So much to learn.. help me, please?

[SammyMySweetHammy]

I have had my hamster, Sammy, for almost a year now. He is currently housed in a 4ft by 1ft aquarium, which I recently got. Before this he was in a small hamster cage which he was already housed in when I got him. I rescued him on a whim and he has become the best, fuzziest, most loving little ham I have ever had the opportunity to meet. I had no idea about all of these things until coming into this forum. All of the sites I read told me things were suitable for him that I now know are NOT. How can they be so misleading? I didn't know that he was not full grown when I rescued him. Little did I know how big he would get. He now is using a 12 inch silent spinner. I have trouble finding products for hamsters where I live in the middle of nowhere, and buying online is a risk when you don't know what dimensions you need. My question is this... is what I'm doing correct?

He's in a 4ft by 1ft aquarium with a mesh lid. He is using carefresh bedding (is this safe?) He has a 12 inch silent spinner that he LOVES. I'm in the process of making levels for him tank and he does not currently have a house or any hides. (I know he needs some, but I haven't been able to find any around here) he currently has a huge nest built.how often does his substraight need to be changed? I'm cleaning every 2 weeks with spot cleaning every afternoon. His water bottle is mounted with velcro. (Is this safe?) He eats wild harvest hamster and gerbil advanced nutrition diet (the only food readily available in my area) I feed him carrots and cucumbers on Tuesdays. He gets yogurt treats every 3rd day. I play with him every night for around 30 minutes, and then he gets to roam around in his ball, taking breaks every 20 until he seems tuckered out. I've allowed him to come outside and walk in the grass (under VERY close supervision) is this safe? Also I want to try to litter train him but have no idea even where to begin or if he is too old to learn. Does he need a sand bath?

There is so much that I thought was okay and I've learned that isn't true. I just want what is best for him and although he seems happy I want to KNOW I'm providing him with the best care possible. Thank you for any help in advance.

[cypher]

You're doing well for your little guy!
His tank is a bit narrow but a good length so I'm sure that's fine for him, the velcro for the bottle is ok too & carefresh is perfectly ok to use as a substrate.
You can easily make a house out of a cardboard box, something like a shoebox, just cut out the base & make an entrance hole at the front, alternatively you can get really big bendy bridges which make good hideouts too.
You don't really need to clean every two weeks, spot cleaning daily is good then you can just do partial cleans, I think 1/3-1/2 half is plenty to do at any one time, do that every few weeks & always keep back some of the old nest material (that should be plain white shredded toilet tissue) & either leave or replace the hoard when you clean those areas.
I'm not sure about that food you're currently using but you should be able to get Harry/Hazel hamster in the US which is about the best food for syrians.
Yogurt drops are just sugar & fat really so should only be a rare treat, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, a few flax seeds, monkey nuts & maybe half another kind of nut are all good treats in moderation, not too often or too many at one time!
I would begin giving more variety of veg, a small piece daily.
Not all syrians enjoy a sand bath but many do so it's definitely worth a try, any container will do but be sure to get chinchilla sand not dust, they often like to pee in the sand too so it's good to put in a litter tray as well as the sand bath.

ETA I just saw your photos of your lovely boy in your other thread & wanted to mention that you could give him much deeper substrate, on of the big advantages of a tank, they do like to dig & burrow so I would go for about 15cm if you have the height for that or as much as you can really.

[SammyMySweetHammy]

Originally Posted by cypher

You're doing well for your little guy!
His tank is a bit narrow but a good length so I'm sure that's fine for him, the velcro for the bottle is ok too & carefresh is perfectly ok to use as a substrate.
You can easily make a house out of a cardboard box, something like a shoebox, just cut out the base & make an entrance hole at the front, alternatively you can get really big bendy bridges which make good hideouts too.
You don't really need to clean every two weeks, spot cleaning daily is good then you can just do partial cleans, I think 1/3-1/2 half is plenty to do at any one time, do that every few weeks & always keep back some of the old nest material (that should be plain white shredded toilet tissue) & either leave or replace the hoard when you clean those areas.
I'm not sure about that food you're currently using but you should be able to get Harry/Hazel hamster in the US which is about the best food for syrians.
Yogurt drops are just sugar & fat really so should only be a rare treat, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, a few flax seeds, monkey nuts & maybe half another kind of nut are all good treats in moderation, not too often or too many at one time!
I would begin giving more variety of veg, a small piece daily.
Not all syrians enjoy a sand bath but many do so it's definitely worth a try, any container will do but be sure to get chinchilla sand not dust, they often like to pee in the sand too so it's good to put in a litter tray as well as the sand bath.

