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Old 02-23-2019, 08:29 AM   #51
mangoandmimi
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Default Re: Cage seems small

It looks nice. If she's running along the walls in the hallway that's not unusual. I think it's instinctive for them, at least at first. Might be that she's still just trying to escape like usual or might be that she's a bit unsettled - new and open space of course, but it can be difficult to tell so I'd just keep going with it. With the cage I don't think there's much more you can add without over crowding it, they do need space to run about too.
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Old 02-23-2019, 09:44 AM   #52
Pebbles82
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Default Re: Cage seems small

Ah I missed the hallway! Sorry for the mistake I thought you meant keeping to the edges of the cage and misread. Anyway I think the changes will help when she gets used to them and sometimes you can distract them out of this if something started it.

Our last Syrian Charlie was never a bar chewer, but became one after we left him somewhere while on holiday. He was constantly bar chewing when we got back and he was in his same cage thoughout! It took two weeks for it to settle. First letting him out a lot, then turning the lights out earlier (he stopped doing it when we left the room and turned the lights out). But what finally stopped it was some changes in the cage. Probably all different reasons - I think he could still smell scents from the previous house so a cage clean actually helped on that occasion. A slight change can distract them or make things better so they calm down a bit

I would either move the hammock to the middle and hang it a bit lower, or leave it there and add another one
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Old 02-24-2019, 02:41 PM   #53
SandyT
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Default Re: Cage seems small

Thank you both. I hadn't thought of her chewing the house as a positive but yes, much rather that than the bars. I'm also pretty sure she only chews the bars when I'm in the room. The first night I put her back in, I left her to it and turned the lights off. She appears to have explored everywhere. I had put treats in there and scatter fed. I got up in the night to check on her and she made her little sneeze sound but I think it was annoyance rather than being scared. It could have been because she'd moved loads of Fitch or it was more likely that I'd taken her stashed carrot and didn't think to replace it with dry food. The cage does feel really full now. I think the extra Fitch hasn't worked as she's pretty much piled it all up in 2 places to take it back to the level it was before! I don't think in her cage, she's ever really had a problem with being in the open, so I'm not really keen to add another grass hammock, though I do have one if need be. It does make the cage substantially darker and if I add another one, I'll barely see her. I will have a good look and see how it would be in the middle, for some reason I didn't think about that. As the cage now seems so crowded, I'm not sure if I should just upgrade her now anyway or just monitor her and see. I also am not sure if I should remove some of the extra Fitch.
Out if cage time is improving a little, I think. She doesn't seem quite so annoyed or stressed and I'm trying to just accept that her trying to escape is normal and nothing I'm doing wrong. I put her new wheel together, I'd been hanging off because of the ball bearings. When it came to it, that bit was already done! It's a little stiffer than the one in her cage but if I loosen it to much, it's not going to be supported enough. She can manage it just fine anyway and kept jumping in and out of it. I'm not entirely sure if this is good or not because it's out of cage time, where she has the chance to run freely and she could use the in her cage. I don't think she does use the one in her cage much at all now. I'm sorry that I sound like I'm moaning. I promise I'm not, I'm just inexperienced and trying to do the best I can by my little girl.
Thank you so so much for all of your ongoing help and suggestions.
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Old 02-24-2019, 03:36 PM   #54
Pebbles82
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Default Re: Cage seems small

It all sounds positive! I would leave the Fitch in - let her sort it out herself. It does sound like she is settling, and sometimes they likethe cage quite full. Places to go and things to do Interesting - you might get her out of the bar chewing if you leave the room and turn the lights off and she has other things to think about too. I reckon once she's tamer, with more out of cage time, it may just settle. So take it a bit at a time.

I think it's fine to use a wheel out of the cage. Newt loved doing that. Stops them sitting in the corner of the playpen trying to get out anyway! If it's any consolation, our robo did exactly that today in the playpen. Spent time on his wheel and exploring but eventually got bored and spent time trying to scratch his way out of the corner of the playpen and looking for a way over the top (off my knee).

I honestly think it;s an inbuilt hamster instinct, that if there is a wall they have to get over it! Even when they free roam they eventually want to get past the room!
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Old 02-25-2019, 04:43 PM   #55
SandyT
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Default Re: Cage seems small

Thank you Serendipity, your suggestions have been really helpful and I'm enjoying time with her again. Hopefully, she will settle down and be happier.
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