Cleaning nest?

[Anna12345]

Hi all,

My female Syrian hamster always makes nest underneath her house in the 20cm bedding and also stores food+poos+pees there 😑. I have tried to get her to do her business in the house where i put the toilet tray or even outside the house but with no success. She has a Trixie Labyrinth house. It is a bit annoying for cleaning as i have to destroy her nest/burrows which i assume would bring her unexpected stresses. I usually do the cleaning of the toilet area once a week while keeping the rest of the cage untouched for a full clean in every 2 months. Do you think it is acceptable to muss up the nest and burrows every week? I don’t want to create a stressful environment but also want to avoid the ammonia buildup. Suggestion is much appreciated. Thanks!

[cypher]

It is stressful for them if you have to destroy burrows but you do have to remove peed on substrate so it has to be done. The house you have is a bit small for a Syrian hamster & more suited to a dwarf species so you might find things work better with a larger house. She may be more likely to use the litter tray or at least pee in a more easily accessible spot.
Rodipet do some great houses, either the granite or labyrinth are good.
https://www.rodipet.co.uk/houses/

[Kyrkogrimr]

I had one of Rodipet's labyrinth houses for my syrian male Hydrogen and he was usually very good about choosing a specific place that could be easily cleaned - the exception being when he would "protest pee" to let me know he wasn't happy with something. If you have the choice of buying/making a larger house for her, it may help?

[Anna12345]

Thank you cypher and Kyrkogrimr. I checked Rodipet’s website and the labyrinth is currently out of stock. Do you think the Granit house would do the job? I’m considering the one with 3 rooms. Any idea on reducing the depth of bedding under the house so she cannot make nest under it and moving the burrow area to different corner?

[Pebbles82]

You might be able to hack the trixie labyrinth house so she has a separate pee area. Most people knock out the bit of solid floor under the entrance run, which helps. I would also saw or knock out the middle panel so it’s one bigger open area in the middle. It is still a bit small to fit a litter tray and a Syrian nest but you could try putting a corner litter tray in the bigger middle section after it’s hacked. Best place is opposite the entrance to the middle section so it doesn’t block the exit door to the ramp.

[Anna12345]

Thank you all. Yes i actually opened the middle floor and put the litter tray in the front room of the middle section. She once in a while moved the tray and peed on the wood instead . Btw i checked Rodipet’s website and the labyrinth ran out of stock. Would the granit do the job you think? I am considering the one with 3 rooms. If not i can wait for the labyrinth to be back - they say on 14July. One more question if you think it is helpful to reduce the depth of the bedding under the house so she cannot make nest there and move the burrow area to a different corner. In case she make the toilet in the burrow will be easier to me to clean?