Thank you so much for your help. I had a cardboard box in there for a hide or house and he ended up just scratching at it with his little paws constantly. It was rather noisy and he seemed to just think it was in his way, so I removed it. I opted for more bedding on one side of his tank and he has made a giant underground nest for now until I can figure something else out. I've never seen that food around here (I've seen it mentioned regularly) I will order some online since that's what's best. As for his veggies he tends to be pretty picky, carrots are his favorite. I've tried a variety but most go untouched. As for Apple what kind is best to get for them? And do you have any tips on lit ter trays ?

[AmityvilleHams]

Wild Harvest hamster food is not any good.It's just as much junk as Kaytee for example or a lot of the other cheaper foods.You need a much better food that will provide the right nutrition but also is 100% safe.I know it might seem expensive to go to a pet store and get certain foods,but you really shouldn't use the lower quality foods

Harry Hamster/Hazel Hamster would be a good option,but it isn't the only US option.You also have a combination diet,but really the best way to go is just use Higgins for the seed mix.There aren't exactly many decent options,but Higgins is pretty much the best in terms of using no dyes or artificial preservatives(which can be very unsafe if not cancer causing).I personally feed a combination of Higgins Sunburst,Carefresh hamster food,and flax seed.I just feed one tablespoon Carefresh,1/2 tablespoon(1.5 teaspoons,roughly)Higgins,and a pinch of flax.I usually will add Pure Bites freeze dried chicken to that.Freeze dried chicken is an extremely healthy thing to add to your hamster's diet,as they really do need a high quality animal protein source due to their natural omnivorous diet.The animal protein just has to be free of additives,and of a safe type for hamsters.You can also try rehydrating freeze dried chicken(not really mentioned for hamsters but mostly mentioned within the ferret,dog,and cat community)which would make it have even more dietary value as a source of moisture in their diet as well as making it be in even more of a natural state.All you'd have to do is use warm water(ideally filtered,though some tap water can be safe but quite a bit has chlorine which isn't exactly a good thing to have in your hamster's diet,but some bottled can be safe if not with added minerals etc)to soak the chicken for a few minutes and then serve!

I've ate several yogurt drops and even if I hadn't,I could still tell you just how sugary they are They're like candy if anything,with no health benefits to offer.Other treats as mentioned are much better!I've found Gerber baby puffs to work good but they must be a safe variety(organic apple for example would be fine).They're very minimal sugar(60 whole pieces is only 1 gram of sugar in the organic apple flavor,which obviously a hamster would not get even 10),and quite popular among hamsters but certainly lower in sugar than yogurt drops(which my hamster honestly could care less about and has even spit out).

Litter trays are very simple,as you can use things like a good sized bowl for them.Syrians do need pretty big bowls though to use,but you can definitely find some Syrian sized bowls for a good price in most places.Litter must be either chinchilla sand of a very high quality or sterilized children's play sand.You cannot use anything clay based or mineral based,as these are unsafe and would easily cause a blockage due to not being able to pass through the intestines(whereas sand generally can,as long as your hamster doesn't eat a massive amount all at once)but they also tend to have unsafe dyes and fragrance which is all to benefit the human rather than being as safe as possible for pets

[cypher]

Some hamsters do prefer to sleep in an open nest rather than a house so it sounds as though he's doing fine without one, you could try putting a large bendy bridge over the area where he sleeps to make it a bit darker & cosier to see how he likes that.
You can use anything for a litter tray really or you can buy corner trays, if he already has a specific corner where he pees then just put the tray there, fill with sand & put some damp substrate on top to encourage him to use it.

