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Old 11-27-2020, 05:04 PM   #1
hamsterisahamster
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Default Stress after rearranged cage

My hamster is a syrian hamster who I’ve had for just under 6 months.

I rearrange the cage every 1-2 months so that he doesn’t get bored, and he usually doesn’t mind and adjusts to it immediately.

I rearranged it today and he keeps asking to get out (he climbs to the highest points, climbs on toys, jumps at the glass or climbs on my hand) and then once out he asks to get back in (jumping at the glass, climbing on me) and then the cycle continues, as if he’s trying to get back home.

Help! Advice?
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Old 11-29-2020, 04:08 PM   #2
brieshamsters
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Default Re: Stress after rearranged cage

did you do anything different this time? maybe he doesn’t like something and is upset about it. or maybe he didn’t mind before but this time in particular upset him? can you possibly link a photo of the enclosure?
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Old 11-29-2020, 05:15 PM   #3
Ria P
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Default Re: Stress after rearranged cage

I always found it to be the very opposite that hamsters don't like their things to be rearranged once they have a setup they like and that works for them.
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Old 11-29-2020, 10:41 PM   #4
cypher
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Default Re: Stress after rearranged cage

Generally it’s best to leave your hamster set up the same, once you’ve got it set up in a way that they like & works for them don’t change it, it’s ok to have a small area where you could swap around one toy or add different kinds of enrichment but other than that leave it, it’s rather like us coming home to find someone’s moved our furniture around or swapped it for something else.
Did you move his house & nest?
It could be that there’s something missing he really liked or the arrangement doesn’t suit him, you might need to change something back but otherwise once he settles down again don’t change it again.
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Old 11-30-2020, 05:09 PM   #5
hamsterisahamster
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Default Re: Stress after rearranged cage

Hi guys, thanks for the advice.

He settled down the next day and is fine now!

From what you said, I think it was because I moved his ‘nest’. He has a tunnel that he always sleeps in depsite the 10 inches of bedding and I had moved it so that it stuck into the bedding as a burrow starter, both to encourage burrowing and so that the bedding could soak up the urine to make it easier to clean. It was necessary but that must have been why he was stressed!

I won’t move it again and will try to keep it the same, it’s just that I read that they should be switched up every once in a while to avoid boredom! Hopefully he reacts better when I add in all his toys that I got him for Christmas!

By the way, the cage is a detolf.
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Old 12-01-2020, 04:28 AM   #6
Maker
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Default Re: Stress after rearranged cage

They are generally scared of change and their eyesight isn't great either - try to keep things the same layout - you can add different tunnels and toy things but in general keep things the same and definitely don't take things away - this gives them the right hump!
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Old 12-01-2020, 08:05 AM   #7
Pebbles82
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Default Re: Stress after rearranged cage

As the others say - best not to rearrange things! They are quite territorial about their habitat and feel invaded if things are changed or moved. There is a need to invade a little bit for spot cleaning etc, but they usually accept that providing you don't take things away or move things around as they get a sense of familiarity and security. It's a bit like someone knocking your house down and rebuilding it and you preferred it the way it was before - plus it doesn't feel like your house any more!

They tend to accept new things being added and enjoy that providing it doesn't mean moving other things around too much. Some hamsters are more fussy than others about it - our first hamster would give very black looks and freak out if you moved something even half an inch!

The nest business is tricky. I would suggest adding a house over where his nest is (removing the tunnel at the same time so the house is over the nesting area and the house entrance substitutes for the tunnel). If they have a nice big dark house they are happy nesting in there and don't need to have an underground burrow. The house mimics a burrow. A shoebox house is ideal if you don't want to buy one. Cut the base out of the shoe box so the house is open underneath and sat on top of the substrate. Keep the lid as a lift off roof and cut a hole for a door in one of the longer sides near one end (that means the other end is darker and they nest at the darkest end). If you have a bendy bridge to put over the entrance that helps too as it gives them a tunnel entrance and also makes it darker inside. Plus it makes a ramp onto the roof.

It's best not to keep taking the roof off though as that freaks them out as well if done too much, but it's useful for if you ever need to check inside to see if the nest is dry or to remove a litter tray. Because if the house is big enough then you can put a corner litter tray inside and they tend to use it - so it then keeps the cage clean and dry and the nest as well and you just need to empty the litter tray a couple of times a week.

The house doesn't have to be that large though - but a decent size so they can build a big cosy nest for the winter - they like to build really big nests in winter as they feel the cold. If the house isn't big enough to fit a litter tray inside then your hammy will probably choose a corner of the cage as a toilet and you can put a litter tray there.

I tried letting our first hamster have a burrow and tunnel system but it turned out to be a stinky mess as their pee area gets mixed up with the nest and it keeps collapsing - he wasn't happy at all and his ears were down all the time. When I gave him a big house he moved in straight away and was happy.
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Old 12-01-2020, 05:10 PM   #8
hamsterisahamster
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Default Re: Stress after rearranged cage

Thanks for the shoebox idea!

I will look into that or I’ve heard about multi chamber hides which sound similar.
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climbs, months, cage, doesn’t, back, rearranged, glass, hamster, toys, jumps, hand, he’s, home, advice, continues, jumping, points, climbing, cycle, asks, immediately, rearrange, i’ve, syrian, 1-2

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