Crazy hamster! Help!

[Robolover21]

He's got so much energy, he's trying to escape every Night! He's driving me bananas with the chewing of the cage!

He's in a 3ft X 2ft tank with a 11inch wheel and loads of toys and chews, I make puzzle toys with food etc but that only lasts 5 mins, he's in his playpen and climbing on me/my bed for an hour each night! I've never known such an active Syrian!

Has anyone got any ideas??

[CMB]

You may want to extend his time out of his cage in the playpen. Give him lots of things to do in the playpen. Like tubes, boxes, wheel, climbing toys.

Bury his food/treats in the substrate so he has to sniff it out. You could also put food in cardboard boxes/tubes, then bury those (you may want to poke a few holes in the tube/box to help him find them.

DIY platforms may be a nice addition. I plan on adding some to my hamsters tank.

[AmityvilleHams]

That sort of behavior is an indication that something about the cage isn't right for an individual hamster.Deep substrate is definitely worth trying(12+ inches of a burrowing friendly substrate being ideal for Syrians,which often won't burrow until they're given that depth of substrate),as well as making sure there's not much open space and plenty roof cover.

If you try everything possible to make the current cage more enriching and have deep substrate etc,then it is quite likely you just might need a bigger cage(which might sound surprising but is honestly extremely common with Syrians even in cages upwards of a square meter).

[Robolover21]

Originally Posted by CMB

You may want to extend his time out of his cage in the playpen. Give him lots of things to do in the playpen. Like tubes, boxes, wheel, climbing toys.

Bury his food/treats in the substrate so he has to sniff it out. You could also put food in cardboard boxes/tubes, then bury those (you may want to poke a few holes in the tube/box to help him find them.

DIY platforms may be a nice addition. I plan on adding some to my hamsters tank.

Platforms are on my to do list! My dad has loads of free scrap wood!

[Robolover21]

Originally Posted by AmityvilleHams

That sort of behavior is an indication that something about the cage isn't right for an individual hamster.Deep substrate is definitely worth trying(12+ inches of a burrowing friendly substrate being ideal for Syrians,which often won't burrow until they're given that depth of substrate),as well as making sure there's not much open space and plenty roof cover.

If you try everything possible to make the current cage more enriching and have deep substrate etc,then it is quite likely you just might need a bigger cage(which might sound surprising but is honestly extremely common with Syrians even in cages upwards of a square meter).

He's got deep substrate that he does dig in a bit but I will try making it deeper, if I move his toys around then he settles, I think he just gets bored really easily, I can't work out how to post pictures otherwise I'd post a pic of his cage.

[CMB]

Use the go advanced button. Then manage attachment(s), choose file, upload. Then once uploaded close the window and submit the reply.

[AmityvilleHams]

I wouldn't use scrap wood.You'd need to know that it is a specific safe type of wood,not plywood or generalized lumber or anything that isn't specified,and it also must be untreated or kiln dried.Anything that isn't a safe material,including wood,must never be used in hamster cages under any circumstances.

[Robolover21]

Originally Posted by AmityvilleHams

I wouldn't use scrap wood.You'd need to know that it is a specific safe type of wood,not plywood or generalized lumber or anything that isn't specified,and it also must be untreated or kiln dried.Anything that isn't a safe material,including wood,must never be used in hamster cages under any circumstances.

My dad brought it so he will know what it is, it was an expensive wood for his work and will be a specific type, I know it's definitely untreated though, it left over from his work project

[AmityvilleHams]

It still has to be of a hamster safe variety,so you'll need to make sure what kind it is before even thinking of using it.Not all wood is safe,but hopefully it is of a safe variety

[Robolover21]

Originally Posted by AmityvilleHams

It still has to be of a hamster safe variety,so you'll need to make sure what kind it is before even thinking of using it.Not all wood is safe,but hopefully it is of a safe variety

It's kiln dried pine