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Pebbles82 · 07-24-2016, 02:50 AM

Hi. It can help to keep a similar kind of layout if possible (not always possible) eg wheel at the same end, house in the same corner. The main thing though is to move over all the current substrate and don't clean any current items when you move them over

That means things still smell familiar and it really helps with the settling in process and avoids stress. As the Alaska is a bigger cage I would suggest filling the base with new substrate to around 2cm from the top of the base and then sprinkling all the old substrate from the Bristol on top of that. If there isn't quite enough to put a layer over the whole cage then put most of it near the house area.

The house on the shelf in the Alaska isn't suitable really. It's not good for nesting (better to have a house that sits directly on top of the substrate) and the holes in it are a bit small for a Syrian. If you have quite a large Syrian I would just take the white cat house out - the shelf is fine without it. If you have quite a small Syrian you could just leave it in as a hidey place. Personally I would take it out.

He may decide to nest differently in the new cage. I would put the new wood house where you would like him to nest and put his current bendy bridge over the door of it so it's nice and dark inside - that way he is almost certain to go in there and nest

Providing the house is big enough. If it's a bit small he might ignore it and nest in the white house on the shelf or make another bedding pile somewhere. If he does that, or the wood house isn't big enough you could always make a slightly bigger house out of a cardboard shoe box with a hole cut in for a door and pop it over the top of his nest pile!

If you think the wood house is big enough, then it might be an idea to put some of his old nesting material in there. But still put a big pile of new nesting paper (ie tear sheets of plain white toilet paper into strips and put a big pile somewhere in the cage so he can pouch it and take it to where he wants to nest).

If you can put the house and wheel in a similar layout it can help with settling in, but if there's a slight variation it shouldn't matter too much.

07-24-2016, 02:50 AM
Pebbles82 Hamster Antics Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 23,533	Re: Moving hamster to a new cage Hi. It can help to keep a similar kind of layout if possible (not always possible) eg wheel at the same end, house in the same corner. The main thing though is to move over all the current substrate and don't clean any current items when you move them over That means things still smell familiar and it really helps with the settling in process and avoids stress. As the Alaska is a bigger cage I would suggest filling the base with new substrate to around 2cm from the top of the base and then sprinkling all the old substrate from the Bristol on top of that. If there isn't quite enough to put a layer over the whole cage then put most of it near the house area. The house on the shelf in the Alaska isn't suitable really. It's not good for nesting (better to have a house that sits directly on top of the substrate) and the holes in it are a bit small for a Syrian. If you have quite a large Syrian I would just take the white cat house out - the shelf is fine without it. If you have quite a small Syrian you could just leave it in as a hidey place. Personally I would take it out. He may decide to nest differently in the new cage. I would put the new wood house where you would like him to nest and put his current bendy bridge over the door of it so it's nice and dark inside - that way he is almost certain to go in there and nest Providing the house is big enough. If it's a bit small he might ignore it and nest in the white house on the shelf or make another bedding pile somewhere. If he does that, or the wood house isn't big enough you could always make a slightly bigger house out of a cardboard shoe box with a hole cut in for a door and pop it over the top of his nest pile! If you think the wood house is big enough, then it might be an idea to put some of his old nesting material in there. But still put a big pile of new nesting paper (ie tear sheets of plain white toilet paper into strips and put a big pile somewhere in the cage so he can pouch it and take it to where he wants to nest). If you can put the house and wheel in a similar layout it can help with settling in, but if there's a slight variation it shouldn't matter too much.