Should I add more substrate?

FawnRoyale · 12-09-2017, 11:18 AM

Hi! I also uploaded this question onto Hamster Hideout, but I wanted to get some more opinions on the matter. About a week ago I upgraded my hamster to a new 40-gallon tank. When I did, I added an entire bag of substrate, but it only gave her about 2 inches of bedding in her cage! I want her to have more room to tunnel, as she seems to enjoy that a lot, but I'm worried adding it now may stress her out. I really don't want to stress her out, she's still pretty shy and not very comfortable with my hands, but I also don't want her to be bored.

Also, when I do add the bedding, is there any way I could turn it into a less stressful bonding experience?

Pebbles82 · 12-09-2017, 01:33 PM

Hello. After a cage move it's a bit like when they first come home, and they need about two weeks without things being disturbed to settle in, acclimatise, and scent mark etc. Having said that it may vary depending on the hamster but generally they can be a bit jumpy and nervy for the first couple of weeks.

I think for that length of time she would be fine with a couple of inches of substrate, but you could add an extra handful once a week maybe, and put some food on top as a distraction! And then add some more a bit at a time in a couple of weeks when spot cleaning when she's had a bit of time to settle in.

When you do add more, it makes life easier in the long run as it means less clean outs - when the substrate is deeper you can mainly just spot clean - ie take out a handful of soiled substrate and replace it with a new handful and mix it in a bit so it smells familiar. If your hamster uses a litter tray as well you could easily go 6 to 8 weeks or even longer without needing to do a full cage clean. Even then I think it's better not to do a full cage clean, but just do the substrate, and replace a bit of the old that is dry, either mixed in or sprinkled on top. And do the toys a different week and the wheel a different time again - so something always smells familiar. I rely on hiding treats or scattering food to distract from a change that may upset them.

Just keep talking to her and I'm sure she'll settle in soon.

cypher · 12-09-2017, 01:50 PM

I would just go ahead & add the substrate, it's not like taking something out, changing the layout or removing her scent which is what stresses them out.
You could just take out the substrate you have now, put a good deep layer in then put the old substrate back on top so it all smells familiar, keep any food hoard & nest as intact as you can & put them back where they were too.
I don't really think 2 inches of substrate is enough for any hamster & having more may well help her settle in more quickly.

Pebbles82 · 12-09-2017, 03:53 PM

Lol - just to confuse you - two different opinions! Maybe it just comes down to her personality and how she is. As Cypher says more substrate may help her settle in. How about a compromise and add more at one end and see what she decides to do - whether she stays at the low end or explores the deeper end.

FawnRoyale · 12-09-2017, 04:43 PM

Thank you both! I added the substrate on top and mixed it with the very tippy top layer of her current substrate so I wouldn't disturb her, her nest, or her hoard. I then added all of hey unwashed toys (except for her wheel, which she still uses as a bathroom lol!) so her cage still smells just like her! She came out for a second and seemed to enjoy the fact that she could dig a little deeper. Thank you both again, I'm honestly really glad to hear differing opinions