out of their cages five nights a week and, by rotating their activities, we are managing to still do the same while Tinsel here (he's very tame as well). Twice a week they just get a short run in their balls as I work 12 hour shifts and don't get in until about 10.30pm.

So far we (and they, I think) look forward to out of cage time and it never seems like a chore - it's good fun for Will and me -and whichever of various friends are here. I'm just wondering how people with more hamsters do it? Do you rotate who comes out each night? Do you have a secure play area so one or more can come out while you are playing with another one? Any advice appreciated

[Jill Bayles]

Holly I can't help you on this as we've only got the one (as you know) and he's out every night with stints in his ball, playtime and cage breaks. It's obviously more difficult with multiple hammies but I'm sure that Souffle and Pophammy will be able to advise on this.

Once you get a routine going it will be easier I'm sure.

Good luck!

[souffle]

We have 5 and we take each out for 15-20mins each evening. They run on the bed, on the stairs and over us. We all three handle one each at a time. On cleaning days they get an extra long play downstairs. Ours don't go in the ball. It is quite time consuming but only you can decide whether your family can undertake another hammy. Why noy wait for 6 months or so till these are older before getting another then you will see if you can fit another for sure. What if it turned out another morning ham. Could you manage two in the morning? I hope the holiday ham will help you decide

[Bailey-Benji]

I have 2, and I play with them both daily. Benji is an early evening ham (7-8ish) but will get up if he hears me in my room (even during the day) while Bailey is more of a late night girl ( 10pm +)

Benji doesn't particularly like his ball, so he goes in a spare ferplast laura while I clean out his cage. he gets lots of out-of-cage time and loves to explore my room, going through all my things but he is good because he doesn't go under anything! He gets handled and cuddled for 10-20 mins although he seems to enjoy exploring more.

Bailey enjoys a good run in her ball and getting handled and exploring my hall. I can't really trust her in my room because she likes to go under things and eat anything she finds :P She enjoys getting handled and having a good cuddle while you watch tv etc. She gets the same time as Benji (10-20 mins a night) unless she gets up too late and I am in bed (doesn;t happen too often)

I am the only person in my house that handles them, but their sleep patterns work out well.

At the weekends, I spend most of the night playing with them. Who can resist those little faces?

[Justine]

I only have one hammy to give out of cage time to, as my brother does his own hamster, but I also have three ratties that need attention and out of cage time.

I give Jackson three slots of half hour free-range time in my bedroom, it's rodent-proof, so no worries about it being unsafe. This is in the evening, and she will get handled for about ten, twenty minutes before she goes back in. The rats are pretty much out when the hamster is back in, they are more interactive, so don't need a specific handling time, as they get carted about the house when I'm doing something else, and generally climb over me as I'm doing homework etc. They aren't chewers much either, so I can nip out my room to do other stuff and not worry so much about where they are.
Tuesdays and Thursdays I don't have as much time, so Jackson only gets about forty minutes total, inc. handling time, so I try and make up for that with half an hour ball time in the morning. During cage clean, which I do fortnightly, I give Jackson about forty minutes ball time, so I know where she is in my room.

If I had another small animal to give out of cage time to, I would probably cut down Jackson's time to two slots of half hours, and give the half hour extra ball time to each in the morning, since they could then be out at the same time.

Don't think that'll be much help to you, but it's what works for me.

[Holly]

Originally Posted by Justine

I give Jackson three slots of half hour free-range time in my bedroom, it's rodent-proof, so no worries about it being unsafe.

I think this is what we need - a rodent proof room. Much as ours seem to like being handled, I think they prefer just exploring. They all love exploring in their exercise balls - at least I assume they do as they all jump in them very keenly - but this is obviously limited to 20 minutes or so. I might work on the spare room.....

Originally Posted by Bailey-Benji

At the weekends, I spend most of the night playing with them. Who can resist those little faces?

Exactly! Just what we've done this evening (even the *morning ham* has been out to play - he's the only one slow enough to get decent pictures):


Shall I come out to play?


A strange, springy new planet:


It's Super-Ham!!


Thanks for the replies guys, it's all helpful stuff

[souffle]

Mocha is looking more and more like a Sepia hamster. They are very uncommen

[Holly]

Originally Posted by souffle

Mocha is looking more and more like a Sepia hamster. They are very uncommen

I actually think he's starting to look a bit sort of browner - is that common as they grow up? I might bring him to Lymm so you can have a proper look at him for me - would that be ok?

[Hana]

I love that last picture of Mocha, so cute!

[souffle]

I would enter him in Lymm not just bring him. he is very pretty. I will of course look at him but ask Sheryl who will be there about the colour as she is a judge. I would say he would go in short hair any other colour class.