Stuffing tubes with saw dust?

[Puddle]

Hi all, been a while since posted but recently picked up a new Syrian from a pet store who we fell in love with.

She has two cages (we have had 9 syrians now and always had 2 cages connected so loads of room to run about in etc, smaller cage is a sleepy one with water and food and bedding etc and other is quite big for climbing and running about etc) anyway she been fine with the 4/5 days we had her, happily using both cages and running between the 2 etc.

I woke up this morning to find she had pretty much stuffed the entire sawdust from the small cage into the connecting tube, thus completely blocking it off. I emptied it and she just started digging it all back in again.

I know hamsters like to dig but why would she be purposely stuffing it up her tube?

[Shannonmcn]

Not at all unusual that. Surprised she's the first of 9 to do it!

It makes them feel safer is the short answer. I can't sleep with my bedroom door open either lol

She might stop doing it by herself as she settles but you can give her more cover in both cages, deeper bedding, more hideys, bendy bridges, toilet roll tubes, maybe some hammocks etc so both cages feel less exposed.

[Puddle]

Originally Posted by Shannonmcn

Not at all unusual that. Surprised she's the first of 9 to do it!

It makes them feel safer is the short answer. I can't sleep with my bedroom door open either lol

She might stop doing it by herself as she settles but you can give her more cover in both cages, deeper bedding, more hideys, bendy bridges, toilet roll tubes, maybe some hammocks etc so both cages feel less exposed.

Thank you ,think all previous ones have dug their sawdust about but usually just moved it about aimlessly or at random.

My worry was that she would block either entrance off completely and not be able to get through (iv left her with a water bottle and food in both cages just to be sure)

Seems content sleeping in her coconut with no bedding or sawdust, maybes she just hates the stuff

Also first one iv had who doesnt seem to understand her water bottle, shes just pressing her paw against the bottom so the water runs onto her paw and then laps it up off the floor

[Shannonmcn]

Now that you mention it, she might not like the sawdust, depending on what you mean by sawdust. I'm assuming you mean wood shavings? If these are softwood shavings they can be irritating to their eyes and respiratory systems. The resin-y stuff that's in pine trees (what makes it smell pine-y) isn't good for them.

You could try her on a paper bedding like kaytee clean and cosy, carefresh, boxo etc whatever is available where you are and see if she wants to make a proper burrow.

I don't know how to teach her how to use a water bottle. Maybe her mum never taught her when she was a pup! You can give her a water bowl tho so long as it's somewhere stable she won't knock it over all the time.

[Puddle]

Originally Posted by Shannonmcn

Now that you mention it, she might not like the sawdust, depending on what you mean by sawdust. I'm assuming you mean wood shavings? If these are softwood shavings they can be irritating to their eyes and respiratory systems. The resin-y stuff that's in pine trees (what makes it smell pine-y) isn't good for them.

You could try her on a paper bedding like kaytee clean and cosy, carefresh, boxo etc whatever is available where you are and see if she wants to make a proper burrow.

I don't know how to teach her how to use a water bottle. Maybe her mum never taught her when she was a pup! You can give her a water bowl tho so long as it's somewhere stable she won't knock it over all the time.

Sorry yes i do mean woodshavings, its the same one iv used for all my Syrians and the same she had in her cage at the shop. I think your right with the comment about closing the bedroom door tbh, I did introduce new bits to her cage etc that day and think iv maybe unsettled her.

Think will go down the water bowl route for her as she gets into some painful looking positions when trying to get her paw on the water. She seems to do everything in such an odd way she even climbs the bars arse first for some reason which iv never had before.

Very strange hamster!

[Ria P]

Haha! Your hamster is a wee rebel and doing things her way. If you're in UK, P@H do a water bowl that attaches to the cage which i got for my hamster who climbs over it without getting his feet wet instead of walking round it. You can adjust the height and it lifts out of the holder easily.

[Puddle]

Originally Posted by Ria P

Haha! Your hamster is a wee rebel and doing things her way. If you're in UK, P@H do a water bowl that attaches to the cage which i got for my hamster who climbs over it without getting his feet wet instead of walking round it. You can adjust the height and it lifts out of the holder easily.

Thank you im popping in after work so il look for that