An Unhappy Hamster

[amyyxj]

i feel guilty about doris and id like a little advice.
when i first got doris she lived in the living world eco habitat, it’s very big, and there’s lots of height to add bedding and toys. she lived in that cage for around 6 months but she started chewing on the glass and wood. i tried blocking it off, i even bought extra glass panels to protect the part she was chewing. however i ended up having to give her low bedding and not put any high toys in so she couldn’t get to where she was destroying, but that didn’t help as she just started chewing the bottom as well. the noise she was making kept me up at night and i finally decided to give up and get her a new cage.
i chose the detolf and for the first few months she was happy in there. but once again she started to chew the bars. im able to block off the bars so im not worried about her getting them anymore but i still feel really guilty and horrible because i know she’s just bored in there. at first i thought it was just because she was young and that she’d slow down but doris is over a year old now and is still running around at 100mph.
i could join up two living world cages (we have a spare one) this would give her so much space. the only thing is, even with so much space (around 200x50cm to be exact) i have a feeling she would still chew and try to escape. she actually hurt her nose a little from chewing it before.
i just feel bad for her that she’s constantly looking for an escape, i make toys, scatter feed, give her free range time. she is just such a crazy hyperactive ham and im struggling to keep her happy. there aren’t any cages bigger than the detolf on the market really. and my parents are so fed up of all the diys, making lids, switching cages. they’d be very annoyed if i asked them to join the living worlds together, only for doris to have to move back into her detolf.
im really stuck and just want what’s best for her but she’s so hard to make happy.

[CMB]

Don’t feel bad. You are trying your best to give her a good cage and setup.

I wonder if having more than one wheel may keep her busy. She could use one then go from that one to the other one.

The wheels could go in the area she chews most.

[Pebbles82]

It sounds like she is just a chewer. Very frustrating that she is chewing the bars on the detolf. It sounds like she needs to be in a glass tank really. What you could do, if you don't mind the diy - is take the bars out of the detolf. It means siliconing the glass panels together at the edges to make a tank.

I don't think it means she is unhappy necessarily, just that she is now in a bar chewing habit. CMB's idea of an extra wheel is a good one.

Is there anything else that could be making her stressed or wanting to escape? I know cage cleans can cause this kind of thing if done weekly. Do you do weekly cage cleans? If they have enough substrate, you can just spot clean really for up to 3 months or even longer, before needing to do a substrate change. Even then I only replace half the substrate and put the botttom/clean half back and mix it in so it still smells familiar. Also don't clean everything at the same time. Substrate one week, wheel another week, toys another week. Toys tend not to need much cleaning.

If you use a litter tray and she uses it that also means the cage doesn't need cleaning often - you just empty the litter tray.

Keep giving her lots of substrate. Maybe add lots of things like cardboard egg boxes that she can chew to bits.

The Eco habitat and detolf are lovely big cages, but is there a lot of open space? They need some kind of overhead cover as well so they don't feel too exposed - eg a large platform and plenty of hidy places and tunnels. I like the large cork log tunnels as they make an interesting texture and can be used for climbing and as a hide, or a ramp up to a platform.

One member on here wrapped sisal string/rope round the detolf bars - which at least slows them up and protects their teeth - that might be worth a try - it might put her off.

[velma]

What is her set up like? It may be that size isn't the issue but finding the right kind of layout for her? Have you tried some DIY toys that make her have to work for her treats? Like some of the loo roll robes ones you'll find in the DIY thread boards? Or make her a dig box with some treats in? A tissue box filled with maybe a different kind of substrate than she has in her cage cold possibly work. cardboard boxes that she can destroy to her hearts content. And maybe a large dish of sand for her to dig in, like a shallow casserole dish. It might be a starting point anyway. I know hamsters aren't supposed to like change very much but while my robo Hector didn't like big spaces he also got bored quickly & was much happier with fairly frequent change arounds.

