Tomate's cage - New thread (couldn't upload pics in the other)

[Lau]

Hi! I have the cage set up following the advice I received the best way I could The cage is a Ferplast Plaza 160 covered with 1cm mesh.

The substrate is 16 cms deep, in the far right side it has no underground platforms so that Tomate can burrow easily and without obstacles. The substrate is hemp and birch. I read in a german forum that hemp doesn't tangle as badly in long haired hamsters' fur, the birch was to make it softer but I feel like the hemp is soft enough by itself anyway. I'll give it a try this time and if the birch tangles then I'll take it away in the first cage clean. The bedding in his nest is shredded toilet paper.

I set up two different sand areas, quite small because I was told that syrians don't enjoy bathing as much as dwarves. In the bigger area of the two I buried some food so that it's also an enrichment area as he'll have to dig to forage. It also has the small green hideout because sand is cooler than the substrate and the weather right now is a bit hot, so he might prefer that one until October. The smallest area is the glass jar inside the shoe box in the left side (under the wood circle). I read that they enjoy having a litter inside their nest so I've given him both options, I'll take away the one he doesn't use or leave both if he enjoys both the foraging area and indoor litter. If I take out the large sand area, I'll substitute it with organic, fertilizer free dirt. By the way, the sand is over a platform so that it won't colapse if Tomate tunnels under it.

I sprinkled herbs and his food around the top of the substrate so that he can forage, and hid one of the bridges I was using as a hideoutcwith hay to give him different feeling hideouts.

There are 3 water bowls, two in the piece of wood and one in the open sand area. In the piece of wood there is also a flatter plate to set his fresh food.

I tried to set a lot of places he could hide and climb around, trying to not overcrowd it. Is it enough? There is an upside down bridge in the back so he can get on top and feel like he can see farther away (I read somewhere they like watching out for predators). I also set up a chewing wooden toy there.

The wheel is a CSE, also on top of a platform. And the log in the right far side is from rodipet, he can go through, climb it, play with the holes...

There is also a picture the breeder sent of him. She told me he's 2 month old, so I guess the hair will still grow quite a bit, right? I can't manage to find a lot of information on long haired syrians. He'll get sent home on Wednesday (I can't find Syrians in my city, it's kind of weird) so I still have time for some changes.

Is there anything I may have forgotten?

Thank you for taking the time to read through the whole thing and for the advice I've been receiving <3

[Ria P]

Where is his house? They like a nice roomy house to make a big nest in, keep a hoard and maybe an en suite (corner toilet). Some strips of plain white toilet paper is usually appreciated for nesting.
I think a big house and a big wheel are two essentials for a Syrian.
It's a nice and spacious set up and he'll be happy in there.
Once you've had your hamster for a while and observed his habits, likes and dislikes you'll be able to make adjustments as and when needed.
Hamsters are all different and it took me a while to figure out what my hamster wanted by watching him at night. Mine doesn't burrow but likes to sit above ground and now that he uses everything in his cage i know that he likes it.

I'd wait and watch your hamster's reaction once he's had a chance to settle in before you adjust anything. Would recommend to add a coconut hide, mine spends ages sitting and grooming in his.

[Lau]

Originally Posted by Ria P

Where is his house? They like a nice roomy house to make a big nest in, keep a hoard and maybe an en suite (corner toilet). Some strips of plain white toilet paper is usually appreciated for nesting.
I think a big house and a big wheel are two essentials for a Syrian.
It's a nice and spacious set up and he'll be happy in there.
Once you've had your hamster for a while and observed his habits, likes and dislikes you'll be able to make adjustments as and when needed.
Hamsters are all different and it took me a while to figure out what my hamster wanted by watching him at night. Mine doesn't burrow but likes to sit above ground and now that he uses everything in his cage i know that he likes it.

I'd wait and watch your hamster's reaction once he's had a chance to settle in before you adjust anything. Would recommend to add a coconut hide, mine spends ages sitting and grooming in his.

Hi Ria! Thanks for replying
His house is hidden under the wood piece. I'm posting pictures with a paper roll as size reference. I wasn't sure whether to cut off the floor or not so I left it in. Is there enough space for him to move around? The shredder toilet paper is going to be added tomorrow, I heard he'll get used to my scent faster if I have skin contact with the paper for a while before putting it in.

