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Old 11-18-2021, 08:36 AM   #1
fansollo22
 
Join Date: Nov 2021
Location: Romania
Posts: 1
Default Hamster stressed by lack of space ?

Hello guys,

Me and my girlfriend got our first hamster a few weeks ago, close to a month. We found a decent cage with a tunnel online, got it then went to the petshop to get a furry friend. He accommodated in a few days and he was walking around at night/late evening, drinking, eating and behaving pretty normal.

He started growing pretty quickly and for 1 or 2 days, he started being hyper active (that's what i think its happening, this is my first hamster and i don't know if this is normal or not).

I plan to go tomorrow and grab one of those storage boxes which are bigger and deeper (so i can place him more bedding, i read that 15 cm should be plenty so he can burrow).

I plan to get the cage no matter what, but i was just wondering if the behaviour is weird. He does not bite the cage.

Il post a video below with him active. Sorry for the low quality but when he sees our room lights he stops what he's doing and he burrows (the light is yellow and kinda looks like the sun).

My hamster - YouTube

Thank you,
Sorin
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Old 11-20-2021, 04:33 PM   #2
Ria P
House of Hamsters
 
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Wiltshire, UK
Posts: 7,103
Default Re: Hamster stressed by lack of space ?

Hello and welcome to HC!

Yes, the cage is unsuitable because it is too small and quite bare but you know that already and are going to do something about it.

I'd put a cardboard box house in the base of the cage, a sandbath and some cardboard tubes to run through. Add some chews like a whimzee, scatter his food mix around anf give him some millet like the ones for birds. Anything to give him something to do really until you set up a bigger cage with one continuous floor space.

I'd also check that his water bottle is working ok in case he's trying to tell you something.
Hamsters can be quite active and zoom around so he may not necessarily be that stressed.

Have a look at the thread "Let's see your cages" on the Forum under Housing to get ideas about cages and set ups.
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Old 11-20-2021, 06:20 PM   #3
Lilafernim
Senior Hamster
 
Join Date: Sep 2021
Posts: 409
Default Re: Hamster stressed by lack of space ?

Adding in to what Ria said, I’m guilty of this too with my previous hamster getting taller cages but it’s important that they have a continuous distance to run. I believe even for dwarf hamsters the minimum recommended is 80cm x 50cm (if I’m incorrect please correct me!).

They like a lot of places to hide, as Ria said cardboard boxes are fantastic they also act as a chew toy. I also am a fan of whimzees I swear I go on about them all the time 😂 but they stink if you smell them so it really attracts hamsters but it’s tough enough to keep their teeth down. As a pack they can be quite expensive but my local pet store sells them individually and one can last for a while. It’s important to have a variety of chew toys to file their teeth down other wise overgrown teeth can be an issue.

Absolutely appreciate your initiative of getting a larger home! I’m sure people on here will have some great DIYs for bin cages, I personally when looking into getting a larger cage considered this, but I didn’t have a drill or mesh or zip ties. So it would end up costing me the same if not more than a cage so if you do get a large box consider there does need to be air ventilation and modifications done to make it suitable if your planning as a permanent home.

I’ve been very lucky I managed to get an Alaska home for £20 on Facebook marketplace, gumtree could also be worth a look, I will say though that for me suitable cages second hand seem to be rare. Not sure if you’re in the UK, but sales do go on sometimes, pets at home had a Black Friday deal for the hamster heaven for £55 but for some reason it’s gone? But definitely a good time to look for some good deals if you’re interested in a new cage with Black Friday coming around.

He’s an absolute cutie ❤️ Me and my partner absolutely love our hamster and they really do become part of the family. Wishing you the best of luck!
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Old 11-21-2021, 04:53 AM   #4
Pebbles82
Hamster Antics
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 23,533
Default Re: Hamster stressed by lack of space ?

He does seem a bit stressed - repetitive behaviour. And yes he will feel a bit cooped up in the cage as not big enough. When newly in a cage they do check everything out to see if there's a way out anywhere before they settle in, but he does seem a bit stressed.

You've had good advice above. While seeking a replacement, add extra substrate to the base and add a house as ria says. They do need somewhere dark to retreat to - a house or hide that's dark inside. If there isn't one, they dig under the substrate to get in the dark but he can't do that if it isn't very deep.

I see you're in romania so there is probably very limited cage choice (and yes 80 x 50 is ideal for a dwarf hamster and a good minimum to go by). Something like the Savic Hamster Heaven cage is ideal (and not too tall so reduces fall risks). If you can only get a bin to make a bin cage then assume you have an ikea? The 78cm Samla bin is quite cheap and makes a decent cage. You'll need to buy the lid as well and cut the centre out and mesh it, plus cut panels out of the two long sides and mesh them.

But do add some more substrate to the bottom level - at least 4" deep if you can - don't worry abiut it falling out of the bars - most of it will stay in. And a cardboard box house on top of the substrate (ideally open underneath) a square tissue box is fine.

Can he actually get down to the bottom level? He seemed a bit apprehensive about the tube - it's vertical and dwarf hamsters can struggle to get up vertical tubes.
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