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Old 12-20-2019, 02:18 PM   #1
Dyarikku
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Join Date: Dec 2019
Posts: 8
Exclamation My Syrian is never satisfied. I’m running out of options. Help!

Hello! I am desperately looking for advice and solutions.

Chicle is a 1 yo syrian, he’s healthy and well loved. I got him tons of beddings, chew toys, oat sprays, nature salads, a proper syrian hamster wheel, sandbath, tunnels, playpen and huge plastic ball, hideouts - literally anything you can mention. I give him attention on a daily basis whenever he wakes up.

The first cage he had was a Pet terrarium of the approx size 75\40\40. He was stressed out and started monkey barring so I got him a 144lt bin cage which is approx 100\40\40. He seemed happy for about a week and he is now constantly and desperately looking for an escape.

Whenever I place my hand in the cage, he rushes to climb it up. He grabs a cuddle or two for a minute and then starts wanting to run around. So I got him a plastic ball! He didn’t like it. Then I got him a huge playpen! He starts panicking and looking for an escape within minutes.

I live in the UK and I’ve been searching for bin cages bigger than this 144lt one I managed finding online; impossible. Not shippable to the UK. Tanks? Same. Not available. I keep searching and I find NOTHING. Only horrible tiny tube houses that for some reason people still think are a reasonable home for a hamster.

I feel incredibly guilty for not being able to find him a proper size cage. He’s literally never happy! I know syrians are very needy in terms of floor space but I can’t work it out.

I thought of an Ikea detolf but it seems pretty narrow and short to me. I have no way of building a diy cage otherwise I would have done it.

Please help me :”(

Thanks so much in advance, xx
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Old 12-21-2019, 04:29 AM   #2
Harper37
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Default Re: My Syrian is never satisfied. I’m running out of options. Help!

this cage is larger, although it is a little expensive;

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/2535...ll?ref=reviews
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Old 12-21-2019, 09:18 AM   #3
sarahbutterflies
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Default Re: My Syrian is never satisfied. I’m running out of options. Help!

I'm not quite sure how much space you have or money you want to spend on a new cage but even though I know you said you don't have tools or anything you can still put together a diy! I was having the same issues and feeling the same way. I wanted to get or make something bigger but I don't have any tools and didn't really want to buy tools. I also have a Syrian and I just upgraded her to a bookcase I got second hand. It's about the size of the 3 level Ikea billy bookcase (31 1/2x11x41 3/4 inches). Although not super tall you can still add plenty of bedding and I think my hamster is a lot happier. I think with Ikea they give you the tools you need to build the items?? or you can get a bookcase already put together. I think where a lot of the diy comes into is if you want to add plexiglass to the front or if you're building something completely from scratch. I still think it is definitely doable and affordable. What's nice about the Ikea furniture is that you can keep adding extensions so if you want something larger you can definitely add to it. You can definitely check second hand stores if you have any around your area or if you have apps that you can sell/buy stuff to look for furniture. If you get something wooden most people recommend to add aquarium silicone to the edges or even contact paper (although it can be chewed easier than the silicone). I hope you're able to find something that makes him happy!!

also hamster balls are not necessarily safe for a variety of reasons

here is a thread I found: Xmas tree storage boxes are in at Wilko
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Old 12-21-2019, 10:02 AM   #4
LunaTheHamster1
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Default Re: My Syrian is never satisfied. I’m running out of options. Help!

Can I ask what makes you think he is panicking? Hamsters do like to try and escape, it's just kind of what they do/ e.g. I let mine free roam in a room and they will still try to find places to escape.
Is it possible for you to upload a picture of your setup, although it does sound like you have most things covered.
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Old 12-21-2019, 10:10 AM   #5
Jo 17
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Default Re: My Syrian is never satisfied. I’m running out of options. Help!

Luna...
I am with Luna on that one...I am very new owner of hamster myself, but I have been told by my friend who is kind of expert - Hamsters have one and only goal, to escape... And they will try to do it regardless the size of enclosure. If they would be in the wild they would have to be very quick and careful as they only little. That is also why they hoard their food, to make sure they have some in case they would not be able to come out of hiding. That is their nature. It sounds as you love your hamster very much, looking lots of research on they need etc. Just try to relax and enjoy when they are very active in the playpen...
But what do I know, as I said, I am very new and learning as I go..
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Old 12-21-2019, 11:37 AM   #6
Ria P
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Default Re: My Syrian is never satisfied. I’m running out of options. Help!

Yes, i'm also with Luna. Your hamster may not be panicking but simply be doing what hamsters do.
A photo of your set up would help alright because the size of your hamster's habitat sounds big enough to me.