I have a couple coconut hides! I did them myself for an aquarium one is on the left of the house and right of the sand pit, mostly buried. Do I put the other a bit higher on the ground?

I'll wait and watch as you said thanks

[Ria P]

Oh i see! Yes, i would definitely cut the bottom off so the house sits on the substrate. They like to sink their nest in and bury a hoard. He may well chose a peeing corner inside the house so hopefully he'll pee in the jar but you can move that when he decides on where goes what or get a corner toilet.

Wait and see, they don't always do what we'd like them to do or change their minds after a while.

I think he's got enough room to run around and he may well move from shelter to shelter at first until he gets used to the new home.

The coconut. My Syrian's coconut sits on top of the substrate under a bridge and he likes that going by the amount of time he spends in there and my Robo's coconut i sunk in with the hole level with the substrate. I haven't had him for long enough to know if he likes it.

Bet you can't wait to get your hamster. It's so exciting! He's a lovely looking boy.

[Ria P]

Had another good look at your set up. I'd move the bendy bridge near the hanging one to make it easier for him to get onto the hanging one. Maybe even turn it round.
Imagine you are a hamster and want to move around and get to everything on offer in the cage. That's what i do.

[Lau]

Originally Posted by Ria P

Oh i see! Yes, i would definitely cut the bottom off so the house sits on the substrate. They like to sink their nest in and bury a hoard. He may well chose a peeing corner inside the house so hopefully he'll pee in the jar but you can move that when he decides on where goes what or get a corner toilet.

Wait and see, they don't always do what we'd like them to do or change their minds after a while.

I think he's got enough room to run around and he may well move from shelter to shelter at first until he gets used to the new home.

The coconut. My Syrian's coconut sits on top of the substrate under a bridge and he likes that going by the amount of time he spends in there and my Robo's coconut i sunk in with the hole level with the substrate. I haven't had him for long enough to know if he likes it.

Bet you can't wait to get your hamster. It's so exciting! He's a lovely looking boy.

Perfect! Tomorrow morning I'll see how I manage to pull out the shoe box to cut it off I guess if it doesn't have a bottom it'll be easier to put it back even if the substrate moves a bit. Let's hope he likes the toilet where I put it. Worst case scenario, I just have to but a different, smaller dish that is easier to move around

I put the second coconut just near the blue tube, this one directly on top of the substrate with a bith of hemp in so that he's comfy.

I'm super excited about meeting him but also really freaked out. I meshed the cage myself and I'm scared I might left an opening, even if the largest space isn't even big enough to put the tip of my finger through

[Lau]

Originally Posted by Ria P

Had another good look at your set up. I'd move the bendy bridge near the hanging one to make it easier for him to get onto the hanging one. Maybe even turn it round.
Imagine you are a hamster and want to move around and get to everything on offer in the cage. That's what i do.

Perfect, I'll move that too I thought it was close enough for him to climb up from there but I might be over estimating the actual size he's going to be (right now my dog is home and I keep imagining the hamster as the size she was when she was born ) She'll only be two nights at my home before returning to my parents though, so Tomate won't have to tolerate her for long. She's quite shy and rodents freak her out so she won't even get near him

[Ria P]

Why did you have to mesh the cage? Is it a rabbit/guinea pig cage?
It's difficult to see from photos how far things are apart etc so i may be wrong suggesting to move the bridge but won't matter because you'll soon find out how your hamster gets on with it.
Yes, i'd definitely keep the dog away from the hamster because the scent of a dog could freak the hamster out and he'll be stressed enough moving into a new home.

[Lau]

Yeah, it was a rabbit cage. I couldn't find anything close to the German Welfare minimum size that was marketed for hamsters ��

I'll move it a bit closer and also turn it around as you said, so that he can run through instead of having to climb up and down to cross to the other area.

The scent will stress him even when she isn't in the room? Then I'll have to deep clean everything before he comes and after she leaves, as she sleeps in my room and the whole place probably smells like her

[Ria P]

I meant its best not to keep them in the same room at the same time because the hamster could smell the dog even if he couldn't see him.