[SammyMySweetHammy]

Originally Posted by AmityvilleHams

Wild Harvest hamster food is not any good.It's just as much junk as Kaytee for example or a lot of the other cheaper foods.You need a much better food that will provide the right nutrition but also is 100% safe.I know it might seem expensive to go to a pet store and get certain foods,but you really shouldn't use the lower quality foods

Harry Hamster/Hazel Hamster would be a good option,but it isn't the only US option.You also have a combination diet,but really the best way to go is just use Higgins for the seed mix.There aren't exactly many decent options,but Higgins is pretty much the best in terms of using no dyes or artificial preservatives(which can be very unsafe if not cancer causing).I personally feed a combination of Higgins Sunburst,Carefresh hamster food,and flax seed.I just feed one tablespoon Carefresh,1/2 tablespoon(1.5 teaspoons,roughly)Higgins,and a pinch of flax.I usually will add Pure Bites freeze dried chicken to that.Freeze dried chicken is an extremely healthy thing to add to your hamster's diet,as they really do need a high quality animal protein source due to their natural omnivorous diet.The animal protein just has to be free of additives,and of a safe type for hamsters.You can also try rehydrating freeze dried chicken(not really mentioned for hamsters but mostly mentioned within the ferret,dog,and cat community)which would make it have even more dietary value as a source of moisture in their diet as well as making it be in even more of a natural state.All you'd have to do is use warm water(ideally filtered,though some tap water can be safe but quite a bit has chlorine which isn't exactly a good thing to have in your hamster's diet,but some bottled can be safe if not with added minerals etc)to soak the chicken for a few minutes and then serve!

I've ate several yogurt drops and even if I hadn't,I could still tell you just how sugary they are They're like candy if anything,with no health benefits to offer.Other treats as mentioned are much better!I've found Gerber baby puffs to work good but they must be a safe variety(organic apple for example would be fine).They're very minimal sugar(60 whole pieces is only 1 gram of sugar in the organic apple flavor,which obviously a hamster would not get even 10),and quite popular among hamsters but certainly lower in sugar than yogurt drops(which my hamster honestly could care less about and has even spit out).

Litter trays are very simple,as you can use things like a good sized bowl for them.Syrians do need pretty big bowls though to use,but you can definitely find some Syrian sized bowls for a good price in most places.Litter must be either chinchilla sand of a very high quality or sterilized children's play sand.You cannot use anything clay based or mineral based,as these are unsafe and would easily cause a blockage due to not being able to pass through the intestines(whereas sand generally can,as long as your hamster doesn't eat a massive amount all at once)but they also tend to have unsafe dyes and fragrance which is all to benefit the human rather than being as safe as possible for pets

Oh trust me I don't mind the price! It's the availability that has me beat. I would have to drive 3 hours to find a decent pet store. I am going to start buying hazel hamster food offline. When it comes in I will slowly introduce it mixing it wth his old Food little by little. As for the treats I had no idea. They advertise these things that seem like a nice treat for your ham and then they end up being harmful. He only gets one at a time everyou time I give them but still I had no idea. I will look to better options like baby puffs and fruits and veggies. As for you talking about the tap water ... I've been filling his water bottle up with tap water.. should I be using bottled water? Like I said I've had him almost a year (next month makes a year) and I feel so bad that he hasn't been getting proper care from me.

As for me saying he doesn't have any hides he's had some before. But when I moved him to his new cage he lost interest in his old blue house he had so that's why he doesn't have one now

[AmityvilleHams]

Ordering online is definitely a good idea!It tends to be cheaper,plus you can price as many different sources as possible which helps a lot.I very rarely buy storebought treats,but even with all the bad ones there have been some that aren't terrible.For water,if your tap water is completely safe(no chlorine etc)it might be fine,but you'd have to be absolutely certain on that and it can be risky.Bottled water or filtered water are usually less risky though