[Pebbles82]

Yes can you post a photo of her set up - maybe some clues there

[amyyxj]

Thanks everyone! I think I’ll try the wheel thing and I’ll look into getting her different substrates, she’s had sand before but I didn’t think she was that bothered.
I do a full clean every month, I keep her food, water and nest in the same place but everything else gets changed.
Here is her setup

[CMB]

How about a deep digging area. You can put a deep box in or section of an area with one or more bendy bridges stood up like a wall.

A platform with ramps is often liked. The hamster can climb up onto it and also go underneath.

Where does she pee? Most Syrian hamsters like to pee in a corner. A small pet corner toilet could go in one of the corners. Or some other container. It makes cleaning easier having a toilet. You empty it every few days and refill it. The rest of the substrate stays cleaner, soshouldn’t Need removing a softer.

[Pebbles82]

Aw she's lovely. It looks very nice. My first instinct is - get her a bigger house. A shoe box would do with a hole cut in for a door. Cut the bottom out and use the lid as a lift off roof. And then put a bendy bridge tunnel over the door - makes it dark inside and makes a ramp to the roof. When they have a bigger house they do a lot of hamstery things in it and there's room for a large winter nest. And it's somewhere dark to retreat to.

Rodipet also make good houses but they're a bit expensive, especially with the postage.

Or this Ferplast Sin Rabbit house makes a good sized nesting box. It's quite tall so I find it works best sat on the bottom of the cage with about 2" of substrate inside and substrate piled up round the outside to make the entrance smaller - and a bendy bridge over the door. It's also big enough to put a litter tray inside - if you put it in the back right corner opposite the door she'll probably use it. It fits together like a jigsaw and the roof lifts off. With a lift off roof you can check inside without her nest collapsing.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ferplast-84...n+rabbit+house

I would also add a platform - then she has something to sit under or sit on - they like sitting on a shelf. This trixie one isn't too expensive and it's tall enough to sit above the substrate. That would also make it cosier and maybe a bit less exposed and you can put extra things on the platform.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trixie-Natu...living+shelter

If you have it at the opposite end to the house and move the wheel along a bit, you could have deeper substrate at that end, next to and under the platform. I use a cork log like the one you have, next to a platform as a ramp up onto it and also as a tunnel leading under it.

I think that would make a big difference. You have lots of space in there and it looks lovely but could maybe be fuller for a hammy who can then make it nice and messy!

I think the cleanouts may be stressing her as well. Maybe only do a substrate clean every two months and just spot clean in between - and if she starts using a litter tray you could go even longer. Also best not to use any scented cleaning stuff as that can really upset them - it smells much stronger to them than us. Just warm water or a bit of washing up liquid water is fine. And do the wheel another time and the other things another time again. It means something always smells familiar

I also leave the nest unless it's pee'd in then try and leave a bit of the old nest behind even if it's a bit whiffy and put some more paper out. Do you remove her hoards when you clean too? Best to leave any dried hoard unless it's pee'd on - it can last quite a long time. If you do remove any then replace it with new food in the same place.

I use one of these corner litter trays for a potty, with Chinchilla bathing sand in - it fits nicely in the corner of a large house and then you just lift the roof off the house to take the potty out and clean it and put it back.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hamster-cor...=hamster+potty

The Germans reckon hamsters need houses with rooms - one for nesting, one for a potty, one for hoarding and so on. I don't think the rooms are essential personally, but have found a large house with a litter tray in works well and then they hoard, nest and toilet inside the house and use the potty.

So I think with some adjustments she may feel more settled in there and not want to chew her way out. And that maybe the combination of not enough dark places to retreat to and full clean outs, is stressing her a bit.

[amyyxj]

Thanks, I’ll look at some houses! She’s had big houses before but because she mainly chooses to nest out in the open I assumed she wasn’t bothered. Im going to get a potty and make a house out of boxes like you said.

Thanks for all the suggestions, I’ll try them out and see how it goes!

[Pebbles82]

I hope that helps If she chooses to make a nest in the open then maybe the house isn't the issue, but it's worth a try. Sometimes if they don't like a house they won't use it. I think the bendy bridge over the door works well - it's always tempted our hammies inside the house and then they decide to nest there. I would definitely add some kind of platform. What chew sticks does she have?