Does he have a big, bottomless house that's dark inside and not made from plastic? It needs to be big enough for him to build a big nest which he can sink into the substrate and big enough to keep a big hoard in as well. Adult shoe box sized. A big nest and a hoard are very important to a hamster.

Does he have a Whimzee chew?

My Syrian doesn't like play pens either and will only sit there and sulk. He does like free roaming in a hamster proof room when he's in the right mood.

Hamsters also need shelter to dive under and places to explore. Could it be that he feels exposed in the play pen? A trail of seeds leading through tunnels and tubes inside the play pen may get him interested. Cardboard boxes with hamster sized holes cut out to sit in and run through are also liked.

Another thing worth mentioning: when a hamster wakes up they need time to have a snack, wash and pee before they may want attention from us humans.

Is his bin cage well ventilated with a meshed lid and a meshed window he can look out from?

Can he easily get to his food and does his water bottle work? This may be a silly question but i'm only trying to point a few things out you could check.

Also, no need to feel guilty because you are trying all you can to make your hamster happy. It can be very difficult to figure out what a hamster likes and dislikes. It took me ages to get my Syrian's set up right and they don't like too many changes or cleaning or interfering with their stuff.
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Old 12-21-2019, 04:04 PM   #7
Dyarikku
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Default Re: My Syrian is never satisfied. I’m running out of options. Help!

Guys,
Thank you all for the precious advices so far. Makes me feel a bit better.
I will have a look at both ikea bookcases and the few cages you suggested.
A little update on the playpen, Chicle actually spent a good 30 min exploring it and munchin oat sprays in it. He didn’t look as panicked as I described, instead he wandered around and looked curious to explore. The plastic ball, I’m not even going to try anymore. I had doubts in first place, I’m not a big supporter of it as a toy.

I’ll attach pics of the playpen and cage, along with pics of Chicle. I’ll leave it to you to judge how healthy and fatty he looks :P The cage’s lid was temporary and from a previous cage but it actually does the job.
I also can’t put any more bedding than this since he’d reach the bars and start monkey barring.
This unfortunately doesn’t change the fact that this bin cage still feels too small for him. I guess my option will be a detolf or something similar. It just sucks that UK doesn’t seem to offer suitable options, a tank at least. I’m also on a bit of a budget and shipping options are crazy expensive :”(.

Please list any other cages of any type you can think of!! I seriously appreciate the help! Xx
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Old 12-21-2019, 04:11 PM   #8
Dyarikku
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Default Re: My Syrian is never satisfied. I’m running out of options. Help!

Almost forgot answering all of your questions x)


-Yes, he has a bottomless hideout where he hoards and sleeps

-No, he doesn’t have a whimsee chew but I thought of getting some

-He doesn’t have a bottle because he climbs on it. He has a small water dish I fill up everyday and I checked he could drink from it easily, and so it is

-I feel like he panics when he desperately looks for and escape for longer than 10 min. I’ve seen him chilled and exploring curiously so I can kinda tell when he looks unsettled or not

-I’m afraid of getting a wooden cage as he chewed and tried to escape the first cage he had, which was in-fact a wooden one
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Old 12-21-2019, 04:41 PM   #9
LunaTheHamster1
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Default Re: My Syrian is never satisfied. I’m running out of options. Help!

Have you tried more bedding and watched to see if he still monkey bars or gives up after he has explored it all and seen what it is all about? I ask partly because if he had more bedding he may be distracted more by tunnelling around.

I couldn't quite see everything in the photos, but I was thinking maybe add a box or two or another bendy bridge or a coconut or something similar. It just looked a little bit open on the photos. Maybe different in reality. You don't have to always buy things as you said you were on a budget, you could use empty boxes/recycling e.g. tissue box, tea bag box (as long as it is clean) etc.

Re you thinking he panics, when he is trying to escape, do you interact with him and try to distract him?
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Old 12-21-2019, 04:48 PM   #10
Dyarikku
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Default Re: My Syrian is never satisfied. I’m running out of options. Help!

I’d say he looks more busy when I place more bedding... so you’re saying he needs more hideout areas? I feel like he ignores them completely. Used to put one of those strawberry hideouts, he won’t even look at it :s
I will definitely try the tea boxes!

He panics as in, restlessly tries to climb the cage walls. He tries to climb on the wheel too. And this weird thing of climbing my hand instantly when I place it in the cage, I can’t tell if it’s because he wants to interact with me or just because he knows hand equals escape. He lets me handle him no problem, never bites, lets me feed him and recognises my scent. I’d say he’s pretty tamed.
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cage, syrian, find, literally, ball, huge, plastic, 144lt, approx, size, bin, hamster, happy, escape, playpen, he’s, proper, starts, searching, desperately, houses, tube, cages, bigger, impossible

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