Don't mind at all Alfie! It sounds like space for the playpen is an issue though. Lizwig is there anywhere else you could put his cage? I'm just thinking the window sill isn't a great place for it, even if it's double-glazed and not draughty, as it's very light there, movement and noise from outside and possibly getting too hot from the sun? Unless it's a window that doesn't get any sun maybe.
A few cage changes would be a good idea as well
The shelf has metal bars I think which are bad for hammies feet, and can cause a condition called bumblefoot which is very painful and needs vet treatment, so covering them with a piece of cardboard would be a good idea (sorry if you already have, I can't tell from the pic). I'd also take the runged ladder out - he could get his feet trapped (especially as he gets older) - he can still get up and down via the tubes.
The cage is a bit on the small side really, but with a few changes it would be a bit safer for him
Is there any chance of putting something else on the window sill (ie using it as a book shelf or boxes for storing other things) and having your hammy cage somewhere else in the room?
As for the harness - I really liked the idea too when I first saw them but they're really not safe or suitable for hamsters (sadly many products labelled 'hamster' are totally unsafe!) and to be honest I think he'd escape it even easier than a ball.
Does he seem to like his hamster ball? I'm not a big fan of them but sometimes a 10 to 15 minute run in one is ok if the hamster chooses to jump into the ball and seems to like it. But best not to leave him in it any longer than 15 minutes at a time (sorry if you already know this). Which ball do you have? I've had two. The first one was great - but a bit small for our syrian (unfortunately most of the balls are a bit small for syrians and they start finding it uncomfortable to run in them) - it was a complete piece rather than two halves that clipped together and the lid was quite secure although could pop off if he knocked into something on rare occasions. But yes they are good at working out how to get the lid off! Which suggests to me he wants out of it.
I like the idea of setting up a playpen area on your bed. Is your hammy quite tame? ie can you pick him up and hold him fairly easily and him not rush around or be difficult to pick up?
Either way you could try him on top of your bed with blockages round the edges. Ours is tame enough I can manage him on the bed with just a blanket or two piled up at the edges for blockages, and pick him up if he tries to climb over them, but if he's a running away quickly type then something sturdier would be needed to block the edges.
I have one of these cardboard castles that we put on top of the bed sometimes. It can be climbed over the top off if they try, but as long as he is handleable you can pop him back in again and still have a blanket blocking the edge of the bed as a second line of defence! I found if I left one of the centre sections out and put a few toys in and hid a few treats our hammy was less interested in escaping from it. But ultimately they want to have a good run around somewhere and not feel so closed in.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Supreme-Ham...rdboard+castle
We can't let ours free roam in the room either - too many little nooks and crannies and a gas fire and too many things to try and block off without moving out of the room! If out of cage time is tricky it can work better just to have a cage with a bigger floor area so they have more enrichment in the cage, if that's possible at all. Something like the Alaska cage from Zooplus. It isn't too expensive and costs approx £32. It also has a big front opening door so it's easy to access your hammy
I wouldn't get the harness though. I think it would really stress your hammy and she'd be out of it in no time and probably try and chew it to pieces.
Re: Thoughts on Hamster Harnesses?
I was thinking so before that was said actually.)
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