Advice on WW Adoption Please!!

Leila0420 · 05-09-2015, 09:01 AM

Hi everyone

So about 2 weeks ago I saw an advert on gumtree by a girl trying to sell 1 of a pair of winter whites she'd bought together as they'd started fighting badly. In the photos she'd posted they were in an unsuitable cage that was too small and with too many levels etc. for them to get territorial over... So I got in touch with her, offered her advice about the cage and said she could have an old zoozone 2 of mine so she could separate them before they did each other any damage. When I dropped off the cage one of the little ones had a tiny cut on it's nose and was very very timid, she would get within 10cm of the other girl, realise she was there and then run away as fast as she could.
After I gave their owner the cage I stayed a few hours chatting with her and they both settled down into their new separate homes. I genuinely thought it was resolved and they'd have a nice long happy life with their owner but then today I saw an advert by her on gumtree offering them both up for sale... So I got in touch and apparently her landlord wont let her keep them.

So, essentially my question is should I adopt them or not? I got on really well with their current owner so it might be nice for her to come visit them etc. and I can try and teach her a bit more about how to look after them properly. Plus I do feel very emotionally attached to them and in a selfish way it would be nice to have my zoozone back... I already have a Syrian and was planning on adopting another hamster in the next month or so but I'm not sure if I have time for an additional 2. I currently work full time (but may drop my hours so I can study part time from September) and I've never had to look after that many pets before aside from a couple of weeks here and there as a teenager hamsitting for my friends. But I really want to do what's best for the hamsters.

I'm really stuck guys, any advice would be much appreciated!
Thank you

cypher · 05-09-2015, 09:12 AM

That is a bit of a tough one, I can imagine now you've met them (& given them a cage, that was really kind of you) you probably do already feel a bit attached to them & really want to give them a good home.
I'd try to evaluate just how much time (& space!) you have to spare, basic needs aren't that much more time consuming with 3 than with 1 but I find it's out of cage time, especially when they all want attention at once which can be a bit difficult.
If you think you could manage it then go for it.

Leila0420 · 05-09-2015, 09:28 AM

Well I'm moving in with my boyfriend in a week and a half so we'll have enough space and I'd probably get the girl that's still in the small cage a detolf...
But it's definitely out of cage time that I'm worried about. I'm not a big fan of hamster balls (mainly cos they seem to enjoy sniffing around and trying to climb things so much which they cant do in a ball) but I suppose if I got the 2 little girls 1 each then me and my bf could each watch them separately and they could zoom around in different rooms for a while everyday? Then I wont have to worry about making 3 playpens or sectioning off 3 different areas for freerunning maybe?

Pebbles82 · 05-09-2015, 09:32 AM

Have they already been separated Leila? If so maybe you could take one and find a home for the other one? Otherwise, it's a tough one - but it sounds like you are aware of how much extra time and space is going to be needed.

cypher · 05-09-2015, 09:35 AM

I really don't recommend balls for dwarf hams, their little feet can get easily injured in them , my first ham hated the ball & I haven't used them since I tried it with him, I know some people do but I really think playpens are a much better option for dwarfs.

Leila0420 · 05-09-2015, 09:56 AM

Oh I didn't know that about balls Cypher! That's terrible

Yes they're already separated. I think if I did take 1 I'd go for the little timid one that got bitten because honestly she's the one that stole my heart. But then if I took her in my zoozone then that leaves the other girl in a tiny cage and I'm just worried that her next owner wouldn't give her more space which would be terrible.
My original plan was to get a dwarf to keep in the spare room that my bf and I will use to study in. It currently has nothing in it and would be a perfect free running room. So maybe having 2 of them, with 1.5/2 hours free running each night would actually force me into studying 3/4 hours each day? Although would free running in the same space be good for them? I presume they'd both be scent marking all over the place. Would that stress the little timid girl out?

cypher · 05-09-2015, 10:05 AM

I'd feel exactly the same about just taking one, I'd probably never stop worrying about the other being kept in tiny cage & not cared for!
I like your idea for using the study as a play area, the timid one may get scared by the scent of the other having already been bullied but especially as she's a timid one maybe you could make her a smaller playpen, a big cardboard box will do or pieces of card taped together, they can't climb out of things as easily as syrians! A smaller area with toys to explore & little hideout places might just suit her better.
As long as they have good wheels they'll get plenty of exercise in the cage so I tend to think of time out as a time to interact with them & handle them (if they like that) as much as an exercise/play time.
They don't really need that much out of cage time & even if what you can give them is a bit limited they are still going to be having a much better life so maybe that's the way to look at it?

**kyrilliondaemon** · 05-09-2015, 02:37 PM

Would you be able to get them both with a plan of rehoming one if you did find it hard to make the time for them both?

racinghamster · 05-10-2015, 01:05 AM

Leila, the others have given some great advice and pointers. I just wanted to say, dwarf hamsters are easy to care for. My current lad (Russian hybrid) lives in a Gabber Rex tank (same as a Zoozone 1) and he sleeps all day in his big tissue box! I wouldn't worry too much about having lots of time to play with them all. If they have a decent cage, a good wheel and a cosy bed, you don`t have anything to worry about. They would be in a better home with you and as kyrill said, if you felt you could find a better home for one of them yourself knowing it would be in good hands (like yourself) then go for it.

It`s great that they have been separated. f you have the space, you have nothing to lose and much to gain. Being on Gumtree they could end up as kids pets.

Even if you just took the wee one you fell for, you don`t have to feel guilty over the one you didn`t take. A Zoozone 2 is massive! So he/she will have a ball in there! x

Leila0420 · 05-10-2015, 04:11 AM

Thanks everyone. Kyrill, I think that's definitely an option. I'm not passing judgement on their current owner at all because she really cares for them but just doesn't have much experience and they're not in an ideal situation... At the moment the girl in the zoozone has no wheel or toys just a food bowl and a water bowl not a bottle, and the girl in the smaller cage barely gets handled because she's just so timid. So I think I'll probably take them both at first, get them sorted with decent toys and nice big homes and then if I really cant cope then see if anyone here on HC could offer one of them more love.

Cypher, I think the idea for a small play pen for the timid girl would be great. I think she's gona take a bit of care and attention to get her used to people. The other girl is more sociable so if I did need to re-home one of them I think she'd make any owner happy.

Racing hamster I think sleeping all day in a big tissue box house sounds lovely! I wish I could do that haha

In the past I've had 2 Russians, WW and Campbells (sold to me together which was appalling in retrospect, they were obviously not related) but this was when I was younger so it's been a while...