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Old 08-30-2020, 07:02 PM   #11
Zuzia
Newborn Pup
 
Join Date: Aug 2020
Posts: 7
Default Re: We recently got a dwarf hamster and he seems really scared

Quote:
Originally Posted by cypher View Post
It does sound like the bedding is probably cotton so not worth the risk really, he should be fine with shredded toilet tissue, they usually love it.
The food doesn’t sound suitable, there aren’t any dwarf specific mixes available in the uk unfortunately & most of the mixes sold in pet shops aren’t good.
You can get good food from Rodipet, delivery costs aren’t too high & you can always get a few bags at a time & store it in the freezer to cut down on costs.
https://www.rodipet.co.uk/pet-foods/...nior-500g.html
Try to give him more green veg rather than the sweeter veg or fruit as they’re prone to diabetes it is best to avoid sweeter foods.
Most love broccoli, cucumber, green beans, lettuce, things like that.

Edit, I forgot about the cage!
Most cages sold in pet shops are usually too small & not suitable for hamsters.
A good cage for a dwarf is the hamster heaven although it’s best used without the tubes & penthouse that come with it (blockers are provided for the holes) it’s a good size, the base is deep enough for a good amount of substate & it’s high enough to fit an 8 or 9” wheel without being too high & posing a fall risk.
They don’t climb well so floor space is the most important thing for them with a good size house & smaller hides, coconuts are good & cork tubes or tunnels are great as both hides & something to climb over & explore.
You can get the hamster heaven cage from Zooplus
https://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small...YaAk5CEALw_wcB
or amazon
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Savic-Hamst.../dp/B003QRPAR2

Have a look through this thread for ideas on cages & set ups.
Let's see your cages - New thread - July 2017
Thank you so much sorry for the late reply I lost my phone and had no money to replace it for a week now lol it is kapok fibres which I have now been told is just as dangerous so have cleaned his whole cage of everything especially his nest which he isn’t too happy about and keeps sniffing round his cage and sulking won’t come to me even for his fave sunflower seeds waits until I leave the room comes out sucks them all in his cheeks and goes in his bed lol 😂 am a little concerned because of the whole getting stuck and blocking either his throat so he can’t eat and drink properly or his back end to block him going toilet but he seems just fine he is eating drinking and pooping okay so am not sure if he needs to be checked by a vet would you think so? As I am not sure. Do they not like going to high up the because he just has a cage where he has a bridge goes to his food but doesn’t go higher as it is plastic I was looking at a wire cage that goes up 3 stories by bridges and tunnels could he fall down and get hurt if I get him that one?? I thought they liked to climb I am getting so much wrong I feel awful lol. He is happy enough at the moment he is getting used to me and comes out mainly 2am and runs on his wheel non stop unless he wants to eat or drink he can run on the thing for 3 hours straight lol. I will get him some more veggies to eat and look at the food you have said he does like apple but if it can make him sick I may just have to keep that as an extra special treat. Thank you so much for your advice because I love him to bits and want to do what’s best and hope that I can get better at this as I think I would like to always have a little hamster 🐹 in our home now he brightens up my day with his funny little ways I give him a wood treat that has loads of seeds inside he has to find and dig out and he keeps trying to pull it from one end of his cage to the other so he can have it in his nest and it’s quite big for how small he is and he never gets it far hut tries every day to get it to the nest for about 20mins lol 😂 xx
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Old 08-30-2020, 07:19 PM   #12
Zuzia
Newborn Pup
 
Join Date: Aug 2020
Posts: 7
Default Re: We recently got a dwarf hamster and he seems really scared

Quote:
Originally Posted by cypher View Post
It does sound like the bedding is probably cotton so not worth the risk really, he should be fine with shredded toilet tissue, they usually love it.
The food doesn’t sound suitable, there aren’t any dwarf specific mixes available in the uk unfortunately & most of the mixes sold in pet shops aren’t good.
You can get good food from Rodipet, delivery costs aren’t too high & you can always get a few bags at a time & store it in the freezer to cut down on costs.
https://www.rodipet.co.uk/pet-foods/...nior-500g.html
Try to give him more green veg rather than the sweeter veg or fruit as they’re prone to diabetes it is best to avoid sweeter foods.
Most love broccoli, cucumber, green beans, lettuce, things like that.

