Hello guys!
I recently adopted a syrian ham, Clover. Cue adorable picture plug...
She's a sweetheart, very tame, very active, but unfortunately we're finding her to be a wee bit of an attention seeker. I anxiously made a post in hamster behaviour about her unfortunate bar chewing and after putting her to some tests (basically recording her to see whether she bar chews when I'm in the room) she does it to get my attention to be let out! For now, placing a thin blanket over the front of her cage seems to trick her into thinking I'm not there. She's more than enough toys, her wheel is working fine and her cage is big enough from what I've been told so I can only assume it's just her acting up to come back out as it tends to flare up when she goes back in.
However, I'm trying to prepare for whether this becomes a habit, or whether she figures out I'm actually still in the room, by collecting advice for making a bin cage for a syrian. I've been trying to go through all the forums to get what I need but I just seem to get turned in circles there's so many! My Dad is luckily more adept at DIY than me so he's agreed that if we need to, he'll help me make a new cage for mini cow.
So here's what I'm wondering (apologies if these are asked way too often as I suspect they may, I just had trouble finding all the right posts specifically about syrians.
)
- My syrian is currently housed in the Alaska cage, what floor dimensions should I be aiming for to find for a suitable bin cage?
- What woods are safe to use for extra levels and potential DIY toys?
- What do they need to be treated with, if anything?
- What size mesh should I be looking for, for the ventilation areas?
- How much ventilation is needed? I've seen some bin cages with a large panel just on the lid, others with some on the sides? (Putting it on the sides seems a little counter intuitive for what I need but I'm not an expert on bin cages. It'd be my luck that the little bugger would chew those panels as well.)
- Any suggestions for good standing wheels (and what size for a syrian, I've only ever had flying saucers after providing a more suitable cage for my old ham, Sherlock)? I currently have a flying saucer but I feel like if I swap to the bin cage I may as well take the opportunity to change up the exercise wheel and give as much floor space as possible.
- What glues would be safe to use on any wood toys I try to make?
- The hanging toys I currently have, have chain links on them which I've been told can be an issue if mini cow isn't careful, and I think they might not be long enough for a bin cage (the depth seems to increase along with the width and length by an insane amount.) What twine or rope can I use that won't be harmful and preferable that would survive the force of mini cow on a big chew day
? Cause she seems to really like hanging toys.
Is there anything else I should be aware of or consider? I feel like I had a million more questions but they've gone for now.
I'll edit if I remember!
Thank you in advance.