Hamster living in his Penthouse

Jamieking86 · 06-26-2019, 11:29 PM

So for the last week or so my Hamster has started living in his penthouse. It started when he came out through the day once to have a nibble as he usually kept a bit of stash in his penthouse, then he fell asleep their which was so cute. But then he completely abandoned his house and started living in their. I thought it maybe because his house was too small since he's grown, so i swapped his house for a cocoon, which was previously owned by my brother in law who had 2 gerbils sleeping in it. Obviously i cleaned it first, transferred all his old bedding and he seemed to like the cocoon, slept in it a couple of days then the same happened again. He came out through the day went to his penthouse and fell asleep. That night i ripped a load of toilet paper up, put it in front of his house incase it wasn't cosy enough for him, hoping he'd take it in his house. I woke up the next morning and he'd taken all the tissue into his penthouse.

Last night i cleaned it and removed all the tissue and old food as it really stank of pee, put a little fresh food in their and swapped back to his old house with his old bedding and put a some fresh food in their incase it was the cocoon he didn't like with the old smell of gerbils on it, did the same with the toilet paper. Woke up again this morning and he's taken it all to his penthouse again.

I wouldn't mind too much but he lives downstairs with us, so everytime we walk past his cage we disturb him and i want him to get his sleep he needs. Is their any way i can get him in his house again. My last resort would be to disconnect the tube that leads to his penthouse for a few days until he get's settled back into his house but i don't want to upset him.

Schwartzie · 06-26-2019, 11:36 PM

Can you take a picture of his cage set up...where the penthouse is etc in relation to his house. There are so many experienced hamster owners here who can give you awesome advice. It would help if you could send a picture so we can see.

Jamieking86 · 06-26-2019, 11:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schwartzie

Can you take a picture of his cage set up...where the penthouse is etc in relation to his house. There are so many experienced hamster owners here who can give you awesome advice. It would help if you could send a picture so we can see.

Sorry i did upload a picture but for some reason didn't work. I've added pictures to the post. His grey house you can just see underneath the pink shelf in the corner

Shannonmcn · 06-27-2019, 01:10 AM

A lot of hams do this and it can get a bit gross up there. I took the penthouse off my hamster heaven almost immediately tbh. The hides you have in there do seem a bit small as alternatives tho.

What I would recommend is taking the penthouse off and giving him a large nestbox. Maybe 2-3 times the size of what you have in there. Like an old shoebox or something. I use a 31x23cm Knagglig box from IKEA which nicely doubles as a platform.

Ideally they have room for a big cosy nest and their hoard in the same place. German care guides recommend a large multi-chambered hide for this purpose but they can sort out the organisation themselves if you give them enough space.

Ria P · 06-27-2019, 02:18 AM

Yes, i agree and would also remove the tubes and penthouse then give your hamster a nice big house without a base. Mine lives in the Ferplast guinea pig house (hamster one is too small) which costs about a tenner and has a removable roof and i covered the windows for darkness. I have an open plan kitchen/lounge and the cage is next to the lounge window (double glazed with blinds and curtains). The window facing cage wall has a card board cover and i have a removable top cover to keep the cage dark and draft free. My hamster made a big cosy nest in his house, closes the door and sleeps all day but i do hear him munching now and then. He has an en suite ceramic toilet.
I think the lack of darkness keeps your hamster awake too.

Schwartzie · 06-27-2019, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ria P

Yes, i agree and would also remove the tubes and penthouse then give your hamster a nice big house without a base. Mine lives in the Ferplast guinea pig house (hamster one is too small) which costs about a tenner and has a removable roof and i covered the windows for darkness. I have an open plan kitchen/lounge and the cage is next to the lounge window (double glazed with blinds and curtains). The window facing cage wall has a card board cover and i have a removable top cover to keep the cage dark and draft free. My hamster made a big cosy nest in his house, closes the door and sleeps all day but i do hear him munching now and then. He has an en suite ceramic toilet.
I think the lack of darkness keeps your hamster awake too.

Where did you get that stunning wicker basket hanging from? I love it!!!!

Jamieking86 · 06-27-2019, 11:16 AM

thank you for your replys. Yes the house is a little small but the cocoon i put in their which was much bigger, he never really seemed interested in so i put his house back in incase he missed it. Will definately invest in one of those Guinea pig house. I don't think the cage is quite big enough for a shoe box but the guinea pig house looks perfect thank you.

Ria P · 06-27-2019, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schwartzie

Where did you get that stunning wicker basket hanging from? I love it!!!!

That's his hayloft. He climbs into it and sits there. Sometimes i hide a monkey nut in the hay.
I got it in a small independent pet shop and will check the supplier next time i'm there.

Schwartzie · 06-28-2019, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ria P

That's his hayloft. He climbs into it and sits there. Sometimes i hide a monkey nut in the hay.
I got it in a small independent pet shop and will check the supplier next time i'm there.

Please do, will keep a look out for it. Want to connect it somewhere along the side of the cage...so cute and rustic to go with the natural look.

Jamieking86 · 07-03-2019, 11:23 PM

Hi guys, so just a little update.

I disconnected his tube on sunday evening (it's now Thursday), and i put a much bigger house in for him, filled it with his old bedding from his penthouse, put some new toilet tissue in front of it to encourage him to take it in their and some fresh bit's of food. As soon as he saw his house he had a little sniff and was a little unsure about it, then got the toilet tissue in his mouth and started to climb where his tube was near his penthouse. He tried his best to get to his penthouse, i've left it on top of his cage incase we decide to connect it again when he's properly settled in his new house. He was climbing the bars and everything trying to get up their.

We noticed the next morning he had taken the tissue in his house instead and has slept their ever since thank god. Ever since though, he's been constantly sniffing up towards his penthouse and chewing his bars, we got him a little hammock which has dangling chains and he's chewing them as well. Should i connect his tube back up to his penthouse once he's properly settled in his new house? He used to use his penthouse as a little food stash before he started living in their. I don't mind him using it as a food stash at all but i certainly don't want him moving back in.