Edit, I forgot about the cage!
Most cages sold in pet shops are usually too small & not suitable for hamsters.
A good cage for a dwarf is the hamster heaven although it’s best used without the tubes & penthouse that come with it (blockers are provided for the holes) it’s a good size, the base is deep enough for a good amount of substate & it’s high enough to fit an 8 or 9” wheel without being too high & posing a fall risk.
They don’t climb well so floor space is the most important thing for them with a good size house & smaller hides, coconuts are good & cork tubes or tunnels are great as both hides & something to climb over & explore.
You can get the hamster heaven cage from Zooplus
https://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small...YaAk5CEALw_wcB
or amazon
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Savic-Hamst.../dp/B003QRPAR2

Have a look through this thread for ideas on cages & set ups.
Let's see your cages - New thread - July 2017
It is kapok bedding I was using and am a little worried now I have changed everything in his cage so am hoping he is okay but should I take him to get checked at the vets? As they can get blocked up both ends he seems okay but am not sure if I should just invade he is eating drinking and pooping okay I have checked. Is scary to know a pet store sold me it as safe for him I feel awful for letting him have it! I thought they liked to climb and was looking at a new cage for him that is a metal wire cage that has the covered bit on one side at the bottom and goes up 3 more flights by tubes bridges and steps with a nest bit at the bottle water on the next one a little house on the next one and a wheel at the top but if it is that high up could he get hurt if he falls off? I thought they were good with balance and heights and climbing but am learning a lot on here as I am talking to you hun I just want to make sure I doing the best for the little guy because he really is close to my heart now he honestly brightens my day up even on a bad one he tries to climb up to his food without using the ramp and ends up pushing his wheel off and getting his but stick 😂 but makes it in the end now has worked out he can push the bowl over and climb up the rough the hole it is supposed to it in with his nest underneath you find his little nose poking through to see if he has any apple or carrot up there 😂😂 and he has the wood treats with seeds hidden inside them and they are quite big for his little size but he still tries every day to get it to the other end of the cage and put it in his nest 😂😂 he is a funny little guy he loved his ball too he comes out for maybe 15mins each day he doesn’t like it when I close it after he gets in but he loves running around the front fo in it 😍😍 I am going to take a look at the food you have shown me and get some when I’m paid next with veggies I have broccoli carrots cauliflower and stuff but is frozen is this okay to give him once defrosted? Or am better off with fresh? He loves a bit of apple but will start giving him that as an occasional treat instead sorry for all the questions and long replies but I just like to know what’s best for him xx
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Old 08-30-2020, 11:03 PM   #13
cypher
Dwarf whisperer
 
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Join Date: May 2014
Location: Wales UK
Posts: 24,789
Default Re: We recently got a dwarf hamster and he seems really scared

It’s good that you’ve removed al the potentially dangerous nesting material but I wouldn’t worry too much, if he seems fine in himself & eating, drinking etc ok than he probably is ok, I would just keep an eye on him & see how he goes.

They aren’t natural climbers, in the wild they are ground dwellers & don’t climb so cages with several levels aren’t suitable even though they may be sold as hamster cages, keep to a cage with just one level, low level shelves or ledges in the cage are fine but the main area should just be the one level.

He may seem to. love the ball but once they’re in the ball they have no option but to run really so it isn’t possible to see if they are enjoying it or trying to escape, balls can be dangerous for them, they can catch their toes in the little air holes & get injured if the ball bumps into something, It’s not a good form or enrichment as it doesn’t stimulate their senses at all, if they need to run then the wheel is the best thing.
I would set up a playpen or other safe play area where he can’t escape with lots of toys. to explore, maybe hide a few treats for him to find & you can sit with him & interact with him while he’s in there so it’s much better for both of you.

Don’t feel bad about making mistakes, we all do in the beginning & there is a lot of bad information out there often from pet shops but also online so it can be hard to know how to care for them at first.
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