New Hamster mum

[Gemmab]

Hello everyone, I'm a new Hamster owner, I have adopted a Syrian 14 weeks old from Pets at home; no one wanted him

He's a white Syrian called Pontus ❤️ I've started hand feeding him, and taming is going ok; he's been out to play in the bath a few times

I first bought him the quite expensive 3 story plastic house (knowing absolutely nothing about Hams!), and very quickly I've moved him into a bigger old fish tank I was given, where he's happier I think. I'm thinking of getting a Detolf?

I have a question: do you have any tips for getting your hamsters to sleep in their house? I made him a house out of the end of a wooden box file from Ikea, as the other houses he had I thought he wasn't using them as they were too small? He's choosing to sleep in the plastic tube that came with my original cage, that he fills with bedding! I put it in the aquarium because it is where he slept, and I felt mean taking it away, but I'm worried he's not getting enough air? Do you think I should take it away all together forcing him to make another nest hopefully in his house, or do you think he's ok? Is the tube satisfying his natural burrowing instinct?

Ive tried putting treats in his house, I've put lots of tissue in and around, but he just moves it all into the plastic tube?

Thanks 🐹 Ps, I've learnt lots from this forum, it's great 👍🏻

[Thin Lizzy]

Hi Gemmab and welcome to the forum.
Good on you for adopting Pontus.
Remove the plastic tube, they can get very smelly and difficult to get to the hammy.
He'll adapt fine without it, the tube makes him feel safe.

[cypher]

Hi & welcome to HC
Congrats on getting Pontus!

I agree with Lizzy that it's best to remove the tube completely, he will be a little upset for a while but will soon adjust & make a nest somewhere more sensible!
Sometimes they do ignore houses & choose their own place to sleep whatever we give them but as long as the house has no base & a good deep layer of substrate below that's all you can do.

[breakfastwithbutternut]

Originally Posted by Gemmab

Hello everyone, I'm a new Hamster owner, I have adopted a Syrian 14 weeks old from Pets at home; no one wanted him

He's a white Syrian called Pontus ❤️ I've started hand feeding him, and taming is going ok; he's been out to play in the bath a few times

I first bought him the quite expensive 3 story plastic house (knowing absolutely nothing about Hams!), and very quickly I've moved him into a bigger old fish tank I was given, where he's happier I think. I'm thinking of getting a Detolf?

I have a question: do you have any tips for getting your hamsters to sleep in their house? I made him a house out of the end of a wooden box file from Ikea, as the other houses he had I thought he wasn't using them as they were too small? He's choosing to sleep in the plastic tube that came with my original cage, that he fills with bedding! I put it in the aquarium because it is where he slept, and I felt mean taking it away, but I'm worried he's not getting enough air? Do you think I should take it away all together forcing him to make another nest hopefully in his house, or do you think he's ok? Is the tube satisfying his natural burrowing instinct?

Ive tried putting treats in his house, I've put lots of tissue in and around, but he just moves it all into the plastic tube?

Thanks 🐹 Ps, I've learnt lots from this forum, it's great 👍🏻

Congrats on adopting your hammy! Butternut is my first hamster, too

[CMB]

The tube could be used outside his cage. Like in the bath/playpen.

Once he finds a suitable area to nest, the tube may be in the cage as long as he just uses it to walk through.

[Josie]

Hello Gemmab & Pontus and welcome to HC

Playing at the bridge Josie , Daisy and Clover always loved never forgotten

[BorisPasha]

Hello Gemmab, welcome to HC

[Drago]

Hello and welcome to HC!

Pontus sounds like a wonderful little guy, looking forward to learning all about him. As for the house, everyone gave you good advice. Removing the tube would be best as it gets pretty stuffy in there! You can try offering some other places for him to nest in, like a wooden hut, cork tunnel, grass ball, etc. You could also simply offer some cardboard boxes with the bottoms cut out for him to lie in. As for a defolf, it's a bit tough to work with a Syrian, but it's fairly good cage if you can get hold of it. It's tough to manage with having enough bedding for a Syrian (12 inches or 30 cm minimum, with 15.75 inches or 40 cm being the most ideal). You'll also need to have the room for all this bedding as well as a 12 inch wheel so the lid will need some modification to work, but that's fairly simple Good luck, and if you ever have any other questions, don't hesistate to ask