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Old 05-09-2019, 10:43 AM   #1
Ria P
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Default What's in your hamster's nest?

The slow tearing of toilet paper must be music to my hamster's ears. He is so nest orientated and builds them big with bedding materials and a bit of hay then adds a big hoard and a whimzee or two but why does he feel the need to drag two big applewood chew sticks in to the nest as well? I'm surprised that he even managed to do that. I half expect to see his ceramic egg cup with his porridge disappear into his nest too but then i'd have to rename him Hercules.
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Old 05-09-2019, 12:15 PM   #2
Pebbles82
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Default Re: What's in your hamster's nest?

Aargh. Everything but the kitchen sink . I just had to do some major spot cleaning in Newt’s (huge) house. Saved most of his nest but unfortunately he had pee’d in it, which is unusual. I suspect it’s because he had blocked the entrance to the toilet up with his hoard and couldn’t get through. So lots more toilet paper here too - also just replaced 3 hoards with new hamster food, nuts, treats etc plus a bit of the old hoard.
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Old 05-09-2019, 12:55 PM   #3
Ria P
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Default Re: What's in your hamster's nest?

Lol! Your hamster likes his food! What do you do with Newt while you clean his nest and hoards? Can you keep him in the same room?
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Old 05-09-2019, 04:54 PM   #4
Pebbles82
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Default Re: What's in your hamster's nest?

On this occasion I had to take him out of the cage while I did it. He doesn't like seeing things being done inside his house. I put him in his playpen with some toys in the other room. Stepson was in there to keep an eye on him.

If it's something more major like a substrate change or a new set up that will take a while I put him in a spare smaller cage with substrate and some food and water and a wheel. He tends to make a temporary nest in there.

With our last Syrian I used to put him in his pet carrier in another room with a blanket over it and he'd just go to sleep. Newt doesn't like that and doesn't go to sleep so he gets the spare smaller cage for a few hours
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Old 05-10-2019, 11:01 AM   #5
Ria P
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Default Re: What's in your hamster's nest?

Yes, i'll put Henry in another room next time i do a substrate change. I spot cleaned today while he was asleep in his house but he woke and came out to give his nest a good inspection then went back to his house. I had literally given his nest a good sniffing rather than touching it but couldn't smell any pee so left it alone. Last night i put a toilet roll with a couple of sheets still attached in his cage and he's moved that in his nest as well! The paper's gone of course.
You mention a new set up.
Do hamsters like a different set up now and again? Do you move the house etc around? I took a tunnel out today and replaced it with a carrot house to see if he likes that for a change.
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Old 05-10-2019, 11:19 AM   #6
Pebbles82
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Default Re: What's in your hamster's nest?

No they generally prefer everything left exactly the same! Although adding the odd new thing can go down well with them, but I find they don't like something familiar being removed. You may get away with it! But if he liked that tunnel and it formed part of his route around the cage he may get upset. Or may just accept the new carrot house instead. I go with not removing anything usually.

The only times I have changed set up is when it's really necessary - eg with Newt it was to lower everything and have things at ground level etc as he's getting older and struggling with climbing, which meant he was at risk with falling and hurting himself. A major cage change tends to stress them. If it's necessary they do settle but it can take 2 or 3 weeks of them being a bit stressed and lead to behaviours like peeing on things out of fear they will be taken away!

With the nest, I've found you can usually tell if it's been pee'd in without sniffing as the nesting material is an off colour! But I sniff as well just to check as sometimes it is off colour and not pee'd in!

I think they prefer not to pee in their nest and have it cosy, but younger hams occasionally have an accident.
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Old 05-10-2019, 12:06 PM   #7
Ria P
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Default Re: What's in your hamster's nest?

Ah right! I had peeing issues with Henry before and he's doing so well now since i got him the two ceramic Rodipet loos. He's still in his house so have taken the carrot house out and put the tunnel back in. He does use that tunnel and can have the carrot house in his playpen.
Something else you said made me think, about Newt not liking open spaces above. Henry has a habit of creeping about from cover to cover. I always thought he's trying to avoid me in case i take him out of his cage. I'll make a few cardboard things to hang off the roof and see what happens.
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Old 05-10-2019, 02:26 PM   #8
Pebbles82
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Default Re: What's in your hamster's nest?

Glad he's using the loos! Our last Syrian was the same with overhead space and his first cage was much lower. He always liked to sit "under" something and would "rush" across to the nearest cover. I suppose it is instinct as they are prey animals who expect to be got at from above. Although some are bolder and more maverick than others and seem less bothered.

It can be a fiddle! You hang something for overhead cover and then they try and get into it! So then you have to look at how they can access it easily/safely and not land on anything that could hurt them if they jump out. It's not that difficult though, just a fiddle sometimes!

I'm sure he'll appreciate keeping the tunnel! If it's any consolation both our syrians ignored the carrot house in the cage, but enjoyed sitting in and chewing when out of the cage.
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Old 05-10-2019, 10:40 PM   #9
mikatelyn
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Default Re: What's in your hamster's nest?

Smokey's den:
On one end he has this lovely nest lined with tissue paper on top of a huge pile of substrate. Right next to it on the other end of his little wooden house is his horde, with any current chew things (whimzee, walnut), then a huge pile of poo. The rest of the cage is pristine. For a while i got concerned maybe he was constipated because i couldn't find any poop anywhere. Then a found them. A lot of them all in that one area. Saves me a ton of money on substrate though since this means I can just spot clean.
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Old 05-11-2019, 02:23 AM   #10
Pebbles82
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Default Re: What's in your hamster's nest?

When spot cleaning Newt's house I found he now has 3 hoards in there (Large house with rooms). The one under his nest seems to be his main larder. The one in the next room seems to be his poop hoard - equal amount of poop and food - and more of an overflow hoard. And another one next to his toilet where he puts extra special things - a chew stick, a nut etc. He doesn't seem to eat those, just look at them I guess! Or keep them in a special place

He also has a little ceramic house on his shelf that is full of special treats (so he can sit up there and snack without having to go to the other end of the cage?)
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