Storebought treats are possible to work with,as long as they're all natural and very high quality.I like Wet Noses dog biscuits(certain flavors are hamster safe)which are excellent quality being all natural but also for an extra bonus are organic(not completely necessary but definitely not a bad thing),but there are many different options.I mainly use Dollar General dog biscuits which depending on variety can be safe for hamsters(small breed I believe,not too sure though as the box is not in front of me right now)and are cheaper along with higher quality than other not so great dog biscuits(such as Milk Bone,which have cancer causing preservatives along with having unspecified biproducts which could be anything from feet to noses to ears,feathers,etc).Whimzees dog chews are fine too,but avoid Greenies(they aren't as safe and don't do anywhere near as much teeth trimming).Higgins Sunburst makes a few safe treats,for example certain treat sticks(cheaper than most other ones but even higher in quality with no artificial dyes or flavors or unsafe preservatives)or their veggie stix(the safest kind of this treat type,no dyes or added flavors or unsafe preservatives In fact,the veggie stix have no preservatives at all!

Some Vitakraft treats can be good too,but a lot are higher in sugar with added dyes,flavors,etc and you have to be extremely careful as quite a bit of Vitakraft includes leek or other unsafe/questionable ingredients(mountain ash berry for example which is questionable at best with no solid guarantee that it absolutely won't cause damage if fed frequently over a period of time,or citrus which is not safe except with citric acid as a preservative in very small amounts).Their AnimaLovens biscuits are generally good though,but you still need to be careful with the ingredients and make sure they're safe(as you should with any treat that you're not sure of).

[Pebbles82]

If cost isn't an issue too much, you could look at upgrading him to a 40 gallon, or even 75 gallon tank (4 foot long by 1 foot 7" deep and 22" high). These have a greater depth and better use of floor area. A 40 gallon breeder tank is about 3 ft long by 1 foot 6" deep.

Petco (or is it Petsmart) have dollar per gallon sales so you'd get a 75 gallon for $75. With the extra height you could have a foot of bedding for tunneling

A level does add to enrichment as do some natural things like large cork tunnels (reptile shops sell them and I think Amazon does too). Although he was scratching at the cardboard box house you could maybe try that again - they like ripping cardboard to bits and chewing it to make nesting material sometimes. A shoebox can be good with a hole cut in the front for a door - cut the bottom out so it's open to the substrate underneath and you can use the lid as a lift-off roof to check inside. He might not want to nest in it if he likes his current burrow, but it's another hide and makes a bit of a platform too, plus it's light so it won't sink into the deep substrate or cause a problem if he tunnels under it If he chews it to bits he's having fun.

[SammyMySweetHammy]

Originally Posted by Serendipity7000

If cost isn't an issue too much, you could look at upgrading him to a 40 gallon, or even 75 gallon tank (4 foot long by 1 foot 7" deep and 22" high). These have a greater depth and better use of floor area. A 40 gallon breeder tank is about 3 ft long by 1 foot 6" deep.

Petco (or is it Petsmart) have dollar per gallon sales so you'd get a 75 gallon for $75. With the extra height you could have a foot of bedding for tunneling

A level does add to enrichment as do some natural things like large cork tunnels (reptile shops sell them and I think Amazon does too). Although he was scratching at the cardboard box house you could maybe try that again - they like ripping cardboard to bits and chewing it to make nesting material sometimes. A shoebox can be good with a hole cut in the front for a door - cut the bottom out so it's open to the substrate underneath and you can use the lid as a lift-off roof to check inside. He might not want to nest in it if he likes his current burrow, but it's another hide and makes a bit of a platform too, plus it's light so it won't sink into the deep substrate or cause a problem if he tunnels under it If he chews it to bits he's having fun.

He's in a 75 gallon aquarium as far as I know. I bought it second hand so I'm not positive but I'm pretty certain those are the dimensions already. I haven't had him in this tank very long and I haven't been sure how many pack of bedding to use. I think instead of 12 liters I'm going to double it from now on.

[Cinnamon Bear]

I was going to suggest eco bedding shredded nesting material for their nest area. My Syrian hammy loves it. Inside or outside their nest, if they sleep in the open, they will definitely use this as a nest.

Also my sand bath isn't that large. Just about a 4x4 in bowl filled with Chinchilla sand. I'm so happy that she uses that as a potty. A lot less work